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.

Girardi: Jeter is questionable for Opening Day

There are a couple of things that New Yorkers have come to count on at Yankee Stadium every Opening Day — the sight of what MLB's fattest payroll looks like and Derek Jeter filling the gap at shortstop.  This might be the first spring that the team has neither.

While general manager Brian Cashman breaks down the Yankees' payroll so it is under the luxury tax limit, manager Joe Girardi isn't making any guarantees that Jeter's fractured ankle will be fully healed by the April 1 Opening day in the Bronx.

"I think there's a little bit of a question, but I think he'll find a way," said Girardi on Thursday.  "That's who he is."

Jeter broke his ankle on Oct. 13 while lunging for a ground ball during Game 1 of the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers  The images of Jeter grimacing in pain near second base and then being helped off the field by Girardi and the staff are some pictures that fans would like to erase from their memories of the shortstop.

The 38-year-old Jeter is reportedly at his mansion in Tampa and said to be keeping weight off his ankle until January — which would cut into his normal off-season conditioning program.

The injury wasn't initially thought to require surgery but the Yankee Captain ended up under the knife in October — a procedure which lengthened the recovery time to at least four months.

"You have to get back to full strength, and maybe you're not able to start doing the things you normally would in January," Girardi said.  "I mean, it could be, but I think he'll find a way."

Girardi has spoken to Jeter occasionally throughout the off-season and Cashman said he has plans to have him as his regular shortstop in 2013.  That is contingent on Jeter's recovery time.  Four months of rehab would have him ready for the Grapefruit League Spring Training schedule.  Five months would probably sideline the future Hall of Famer until after Opening Day.

"I think his mood's OK," said Girardi.  "Derek always finds a way to deal with what he's going through."

Knowing Jeter's dedication to the game and how much missing Opening Day would mean to him, don't be kidded into believing that he won't be leading off on April Fool's Day.

Jeter carried from Yankee Stadium field with fractured ankle

The real loss for the for the New York Yankees in Saturday night's ALDS Game 1 against the Detroit Tigers wasn't on the scoreboard, it was the sight of Derek Jeter being carried off the infield with a fractured left ankle.

Manager Joe Girardi confirmed his shortstop's season-ending injury immediately after the game and bluntly said, "He won't be back this postseason."

Jeter rolled the ankle going left for Jhonny Peralta's routine ground ball in the 12th inning.  He let out a scream before flipping the ball to second base.

The sight of Jeter being carried off the field by Girardi and trainer Gene Monahan stunned and silenced the crowd for a moment until the chants of "Derek Jeter!" filled Yankee Stadium.

At first, Girardi said the prideful Jeter refused help and even told his manager, "No.  Don't carry me."

But the pain was more than the Captain could bear and he was helped to the dugout without putting any weight on his foot.

It was another exciting comeback by the Yankees.  Raul Ibanez's two-run homer tied the game in the ninth inning after the Yankees were down 4-0. The Tigers scored 2 runs in the 12th inning for a 6-4 victory.

At first, Girardi said the fracture was not related to Jeter's recent bone bruise in the same foot but later said it was a possibility. The manger claims the injury isn't career ending.

Still, a playoff series in Yankee Stadium won't feel the same without the name Jeter pencilled in the lineup.