A New Low for the Associated Press: Writing About Derek Jeter and HGH Because Skip Bayless Talked About It

All, Baseball, ESPN Jason McIntyre August 23rd. 2012, 9:41am

Derek Jeter’s enjoying one of the hottest hitting streaks he’s had in years:

Over the last 12 games, he’s batting .420 with six doubles, five homers, nine RBI and 14 runs scored.

The captain, 38, is doing his best to keep the injury-ravaged Yankees atop the AL East, but torrid Tampa has closed within three games.

When you combine the old man’s boffo August and two Major Leaguers getting 50 game suspensions for the use of testosterone (Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon) … the result is idiots uttering dumb shit like this:

“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?”

This kind of garbage is nothing new for that assclown, who you may remember once accused Troy Aikman of being gay. (No single person is damaging ESPN’s brand more than Skip Bayless, a liar who makes inflammatory racial remarks and is an uninformed, shit-stirring buffoon.) What’s truly sad is that we’re in an era where nonsense like that is going to get asked to Jeter by a legitimate news outlet after a game.

Jeter’s response should have been, “who? Never heard of the guy” but he did one better: “One of the things is that now you have everybody questioning everything. That’s the unfortunate thing. Maybe Skip should be tested.” Classic Jeter.

The Associated Press should be embarrassed. Does it plan on having reporters ask or write about Mike Trout and HGH? What about Jose Bautista? [AP]

[Reminder: The AP has yet to look into the evidence against agent Drew Rosenhaus. So baseless accusations are OK to ask athletes about; stories backed up with evidence are not. Got it.]

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64 Responses to “A New Low for the Associated Press: Writing About Derek Jeter and HGH Because Skip Bayless Talked About It”

