Banned MLB Player Pete Rose Made Alex Rodriguez Uncomfortable With A Cheeky Derek Jeter Question In 2016

The rollercoaster history shared between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez is only unknown to a few. While their dynamic has significantly transformed into civility today, there was a time the two shortstops couldn’t stand each other.

Leveraging the same deeply rooted awkwardness, banned MLB player and manager Pete Rose once deliberately fashioned an awkward moment with Alex Rodriguez after he involved Derek Jeter in a comment.

How did Pete Rose fashion an awkward moment between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter?

In a 2016 Fox Sports postseason broadcast, Pete Rose drew a parallel between then-Chicago Cubs baseman Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. While doing so, he also compared A-Rod and Derek Jeter and, in effect, created an awkward moment between the two. Moreover, Rose made an active attempt to indite Jeter as the better and more successful shortstop.

Peter Rose said, “There was a guy [who] wore No. 2, used to inspire a guy named Alex Rodriguez, I think his name was Derek Jeter. Didn’t he turn you on, the way he played?”

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A-Rod, who was palpably puzzled by this, said, “I loved it.” To this, Rose responded by saying, “Sure you did. That’s why you responded the way you did.”

The story of two shortstops, who transformed from friends to foes:

Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter shared a strange relationship on their path to the becoming world’s greatest. They started off as best friends, who first met at a University baseball game. However, as time passed and they started making progress in the MLB world, a massive ego clash occurred.

Their relationship took a turn when A-Rod passed a comment after signing a record-breaking $252million deal with Texas. At the same time, Jeter signed a deal worth $189million. While talking about that, A-Rod made a bold claim and stated that even Jeter wouldn’t be able to bag a deal of that volume.

Eventually, A-Rod moved to New York, and over time, the two shortstops made peace with their personal conflicts. Now, the relationship between the two is vastly civil, but neither has expressed significant gratitude towards the other.

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Leave Pete Rose’s comments aside. Do you think the Yankees would’ve been more successful had A-Rod and Jeter sorted their issues earlier? Share your thoughts in the comments below.