They were getting their super star shortstop back on the field for the first time since a hideous ankle injury last October in the ALCS that put Jeter's season on ice, and dooming the Bronx Bombers playoff chances in the process.
After missing 91 games, Jeter made his season debut on Thursday at Yankees Stadium against the Royals. It got off to a great start, as he legged out an infield single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Vernon Wells. Overall, Jeter went 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
However, in the eighth inning he left the ball game with tightness in his quad, and will have to reexamined today with an MRI, and the Yankees and Jeter are hoping it's nothing serious.
Jeter was rushed up to the big club because of the number of injuries this team has endured this year. Both Travis Hafner and Brett Gardner were injured and add that to the teams' struggles this season, and the result was bringing up Jeter ASAP to keep the fans happy and give the team hope.
But, it only lasted for a New York minute.
Thus has been the case with these Yankees. They have counted on seeing their aging stars return from injury only to see them go down for the count again. Curtis Granderson re-injured his hand in Tampa and has yet to return. Mark Tiexiera was lost for the season after his brief return to the Bronx, and A-Rod? Well, who cares about him -- he's struggling in his rehab in the minors, and is due to be suspended for steroid use anyway.
The Yankees are running out of time in 2013. They are in fourth place in the AL East, which has gotten younger and stronger than them over the last few years. We knew that Baltimore and Tampa Bay were going to be good this year, but nobody foresaw the Red Sox having a renaissance year with a bunch of tough kids.
If Jeter is forced to a DL stint, even 15-days it won't do anything to help the Yankees current situation. They aren't getting good play from they guys on this roster; the contributions from their farm system products are limited at best. Remember when Yankee fans were in love with David Adams? Yeah, that lasted a few seconds.
Let's face it, the Yankees need Jeter and vice versa. But the fact is the Yankees have to come to terms with the fact that Jeter is 39, and his co-stars from Yankees teams of the past are getting up their in age as well.
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