Jeter continues to struggle at plate

Michael Weiner and Gary Bielins were at the Stadium early Saturday, settling into their regular seats behind the visitors' dugout in time to catch batting practice. The two attend about two dozen home games a year, and although they are on the same page about many subjects Yankee, a wedge has developed on one key topic.

"I think they need to drop Derek Jeter in the lineup," said Weiner, a Holtsville resident. "He's not on base enough."

Bielins, who was wearing his Jeter jersey, considers such talk heresy. "He's an icon," the Queens native said. "He's obviously getting older, but he's still a very skilled player. I think he should stay where he is. I love Jeter."

Almost every Yankees fan professes a love for Jeter. Still, one could imagine similar conversations taking place all over Yankee Stadium Saturday as he continued to not look like himself at the plate. After going 0-for-3, he has a .250 batting average, an on-base percentage of .311 and a slugging percentage of .272 -- as compared with his pre-2011 numbers of .314, .385 and .452 -- and is not making contact with the ball the way he used to, or even as well as he did at the end of his subpar 2010 season. About one-third of his 23 hits have been of the infield variety.

Jeter did not get on base in Saturday's 5-4 win over Toronto, although he had an RBI. He grounded out to pitcher Kyle Drabek in the first, hit a sacrifice fly to medium center in the second, flied out to right with the bases loaded in the third -- not deep enough to pick up another sacrifice fly -- and struck out in the sixth.

That came on the heels of an even more dismal performance Friday night in the Yankees' 5-3 loss to Toronto. Jeter, who finished 1-for-5 with a bunt single in that game, came to the plate in one of those critical moments that he has made his own so many times in the past. But with the bases loaded, one out and the Yankees trailing by two runs in the eighth, instead of slashing one of Octavio Dotel's pitches into the night, Jeter struck out swinging on a high fastball.

Jeter will turn 37 late next month, but if there is a concern in the stands that he is slowing down, it is not shared -- at least publicly -- in the clubhouse.

SEE PHOTOSDerek Jeter timeline

"I think he's been decent," manager Joe Girardi said. "Could his numbers be better? Of course they could. All of our guys could be better. He got off to a slow start but has picked it up."

Jeter is far from the only Yankee struggling at the plate. With Alex Rodriguez out of the lineup Saturday, four Yankees entered the game with batting averages lower than Jeter's. Leading the list is Jeter's good friend Jorge Posada, who went 0-for-3 Saturday to drop to .125.

But Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long thinks Jeter is getting better as the season goes on.

"Throughout the month, he seems to be getting more comfortable and his at-bats are better than ever," Long said. "His work and what he's been doing and how he's been working, I have nothing but great things to say about that. And that's really how you find yourself and your swing, by grinding it out."

Jeter has been taking extra batting practice. Before Saturday's game, Nick Swisher cheered after Jeter blasted one over the State Farm sign. Of course, it is one thing to hit a 91-mph fastball and another to homer on a 65-mph pitch from the guy who throws batting practice.

Long said that what makes Jeter special is that he believes he's going to get that hit no matter whom he's facing, no matter what the situation. Said Long: "You wouldn't know if he was 0-for-12 or 8-for-13. He truly believes every time he steps in the box that he's going to get a hit."

Yankees fans used to believe that, too. But now it appears as though only some of them do.

Said Bielins: "He's going to come around. He's still very skilled. And he's an icon."