OK, with his horrific start (which should be even worse, he's had quite a bit of luck on infield dribblers so far), the debate over Jeter going forward has been reignited. It seems to me as if there are four courses of action for NY to take:
1) Keep things just as they are, hope they keep winning games, and keep pretending that by far your worst hitter isn't leading off every night.
2) Staying in the lineup but moving down in the order.
3) Having Nunez take some of his time.
4) Getting a replacement for him in the offseason, Jose Reyes being the most obvious fit (he is a FA).
Option #2 seems inevitable to start, and soon, but of course if it were me, I would have moved him to the bottom of the lineup against RHP last summer. Granderson, Swisher and Gardner are all better fits for the top 2 than Jeter at this point, to state the obvious.
Nunez should also be playing at least 1-2 times a week, I think, but I'm sure NY wants to get this 3000 hit thing out of the way as soon as possible.
1) Keep things just as they are, hope they keep winning games, and keep pretending that by far your worst hitter isn't leading off every night.
2) Staying in the lineup but moving down in the order.
3) Having Nunez take some of his time.
4) Getting a replacement for him in the offseason, Jose Reyes being the most obvious fit (he is a FA).
Option #2 seems inevitable to start, and soon, but of course if it were me, I would have moved him to the bottom of the lineup against RHP last summer. Granderson, Swisher and Gardner are all better fits for the top 2 than Jeter at this point, to state the obvious.
Nunez should also be playing at least 1-2 times a week, I think, but I'm sure NY wants to get this 3000 hit thing out of the way as soon as possible.