The Yankees recently trying to use their 2004 American League Championship collapse to the Boston Red Sox as motivation seems to have New York legend Derek Jeter scratching his head.
It’s still perplexing why the Yankees would use that, of all things, to rally the team in this year’s ALCS against the Houston Astros as it’s a moment Jeter wished never happened in his Hall of Fame career.
“I don’t know the context of it,” Jeter told reporters when speaking at the 26th annual Turn 2 Foundation gala, per NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty. “I still don’t like to talk about it myself. Makes me sick to this day thinking about it.”
The idea to try to inspire New York in that manner came from Yankees mental skills coach Chad Bohling. He had the bright idea to send clips of the Red Sox, who overcame a 3-0 series deficit to a Jeter-led Yankees squad en route to their first World Series title in 86 years, around to Yankees players with the team facing a similar large hole.
The tactic obviously didn’t work as the Yankees were swept out of the playoffs.
“I’m not as close to the organization as I was,” Jeter said, per Kuty. “Like I said, I don’t know the context. I’d have to get a little more information. It still makes me sick to this day.”
Jeter wasn’t the only Yankees great in the news Wednesday. Jeter’s longtime teammate, Mariano Rivera, also made headlines for his opinion that the Yankees should move on from manager Aaron Boone after five seasons as the team’s bench boss.
Jeter also weighed in on that situation, and like Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, who will keep the manager in place, the former shortstop backed Boone.
“Good for Aaron,” Jeter said, per Kuty. “I like Aaron. I played with Aaron. Sometimes, when you’re in a situation like that, you’re in a no-win situation unless you win. But I like Aaron. I haven’t been around. I had my head down in Miami for 4 1/2 years. I wasn’t paying close attention, but I like Aaron, and, look, he puts them in a position every year to have that chance to win. Ultimately, it comes down to the players, right?”
