Top 90 Derek Jeter Quotes

No former player has owned a team in baseball.

Everyone fears rejection.

I like to hit the gym early in the morning. I feel better throughout the day when I get in a workout first thing in the morning.

If you’re going to play at all, you’re out to win. Baseball, board games, playing Jeopardy, I hate to lose.

Your image isn’t your character. Character is what you are as a person.

I think everyone is ticklish. You just gotta find the right spots.

Athletics keeps us healthy, gets us up and running around. It also gives you an opportunity to meet a lot of different people, which is very important.

I think sometimes people need to get used to an idea.

You hear about women buying shoes? I buy DVDs. I definitely have a problem.

God, I hope I wear this jersey forever.

Your image isn’t your character. Character is what you are as a person.

Don’t get me wrong; it’s not like I didn’t go out and have fun. But there’s been a lot of players that come to New York and get caught up in the lifestyle, and before you know it, they’re sent away to another team because it affected their performance.

Obviously, you’re known for what you do. But you still want to be known as a good person. You’re a person a lot longer before and after you’re a professional athlete.

I’m very, very competitive. If my grandmother asks to race me down the street, I’m going to try to beat her. And I’ll probably enjoy it!

I always have tried to treat people with respect, the way I want to be treated.

I like to hit the gym early in the morning. I feel better throughout the day when I get in a workout first thing in the morning.

I always take criticism as a challenge. It’s the way I’ve always looked at it.

You’re playing a game, whether it’s Little League or Game 7 of the Word Series. It’s impossible to do well unless you’re having a good time. People talk about pressure. Yeah, there’s pressure. But I just look at it as fun.

I wish I trusted people more. But when I meet someone, the first thing is, ‘What does this person want?’ And I put up a defense mechanism. But I’ve always been that way.

I like to dance and sing when there’s no one around, but, if I’m out, I’m really shy about it. So it takes a lot to get me going, but I enjoy being around music.

You forget about it whether it was 15-2 or 3-2. It’s still a loss. It doesn’t matter what the score was if we win tomorrow.

I’ve never been an actor on Broadway, but it feels like you’re on a stage when you play at Yankee Stadium. And that’s the feeling I’ve always had.

You gotta have fun. Regardless of how you look at it, we’re playing a game. It’s a business, it’s our job, but I don’t think you can do well unless you’re having fun.

What kind of influence did my parents have on my life? Well, they had the most influence. These are the people who are closest to me. My parents are very positive people. They’ve been supportive. They’re always there.

I’ve always been very cautious with what I do. You know, that started at a young age. I always had the approach or the mentality I never wanted to embarrass my parents.

No former player has owned a team in baseball.

I don’t listen to opinions.

We just want to win. That’s the bottom line. I think a lot of times people may become content with one championship or a little bit of success, but we don’t really reflect on what we’ve done in the past. We focus on the present.

Kids are our future.

I’ve found that it’s easier to stay in shape than it is to get into shape.

I’m very, very competitive. If my grandmother asks to race me down the street, I’m going to try to beat her. And I’ll probably enjoy it!

I always have tried to treat people with respect, the way I want to be treated.

I’m not a hermit, but I definitely stay in a lot more than I used to. There’s more attention now then there ever was. You walk down the street with someone and it’s a story. It becomes national news, you know what I mean? So, I still do things, but I stay home a lot more.

I think, a lot of times, players get in trouble when they’re asked questions and they think they have to find a way to answer it. If you ask me a question and I say, ‘I don’t know,’ there’s really no follow-up.

So many people are insanely busy nowadays, and it’s easy to say, ‘Ah, I’ll workout tomorrow.’ But you have to set aside a time and stick to that schedule.

Athletics keeps us healthy, gets us up and running around. It also gives you an opportunity to meet a lot of different people, which is very important.

I’m not perfect; no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. I think you try to learn from those mistakes.

My best vacation is somewhere I could hide, somewhere warm and not a lot of people around.

You can’t be sensitive, because you’re going to get criticized. I don’t care who you are, you’re going to get criticized.

When it was time for parent-teacher conferences, I remember that I was always embarrassed about what my parents would hear about me!

I attribute much of my success in New York to my ability to understand and avoid unnecessary distractions.

I looked up to my parents because they were very successful in what they wanted to do. I was lucky; I didn’t have to look far for role models.

I’ve been asked to sign a forehead.

If you’re going to win games, you’re going to have to come up with the big hits. That’s the bottom line.

Surround yourself with good people. People who are going to be honest with you and look out for your best interests.

I think sometimes people need to get used to an idea.

I looked up to my parents because they were very successful in what they wanted to do. I was lucky; I didn’t have to look far for role models.

You don’t just accidentally show up in the World Series.

When you put a lot of hard work into one goal and you achieve it, that’s a really good feeling.

I’m not a hermit, but I definitely stay in a lot more than I used to. There’s more attention now then there ever was. You walk down the street with someone and it’s a story. It becomes national news, you know what I mean? So, I still do things, but I stay home a lot more.

The Yankees have strict rules. You can have a mustache but no other facial hair.

Everyone fears rejection.

Any player that says they don’t want to go to an All-Star Game is lying to you. It’s something everyone wants to be a part of.

I want to have a family.

My dreams do not end with playing Major League Baseball.

When it was time for parent-teacher conferences, I remember that I was always embarrassed about what my parents would hear about me!

That’s how you win – pitching and defense.

The Yankees have strict rules. You can have a mustache but no other facial hair.

You don’t just accidentally show up in the World Series.

The thing that means the most to me is being remembered as a Yankee, because that’s what I’ve always wanted to be, was to be a Yankee.

You know what I want to do? Wake up one weekend and not have to go anywhere and do nothing.

There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do – and I believe that.

Sometimes people complicate things by thinking too much about what someone might think of what they said or did.

I think there’s something wrong with me – I like to win in everything I do, regardless of what it is. You want to race down the street, I want to beat you. If we’re playing checkers, I want to win. You beat me, it’s going to bother me. I just enjoy competition.

I try to stay as private as possible; I know that’s difficult, especially playing here in New York, but I make an attempt at it.

I remember going from rookie ball to A, to double A, then to triple A. At every level it seemed like the game was faster. The bigger the situation, the more the game speeds up. That’s all mental. It messes people up.

There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do – and I believe that.

I don’t really see myself getting a Twitter account. Nothing against it. I get it. I especially get it for businesses.

I’ve always been very aware of what I’m saying, but I’m also aware of what you’re saying. I always want to make sure that my point is clear.

I think when things linger, that’s when they become a distraction. I don’t want any distractions.

I remember going from rookie ball to A, to double A, then to triple A. At every level it seemed like the game was faster. The bigger the situation, the more the game speeds up. That’s all mental. It messes people up.

You’re a person a lot longer before and after you’re a professional athlete. People always say to me, ‘Your image is this, your image is that.’ Your image isn’t your character. Character is what you are as a person. That’s what I worry about.

I get nervous watching teammates. I get nervous for them. Late in the game, pressure situation, I’m nervous for them.

I try to sign for as many kids as possible. Kids come first, and I’ll always sign for a kid before an adult. It’s funny, because I was never big into autographs as a kid. The only player who I ever wanted an autograph from was Dave Winfield.

I always appreciated the ex-players. Being a Yankee, you get spoiled. Old-Timers Day, all these guys coming back, spring training, being around them, you get a chance to get to know them. So I always think you learn a lot by listening.