New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter knew it was coming. His reaction to Joe Torre's new book?
"I thought that was going to be the first question," Jeter said Wednesday night at his Turn 2 Foundation dinner.
"To be quite honest with you, people were saying this and saying that. Then all I hear is, people saying wait until you read the book. To be fair to everyone, I think you have to wait to see what's in it first and then give Mr. T an opportunity to address it."
Co-written by Torre and Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci, "The Yankee Years" is due out Feb. 3. Among other things, the book details how some teammates referred to Alex Rodriguez as "A-Fraud" after he joined the Yankees for the 2004 season, and it compares A-Rod's supposed obsession with Jeter to the movie "Single White Female."
Torre managed the Yankees from 1996-2007 before taking over the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
"It gets to a point where it seems like we're always talking about the same thing," Jeter said. "It seems like every year at this time it's the same questions about the same things. I think everyone is eager to get to spring training and start playing on the field."
Yankees catcher Jorge Posada agreed with Jeter about Torre's book.
"I've got to find out what it's all about," Posada said. "You really can't comment on something that you don't know. I have no idea right now. I've got to read it. It's a matter of time for us to sit down and read it, and talk to Joe."
Tampa Bay senior adviser Don Zimmer was Torre's bench coach for four World Series championships with the Yankees, and plans to get a copy of the book when it becomes available.
"When I look at the book, then I'll know," Zimmer said. "Sometimes you hear things that Joe said, and I don't believe all of it. He might have said some things. That's what sells the book. But you can't believe everything you hear. You have to read the book."
Former major league manager Buck Showalter isn't sure he'd want to write a revealing book about his days in baseball.
"I'd have to make up my mind that for sure I wasn't going back on the field before I ever wrote one," Showalter said. "I have feelings about it. Obviously I haven't done it. There's a certain privilege to having those jobs that you have to live up to."
Former Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez, currently an assistant to general manager Brian Cashman, didn't expect his former manager would write a book.
"It caught me off guard. I was little surprised Joe would write a book," Martinez said. "I loved playing for Joe Torre. I know we all did. You have to read the book, and I haven't read it."
