Jeter shows why he is the MVP of the American League

By Chris Ruddick Oct 4, 2006, 13:50 GMT

- In a magazine article prior to the season, Derek Jeter was named the most overrated player in the game. Before Alex Rodriguez came to New York, he did an interview and basically said the same thing.

Well after playing next to Jeter for three years, what do you think A-Rod's opinion is of him now?

Not that anyone needed a reminder, but Jeter showed the baseball world yet again on Tuesday why he gets the attention he gets, why he gets paid the way he does and why he IS going to win the American League MVP.

In Game 1 of New York's best-of-five American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers, Jeter added to his already legendary postseason resume, as he smacked five hits - including a home run - to power the Yankees to an 8-4 win.

'I don't want to say (Jeter) has a plan, but he just seems to just relish this atmosphere,' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. 'He's been so big for us for 11 years here. I can't say I'm surprised.'

Jeter, who became the sixth player in postseason history with five hits in a game, increased his all- time record for postseason hits to 147 and raised his career playoff average to .315. He is hitting .376 with nine homers and 20 RBIs in 43 AL division series games, hitting safely in 35 of them. His 64 ALDS hits are also a record.

'He's a very special player,' Rodriguez said. 'I'm proud to be his teammate.'

Sure the Yankees are loaded with superstars, but if you don't think Jeter is the reason the Yankees go, then you are just not paying attention. Somewhere along the way people started to equate the MVP Award with just home runs and RBI.

I've seen it on TV; that guy is amazing,' said Yankees outfielder Bobby Abreu of Jeter. 'Right now, being behind him, watching him play, it's amazing. That guy, he's a gamer, he's a leader, and you can learn a lot of things from him. Like I say, it's amazing. That's amazing, watching him play.'

ABREU MAKES MOST OF PLAYOFF OPPORTUNITY

Lost in the heroics of Jeter's big night was a tremendous performance from Abreu, who had a pair of hits and drove in four runs - the most by any player making his Yankees' postseason debut.

Abreu, whose only other postseason experience came in the form of three at- bats for Houston in the 1997 Division Series versus Atlanta, got things going for New York in third inning when his two-run double to the gap in right- center scored Johnny Damon and Jeter for the Yankees' first two runs. He later singled home Damon and Jeter again in the sixth.

'I got traded here to New York and I think this is the best opportunity that I can ever have right now,' said Abreu. 'This is the team, you know, (that's) always been in the playoffs. When they threw me the chance, the opportunity to be here, I took it. I'm just happy to be in the playoffs again, and here I am.'

ROGERS UP TO HIS OLD TRICKS

It appears that Tigers left-hander and scheduled Game 3 starter Kenny Rogers could once again find himself in trouble with the law.

According to reports, an angry fan banged on Rogers' car as he left Comerica Park following Saturday night's game. Rogers, who of course faced misdemeanor charges last year after he shoved a cameraman to the ground, supposedly got out and confronted the man.

No arrests were made, but the incident still is under investigation, as there are a few versions as to what happened next.

'We have two accounts of what happened,' a representative for the Detroit Police Department, Sgt. Eren Stephens Bell, told the Detroit News. 'When Kenny Rogers was leaving the players' parking lot, there was a fan banging on his vehicle for an autograph. Mr. Rogers got out of his vehicle, and the fan became upset and started cussing him out.

'One account says Mr. Rogers grabbed the man by his shirt collar, and bystanders broke them up before police got there. The second account says there was no physical contact, just a verbal exchange.'

Rogers was suspended 20 games by Commissioner Bud Selig for his actions with the cameraman.

At his pregame news conference, Detroit manager Jim Leyland said: 'I don't know anything about it. I just heard about it. I'm worried a little bit more about the Yankee assault.'

HERO

Jeter, who else. The Captain delivered like he always seems to do this time of the year. There are three certainties in life: Death, Taxes, and Jeter producing in October.

GOAT

The Yankees bullpen. New York has maybe the best lineup to ever hit the postseason, or as Leyland called it, 'It is Murder's Row with Robinson Cano'. However, if there is one weakness for the Yankees, it is their middle relief leading up to the great Mariano Rivera. Those concerns reared their ugly head again in Game 1.

The triumvirate of Mike Myers, Scott Proctor and Kyle Farnsworth gave up a run on three hits in 1 1/3 innings with a walk. In all fairness, though, Farnsworth settled down after he eventually found the plate. Myers and Proctor, though, have to be better, especially since Torre has already stated that he will not use Rivera more than one inning.

LOOKING AHEAD

Taking the ball for the Yankees tonight will be right-hander Mike Mussina, who was 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA this season. Mussina was bothered periodically by a groin strain during the regular season, but appears to be OK and is coming off a great start in his last appearance on Friday against Toronto, which managed just a run and two hits off of him in six innings.

The 37-year-old right-hander has been sensational in his career against the Tigers, posing a 17-5 mark to go along with a 2.50 ERA.

Mussina has a 7-7 record and 3.30 ERA in 21 lifetime playoff starts and 22 overall appearances. But he has just one win in his last five ALDS starts for New York and was the losing pitcher in last year's decisive Game 5 against the Los Angeles Angels, giving up five runs and six hits in just 2 2/3 innings.

Detroit will counter with likely AL Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander, who burst upon the scene and tied for the team lead in wins with 17 with Kenny Rogers, while pitching to a 3.63 ERA.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Verlander has emerged as one of the best young power pitchers in the game. His fastball has been clocked as high as 99 mph, and that mixed in with a plus curveball and a decent changeup has made him almost unhittable when all three are working

Verlander, though, was battered by the Yankees in his only start against them, as he allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings.

© 2006 The Sports Network