A look at Derek Jeter’s most Miami moments — the pool, the food, the spinning thing
And he’s out of here!
The news that Derek Jeter was leaving the Miami Marlins really gave us a bad case of the Mondays.
The baseball icon turned franchise CEO was entering the final year of a five-year contract, so we assumed we’d have him around for a while. And you know what they say about assuming.
While we’re unclear what Jeter’s plans are going forward, we will take his exit as an opportunity to reminisce about his 305 highlights over the four seasons he was here.
HE REMOVED THE SPINNING THING
During the Hall of Famer’s reign starting in September 2017, Jeter was instrumental in ditching the moving home-run sculpture at Marlins Park, now loanDepot Park. Artist Red Grooms’ seven-story “Homer” now sits outside the park, and some critics of the structure couldn’t be more pleased.
HE GOT EVERYBODY OUT OF THE POOL
To make room for more warm bodies and perhaps class up the joint, The Clevelander at Marlins Park got jettisoned on the New Jersey native’s watch. Located in left field, the festive area included a pool plus dancers, music, DJs and table service with a similar vibe as the hotel’s South Beach location.
HE IMPROVED THE FOOD
Talk about more bang for your buck. Jeter, now 47, was on site sampling the chow when the stadium’s 305 Menu was unveiled. He also helped bring about the wallet-friendly Familia Faves, with stadium go-to’s like nachos and hotdogs starting at just $3. There are also fancier offerings from such hot spots as Pincho, Novecento and Suviche.
HE FLIPPED A HOUSE
Jeter scored big in the real estate market in the Sunshine State. The former Yankee slugger sold his Tampa mansion (which he once rented to pal Tom Brady) for $22.5 million. Even though the waterfront crib was originally listed for $29M, the mega-deal was the largest sale ever in the Tampa Bay area.
HE BUILT A FAMILY
As one of Manhattan’s most eligible bachelors, Jeter was famous for dating a string of high-profile women, including Mariah Carey. But Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit model Hannah Davis was the one to capture Mr. November’s heart. Already parents to a daughter when the couple arrived in Miami, the two became parents two more times (to girls!) during Jeter’s run with the Marlins. His legacy lives on.