1
KC Resident Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:44 AM
“who? Never heard of the guy” McIntyre
I thought you weren’t going to acknowledge Bayless’ existence.
2
St. Bear Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:48 AM
What’s truly sad is that we’re in an era where nonsense like that is going to get asked to Jeter by a legitimate news outlet after a game.
I agree, but I think for different reasons that you.
3
illformula Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:54 AM
why don’t you include links to posts where you all were wrong about Jeets?
4
VladimirCrouton Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:55 AM
Derek Cheater.
5
Watsonian Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:56 AM
How’s Ryan Braun’s season going?
6
VladimirCrouton Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:58 AM
The Jeter MVP narrative is laughable.
7
Watsonian Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:59 AM
Pot, meet Kettle
8
PeerLessPrices Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:00 AM
The Lin MVP narrative is laughable.
/once upon a time’d
9
Watsonian Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:00 AM
The Jeter MVP narrative is laughable.
I’m not sure he would even be top 10, if I had a vote.
10
PeerLessPrices Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:00 AM
I’m taking a timeout. That’s two fails in a row.
11
TimmyTheEnchanter Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:00 AM
The Jeter MVP narrative is laughable.
Sure, but so is the Jeter hate. He IS having an outstanding season.
12
oskie Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:03 AM
i’m very confused by your anger. Jeter is the face of MLB, and has been for more than a decade. ESPN is the biggest sports enterprise in the world, and owned by the mouse. One of their personalities accuses the face of MLB of cheating. That’s a story, no?
13
GloriousMullet beats jokes into the ground Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:04 AM
HATE HATE HATE HATE
14
njensen79 Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:04 AM
So let’s pretend that the player being questioned here ISN’T Jeter. Let’s pretend that this is a 38 year old player who didn’t play very well in the beginning of the season. Had a bad year last season and is now playing very well. As soon as Melky tested positive, everyone said that we should have seen the signs because of his performance before the past 2 years.
/Don’t think Jeter is using
15
VladimirCrouton Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Sure, but so is the Jeter hate. He IS having an outstanding season.
I like Jeter and always have. Just don’t think it’s atrocious to question his performance at 38.
16
scripty Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:07 AM
It’s well known guys pitch him fastballs down the plate in exchange for gift baskets.
17
TimmyTheEnchanter Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:08 AM
@njensen79 — But it is Jeter, who sort of has a history of up and down seasons (that tend to follow his BABIP, which makes sense given his ground ball/singles hitter profile now).
Still, great season, but I don’t think it should be all that surprising.
18
scripty Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:10 AM
Can MLB dudes do the blood spinning shit?
19
cracker jack Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Jeter’s response should have been, “who? Never heard of the guy”
He probably thought you had that trademarked, JMac
20
oskie Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Just don’t think it’s atrocious to question his performance at 38.
Jeter had a down year in 2010, and was played injured the first half of last season including a DL stint. since coming off the DL, he essentially has been his same old consistent self.
21
Coach Mike Woodson, Atlanta Hawks Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Skip wins.
22
VladimirCrouton Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Can MLB dudes do the blood spinning shit?
I’m sure a lot of the high profile rich as hell MLB’ers are doing anything they can get away with.
23
jdeeser5 Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:13 AM
The Associated Press should be embarrassed. Does it plan on having reporters ask or write about Mike Trout and HGH? What about Jose Bautista?
Why are these 2 names mentioned in a story on Jeter? The scout who signed Trout, Greg Morhardt, describes Trout with a “football player’s body,” and another describes him as Brian Urlacher. In neither report did they question the character of the kid and the Angel office was drooling over him dropping.
24
vajayjay redick Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:14 AM
Screamin A. Smith in his over-the-top rant yesterday had a good point….”Jeter’s HR’s went from 6 to 12 (now 13) and HE’S the one we’re questioning?”
25
vajayjay redick Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:17 AM
Btw if you compared Skip’s physique to Jeter’s, you’d test Skip first.
26
VladimirCrouton Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:17 AM
Jeter’s HR’s went from 6 to 12 (now 13) and HE’S the one we’re questioning?”
It’s not about HRs and power.
27
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:18 AM
So let’s pretend that the player being questioned here ISN’T Jeter. Let’s pretend that this is a 38 year old player who didn’t play very well in the beginning of the season. Had a bad year last season and is now playing very well. As soon as Melky tested positive, everyone said that we should have seen the signs because of his performance before the past 2 years.
He got off to a slow start in April and early May last year and people continued to write him off. However, from that point he hit like he always has. Also, as I pointed out to someone way back, Paul Molitor had a similar dip at 36 and bounced back to have about 4 productive years after that. So what he is doing isn’t unprecedented.
28
QueeferSutherland Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:18 AM
So let’s pretend that the player being questioned here ISN’T Jeter. Let’s pretend that this is a 38 year old player who didn’t play very well in the beginning of the season. Had a bad year last season and is now playing very well. As soon as Melky tested positive, everyone said that we should have seen the signs because of his performance before the past 2 years.
Damn good point.
Mentioned this during the Olympics but it bears repeating. Major figures in the steroid world like Victor Conte estimate that 60-80 percent of pro athletes take some form of PED and are so far ahead of the testing curve that they’ll never get caught. I’m amazed that no one gives a shit about this.
29
spencer096 Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:19 AM
This kind of garbage is nothing new for that assclown, who you may remember once accused Troy Aikman of being gay. (No single person is damaging ESPN’s brand more than Skip Bayless, a liar who makes inflammatory racial remarks and is an uninformed, shit-stirring buffoon.)
oh, rea…
/gets banned
30
TimmyTheEnchanter Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:19 AM
I’m amazed that no one gives a shit about this.
Let’s pretend that’s true. Why?
31
St. Bear Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:22 AM
Mentioned this during the Olympics but it bears repeating. Major figures in the steroid world like Victor Conte estimate that 60-80 percent of pro athletes take some form of PED and are so far ahead of the testing curve that they’ll never get caught. I’m amazed that no one gives a shit about this.
There is not a single pro athlete that would surprise me if they got caught. Not Jeter, not Brady, not even David Eckstein or Juan Pierre. I just have to accept it, because I’m sure as hell not going to stop watching sports because of it. Root for the laundry.
32
vajayjay redick Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:24 AM
It’s not about HRs and power.
What is it about then? Is it that he’s playing SS every day at 38? Let’s test Omar Vizquel too while we’re at it. Jeter’s #’s are pretty much in line with his career #’s. He had a bad year and a half from 2010-mid2011. Skip said what he said because he needs something to talk about and Jeter is a big name and a big target.
33
molemaninthemorning Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Zero former Yankee players involved in being Derek Jeter.
34
Coach Mike Woodson, Atlanta Hawks Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:27 AM
