In a surprising move, Hall of Fame player Derek Jeter stepped down as Miami Marlins CEO on Monday. He joined the club as part of Bruce Sherman's ownership group in late 2017. Jeter said "the vision for the future of the franchise is different than the one I signed up to lead" in a statement explaining his decision to leave the Marlins.
Jeter's departure comes at a time when baseball is at a crucial and truly historic moment. The ongoing owner-initiated lockout is the second-longest work stoppage in baseball history, and Monday is the league's self-imposed deadline to strike a deal without delaying Opening Day and canceling regular-season games in 2022.
Several current players took to social media to support Jeter's decision, suggesting it was made in part in solidarity with the players. Take a look:
#Re2pect #TheCaptain #CompetitiveIntegrity pic.twitter.com/bomdN1acHk
— Jason Castro (@J_Castro15) February 28, 2022
Lindor’s ig story seems to indicate this move was done in solidarity with the players, in which case I now love jeter even more pic.twitter.com/w395ae5KkN
— Emily Nyman (@EmSheDoesIt) February 28, 2022
Astros catcher Jason Castro and Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor were among those to make social media posts thanking and supporting Jeter. They are two members of the MLBPA's eight-person executive subcommittee, and they have been in attendance during bargaining sessions over the last week. Here are a few other players chiming in:
The Capitan being The Capitan #RESPECT
— Miguel Rojas (@MRojasOfficial) February 28, 2022
The integrity of this guy is one of the thing he showed me and stick out with me during the last 4 years, and even when I gonna miss him on my team Derek was a great mentor to me and help me to be a leader. This is what leaders do. pic.twitter.com/mt0CeaNbWx
Hot take
— Justin Turner (@redturn2) February 28, 2022
My sources, common sense and reading in between the lines, tell me that one of our games greatest champions,Derek Jeter, is stepping away from a team with one of the best young pitching staffs in the game because ownership isn’t committed to winning and spending pic.twitter.com/93my6XrLZC
A born winner turned front office who steps down because the organization doesn’t want to win…. 🤔 I #re2spect the captain for showing just what is happening in our game pic.twitter.com/TN50dAMwpl
— GarvSauce (@MitchGarver) February 28, 2022
— Rhys Hoskins (@rhyshoskins) February 28, 2022
When Jeter and Sherman took over the Marlins, the club immediately slashed payroll and traded away core players like Christian Yelich, JT Realmuto, Marcell Ozuna, and then-reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. The Marlins are trying to build through their farm system, and in the four years under Jeter and Sherman, they've lost 95-plus games three times. The other year they went 31-29 and qualified for the 16-team expanded postseason in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
