'NOT a true friend': Derek Jeter reveals why he LOST HIS TRUST in Alex Rodriguez

ALSO READ

'I am fully aware of their size': Florence Pugh blasts 'VULGAR' trolling over see-through dress

IS THIS WHEN IT BEGAN? James Webb telescope releases stunning image nearly 13 BILLION years old

According to Jeter, one instance that caused a fracture in their relationship was a 2001 Esquire profile of Rodriguez, in which he said Jeter was "blessed with true talent around him" and "never had to lead," adding, "You never say, 'Don't let Derek beat you.' That's never your concern."

Speaking in 'The Captain', Jeter responded, "Those comments bothered me because, like I said, I'm very, very loyal. As a friend, I'm loyal. And I just looked at it as, I wouldn't have done it." He continued, "And then it was the media, the constant hammer to the nail, you know what I mean? They just kept hammering it in. It just became noise, which frustrated me. It was just constant noise."

Rodriguez, who is also featured in the documentary series, admitted he "felt really bad about it" and "saw the way it was playing out." He explained, "The way that it was written, I absolutely said exactly what I said. Again, I think it was a comment that I stand behind today. It was a complete tsunami — [the Yankees were] one of the greatest teams ever — and to say that you don't have to focus on just one player I think is totally fair." Rodriguez added that he later called up Jeter and the two "sat on his couch, spoke for an hour or so, I apologized and said, 'Look, I feel you guys have a tsunami, it's a great team, that wasn't said to hurt you or penalize you or slight you in any way.'"

Jeter said he accepted Rodriguez's apology and thought it was "very sincere," but noted another incident that happened a year earlier where he felt A-Rod was being disrespectful towards him. During an appearance on 'The Dan Patrick Show' in 200, Rodriguez said he didn't think Jeter would be able to break his then-record 10-year $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers because "he just doesn't do the power numbers and defensively he doesn't do all those things."

Jeter addressed the comments in the documentary. "The Dan Patrick interview, he was talking about a comparison between me and him on the field. In my mind, he got his contract, so you're trying to diminish what I'm doing maybe to justify why you got paid?" he explained. He admitted that his statistics "never compared to Alex's statistics," adding, "I'm not blind. I understand. But we won."

It's worth noting that Jeter had an immediate impact on the Yankees, playing an instrumental role in their first World Series win in 18 years in 1996, followed by three straight wins in 1998, 1999, and 2000. A-Rod, on the other hand, won his only World Series as part of Jeter's Yankees in 2009. "You can say whatever you want about me as a player, that's fine, but then it goes back to the trust and the loyalty. This is how the guy feels, he's not a true friend, is how I felt. Because I wouldn't do it to a friend," Jeter insisted.

TOP STORIES

Who is Melody Maldonado? Superhero mom clings to SUV after carjacker drives off with her children

Internet fumes as bodega worker Jose Alba is charged while victim's GF who stabbed him walks FREE

Meanwhile, Rodriguez acknowledged that he was previously in Jeter's "circle of trust" but his public comments eventually "broke the trust." He continued, "And I think from that moment on it was never quite the same ever again. I think it's [me] really not understanding the way things work. In many ways, my father leaving when I was 10, not getting that schooling at home, the tough love, it resulted in insecurity, some self-esteem issues and as I got older I realized, all you gotta be is be yourself." Jeter said he understood both were young and made mistakes. "I'm still gonna be cordial," he told The Captain. "But you crossed the line, and I won't let you in again."