TAMPA, Fla.
Just about all the New York Yankees were ready to be done with spring training, so they welcomed the rainout of Saturday’s final Grapefruit League game against the Miami Marlins.
Derek Jeter was the notable exception.
He wanted to absorb every bit of his final spring training, but it was cut short by a powerful rainstorm that forced the cancellation of the last game he was to play in his offseason home.
While he didn’t get a chance to say a final goodbye to the fans at Steinbrenner Field – which opened as Legends Field in 1996, his rookie season – Jeter still accomplished what he set out to do.
“I feel good. That’s the most important thing,” Jeter said. “Spring training’s a progression, both physically and being game-ready. I’m where I want to be right now.”
A video tribute to Jeter’s career was played shortly before the game was due to start, and as ominous skies darkened, he participated in a brief ceremony meant to thank him for his contributions to the game and the Tampa area.
“I got a key to the city. I live here, so now I can do whatever I want while I’m in Tampa,” Jeter joked. “I couldn’t before, but now I can.”
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