JETER IS A LEADER WHETHER YOU THINK HE IS OR NOT

I received an odd tweet the other day, and I needed to share it because it was clear to me that this person was just causing trouble.  Maybe he's been in a coma for 20 years... I don't know.  He tweeted me this about Derek Jeter:

@BleednYankeeBlu @Yankees don't get me wrong he's high on list of all mlb players over past century, just haven't seen "captain" instincts
— JACOB (@KINGSKRIB) February 17, 2014

Now I was taken back and told him that he's "making me laugh." Then today, there was more... clearly he was pushing my buttons and has no real interest in the Yankees, Derek Jeter or what leadership means. He also didn't care too much about what I had to say, he just wanted a reaction.  He wrote me:

@KINGSKRIB @yankees @mikeyoh21 @joba_62 @cc_sabathia No Jacob, you're causing trouble. If his teammates say he's a leader, he's a leader.
— Bleeding Yankee Blue (@BleednYankeeBlu) February 19, 2014

I followed up with that above.  Sure, I tweeted in the big guns... CC Sabathia, Joba Chamberlain... you get the point. Why? I'll tell you why. Because a leader, from a fan perspective is sometimes very different than from a players opinion on leadership. For instance, I've never shared the field with Derek Jeter.

I've never sat in on a meeting with Derek to get us motivated... but CC Sabathia has. Jorge Posada has, and they know that Derek Jeter is a true leader. They know he rallies the troops.  To be frank, what we think or don't think about Derek Jeter's leadership from a fan perspective is insignificant, UNLESS you believe that positive role models for our children matter... That's where I come in.

My wife and I have always appreciated Jeter's style.  He carries himself with pride and professionalism.  He stays out of trouble and with that, I consider Jeter a leader. He teaches what leadership is by standing tall, never speaking out of turn, keeping clean, leading the team out of the dugout and has done things that kids dream about doing when and if they make the pros one day.  From a father's standpoint, me... that's what a true leader is.  But this kid or troublemaker or whatever he is, doesn't understand that.  He's trying to get me to fall on my face publicly on Twitter because he's bored.  In the end, it's bigger than his little question. So I looked around to see what the players thought about our mighty Captain.  He should be asking them, not me, because the players and fans have slightly different interpretations. Check this out:

ESPN broke down reaction to Jeter's retirement from players that played with him:

"BERNIE WILLIAMS, former Yankees teammate

I'm so happy that Derek will get to go out on his terms -- and his way. He was as special a teammate as any player could ever have. I'm blessed to have played with him. Yankees fans and baseball fans all over the world will have a lot to celebrate this season. 

JORGE POSADA, former Yankees teammate

It was an honor and privilege to have Derek next to me for all those years. He made me a better player and a better person. I'm so proud of our friendship, and I love him like a brother. Derek was a true champion and the greatest teammate I ever had."

If a player like Jorge is telling the press that Jeter made him a "better player and a better person"... guess what, Jeter is a leader.

Look at what Albert Pujols told the Los Angeles Times:

Pujols on Jeter: "On and off field, he's the way you want your kids to grow up, Only Jesus is perfect, but he's pretty close to that guy."
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) February 13, 2014

Wow. Similar to a father like myself, but the Jesus reference is weird, yet, I get what he's trying to say. How about our BYB buddy Chris Dickerson:

All the best to Derek in his final season. He's been Nothing but class and I wish him health and much success this year.
— Chris Dickerson (@CDickerson_PFTP) February 12, 2014

Class.  That's leadership ladies and gentlemen... you show it on and off the field, people want to follow.

Mike Trout:

Grew up watching Jeter play. Always aspired to be the player he was on and off the field. #TheCaptain
— Mike Trout (@Trouty20) February 13, 2014

Being inspired by a player is leadership Sunshine...write that down.

And there were plenty of media reactions too, but I found this one unique, so I'm printing it here:

Rich Cimini of ESPN simply wrote this in a piece about the New York Jets:

"I'm not a Yankees fan, but how can you not respect Jeter? Every professional sports franchise longs to have a Jeter..."

Hmm. Respect.  Respect the team, it respects you. Respect the game, it respects you. Respect your teammates, they respect you and want to play hard with you... that's leadership.

Finally, I leave you with a Tweet about Jeter from Dodgers Dee Gordon:

Derek Jeter was a God. Who cares what anyone's opinion is.
— Dee Gordon (@FlashGJr) February 12, 2014

That's about right. It doesn't matter who the haters are.  It doesn't matter if you want to question if Jeter is a leader or not... he is.

Just ask the hundreds of players that played with him and against him. As the sea of #2 in Yankee stadium who come to watch him.  He represents leadership. That's why he was named Captain... he earned that... and you can't take that away from him, or us as Yankee fans, fathers, mothers or friends.

Salute the Captain, a true leader, whether you think he is or not pal.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.