It’s no secret that former Yankees great Derek Jeter will be the headliner of next year’s Baseball Hall of Fame class. But some of the other Hall of Famers might not be too happy about it.
Jeter, who is now the Marlins CEO, rubbed two Hall of Famers, Andre Dawson and Tony Perez, the wrong way when he dumped them upon taking over the team, according to in-depth interviews from Bleacher Report.
Now those two — and possibly others, close to Dawson or Perez — don’t plan on attending when Jeter inevitably goes into the Hall next summer.
Two HOFers likely to skip Derek Jeter’s HOF Induction next summer after he dissed them. “I don’t want to sit on the stage and hear what he has to say.” Details: https://t.co/4JP8VZnee3
— Scott Miller (@ScottMillerBbl) July 26, 2019
Hard Feelings
It only seems that everyone loves and respects Jeter, the Yankees captain who won five World Series titles.
In reality, he seriously ruffled some feathers when he took control of the Marlins in September 2017. Jeter reportedly told club president David Samson that he wouldn’t be retained, then sent Samson to tell the same to Dawson and Perez.
Dawson and Perez weren’t pleased. Neither was the Marlins’ fan base. Finally, the public outcry reached Jeter, who instructed the team to offer their old jobs back to Dawson and Perez at nearly 75 percent less salary than they were making before.
Insulted, both declined. Both also told Bleacher Report that Jeter never once spoke to them directly about the matter.
If you thought Derek Jeter was loved and respected by everyone, you thought wrong.
Turns out Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Tony Perez will likely skip the Captain’s induction next summer because they’re still bitter that he fired them. https://t.co/OMJaeB3FN7
— 12up (@12upSport) July 26, 2019
Skipping Cooperstown
Voters in January almost certainly will put Jeter into the Hall of Fame next July.
But Dawson already has made it clear he likely won’t be on stage, as is custom for past Hall of Famers.
“I sincerely doubt [that I will attend] at this point,” Dawson told Bleacher Report last weekend, when the 2019 class was inducted. “All indications are likely not. … I can’t speak for Tony. But I don’t have a sense or feeling like I want to sit on that stage to hear what he has to say.”
Certainly well within their right’s for Dawson and Perez to skip next year’s HOF induction because of Jeter. Understandable, too. I wonder how Jeter will be received by other Hall of Famers because of this situation (it’s a tight fraternity of players). https://t.co/1TfDpdcP9m
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) July 26, 2019
