 Well, that remains to be seen, but you know that he's going to get the requisite 75% and a guy was there for a lot of the ride Especially for the championships is my yes network colleague and Derek's former teammate Paul O'Neill Who was nice enough to take himself off the golf course for a little bit and talk to us Paul? It's Michael Don and Peter. How you doing? We're doing great question was there a moment in time when you looked at Jeter and said He's different. He's special Yeah, I don't know if it was like one hit or whether it's all of a sudden You saw that he was never like fearful of any situation and it's just like you know he came in in a situation where a lot was expected out of him and and Obviously immediately made an impact and it just it was a fun thing to watch progress But it's not like it took years for him to be you know the face of that franchise Did you ever see him nervous about anything or any game? Did you ever see him out of sorts about something? No, I didn't and that's that's the one thing that You know even you know great players go through certain times where you know you don't trust you know how you feel at the plate or your ability to hit one picture or whatever and I never I never felt that about him and and I've always told this story about You know there are days during the season where you're you know you're up for four or four five It's like in the back of your mind. You're saying you know, I I'll just get him tomorrow and she was always like Wanting that extra bat he could be old for five and hope we get a rally So he gets that extra bat because he had that much confidence in himself that you know He's the he was gonna succeed now. You were somebody that did sometimes let things get to you a bit Did you ever like ask Derek like how do you do that? How do you not get upset when you strike out? How do you not flip out when a call doesn't go your way? I mean I used to ask him at times I remember early in his career that you know, he would have you know He got so popular so quick that you know He would have a magazine shoot and miss and this and then and then at seven o'clock, you know We have an Yankee game tonight, too. I never could understand how he could you know Everything was in its own compartment and he could do all those things but once the game started y'all in it And I was not able to do that I mean I got up in the morning started thinking about the game and if I had anything else I felt like you know, it was taking me away He was able to use all 24 hours in the day and still you know Produce on a baseball field. Is it true that he could come up in the first inning Paul? I mean just get blistered blown away by net 398 mile an hour fastballs and then come back to the dugout And say he's got nothing There were times and you know, I you didn't know if you were if he was joking or there were times where you know He he was discussing in himself, but like I said most players Can't close the book on a net bat or a swing as quick as he did and that's a gift of You know one of the greater players that's ever played the game All right great leader but not somebody that stood up on a table and yelled and screamed the rah-rah type of guy So how does his leadership come through? You know just by showing up and by his presence and you know watching how you know, he went through big games You know you especially as a younger player. I'm sure you look up to I remember coming up with the red you look up at how the people that have done it before and You know even like 96 his first really full year You didn't feel like he was overwhelmed or overmatched in any situation and just you know you kind of You know keep saying the same thing, but you just don't see a lot of players in that position. Okay? Okay, I had a great rookie rookie year, but all of a sudden now I'm in the world series You know, I got to be somewhat nervous. You just didn't feel that and it wasn't an act You know a lot of things the joking and all these things in big games As a player you can look guys in the eyes and know hey, you know, this is an act This is getting to you and you never felt that about him talking with Paul on the air on the Michael K show Paul I'm wondering you know scouts great people from a 20 to an 80 the 80 being the best and I Can't think as I sit here and having watched most of his games That Derek was an 80 in anything. He didn't have an 80 army didn't have 80 speed He didn't have 80 power, but when you added it all together He's one of the greatest prayers whoever lived does that seem as unusual to you as it does to me Does it mean that he had that something that's just not quantifiable? Yeah, I think you you know you hit the nail here that at the end there that there's something about certain people that just make them compete at high levels and win and Whether it's just a sure desire or confidence or whatever, but I feel you're right. I mean Was he a great or good hitter? Yeah, he's a good hitter I would he ran the bases rose in six or well, they made the plays But I don't think you would put him at the top of the list of any category in Baseball other than being able to win and being able to Not be overwhelmed especially in New York. I mean that adds to the fire also You know Michael talked about this He's kind of off the hook now because he owns the Marlins So it would be kind of inappropriate for him to be at Yankee Stadium all the time But he didn't seem like a guy that was going to be showing up to a lot of events Would that bother you that maybe he wouldn't embrace the former Yankee the way that you would or other guys on those teams would? Well, I think there probably will be a time I think that you know he had such a long run with one team and you know his popularity obviously Didn't it didn't get any it blew up and then it stayed there And you know there are times that you just step back and you you know you realize I've retired And I'm sure this is going to be an unbelievable reminder of what type of career He had when he finally does get the news. It's not going to be a shock obviously that he makes the Hall of Fame, but You know, I don't have anything that I could really look back and say bad about the guy He was a great teammate. He's a fun guy to be around But I tell you one thing when the when there was a big play or a big at bat You always hope that you know, he was part of that that part of the game Michael was saying earlier that not many people knew Derek well But would you say that he was disconnected or just private? No, I think he was private from the media and the press because looking back I mean, he knew a lot of guys very well, you know, Andy Pettit and Jorge Posada of Mariano. I mean To this day, you know, you can you can call Derek and he'll call you right back It's not like, you know, I'll get back to you in a week or something It's he was extremely close to a lot of his teammates So to say that he was disconnected. Yeah, I wouldn't agree with that at all now in 96 you guys came off that the tough five game loss to the Mariners and you know People expected great things you've gotten Tino Martinez, you know, you certainly improved the team Were you a little bit wary about going into the season with a rookie shortstop because it was some talk about getting Felix for me to play shortstop Yeah, I mean there was I mean we had come off that year of huge disappointment and really didn't expect that many changes and then, you know The buck show other thing at your told me so there were a lot of changes So it wasn't just Derek, but you know when when you're you know Plugging in a rookie at shortstop and a team is expected to win. There definitely is a question mark, but you know, like I said He didn't have kind of a Grace period he from opening day had a phenomenal year and turned into a phenomenal career All right before I let you go I got to ask you What do you think about the the cheating scandal with the Astros you think that's over the line the possible electronic stuff? I mean, can you even imagine this stuff going on Paul? I can't I mean looking back at time You know gamesmanship is trying to pick up signs and then reland your players where both teams can do it on the field But you know when you're by you know looking at a catcher signals or a sloppy You know indicator or something you pick up as a player That's kind of the art of the game, but to do it electronically and things like that I think not only myself, but a lot of people are disappointed To see that organization that went as far as you know to to give itself an advantage now Obviously coming from me. It means nothing coming for you. It means something how much better of a hitter Does it make Paul O'Neill if you can eliminate a breaking ball? Well, it's it was location. It was breaking balls fast. Well, sure. I mean when you know what's coming You're you're out of doing something good with it as a major the hitter is is much better And I was talking to somebody down here the other the other day and said, you know what? I just don't understand how it could make that much of a difference with this guy Happened to be a tennis player and I said, you know what if I tell you I'm gonna serve to your forehand every single time Never have to worry about a backhand. You're gonna be you're gonna be free He said I've never thought of it that way It would make the game so much easier and I kind of you know, if I know where the pitch I know the location Obviously, it's gonna give me an advantage. Good stuff Paul. How you shooting them today? You're all right, and you know what? It's windy today. My golf game stinks. I feel like I should be on the Deegan in a car listen to you on the radio You know, this is not too far off soon enough soon enough Paul. See you soon buddy. Hey, you guys have a good one All right, thanks a lot too