Derek Jeter knows talent when he sees it, no matter the uniform.
The former New York Yankees shortstop finished up his annual Captain’s Camp on Tuesday with the franchise’s minor leaguers, ending it with dinner at a Tampa, Fla., restaurant. Jeter held a little Q&A for the young guys, too, and that’s when left-handed pitching prospect Justus Sheffield asked No. 2 who his favorite player to watch today is.
And Jeter picked a member of the rival Boston Red Sox.
“I asked (Jeter) who did he like if he was watching right now, and he said he just likes guys that play the game hard,” Sheffield told reporters Wednesday, per NJ.com’s Randy Miller. “He mentioned watching Mookie Betts. He loves watching Mookie Betts play. Then he said, ‘Anyone who goes and plays the game hard.'”
Betts is a worthy pick, as the Red Sox right fielder batted .318 with 42 doubles, 31 home runs and 113 RBIs in just his second full season in 2016. He also was an All-Star and came in second in American League MVP voting to Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout.
However, we don’t know how Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who idolized Jeter growing up and wears No. 2 because of him, is going to take this news.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
