Jeter just doesn't heal like he used to

Derek Jeter will turn 37 Sunday as the Yankees celebrate their 65th Old-Timers' Day.

Jeter will not be at Yankee Stadium for an event he cherishes. He'll be at the team's minor-league complex in steamy Tampa, Fla., to continue the slow-going rehab on his cranky right calf.

After that, he might spend his birthday rooting around his 30,875-foot Tampa mansion. But you know he'd rather be at his other house -- the one in the Bronx where he'll one day be honored in Monument Park like Sunday attendees Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Reggie Jackson.

He'd also rather have this injury and his stalled chase for 3,000 hits behind him.

Jeter has been stuck on 2,994 since he had to be pulled from a game on June 13. Despite his intense lobbying to stay active, the Yankees put him on the disabled list the next day.

It seemed like the right decision at the time and has been proven to be so. On Friday, Jeter made his first public comments since reporting to Tampa, telling The Associated Press about his return, "I can't give you a timetable. Best way to put it, when I'm ready to play, I'll be back."

A better way to put it: A calf injury to a 36-going-on-37-year-old takes longer to heal than anyone can predict. Jeter isn't ready to become part of Old-Timers' Day yet, but it's got to gall him that he can't ignore the injury the way his younger self might have.

Which do you think pains Jeter more? His calf, or learning he isn't immune to Father Time any more than the rest of us? Admitting mortality is not his strong suit.

Five days before he was injured, Jeter sat down with ESPN's Nomar Garciaparra -- his former shortstop rival from the Red Sox -- for a dugout interview. Garciaparra, 37, retired after the 2009 season. He asked Jeter how he was dealing with advancing age.

"I think the thing you have to focus on more so is it takes more time to get ready," Jeter said. "When we were younger, we showed up and you didn't have to stretch. You'd eat McDonald's before the game, you'd go out there and play, and you'd have no problems.

"But now you find yourself getting here a little bit earlier, you're staying a little later, you're getting in the hot tub, you're getting in the cold tank, you've got to stretch a little bit more."

Jeter did all that and still got hurt. Fans and anyone else who were waiting breathlessly for six more hits had to put X's on the calendar through this coming Tuesday.

Jeter was confident he'd be back on Wednesday, the first day he's eligible. No more. He's not running, he's not swinging a bat, he's not taking grounders at short. All that, plus a probable minor-league rehab assignment, has to happen before he plays for the Yankees again.

"We're getting to the point where Wednesday is probably in jeopardy," manager Joe Girardi said Friday. "I can't rule it completely out."

Girardi probably was just being nice; it seems extremely unlikely that Jeter will be back by Wednesday. And every day the injury lingers, there goes the chance Jeter can get to 3,000 during this homestand -- or even at Citi Field next weekend (which has to make Mets brass somewhat relieved).

After that, the Yankees go to Cleveland and then host Tampa Bay before the All-Star break.

The Yankees, who are 7-3 since Jeter went on the DL, have no reason to rush him. Not that they could if they wanted to. No. 3,000 will have to wait. So will Jeter.