Chris Stewart Reflects On Pirates Season, Playing With Derek Jeter
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) - Pirates catcher Chris Stewart has been on a couple of winning teams in his career, including a post-season club, but there is something the first-year Pirate has never experienced before now.
"I think it's the guys in this clubhouse," Stewart said. "The attitude we have. The way that we play, the way we go about our day-to-day business. There's not really too many superstars in here. Everybody feels like they are a superstar and that's what is different than other places I've been. It's just a lot of fun coming in here every day."
Stewart broke in with the White Sox in 2006 and has also played for the Rangers, Padres, Giants and Yankees-twice. The first time with the Yankees lasted one game, but it left a lasting memory.
"I remember my first day up in 2008," Stewart recalled. "I was sitting there in awe of the whole thing, I was a New York Yankee and he (Derek Jeter) just came and put his arm around me and just chit-chatted with me like I was his best friend. It made me feel comfortable, it's Derek Jeter taking time to chit-chat with a nobody pretty much. It's something I will never forget."
Last year, Stewart caught maybe the greatest reliever of all-time, Mariano Riviera, and now another future Hall of Famer, Jeter, is retiring at the end of the week.
"I think 'captain' is my most memorable word to describe him," said Stewart who played a total of 165 games with New York. "The way he went about his business every single day, making sure the team was doing what it needed to be doing to get wins. The way he carried himself on and off the field, his whole life resembled a captain's mentality."
"It was incredible for me, it's something I will never forget. Something I can tell my grandkids one day that I played with one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform and one of the greatest people to ever put on a uniform."
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