WATCH: Former Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter throws away special gift received from David Ortiz during FOX debut
While making his debut as an analyst, David Ortiz gifted his former rival-turned-colleague a gift. The surprise package contained a Red Sox jersey with the former Yankee captain' name on it. He immediately tossed it away.
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David Ortiz (L) gifts Derek Jeter (R) with a Red Sox jersey (Pic Credit: Fox Sports)
In the world of sports, it is pretty common for former players to later become experts and pundits. They are usually given this opportunity following the vast experience gathered during their playing days. During the special “London Series” broadcast between the St Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter made his debut for FOX alongside fellow greats David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez. The former Yankee captain received a gift from “Big Papi”, which he immediately threw away.
During the pregame show at the London Stadium, Jeter was having fun with his former rival. Though the rivalry between the two has now ended, the Yankee blood still runs in the veins of “The Captain”. Ortiz gifted the great shortstop with a personalized Red Sox jersey. The interesting thing about this was that Jeter’s name was printed on the back of the jersey.
Derek Jeter spends his entire career at the Yankees. So he was having none of Ortiz’s pranks. As soon as he saw his name on the Red Sox jersey, Jeter cast aside the cloth piece and laughed it off. The rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees is considered to be the most fierce one in MLB history. Both these baseball greats have had their fair share of success against each other in their careers.
During his introduction, analyst Kevin Burkhardt asked Derek Jeter where sitting alongside David Ortiz on national television ranked in his life. The former Yankee gave a cheeky reply suggesting he is fit for this new role. “This is right at the bottom guys. It doesn’t get worse than this,” he added. Jeter later turned serious and claimed he has learned a lot about Ortiz in recent days and is looking forward to getting started.
What is the London Series between the Chicago Cubs and St Louis Cardinals?
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a popular name in the United States. However, comparing its popularity to other sports, such as NBA and NFL, baseball has slightly less reach internationally. To expand this and grow, the MLB announced a “World Tour” plan which would see games being held in London, Paris, Japan and Mexico.
The first-ever London Series was played between the two rivals, the Yankees and Red Sox in 2019. The New York franchise won both games back then. It was announced in 2020 that another two-game series will be played in London between the Cubs and Cardinals. However, the plans were foiled due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
MLB has now resumed its World Tour this year. The San Diego Padres won both games against the SF Giants in Mexico at the end of April. The first game between the Cubs and Cardinals saw the former beat the latter 9-1. The event turned out to be successful as thousands of fans made their presence felt on the ground.
While it’s only two games, it is still a big task. A recent video showed the hard process of turning a football ground into a major league stadium. The international games will return to London again next year. Following this, the Los Angeles Dodgers will lock horns with New York Yankees in Paris during the 2025 event.
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Vinay Dave
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