“Congratulations Jete on number 3000. I wish I could have been at the Stadium today, but I was certainly glued to the TV in my hotel room in Arizona. In true Jeter fashion, you did not limp into the 3000 hit club, but absolutely blew the doors off of it. I celebrate with you, your family and friends, all your teammates through the years, the Yankee organization, and baseball fans around the world. While the home run for number 3000 is what everyone will remember from this day…knowing you…you probably are more satisfied with that eighth inning single up the middle that won the game. I was privileged to have the best seat in the house to see the majority of those 3000 hits, and so many of your greatest moments, and while today is yet another one of those moments to add to your amazing career in pinstripes, I know there is still a lot more to come. Just exhale, enjoy it, and know what an honor it was to be your teammate for so many years. Tonight, my last song is dedicated to you my friend.”
Joe Torre, who was in the ballpark, via the NYDN:
"Section 121-B," Torre said, smiling. "It was pretty cool."
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"I just told him how proud I was," Torre said. "It was great to see. I guess I can say nothing surprises me with what he does. He's always been special. ... He's always been the guy who's been able to rise to the occasion. And this is not an easy city to play in.
"I learned early on in my stay here that he certainly knew what he was here to do and his priorities were always in order," Torre added. "I'm just very proud of what he's done, proud for him and for myself. I saw most of the hits."
One that must have looked familiar to Torre was Jeter's fourth hit - a liner to right field, a longtime Jeter trademark. "Hadn't seen much of that lately," Torre said. "That was pretty good."
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"I don't think it could've been scripted any better - Yankee Stadium, day game, Saturday afternoon, playing one of your division rivals and the best pitcher on their staff out there," Torre said.
