Jeter works towards cementing legacy

BY KAT O'BRIEN | kat.obrien@newsday.com

March 28, 2008

TAMPA, Fla. - Every year after the Yankees' top draft pick signs, general manager Brian Cashman takes the player out to left-centerfield at Yankee Stadium, shows him Monument Park and tells him he could be out there one day.

Cashman did that with Derek Jeter and his parents in 1992, although Cashman was not yet GM. And it's the first thing that comes to Cashman's mind when he is asked for a favorite memory of Jeter.

"I told him he had the ability to be a special player," Cashman said. "There's always a great deal of hope wrapped up in that player. But that [a player getting his own monument], that's a dream."

In Jeter's case, it's a dream that has developed into a virtual 100 percent chance of becoming reality.

Of course, Jeter's reaction to Cashman's recollection was: "I don't ever even think about something like that, to be quite honest with you. That's something you think about when your career's over with. I don't ever look that far into the future. It's more of what you can do next ... I'm worried about winning this year, and that's it."

Statements like that are why the Yankees named Jeter captain in 2003. He's been the face of the team since helping lead the Yankees to four world championships in his first five full seasons.

Jeter's early success makes it seem as if he's been playing shortstop in the Bronx forever, but he grew up in front of New Yorkers. And he's no longer a kid by any means. Jeter will turn 34 in June.

For the first time in a long time, Jeter does not have the longest contract among Yankees. Just three years remain on the 10-year, $189-million contract he inked in February 2001. Jeter's closest friend on the team, Jorge Posada, signed a four-year, $52-million contract this offseason. Alex Rodriguez signed a 10-year contract worth $275 million plus incentives.

Jeter has no plans to retire when his contract runs out, and retirement is likely a long way in his future. But he does have plans for what he wants to do after he finishes playing -- own a major-league team.

"I definitely want to do it," he said.

Buying and owning a big league team has been something he's thought about for years. He has no interest in managing, front-office work or coaching, saying: "The only coach I would be is if I had kids, when I have kids, if they wanted me to."

Ownership, on the other hand, has an allure. Not many pro athletes have gone on to own a team in the league in which they played. One who has is Michael Jordan, now a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Jeter got to know Jordan while Jordan was playing minor-league baseball in the White Sox organization. Asked if he has talked to him about what owning a pro team is like, Jeter said: "A little bit, yeah," but said with a laugh, "I'm not telling you what he said." Whether Jordan recommended ownership or not, Jeter has not been dissuaded, saying: "I think it would be fun. I think it would be a lot of fun, a lot of work, but it would be a lot of fun."

Jeter won't be buying the Yankees from the Steinbrenner family, though. "I couldn't afford the Yankees," Jeter said.

(Incidentally, Jeter passed Jordan last year and took over No. 2 on the list of America's favorite sports star, according to the Harris Poll. Jordan owned the No. 1 slot every year from 1993 to 2005, with Tiger Woods getting No. 1 the past two years.)

Jeter already is moving beyond his endorsement empire and branching into ownership. Last month, he announced a partnership with 24-Hour Fitness, a nationwide chain of health clubs. They will open three Derek Jeter 24-Hour Fitness clubs in Manhattan and one in New Jersey later this year. Jeter is a part-owner of all four and helped plan nearly every detail. But his focus is on winning the Yankees' first championship since 2000.

Toward that end, he did some different workouts during the offseason that emphasized his legs. He had some knee problems last year that he didn't want to repeat, so he tried to get stronger and build speed.

"I think my favorite thing about Derek Jeter is he outwardly shows how much he loves to play this game," Joe Girardi said. "And one of the things that to me is really classy about this guy is he always looks at his mom and his dad in the stands."

Reggie Jackson said the first time he met Jeter, "I could tell by his parents that he was high-quality, that he was high-character." That has rung true. Says Jackson, "Whenever I go somewhere with Derek, I can't pay. My money's counterfeit."

Jeter may have grown up, but he's the same as always. He can be counted on to hit above .300 with 200 hits and 100 runs just about every year (he has averaged 195 hits and 115 runs in his 12 full seasons and has a career .317 average). He'll say the right thing in just about every situation. And he'll have a blast while doing it.