“They Were Stuck With Me” – Derek Jeter Opens Up About Good Fortune Around Call Up To The Major Leagues For His Debut Season

Sometimes in sports, all you need is a little share of luck. Turns out that statement is true for the greats of the game as well. New York Yankees’ legend and icon, Derek Jeter, recently opened up about the time he was finally called up to the big leagues to make his debut. Or should we say the time he almost missed his major league debut altogether?

Derek Jeter was a high school phenom and drafted by the New York Yankees in 1993. However, it wasn’t until 1995 that Jeter turned out in pinstripes for the Bronx Bombers.

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In a recent media interview, he has gone into the details of his call-up to the big leagues, recounting how the entire saga of his career almost didn’t happen at all. But perhaps the lesson to take back from this remains patience, and how sometimes things work out.

Derek Jeter – Almost a missed opportunity

Derek Jeter takes us back to the 1994 season in which he made his way up the ranks rapidly before suddenly facing an unexpected obstacle, the strike in 1994. Jeter was set to make his debut after having played some time in the minor leagues, but the strike put a spanner in the works unexpectedly.

“1994, that was the year it clicked for me,” remembers Jeter, “I went A Ball, Double A, Triple A and then we had the strike.” 

Attempting to make the most of his time still, Jeter went to a winter league in Arizona to attempt and keep in playing form but ended up injuring himself on the cusp of a call-up to the big leagues. The Yankees in the meantime signed Tony Fernandez on a 2 year deal.

“So I’m crushed. They’re gonna send me back down to the minor leagues for 2 years,” recalls Jeter.

Jeter called up to the Majors

However, with his shoulder injury, he still persevered. Flash forward a year in 1995 and with the strike over, Jeter was back at it. However, fate held out on him just a bit longer.

Even though Fernandez got injured; Jeter was only called up for a two-week stretch before being relegated to the minor leagues again.

Interestingly, this is where Jeter’s story took a turn. Despite having a not-so great spring training by his own admission; Jeter was called up to the majors to play shortstop and Fernandez was moved to second base. However, because of his display, it seemed Jeter was headed back to the minor leagues.

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But with a week to go to spring training, Fernandez broke his arm. And just like that, Jeter’s fortunes turned. “And they were stuck with me,” Jeter recalls.

Fortune favors the prepared though and Jeter really seemed to turn around his fortunes once he got the opportunity. Do you think you could’ve been as able as him to capitalize on such an opportunity?