“I’ve said from Day One, this is the only organization I’ve ever wanted to play for, and that’s still true today. I was a Yankees fan growing up,” Derek Jeter told the media in Tampa. “This is where I want to be. I’ve never envisioned myself playing anywhere else, and hopefully I don’t have to.”

And exhale.

Whew. 

Yankee fans, don’t let your mind wander any further about seeing Derek Jeter in another uniform. It’s not going to happen.

“To be honest with you, I never put limitations on how long I can play. … I want to play as long as I can, as long as I’m having fun, as long as I can be productive,” Jeter said. “This organization prides itself on winning and putting a competitive team on the field. As long as I can help out, that’s as long as I want to play.”

It’s not going to be about keeping Derek Jeter in pinstripes, but how long Jeter’s next contract will be. Hopefully the two sides can agree on a contract length that makes both sides happy and ends with Jeter’s retirement.

“I can’t think about what’s going to happen after this year. You don’t think about what legacy you have when you’re still playing. That’s something you consider when your career is over,” Jeter said. “My desire is to stay here. I haven’t thought about … how much money [I] want because we haven’t sat down to negotiate anything. That hasn’t crossed my mind. That’s not what I play for. I play in order to try to help this team win. That’s what I’ve always done. My feeling is everything else will take care of itself.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, ”Let’s put it this way, I think from the fans’ perspective they can count on those guys (Jeter & Mariano) being here a lot longer than I’m going to be here. I think they’re very secure. I don’t think there’s any sweat off any of these guys’ backs. They’ve been Yankees for life, and that’s what we intend to see happen. But again, you start those conversions at a different time and place that you feel is more appropriate.”