Can Jeter ever really forgive and forget?

Derek Jeter finally got a chance to strike back at the Evil Empire and he took it. Sort of.

At the press conference officially announcing his new deal, the captain of the New York Yankees made no attempt to hide the fact that he is extremely unhappy with the way he was portrayed during the protracted contract negotiations. Jeter expressed dismay that he was made to seem greedy, arrogant and egotistical, even as he was refusing to consider offers from other baseball teams so he could remain with the empire he’s been a part of his whole adult life.

Jeter is normally completely guarded with his emotions and the fact that he even admitted to being angry and frustrated with the way he was portrayed was striking. Of course, Jeter didn't point any fingers because he has way too much class to do that. But he prides himself on keeping things out of the media and it was crystal clear who he was referring to when he talked about how the negotiations were supposed to be private and how bothered he was that they weren’t and by the inaccurate characterizations of his position, which came from the Yankees leaking to their media pals.

He took several very subtle digs at the Yankees, including noting that this was the first time they ever held a press conference to announce a new contract for him, which actually is pretty remarkable considering he's been with the organization for about 18 years. The Yankees wisely did not fire back. Perhaps they understand their role in making this dispute so ugly and chose to give Jeter a chance to vent.

Jeter used the charm-and-disarm technique at times to minimize his anger; jokily blaming WFAN reporter Sweeney Murti for the dispute and claiming the Yankees are now “one big, happy family.” But there’s no question that Jeter was hurt by the way the Yankees treated him, which raises the question of whether he can ever truly forgive and forget. Perhaps with the passage of time, but I seriously doubt it.

Has the Boss lost best shot at Hall of Fame?

George Steinbrenner is not headed to the Baseball Hall of Fame, at least not yet. But has the Boss lost his best chance at election?

When someone passes away, it is human nature to focus on the good in that person’s life and the positive impact he or she had on the world. For Steinbrenner, that means focusing on the great things he did in baseball such as his constant demand for greatness from his teams and forever changing the sport’s revenue model. It also means more attention paid to his charitable contributions, including all the kids he put through college without them even realizing he was their benefactor.

With his July death fresh in the minds of voters, I thought that sentimentality might carry him across the finish line and into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown, overwhelming any reservations they had about Steinbrenner's notorious misbehavior. But his recent death seems to have had the opposite effect, with some members of the Veterans Committee thinking it was too soon for the Boss to be enshrined. The Boss will get another chance at the Hall in 2013, but all that sentimentality will be long gone by then.

Does that mean that the Boss won't get into the Hall of Fame? Not at all. Time could actually be on his side, as memories of his various misdeeds fade away while his imprint on the game remains permanent and gets more attention with every major free agent the New York Yankees sign. His credentials dictate that he should be in the Hall, with seven World Series championships under his reign, but the felony conviction and two suspensions from baseball will continue to haunt his candidacy.

Steinbrenner’s candidacy has a lot of support from many of the right people. His good friend and sometime-adversary Commissioner Bud Selig gave it a resounding endorsement and I don't see him backing down. Dave Winfield, one of those most wronged by Steinbrenner, has forgiven the Boss and advocated for his induction. I also fully expect to see future first-ballot Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera continuing to campaign for their Boss to be enshrined with them (perhaps if Jeter hadn't been so distracted by his nasty negotiations with the Steinbrenner sons, he could have been more vocal about their dad's credentials).

I'm on the record as saying that I don't think the Boss should be enshrined, but it's not my call. He'll get another chance and perhaps his odds will improve with the passage of time.

Jeter will figure out way to make Yankees pay

Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees have reportedly finalized a deal that will keep the captain in pinstripes for the rest of his career. Is this the happy ending we've all been hoping for? Not by a long shot.

The Yankees may have embarrassed Jeter into submission in these negotiations, but don't think for a second that Jeter will ever forget how Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenners manipulated the media into making him look like he was another greedy ballplayer and how they were bending over backwards to be generous to the captain. Again, I have no problem with the two sides disagreeing about Jeter's worth, but I have a major problem with the public spectacle that the Yankees created. And yes it was the Yankees who started the war of words, despite Cashman's insistence that he was merely responding to agent Casey Close's "baffling" comments.

The Yankees may look like the winners in this bout, but I think the long-term damage that they did to their relationship with Jeter is irreparable. We haven't heard from the captain yet, but good friends such as Tino Martinez and Darryl Strawberry have indicated that Jeter was hurt by the way this played out and how quickly people turned against him with the nudging of the team's owners and general manager. And one thing we know about Jeter is that he will turn against people who slight him and this is more than just a slight.

Just ask Alex Rodriguez, who had to navigate an icy clubhouse for four years before he and Jeter came to a truce. ARod was completely at fault for his thoughtless comments in that Esquire article, but Jeter sure made life difficult for him when ARod became his teammate. Or how about Chad Curtis questioning Jeter's loyalty to his team during a fight with the Seattle Mariners (Jeter chatting up his then-buddy ARod, who was with the M's at the time). Curtis got a quick ticket out of the Bronx. It's never been proven that Jeter forced Curtis off the team, but don't think for a second that wasn't a factor.

What the Yankee brass did to Jeter, in my mind, was much worse and don't think Jeter won't figure out a way to quietly, subtly make them pay for it. And when he finally does, the Yankees will have no one to blame but themselves.

Is Mariano Rivera's new deal bad for Jeter?

