Derek Jeter speaking at a Press Conference Photo Courtesy "USA Today, Jasen Vinlove"
Known as Mr. 3,000, Mr. November, Captain Clutch, Class Act, Mr. Hall Of Fame or as most New Yorkers call him, The Captain, Derek Jeter is recognized as one of the greatest shortstops to ever step foot on a Major League Baseball (MLB) field. However, recent news of him stepping down as CEO and stakeholder of the Miami Marlins puts a spotlight on his time with the team and evaluates if his success on the field as a baseball player rolled over into his role with the Marlins.
In July 2017, Derek Jeter engaged in the bidding for ownership of the Miami Marlins, and in August 2017, he and businessman Bruce Sherman finalized a deal to purchase the team. The sale was completed in September 2017, following unanimous approval by the other 29 MLB team owners. Jeter, who only owned a 4% stake in the franchise, was named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the team, and Sherman, the controlling owner, entrusted him to oversee the day-to-day operations. Derek Jeter also became the first Black CEO of a Major League Baseball Team.
When Jeter took over as CEO of the Marlins, the team was over the MLB Luxury Tax. They had ended the 2017 season second in their division with a 77-85 record, trailing 20 games behind the Washington Nationals for first place. The Miami Marlins had a payroll paying players up to $143 million dollars. The Marlins highest paid player at the time was Giancarlo Stanton, the National League’s Most Valuable Player. Stanton was set to make $25 million dollars in 2018 after signing a 13 Year $325 million extension becoming, at the time, the highest paid baseball player in MLB history.
With concerns of the team being over the luxury tax, rumors that Stanton wanted to be traded, and with the vision to rebuild the Marlins team, trades were made. Giancarlo Stanton was traded to the New York Yankees, Christian Yelich who would become the 2018 National League MVP was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, and Marcell Ozuna who led the Marlins with 191 hits and batting average of .313 was traded to the St. Luis Cardinals.
Some Marlins’ fans felt betrayed that Jeter traded away their star players and future. Others felt they had been betrayed so many times before by the change of ownership and trading of star players, that they were not surprised.
"Photo Courtesy New York Times"
So, what impact did Derek Jeter have on the Miami Marlins? After taking over in 2017 as the CEO, Jeter knew he had to win over the team’s fans, especially the season ticket holders. To smooth relations with season holders and win over new ones, Jeter began by hosting a town hall meeting with them to hear their complaints and tried to assure them the team had a plan to rebuild. He continued during his time as CEO to expand the team’s brand and fan relations by hosting charity events that included appearances by celebrities. During the COVID pandemic, the Marlins provided aid to the local communities by distributing over 1 million meals, educational support, COVID-19 testing, PPEs, and financial support and resources. The team’s Loan Depot Park also served as a COVID-19 vaccination and testing site.
Derek Jeter tried to build the Marlins into a team with a name and winning record that would be respected in the MLB. In a 2018 interview with HBO Sports, Jeter denied the team was losing games on purpose for draft picks or tanking. He said, “We are trying to win games.” He went on to explain that in the major leagues, you do not always need the biggest names to come to your team, but you also need guys coming out of your minor league system to make your team great.
The first two seasons under Jeter were losing seasons for the Miami Marlins. However, the 2020 season which was shortened to 60 games due to the pandemic, the Marlins ended their season with a 31-29 record and made it to the playoffs for the first time since capturing their 2nd championship in 2003. The Marlins advanced after winning the Wild Card game over the Chicago Cubs but then lost in the division series to the Atlanta Braves.
Although they lost the division series, it seemed as if the Marlins were heading in the right direction. During that offseason in November 2020, Jeter appointed Kim Ng as general manager of the Miami Marlins. She became the first woman to become a general manager of a men's team in the history of major North American sports, as well as the fist female Asian-American and first East Asian-American general manager in MLB history.
Derek Jeter with Miami Marlins General Manager Kim Ng "Photo Courtesy CNN Business"
However, in 2021, The Marlins had another losing season, finishing 4th in their division with a 65-95 record. During the 2021 offseason the Marlins did not make any moves in free agency before the MLB Lockout. Then, on February 28, 2022, Derek Jeter stepped down as the Miami Marlins CEO, and sold his stake in the team. This announcement sent shock throughout the league, among baseball fans and sports media outlets. In a statement, Jeter said the “vision for the future of the franchise is different than the one I signed up to lead,” and “We had a vision five years ago to turn the Marlins franchise around, and as CEO, I have been proud to put my name and reputation on the line to make our plan a reality,” Jeter said. “Through hard work, trust and accountability, we transformed every aspect of the franchise, reshaping the workforce, and developing a long-term strategic plan for success.”
How will Derek Jeter’s time as CEO with the Miami Marlins be remembered? Do the Marlins’ organization, its fans and others associated with baseball feel the same way Jeter does about what he accomplished, or will his time with the Marlins be considered a failure?
"Photo Courtesy ESPN"
As a fan of Derek Jeter, I always admired his work ethic and desire to win. I was rooting for his success as the Marlins CEO, just not against my Yankees. In an interview published February 27, 2022, by Essentially Sports, Jeter described his time as the New York Yankees Captain saying, “I understood that this was a game of failure, you’re gonna fail more than you succeed.” He also said “But every time I was in (tough) situations, I thought I was gonna be successful. And I believed that.” Maybe Derek Jeter became the CEO of the Miami Marlins and a stakeholder of the team because he believed he could help transform the franchise.
While New York Yankees fans will never forget what Derek Jeter meant to the city of New York and Yankee baseball, only time will tell what will be said about Jeter’s long-term plan for the success of the Miami Marlins and how he will be remembered as their CEO and as a stakeholder.
Have an opposing viewpoint to this opinion? Let us know. All views are welcomed. Send your thoughts to our Editorial Staff – Editor Katherine Montgomery kmontgomery2@student.dean.edu or Dean Daily Faculty Advisor, Professor John Rooke jrooke@dean.edu
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