Jeter: I kept stress fracture secret from Yankees higher ups

Derek Jeter claims he already knew he had a stress fracture in his left foot before he broke it in Game 1 of the ALCS last October — but kept it a secret from the Yankees.

Manager Joe Girardi said he never heard that term associated with Jeter's foot, which took a pounding by foul balls late last season, reported The New York Post.

General manager Brian Cashman was also kept in the dark about Jeter's "bone bruise" and said he doesn't know what happened between the bruise and the break which ended the shortstop's season and led to the operating table.

If you're looking for some dirt on the Yankees captain — this little white lie is probably as good as it gets.

"They told me it was a bone bruise and I am not going to ask them to look at it again, and eventually it turned into a stress fracture and broke in half," Jeter said about his left ankle. "If you play, you play. I don’t think you talk about injuries because then it’s an excuse. I was told I was able to play. Unfortunately it broke, but I would do the same thing over again if I had to."

The stress fracture was news to Girardi.

"I was not aware of it," Girardi said of Jeter talking about a stress fracture. "I am not aware of what he is talking about. I knew he had the bone bruise."

Girardi said if he knew the bone bruise could have led to a broken ankle, "We wouldn’t have been playing him if that was the case."

Cashman was also clueless.

"The bone bruise got worse and led to the break," he said. "What happened in between, I couldn't tell you."

Despite remnants of a limp and only light running on a treadmill, the 38-year-old Jeter is gearing up for Opening Day on April 1 and believes he'll be ready.

"Why wouldn’t it be realistic? I broke my ankle in October. It has been quite some time," Jeter said about making it back for the April 1 opener against the Red Sox. "I’m right where I’m supposed to be up until this point, the ankle has healed perfectly. Now it is just a matter of getting everything else in shape. I will have to push myself, but Opening Day is the goal."

If you can't trust Derek Jeter, who can you trust?  Oops, never mind.