A Meeting in Miami: Derek Jeter’s Advice to George Lombard Jr. on Conduct and Responsibility with the Yankees

New York Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. has revealed that he met with club icon Derek Jeter over breakfast in Miami in January. Lombard said the meeting gave him perspective on how to conduct himself off the field as he tries to meet the expectations that come with playing in a major market like New York.

As reported by Bleacher Report, Lombard said Jeter’s main piece of advice was to prioritize character: to be an honest and authentic person. According to him, Jeter stressed the importance of small gestures — being sincere, learning people’s names and staying humble — as ways to remain focused and keep unnecessary distractions at bay while continuing to produce on the field.

Lombard described Jeter as a simple and unpretentious person, and said their conversations focused mainly on matters beyond baseball: how to handle the New York media pressure, off-field duties as captain and the responsibilities that come with the role. He said the advice was extremely valuable and the conversation highly informative for how to approach the non-sporting side of his career.

The 21-year-old made his major league debut on August 4, hitting a solo home run in his first game against the St. Louis Cardinals, and has since delivered decisive moments, including a grand slam in the 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. His numbers have fluctuated (.211 average and 0.624 OPS), but the club sees him as the shortstop of the present and the future, with the Yankees recently securing a playoff spot; Bleacher Report notes that Jeter’s advice could help Lombard manage the expectations and responsibilities that come with the role.

Source: Bleacher Report