Derek Jeter isn’t accusing Adam Wainwright of grooving him a pitch at the 2014 MLB All-Star Game. If Wainwright did happen to leave one there for Jeter to collect a hit off of, though, then the Captain is appreciative of the gesture, according to comments made in his postgame press conference.
Derek Jeter thanks Adam Wainwright for grooving pitch
In his postgame press conference, Derek Jeter was less upset than the fans.
Rob Carr
When asked how he felt about Wainwright saying he grooved “the first two fastballs to you”, Jeter seemed puzzled.
He grooved them? The first was a little cutter he threw down and away. He probably assumed I was swinging, so he didn't groove the first one.
The second one was about 98 two‑seamer that stayed on really good‑‑I don't know, man. (Laughter.)
If he grooved it, thank you. You still have to hit it. I appreciate if that's what he did, thank you.
Wainwright later clarified his comments, claiming he didn’t mean to imply he was setting Jeter up for a hit, using the fact that it wasn’t just Jeter who found him easy to mash in the first inning as evidence these were struggles and not “struggles.” Either way, it sounds as if Jeter is happy he got to have that inning-opening double, whether Wainwright was trying to help him to it or not. That’s about all that matters, no?
If you missed the Jeter press conference, a re-cut version of it is available below. We get Jeter’s response to Wainwright stepping off the mound so the fans can give him an ovation with Jeter referring to him as a “class act” as well as his above quoted response to the grooved pitch question.
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