I figured out why Jeter's having such a rough time of it this season. It's not that he has to play with A-Rod and all that that entails. It's not that the clubhouse has more new faces than familiar. It's not that he's getting old or that he's injured or that last year's injuries are getting to him.
It's that Don Zimmer isn't on the bench anymore.
Before every at-bat, Jeter would take off Zim's hat and rub his round, bald head for good luck. He'd been doing this since, I believe, 1996, since pretty much the very beginning of his big league career. Now, all of a sudden, that shiny pate is no longer there. The routine is messed up. Jeter's whole vibe is now off-kilter before every at-bat. It's not like he can do the same with Willy Randolph: Randolph has too much hair (and dignity). No, Jeter's without lucky bald head to rub. It's now over on the Tampa Bay bench, of all places, where the kids are completely unaware of the awesome power of Zim's bald head.
Poor Jeter. I hope he really is getting his equilibrium back. He's now hit safely in three straight games, going 3 for 6 yesterday. We'll see in a week's time if he's truly gotten over this hitch in his routine and realized he can fly without the crow feather.
It's that Don Zimmer isn't on the bench anymore.
Before every at-bat, Jeter would take off Zim's hat and rub his round, bald head for good luck. He'd been doing this since, I believe, 1996, since pretty much the very beginning of his big league career. Now, all of a sudden, that shiny pate is no longer there. The routine is messed up. Jeter's whole vibe is now off-kilter before every at-bat. It's not like he can do the same with Willy Randolph: Randolph has too much hair (and dignity). No, Jeter's without lucky bald head to rub. It's now over on the Tampa Bay bench, of all places, where the kids are completely unaware of the awesome power of Zim's bald head.
Poor Jeter. I hope he really is getting his equilibrium back. He's now hit safely in three straight games, going 3 for 6 yesterday. We'll see in a week's time if he's truly gotten over this hitch in his routine and realized he can fly without the crow feather.
