Derek Jeter has a new idea regarding baseball’s drug-testing policy: Test the media.
That was the Captain’s response Wednesday after he was informed that an ESPN voice questioned his remarkable season by insinuating that he was using performance-enhancing drugs.
Skip Bayless, one of ESPN’s loud-yakking talkies on its “First Take” program, suggested Wednesday morning that Jeter’s renaissance season could be the product of some illegal assistance.
Jeter called it “unfortunate” that somebody can go on television and make such insinuations, and joked that Bayless might be the one in need of a drug test.
That was the Captain’s response Wednesday after he was informed that an ESPN voice questioned his remarkable season by insinuating that he was using performance-enhancing drugs.
Skip Bayless, one of ESPN’s loud-yakking talkies on its “First Take” program, suggested Wednesday morning that Jeter’s renaissance season could be the product of some illegal assistance.
Jeter called it “unfortunate” that somebody can go on television and make such insinuations, and joked that Bayless might be the one in need of a drug test.
“Whenever you have people that anytime you bring something like this to light with guys that are doing things, it’s like, now you have everybody questioning everything,” Jeter said. “That’s the unfortunate thing. Maybe Skip should be tested.”
Asked if he was bothered by Bayless’ backhanded accusation, Jeter shrugged.
“This is a first for me, man,” Jeter said. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
Jeter had not heard of Bayless’ comments until before the game, but he laughed out loud when informed of the indictment.
“What do you want me to say?” Jeter asked. “I ain’t getting involved with this, man. You can say whatever you want to say now, huh? There’s no repercussions.”
In what seemed like an act of defiance, Jeter hit homer No. 13 in a 2-1 loss to the White Sox Wednesday night. It marked the first time in his career that he had homered in three straight games.
“I am shocked by what I am seeing from Derek Jeter right now,” Bayless said Wednesday morning, noting that the 38-year-old had already eclipsed his hit and home run totals of last season.
“I sat back last night thinking about this and I thought, ‘You know what? You would have to have your head in the sand or your head somewhere else to not at least wonder, how is he doing this?’”
Bayless brought up recent comments by BALCO founder Victor Conte that synthetic testosterone use is rampant among major-leaguers. Stephen A. Smith, Bayless’ debate opponent on the show, began shouting at him.
“You’re mentioning Derek Jeter in the same breath as Victor Conte?” Smith yelled.
That’s when Bayless flat-out questioned Jeter’s legitimacy.
“I would have to be sight- and hearing-impaired not to at least wonder, because there is no HGH test in the sport of baseball,” Bayless said. “They do not blood test; they do it one time in spring training for HGH, not again the rest of the year. How could I not wonder, ‘Is he using something?’ If you’re Derek Jeter, would you think about using HGH right now? Because I would. How would you not? Would you not think about it?”
Jeter has long been considered one of the least likely players to be involved with performance-enhancing drugs, serving as one of the sport’s top ambassadors during the soiled steroid era.
“I’ve never taken performance-enhancing drugs,” Jeter said bluntly on February 18, 2009, days after Alex Rodriguez was outed as a PED user. “I’ve never taken steroids. That’s it.”
Jeter has even objected to the term “steroid era,” saying the decisions by some players to use PEDs shouldn’t tarnish an entire generation of players.
Asked if he was bothered by Bayless’ backhanded accusation, Jeter shrugged.
“This is a first for me, man,” Jeter said. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
Jeter had not heard of Bayless’ comments until before the game, but he laughed out loud when informed of the indictment.
“What do you want me to say?” Jeter asked. “I ain’t getting involved with this, man. You can say whatever you want to say now, huh? There’s no repercussions.”
In what seemed like an act of defiance, Jeter hit homer No. 13 in a 2-1 loss to the White Sox Wednesday night. It marked the first time in his career that he had homered in three straight games.
“I am shocked by what I am seeing from Derek Jeter right now,” Bayless said Wednesday morning, noting that the 38-year-old had already eclipsed his hit and home run totals of last season.
