Joe Maddon not thrilled with cheers for Derek Jeter at Tropicana Field

Derek Jeter’s 2014 season has been one giant farewell tour. Jeter, a 20-year veteran and a slam-dunk Hall of Famer, has been greeted with gifts and standing ovations as a visiting player at nearly every ballpark in which he’s played this season. That includes Tropicana Field, home of the division rival Rays.

The Rays lost 3-2 to the Yankees on Saturday night, thanks to Derek Jeter’s ninth-inning, tie-breaking RBI single. Rays manager Joe Maddon wasn’t thrilled at the amount of applause that Jeter received on his team’s home turf. Via MLB.com’s Bill Chastain and David Adler:

“It’s great, it’s great that it’s sold out, I understand that people like Derek Jeter -- but you’ve got to come out and root for the Rays, too, you understand?” the Rays manager said after the game. “I mean, I totally appreciate what’s going on, but I’m not gonna sit here and defend all of that noise in the Yankees’ favor in our ballpark. I’m not gonna defend that. So if you’re gonna come out, root for the Rays. We’d appreciate that.”

Jeter added that the contest felt “almost like a home game”. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, “I’m not so sure I’ve heard his name chanted that loud at an opposing stadium this year.”

The Yankees secured a series win with a 4-2 victory over the Rays on Sunday afternoon. The 63-59 Yankees sit seven games behind the first-place Orioles, while the 61-63 Rays are 10 games out of first place.

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