Jeter: 'I still have a season to play'

Derek Jeter made it very clear when met with reporters yesterday outside Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., that it was not a retirement press conference. Instead, he stressed that he was focused on this upcoming season, the final one of his illustrious MLB career.

“I still have a season to play,” Jeter said. “This is just letting you guys know that this is gonna be my last year, but I felt as though it was the right time.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time. ... I just think I’ve done it long enough and I look forward to doing some other things in my life. I can’t reiterate enough that we still have a season to play.”

Jeter, who played just 17 games last season due to a broken ankle and various leg injuries, told reporters that his decision to retire following the season is not related to his “disappointing” season a year ago or injuries.

“This has absolutely nothing to do with how I feel physically,” Jeter said. “Physically, I feel great, and I’m looking forward to playing a full season.”

Although Jeter said that he feels as though he has more than one season of baseball left in him, “The time is right. I have other things I want to do.”