Good night for Jeter: Hit, fine play, jokes

TRENTON -- Yes, Derek Jeter knew exactly how many hits Eduardo Nuñez had in the previous two games (seven). And of course, being a Yankees icon himself, Derek Jeter knows who Wally Pipp is. "I do," he said. Then he added his response to that: "I'll be back on Monday."

In other words, he isn't about to lose his job to some upstart the way Wally Pipp once did to Lou Gehrig -- the man who held the record for hits as a Yankee before Jeter broke it.

Not that there was any chance of Jeter's not being invited back into the lineup Monday. But the fact he was able to joke about it was a sign of just how well he felt after playing in a ballgame for the first time since he strained his right calf and went on the disabled list.

"This day," said general manager Brian Cashman, who was at Double-A Trenton's game Saturday nightto watch Jeter's first rehab performance, "could not have gone any better."

It was a remarkable night at Waterfront Park: a crowd of 9,002, the second largest in franchise history; constant buzz, especially during the 15 pregame minutes that Jeter spent signing autographs; people photographing the lineup board in the main corridor, showing Jeter batting leadoff for the Thunder.

Trenton manager Tony Franklin, a baseball lifer, said he hadn't seen anything like it in 20 years (since he managed Double-A Birmingham and Bo Jackson made a rehab start).

What really was impressive for the Yankees, though, was that it was such a normal, typical Jeter game. He came to bat with Bob Sheppard's recorded introduction. He singled between short and third in the first. He went from first to third on a double by Corban Joseph (who gave up uniform No. 2 for the occasion). He scored without a throw on a sacrifice fly to center.

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Jeter made an exceptional defensive play on a grounder in the fourth, going to his left, spinning completely around and retiring the Altoona batter. He smoked a liner in the second that was caught by diving first baseman Matt Curry. He worked a full-count walk in the fifth and left for pinch runner Jose Pirela, who gave up his starting shortstop spot for the occasion.

All told, he proved he'll be ready to bat leadoff for the Yankees in Cleveland Monday night. Nothing against Nuñez. "He has played great," Jeter said, adding: "I'm not bad luck, I don't think, throughout my career."

Jeter was happy to get back into a game because there are some things you just can't simulate in practice. "I was nervous coming in. I hadn't played in three weeks. I didn't sleep much last night," he said. "But it feels pretty good."

The future Hall of Famer felt good enough to laugh when told that Pirela jokingly asked Franklin: "Well, you can't tell him to play second base?"

Jeter was healthy enough to be gracious, echoing Alex Rodriguez's praise of Jose Reyes. But really, who does he believe is the best player in baseball right now?

"As of today," the soon-to-be restored Yankees shortstop said, "it's Nuñez."