Bobby Valentine seems intent on bringing his sideshow act to the American League East in 2012, and Derek Jeter doesn't get it.
Tuesday -- and who knows how this came up -- the Red Sox' new manager was asked about Jeter's famous flip play from Game 3 of the 2001 ALDS. Valentine insisted the following: the Yankee shortstop was simply out of position, Giambi would've been out even if Jeter wasn't there to make the flip and the Red Sox will never, ever practice fielding that play.
Tasked with providing a response Wednesday, Jeter avoided the facts that, a) he was anything but out of position, b) who knows what would've happened if Jeter wasn't there and c) the Yankees have been practicing that play since Jeter reached the big league. Rather, the Bombers' captain asked one simple question.
"Why are we talking about this?" Jeter asked.
Stoking the fire of a story that probably should've remained in the history books, Yankees third baseman and former Oakland Athletics standout Eric Chavez also said he thought Jeremy Giambi was actually safe at home plate. Chavez was in Oakland from his rookie year in 1998 through the 2010 season before joining New York, and joked that he heard the Yankees started practicing the play "the year after" it worked against the A's.
"Jeremy was probably the slowest guy on the field," Chavez said. "I thought it would have been more out if he had slid. I think the fact that he actually stood up and kind of hit the plate, it was I think 50-50 - people think he was out, some think he was safe. I thought he was safe. If he slid, I think he would have been more out, for sure."