Root for the laundry.
You can continue to root for the player. Why do you care if they cheat?
35
Watsonian Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:27 AM
I still think the science doesn’t fully support that PEDs actually enhance performance.
36
St. Bear Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:28 AM
You can continue to root for the player. Why do you care if they cheat?
You’re right, I was saying my view.
37
Jason McIntyre Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:29 AM
i just laughed at this tweet from Rich Eisen, former ESPNer
http://twitter.com/richeisen/statuses/238643752384724992
38
QueeferSutherland Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Let’s pretend that’s true. Why?
Not really sure. I don’t think people care if their players cheat. But some guy on a hated rival? SHUT HIM DOWN!
I still think the science doesn’t fully support that PEDs actually enhance performance.
I’m not convinced the Earth rotates around the sun, either.
39
Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Mentioned this during the Olympics but it bears repeating. Major figures in the steroid world like Victor Conte estimate that 60-80 percent of pro athletes take some form of PED and are so far ahead of the testing curve that they’ll never get caught. I’m amazed that no one gives a shit about this.
what kind of shit am I supposed to give about it?
40
QueeferSutherland Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:34 AM
what kind of shit am I supposed to give about it?
Whichever amount of fecal currency you choose to expend, I suppose.
Cheating in sports bothers me, particularly in baseball and the Olympics when numbers are everything.
41
kaiserwilhelmreems is commenting too quickly Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:37 AM
JMac, weren’t you also one to insinuate that Jose Bautista was on the juice?
Double standard with Jeets?
42
Jason McIntyre Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:40 AM
kaiser – are you comparing me to the Associated Press? Do you understand how the AP operates? once the story hits the wire, any paper in the country, any website in the country can run it. And probably will (#1 team, #1 market, #1 player, baseless accusation).
i have made MANY bautista jokes in the last few years. which one are you talking about?
43
Watsonian Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:41 AM
I’m not convinced the Earth rotates around the sun, either.
Well then you’re retarded, which most of your comments seem to support.
44
QueeferSutherland Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Watsonian, that thing flying over your head isn’t a plane.
45
KC Resident Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:48 AM
i have made MANY bautista jokes in the last few years. which one are you talking about?
The one about him, the priest, and the rabbi walking into a bar.
46
Watsonian Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Watsonian, that thing flying over your head isn’t a plane.
Is it Superman?
47
kaiserwilhelmreems is commenting too quickly Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:54 AM
kaiser – are you comparing me to the Associated Press? Do you understand how the AP operates? once the story hits the wire, any paper in the country, any website in the country can run it. And probably will (#1 team, #1 market, #1 player, baseless accusation).
i have made MANY bautista jokes in the last few years. which one are you talking about?
I’m just saying why does this one get you upset when you made insinuations and jokes about Bautista?
You have to admit, using the same logic that Bautista all of a sudden becomes a 50hr hitter, Jeter on the tail end of his career is playing like his mid to late 20′s self, does raise your eyebrows a bit.
i’m not comparing you to the AP and i understand how it operates, what i’m curious about is why it’s OK to think other players might be juicing but Jeter is off limits.
48
Starscream Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:54 AM
The Big Lead (and others like it) will never take the next step into legitimacy when they’re overly critical of mainstream journalism and then make the same mistakes. Page views are page views. But, don’t complain about sensationalist articles when a headline on here yesterday linked two players with a (big market) baseball team when they didn’t even play within a year of each other.
49
Jason McIntyre Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:58 AM
when Jeter was 35, he hit 18 homers, slugged .465
Jeter isn’t quite at those levels this year.
in his prime, he hit 24 homers and 23 homers.
IMO, kaiser, this is nothing like Bautista.
50
payaso Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Kind of a double standard around here regarding sensationalism, eh?
/Bernard Berrian
51
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:16 AM
If a new low is the AP talking about an idiot. What is it when you talking about the ones who talk about the idiot?
52
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:18 AM
So Jeter is the line drawn in the sand, huh?
Did you have to wipe the semen off your keyboard after writing this, Jason?
53
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:20 AM
I still think the science doesn’t fully support that PEDs actually enhance performance.
The “E” in “PED” actually stands for “equaling”… “enhancement” is just a marketing gimmick the PR guys came up with.
54
I'm a Horse Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Does it plan on having reporters ask or write about Mike Trout and HGH?
You’ve done a lot of things on this blog, but this crosses the line!
55
vajayjay redick Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Nobody knows anything for sure about who is using and who is not. But it goes without saying that nobody in baseball has less to gain and more to lose by cheating than Jeter. His legacy is secure. He could have retired 3 years ago and been a HOFer with 5 championship rings and untold millions. He is one of the most celebrated and respected players the game has ever seen. What he does in his career from here on out isnt even icing on the cake, it’s sprinkles on top of the icing. For a guy as image-conscious as Jeter to jeopardize his place in baseball for a few extra hits at the end of his career would be monumentally stupid.
56
Tim Ryan Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:42 AM
“One of the things is that now you have everybody questioning everything. That’s the unfortunate thing. Maybe Skip should be tested.”
The man is brilliant.
57
St. Bear Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:42 AM
For a guy as image-conscious as Jeter to jeopardize his place in baseball for a few extra hits at the end of his career would be monumentally stupid.
Can’t really disagree, but stupider things have been done by equally (or more) famous people.
58
St. Bear Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Hernia, I cannot stand your gravatar. I demand you change it back to one of the Punch Out! fighters. My suggestion would be Don Flamenco.
59
A.P. Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Josh Beckett should be tested for a case of the “I don’t fucking care anymore”s
60
Tim Ryan Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Nobody knows anything for sure about who is using and who is not. But it goes without saying that nobody in baseball has less to gain and more to lose by cheating than Jeter.
Well put.
61
Walking Underwear Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:55 AM
I’m amazed that no one gives a shit about this.
or that anyone does
62
Walking Underwear Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Nobody knows anything for sure about who is using and who is not. But it goes without saying that nobody in baseball has less to gain and more to lose by cheating than Jeter.
Well put.
i’ve always thought thome is above suspicion. adam dunn commented when asked about colon that people caught these days are stupid bc of the omnipresence of drug testers in the clubhouses
63
Jay V Of Considerable Influence Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Question I have is this: Did the AP reporter ASK the question? If he did, then he deserves to be taken to task. If he didn’t, and he is merely reporting Jeter’s answer to a question asked by someone else, then they not only were ok reporting it, they SHOULD have reported it.
64
roger from oz Says:
August 23rd, 2012 at 4:00 PM
AP sux. Been going down for years.