“I sat back last night thinking about this and I thought, ‘You know what? You would have to have your head in the sand or your head somewhere else to not at least wonder, how is he doing this?’”
Bayless brought up recent comments by BALCO founder Victor Conte that synthetic testosterone use is rampant among major-leaguers. Stephen A. Smith, Bayless’ debate opponent on the show, began shouting at him.
“You’re mentioning Derek Jeter in the same breath as Victor Conte?” Smith yelled.
That’s when Bayless flat-out questioned Jeter’s legitimacy.
“I would have to be sight- and hearing-impaired not to at least wonder, because there is no HGH test in the sport of baseball,” Bayless said. “They do not blood test; they do it one time in spring training for HGH, not again the rest of the year. How could I not wonder, ‘Is he using something?’ If you’re Derek Jeter, would you think about using HGH right now? Because I would. How would you not? Would you not think about it?”
Jeter has long been considered one of the least likely players to be involved with performance-enhancing drugs, serving as one of the sport’s top ambassadors during the soiled steroid era.
“I’ve never taken performance-enhancing drugs,” Jeter said bluntly on February 18, 2009, days after Alex Rodriguez was outed as a PED user. “I’ve never taken steroids. That’s it.”
Jeter has even objected to the term “steroid era,” saying the decisions by some players to use PEDs shouldn’t tarnish an entire generation of players.
“One thing that is irritating and really upsets me a lot is when you hear everybody say it’s the steroid era and that everybody was doing it,” Jeter said in February 2009. “That’s not true; everybody wasn’t doing it.
“I think it sends the wrong message to the baseball fans and it sends the wrong message to kids to say that everybody was doing it. That’s just not the truth. I understand that a lot of big-name players have come out or have allegedly done this or that, but everybody wasn’t doing it.”
Bayless is believed to be the first national media member to raise the question about Jeter, though he did backtrack later, saying he has “no idea” whether or not the shortstop uses illegal substances.
“I am not saying he uses a thing; I have no idea,” Bayless said. “But within the confines of his sport, it is fair for all of us – in fact, you’re remiss if you don’t at least think about this.”
Bayless noted that Jeter’s 12 home runs through Tuesday were twice as many as he hit in 2011, but he added that the purpose of HGH is not to hit home runs but rather to stay on the field during the grind of the 162-game season.
“It’s not about hitting for distance; it’s about surviving,” Bayless said. “It’s about how quickly can you respond game after game after game. Bouncing back. Longevity. He’s played, at age 38, in 121 of 123 games; he looks stronger to me, he looks a little quicker to me. There was a lot of talk about, ‘He’s lost his range at shortstop; he’s lost his speed.’ Could it be natural? Sure it could be. I’m just saying he’s a victim of his game.”
“I think it sends the wrong message to the baseball fans and it sends the wrong message to kids to say that everybody was doing it. That’s just not the truth. I understand that a lot of big-name players have come out or have allegedly done this or that, but everybody wasn’t doing it.”
Bayless is believed to be the first national media member to raise the question about Jeter, though he did backtrack later, saying he has “no idea” whether or not the shortstop uses illegal substances.
“I am not saying he uses a thing; I have no idea,” Bayless said. “But within the confines of his sport, it is fair for all of us – in fact, you’re remiss if you don’t at least think about this.”
Bayless noted that Jeter’s 12 home runs through Tuesday were twice as many as he hit in 2011, but he added that the purpose of HGH is not to hit home runs but rather to stay on the field during the grind of the 162-game season.
“It’s not about hitting for distance; it’s about surviving,” Bayless said. “It’s about how quickly can you respond game after game after game. Bouncing back. Longevity. He’s played, at age 38, in 121 of 123 games; he looks stronger to me, he looks a little quicker to me. There was a lot of talk about, ‘He’s lost his range at shortstop; he’s lost his speed.’ Could it be natural? Sure it could be. I’m just saying he’s a victim of his game.”
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