Mariano Rivera is reportedly on the verge of signing a new deal to remain the closer for the New York Yankees, allowing everyone in the Yankee Universe to breathe sighs of relief. Everyone, of course, with the possible exception of Derek Jeter.

No question Jeter wanted his fellow Core Four guy to remain with the Yankees. But Rivera's willingness to take about the same money as he made in 2010, even though he reportedly had offers for more money and actually deserved a raise, does not bode well for the Jeter negotiations. If Rivera was willing not to hold out for a raise, even though he had another great season and apparently a lot of leverage, it does not look good if Jeter demands more money after a subpar campaign, even if it is only one bad year, and with no real interest from other teams. Jeter’s agent Casey Close is probably getting a little grayer in the temple, wondering why Mo couldn’t wait just a little longer to come to terms with the Yankees.

In fairness, Rivera also did get the two-year deal he wanted from the Yankees (although other teams were willing to offer three years). So it seems clear that Jeter will have to compromise on at least one demand, either the money or the years. He may be able to get a three-year contract for more money than the Yankees are offering right now or perhaps a deal with a fourth year option for a lot less money than he currently makes.

I hope Rivera's deal doesn't lead to another round of Jeter bashing, but that seems to be a distinct possibility, unless Jeter and the Yankees can quickly bridge the gulf and strike a deal.

Ice beginning to melt for Jeter and Yankees?

So 48 hours have passed without remotely negative comments being made by the New York Yankees about their shortstop Derek Jeter. In the context of their so-far chilly negotiations, that represents real progress toward repairing their relationship.

After Tuesday's marathon meeting between the Yankees and the Jeter camp, the two sides do not appear to have made any substantive progress toward a deal. But perhaps they agreed to not fight a media war, perhaps the Yankees agreed to stop portraying their captain as a greedy ballplayer. If that's the case, I think it boosts the chances of actually getting a deal done.

But a deal is still unlikely as long as the Yankees remain intractable about their estimation of Jeter's worth. I can't see Jeter accepting the Yankees current offer even if they add a couple of million dollars to it. What Jeter probably wants to see is Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenners acknowledge that his value goes beyond just his on-field performance, something the Yankees have been unwilling to do so far.

Even David Paterson, the outgoing governor of New York and a die-hard sports fan, was perplexed by the Yankees approach (anyone who missed Paterson’s co-hosting gig on the Mike Francesa show yesterday should check out the highlights on the WFAN as it was truly a great day of politics and sports talk).

“Damaging Jeter is damaging the Yankees brand,” Paterson said.

Even though the Yankees are winning the media war, I hope they realize that Paterson’s take on the situation is dead-on, that the long-term damage they are causing to their brand by attacking their iconic shortstop is more important than being right about Jeter’s worth. If that helps melt the ice between the two sides and bring them closer to a deal, that would be the best outcome for everyone.

Pettitte would be great Plan B for Rangers

Nolan Ryan denied a report that the Texas Rangers would seek to pry Andy Pettitte away from the New York Yankees, especially if they lose Cliff Lee. But it's a great Plan B for the Rangers if they are considering it.

Pettitte has already left the Yankees for Texas once before when he took a lot less money on the open market to sign with his hometown Houston Astros. The pull of family could make him receptive to an offer from the Rangers to play closer to home. But Pettitte has admitted he missed the intensity of the Yankee Stadium atmosphere while he was in Houston, which makes it unlikely that he would consider again abandoning his pinstripes, unless he can be convinced that the Rangers are primed for a return trip to the World Series.

For the Rangers and Ryan, acquiring Pettitte makes a lot of sense. They wouldn't have to commit the years and dollars that they must if they really want to retain Lee since Pettitte is perfectly happy going on yearly contracts. Pettitte is a lot older than Lee, but also a lot cheaper and has a proven record as a postseason winner. And signing a local star like Pettitte would take the sting out of losing Lee for the Rangers fan base and give them a reason to keep coming back to the ballpark.

Do I think Pettitte would sign with the Rangers? No. Despite what would be a really attractive offer from the Rangers, I believe Pettitte means it when he says he will either sign with the Yankees or retire. So all Pettitte needs to decide is whether he has one more season left in him. I really hope he does because the Yankees still need him.

No birthday gift for Mariano Rivera from Yankees

Mariano Rivera's 41st birthday came and went yesterday with no news on a new deal with the New York Yankees. Perhaps it will just be a belated birthday gift.

Mo hasn't been heard from publicly so far this offseason, but it has been reported that he wants a two-year deal, which I think is entirely fair. The Yankees supposedly have concerns about going that long on a new contract, but Mo hasn't given any indication that age has slowed him down at all. In fact, his only rough patch in 2010 was attributed to poor mechanics, which he corrected right in time for the playoffs.

Baseball contract negotiations can be tricky and contentious so I don’t discount the possibility of things getting ugly between the Yankees and Mo as they have with Derek Jeter. But I hope the Yankees don't draw the same line in the sand that they have with their captain. Unlike Jeter, Mo had another typically great year and should be rewarded for maintaining his status as the best closer in the game by having his very reasonable request of two years granted, along with a solid raise. The Yankees can’t afford to let Mo go because they don’t have anyone ready to replace him. Signing Mo for another two years will give them a chance to groom some brave soul to take his job when he retires.

Mo’s new deal will come after his birthday, but better late than never. Happy Birthday, Mariano! And a very happy birthday to my nephew Jonathan!