Derek Jeter Laughs Off Critical Comments From Hank Steinbrenner

by Chelsea Moller on Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 1:58PM

Hank Steinbrenner indirectly took a stab at Derek Jeter on Monday, and a day later, the captain replied.

According to The New York Times, George Steinbrenner‘s son made offhanded comments about the Yankee captain’s new home, his focus and the team’s effort in 2010.

“I think, maybe, they celebrated too much last year,” Steinbrenner said. “Some of the players, too busy building mansions and doing other things and not concentrating on winning. I have no problem saying that.”

While down in Tampa, Fla., Jeter responded to Steinbrenner, pointing out to the media that the word “mansion” was plural and that Steinbrenner never used Jeter’s name.

“Do I think it’s funny?” asked Jeter when reporters mentioned the comments, according to the Times. “I think it’s a first.”

Jeter recently moved into his new 30,875 square-foot mansion in Tampa, Fla. on Davis Islands and was able to laugh about the situation in his 11-minute interview at his locker. With the locals calling it St. Jetersburg, there will be more talk of the $7.7 million purchase and $1.75 million construction process.

During the interview, Jeter added that owners can say what they want. Who isn’t going to show some anger when their team doesn’t win the World Series?

“I think every time it seems like you don’t win, people say that you don’t have the hunger,” Jeter said. “We got beat by a team that was better than us in that series. That was the bottom line. I wouldn’t say there was a lack of hunger. I just think we didn’t play as well.”

Click here to see photos of Jeter’s new Florida pad >>