New York Yankee captain, Derek Jeter, hasn't missed an opening-day game for 12 years, but it appears that his streak will come to end, due to a sore left ankle.
Fracturing his left ankle in the opening game of last year's American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, Jeter has spent his summer in intense rehab to prepare himself physically for the start of the 2013 season, but after siting out a minor-league game on Sunday, general manager Brian Cashman stated, ""The reality is beginning to set in," according to ESPN.
"April 1 [opening day] is unrealistic in my mind now...I know Derek extremely well, and I can read his face," Cashman said on Sunday, according to Sports Illustrated. "And his face today tells me that the reality of his circumstances is starting to sink in, and the disabled list might be necessary. I told him what I think, and he didn't fight me on it. That's reality."
He made his spring debut at shortstop on March 12 but was scratched from the lineup earlier this week due to a "cranky ankle," as the 38-year-old Jeter termed it.
A precautionary MRI revealed some inflammation and at the time Jeter shrugged it off, stating, he expected to be available for opening day. When informed of the inflammation Jeter told The New York Post "I'm not concerned because I was told this was going to happen. From everything I've been told by the doctors, it's normal."
Jeter has not been on the Disabled List for opening day since 2001, when he missed the first four games after straining his right quadriceps during a spring training game that March 16. Two years later, he dislocated his left shoulder in the opener during a collision at third base with Toronto catcher Ken Huckaby, who was covering the bag. Jeter was sidelined until May 13.
With the Yankees already losing all-stars Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, due to injuries, it is a strong possibility that, not only will the $200M team not win the World Series, but they might not even make the playoffs.
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