BALTIMORE -- In 1993, when a scrawny shortstop made 56 errors in Single-A, the New York Yankees' GM at the time, Gene “Stick” Michael, told Buck Showalter not to lose faith.
“This guy is going to be an All-Star shortstop,” Michael told the then-Yankees manager.
“I'm like, 'Really?' He said, 'Yeah, he's got a little footwork issue.'"
Derek Jeter figured out that footwork issue, eventually becoming captain of the Yankees, part of the Core Four dynasty that restored the franchise to greatness. The five rings that followed wouldn’t have been won without Michael, who died Thursday at 79.