“I’m Not Trading Derek Jeter”: 2 Years Before Rookie Breakout, Trade Calls for Yankees’ Legendary Shortstop Had Former GM “Frustrated as Hell”

Derek Jeter is one of the remarkable baseball players of all time. With his achievements, he has marked his name on the history of the MLB that can’t be washed off. Jeter had always been one of his team’s best players, which paved the way for the New York Yankees. However, even before he started his career in MLB, his appearance on the team has frustrated the general manager, Gene Michael.

Jeter has established his renown after having played exceptional innings in the Minor Leagues and finished with a .350 batting rate in Class AAA Columbus. This young MLB star had cast a lasting impact on his previous teams. In The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter, Gene’s then-assistant Brian Cashman shared the experience of Jeter being traded then.

Why Was Gene Michael Burst Into Anger for Derek Jeter’s Trading Requests?

The former Yankee shortstop is undoubtedly one of the MLB legends. However, his success did not start after joining the Yankees; instead, he was always one of the most skilled players who eventually made his way to the team. The book’s author, Ian O’Connor, followed the MLB star’s career, including comments from his teammates and rivals. Jeter was the face of the Yankees since he was 22 years old, and from the beginning of his journey, he attracted the attention of other teams. Well, that was not a big issue until it reached that point where other teams started bothering the General Manager to the extent that they frustrated him with it.

The author has recorded the statement of the current general manager of the Bronx Bombers, Brian Cashman, who used to be the assistant of Gene “Stick” Michael. While sharing his experience with the young Jeter, Cashman revealed a few secrets about him, especially his trade offers, as a rookie.

On page no. 68, Cashman stated, “Stick had to say no so many times it was ridiculous.” He also mentioned that issues heightened to the point where “He was frustrated as hell. It was like, ‘NO, I’M NOT TRADING DEREK JETER.'” 

The 14x All-Star was far away from MLB when these incidents happened. However, the Yankees never traded Jeter for anything and until his last MLB game, Derek Jeter represented The Yanks. However, there was a clash between the MLB legend and his General Manager over signing the contract before World Series.

The Conversation Between Derek Jeter and Gene Michael Went as Far as the Former Saying I’ll Quit Baseball

Though the trade-offer issue never really caused any dispute, some problems affected Gene and Jeter. Before the World Series ’94, Jeter backed with his companions to Greensboro to attend the “Earl Clary’s annual Christmas bash.” It had created disputes between the legend and the GM.

According to Clary, it has gone so far that the Yankees signed Tony Fernandez. When Jeter was informed about that, he replied usually, “Oh, yeah, Stick called me today and told me. That’s OK. If I don’t play for the Yankees soon, I’ll call Steve Fisher. I’ll go play college basketball, and I’ll quit baseball.”

Read Next: 6 Months After Cryptic Book Announcement, Hall of Fame-Snubbed Alex Rodriguez Hints Toward Derek Jeter-Like Move With New Documentary

Though Jeter playing basketball is hard to imagine, according to Clary, he sounded serious. However, this turbulent period ended soon, and Jeter joined the Yankees in 1995 and continued until 2014. He achieved multiple awards for his team and himself, making him the legend of the game.

Derek Jeter is always a friendly personality who rarely participated in disputes. Also, it is easier to imagine Jeter with a baseball bat. However, what do you think of the baseball legend playing Basketball with Steve Fisher? Share your opinions with us.

Watch the Story: Amid Nightmare Season, New York Yankees Fans Rally For Derek Jeter’s Despite Miami Marlins’ Struggle.