In the fifth inning, he hit a game-tying homer off Al Leiter. Every time the Yankees needed a big hit or a big play, he seemed to supply it. He has been the centerpiece now of three straight World Series winners and four in five years. The experience never gets old for him. You don't know when you'll get the opportunity to get back.
Every year is a different story.
We struggled this year. We had tough times, and the wins didn't come easy. We played the best teams in the playoffs and we're sitting here at the end of the year. This one was a little more satisfying. When Torre became manager of the Yankees in 1996, Jeter was a rookie and ready to be plugged in as the everyday shortstop.