Would Jeter ever pull a McGwire/Meche? (1 Viewer)

[pollardsvision]

Not the PED part of McGwire. I think we all agree that Jeter never sacrificed his long-term health for the good of the team by taking a substance that was discouraged by MLB, but not penalized for or tested for.

I mean the McGwire that walked away from the $15 million that was due to him the following season, at least in part, because his on-field performance was hurting the team. We can assume he had other factors at play, but you don't see someone walk away from $15 mill. too often.

Gil Meche just did the same thing for the Royals ($12 mill).

Is there any chance that Jeter would offer Yankees fans the same courtesy at the end of 2012? Or is his integrity more along the lines of a Jeff Bagwell?

 

[[icon]]

No way in hell.

 

[Bogart]

No way in hell.

x 100

Jeter will be Willie Mays falling down in the outfield someday. They will have to drag him kicking and screaming off the field.

 

[Michael Brown]

He's not walking away from the money, but at the same time I don't see him staying on to embarrass himself. I think Jeter is more Joe D than Willie

 

[otello]

He's not walking away from the money, but at the same time I don't see him staying on to embarrass himself. I think Jeter is more Joe D than Willie

Joe D retired at 36.

 

[Eephus]

Jeter and his management team are nothing if not image and media savvy. He has a post-baseball career to be concerned about. If his on-field struggles begin to devalue Jeter's brand, I wouldn't be surprised to see him bail. Jeter stands to lose a lot more than $16M if his enduring public image is as an over the hill failure who's playing out his contract.

 

[Disco Stu]

Accepting a move to the bottom of the order would be a good start.

 

[Smack Tripper]

Once he gets 3k hits, all bets are off. I agree with the above about Jeters "myth and mystique" would grow if he walked away from that kind of cake.

And for the record, I think he would and will after 2012, and him and Mariano walk off into the sunset, with a year on jeters contact.

 

[Eephus]

It's kind of odd that Righetti hasn't posted in this thread