It's the return of some familiar faces! Anytime I see the name Derek Jeter in the news I do a double take. I miss seeing Jeter on a baseball field. It is still weird not to see him out there playing but he was back in Tampa this week hanging out with the Yankees.
Captain's Camp started this week, and what's Captain's Camp without the Captain himself? It was the second year since his retirement that he went down to Tampa to spend time with the Yankees minor league kids. This camp started right after Jeter's retirement and is focused on teaching leaderships skills, integrity and of course a "team first" attitude. Who better to help mentor these kids then the Captain himself and the man who was the face of baseball? What a great way to shape and mold the next Yankee leader in the clubhouse. Just thinking about it gives me the chills!
It just goes to show you that even though he may be retired, he still does have baseball in his blood. It's nice to see him take time to continue to be a positive influence within the organization. Maybe one day, we will see the next great Captain being interviewed by YES Network and he will talk about his experience at this camp. These are the stories I wish we heard more about. The Derek Jeter we watched all the time as a player, is still doing and saying the same things even without wearing a uniform. Retirement has not changed Jeter and that is one reason why I will always admire this man. Baseball needs more men like him and maybe this camp will help inspire that.
I still believe that the next Captain is in the distant future, but if our next leader is in this camp, then I feel even better about the future outlook of this team. Jeter wasn't the only returning retired legend in the group Alfonso Soriano, Darryl Strawberry, CC Sabathia, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte even made appearances to spend time with the kids.
Speaking of Andy Pettitte, he threw batting practice to several players including Aaron Judge who hit a few long balls and impressed him. Pettitte enjoyed his time there so much he is trying to arrange another visit back to camp. When asked if he was coming back as a player though he quickly answered "no" so there will be no third comeback for Andy. Hey, coming back as a special guest and pitching during training is better than nothing, right? It's nice to see him back involved with the organization, too. You can tell he still has that competitive drive and love for the organization.
It's a blast from the past this week for the minor leaguers. It makes me reminisce about my favorite memories watching the Core Four. I love the nostalgia here it brings back good feelings. Now, let's get Spring Training going!
--Jeana Bellezza,
BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ
Thank you for your loyalty to Bleeding Yankee Blue.
Please shop at the BYB store!
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--Jeana Bellezza,
BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ
Thank you for your loyalty to Bleeding Yankee Blue.
Please shop at the BYB store!
On Twitter: @BleednYankeeBlu
On Facebook, LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue!
Don't forget to check out the BYB Hub.
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