 After Fernández batted a disappointing .245 and appeared in only 108 games due to injuries in 1995, newly hired Yankees manager Joe Torre asserted that Jeter would be the starting shortstop for the 1996 season, indicating that he hoped Jeter could bat .250 and be dependable defensively. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, often skeptical of younger players, was not convinced. Clyde King, a close Steinbrenner advisor, observed Jeter for two days in spring training in 1996, and came away with the impression that Jeter was not yet ready. To provide depth to the team at the shortstop position after an injury to Fernández, Steinbrenner approved a trade that would have sent pitcher Mariano Rivera to the Mariners for shortstop Félix Fermín, but Michael, by then the vice president of scouting, and assistant general manager Brian Cashman convinced Steinbrenner to give Jeter an opportunity.
