Jeter speaks

Derek Jeter spoke at Joe Torre's Safe at Home Foundation gala last night.

He spoke about the future of Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera, as well as Alex Rodriguez.

From Mark Feinsand:

"There's not many people in the game that do the things that he does," Jeter said of Rodriguez, who opted out of the final three years of his contract, leading the Yanks to state that they will not try to work out a deal with him. "We're trying to win, but it takes more than one person. We've had teams that have won and we haven't had numbers like that put up, so you don't necessarily have to have those type of numbers in order to win."

"I'm not worried about it. I think they're coming back," Jeter said. "It has nothing to do with what I've talked to them about, but if you asked me, I think they're coming back."

Rivera and Posada also attended the event last night, giving him an opportunity to convince the two free agents to return to the only team for which they have ever played. Not that Jeter feels they need much convincing.

"I don't have to sell the Yankees to them," Jeter said. "They've been here long enough. There's nothing I can tell them that they don't already know."

Jeter is absolutely right. The loss of Rodriguez will hurt this year, but in the long run, it could be one of the best things to happen to the Yankees this century. It's time to go back to being a team, and not just 25 guys who hit home runs against Tampa Bay in July but can't score runs in the playoffs.

I think Rivera is a lock to return. No other team will offer him as much as the Yankees are prepared to offer. Posada seems more adamant to test the market.