Yankee Editorial: Didi Gregorius Laughs Off the Fans
By Matt Curran
Der-ek Jet-er Der-ek Jet-er!
For the past 20-years Yankee fans were chanting this for their favorite Yankee of course, ‘the captain’ Derek Jeter. This year, however, that chant has a completely different meaning. With Jeter gone and Didi Gregorius now replacing the living legend, it was a chant used in spite of the young shortstop.
Sunday night when the Yankees were up by 10 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Didi Gregorius botched a ground ball that would have been a routine double play to end the inning. The fans were having some fun, and decided to bring back the chant after Gregorius committed the error. Gregorius just laughed it off knowing it was some light ribbing of the new shortstop.
"“I’ve been hearing that a lot.” Gregorius told reporters. “I just laugh. There’s nothing I can do about it.”"
Everyone knows how extremely difficult it is to replace the face of the franchise, let alone the face of the MLB. The New York Media will constantly reference it, but I think the fans can help the transition by not comparing the two. As far as I’m concerned, the only thing that Gregorius and Jeter have in common is that they have both been the opening day shortstop for the New York Yankees.
It certainly is tough, but everyone needs to stop comparing the legacy of Derek Jeter to the emerging career of Didi Gregorius.
Didi Gregorius has been fantastic through this whole transition phase, and has been a good sport about the whole situation. I think Derek Jeter has done a great job staying away from the team as well. If Jeter was hanging around, and visiting the clubhouse, it could have put more pressure on Gregorius.
What do you say Yankee fans? Why don’t we just let Didi Gregorius develop his own identity?
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