min0 weeping inconsolably....
Before Thursday, Derek Jeter hadn't thought about the fact that for the first time since 1992, he was not currently a member of the Yankees.
His family, on the other hand, was quick to point it out.
"My parents were joking about that earlier today," Jeter said before being honored by Joe Torre's Safe at Home Foundation Thursday night. "My grandmother said I have no job."
Jeter may be unemployed at the moment, but both the shortstop and general manager Brian Cashman seem confident the captain will be back in pinstripes in 2011 and beyond.
"It doesn't feel like there's anything different," Jeter said of his first free-agent experience. "I understand that there's negotiations to come, but for me personally, I don't feel any different."
Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, met with Cashman, Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine earlier this week in Tampa, although the shortstop said the meeting "wasn't that big of a deal," adding that it simply "set the framework" for his upcoming contract.
"It's not like I'm meeting people for the first time." Jeter said. "It really wasn't that complicated. It went well."
Cashman, who then traveled to Arkansas on Wednesday to meet with Cliff Lee, said these types of meetings can be helpful in moving things along.
"I think it was something that both sides felt would be beneficial," Cashman said. "I personally like getting in front of players. I think face-to-face, if you can do it, is the best way. You don't get anything lost in translation."
Neither Jeter nor Cashman would get into the specifics of the meeting, but both sides appear intent on finding common ground to get a deal done.
"I've already told you guys what my wishes were in spring training," Jeter said. "And they haven't changed."
"We both want the future to be in pinstripes," Cashman said. "There's no doubt about that. I'm confident that he wants us as much as we want him."
There has been speculation that one of the topics discussed was Jeter's future as a shortstop, but the Yankee captain said that "hasn't been brought up."
Cashman said his talks with Close were in the "infancy stages," saying it could take a good portion of the winter before a deal is completed.
Still, Cashman dismissed the idea that things could get "messy" between the two sides, something Steinbrenner suggested in broad terms during a radio interview nearly two weeks ago.
"He said any negotiation has a chance to get messy," Cashman said of Steinbrenner's comment. "He didn't say he expects this one to; he said that any one can. That's true. I don't think there's any expectation from our perspective this is going to get messy."
"It's not even close to that at this stage at all. No one expects that and we'll work our hardest on both ends not to have that happen."
Cashman said that despite Jeter's status with the franchise, these negotiations are being conducted the same way as any other free agent he deals with.
"It's business; two sides have a chance to sit down and discuss what's important to them and where they're trying to go and why," Cashman said. "You talk through every aspect - good and bad - and find common ground. That's what I do in every negotiation, but some play louder in the public eye than others. Because this is the Yankees and this is Derek, this is obviously gong to get a lot more attention."
Jeter has no idea when a deal may get done, having never gone through the free-agent process before. He declined to say whether any other teams had contacted Close to express interest, adding that he's tried "to stay removed" from the whole situation.
Asked if he was nervous about the idea of not returning to the Bombers, Jeter said, "Right now, I'm not." Jeter was then asked whether he had any doubt that a deal with the Yankees would eventually get done.
"I have no idea," Jeter said. "I'd like to think it would, but I don't know."
Read more: Derek Jeter and Yankees GM Brian Cashman appear confident in ability to negotiate new contract
Before Thursday, Derek Jeter hadn't thought about the fact that for the first time since 1992, he was not currently a member of the Yankees.
His family, on the other hand, was quick to point it out.
"My parents were joking about that earlier today," Jeter said before being honored by Joe Torre's Safe at Home Foundation Thursday night. "My grandmother said I have no job."
Jeter may be unemployed at the moment, but both the shortstop and general manager Brian Cashman seem confident the captain will be back in pinstripes in 2011 and beyond.
"It doesn't feel like there's anything different," Jeter said of his first free-agent experience. "I understand that there's negotiations to come, but for me personally, I don't feel any different."
Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, met with Cashman, Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine earlier this week in Tampa, although the shortstop said the meeting "wasn't that big of a deal," adding that it simply "set the framework" for his upcoming contract.
"It's not like I'm meeting people for the first time." Jeter said. "It really wasn't that complicated. It went well."
Cashman, who then traveled to Arkansas on Wednesday to meet with Cliff Lee, said these types of meetings can be helpful in moving things along.
"I think it was something that both sides felt would be beneficial," Cashman said. "I personally like getting in front of players. I think face-to-face, if you can do it, is the best way. You don't get anything lost in translation."
Neither Jeter nor Cashman would get into the specifics of the meeting, but both sides appear intent on finding common ground to get a deal done.
"I've already told you guys what my wishes were in spring training," Jeter said. "And they haven't changed."
"We both want the future to be in pinstripes," Cashman said. "There's no doubt about that. I'm confident that he wants us as much as we want him."
There has been speculation that one of the topics discussed was Jeter's future as a shortstop, but the Yankee captain said that "hasn't been brought up."
Cashman said his talks with Close were in the "infancy stages," saying it could take a good portion of the winter before a deal is completed.
Still, Cashman dismissed the idea that things could get "messy" between the two sides, something Steinbrenner suggested in broad terms during a radio interview nearly two weeks ago.
"He said any negotiation has a chance to get messy," Cashman said of Steinbrenner's comment. "He didn't say he expects this one to; he said that any one can. That's true. I don't think there's any expectation from our perspective this is going to get messy."
"It's not even close to that at this stage at all. No one expects that and we'll work our hardest on both ends not to have that happen."
Cashman said that despite Jeter's status with the franchise, these negotiations are being conducted the same way as any other free agent he deals with.
"It's business; two sides have a chance to sit down and discuss what's important to them and where they're trying to go and why," Cashman said. "You talk through every aspect - good and bad - and find common ground. That's what I do in every negotiation, but some play louder in the public eye than others. Because this is the Yankees and this is Derek, this is obviously gong to get a lot more attention."
Jeter has no idea when a deal may get done, having never gone through the free-agent process before. He declined to say whether any other teams had contacted Close to express interest, adding that he's tried "to stay removed" from the whole situation.
Asked if he was nervous about the idea of not returning to the Bombers, Jeter said, "Right now, I'm not." Jeter was then asked whether he had any doubt that a deal with the Yankees would eventually get done.
"I have no idea," Jeter said. "I'd like to think it would, but I don't know."
Read more: Derek Jeter and Yankees GM Brian Cashman appear confident in ability to negotiate new contract
