As in Over-rated:

Derek Jeter smiled at the news that his peers named him the most over-rated player in the big leagues.

In a Sports Illustrated poll of 470 players, Jeter was named on 9 percent of the ballots as the most over-rated. Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran was second with 7 percent and Alex Rodriguez was third with 6 percent.

It's funny how many people hate on Jeter. Of those 42 players that voted him most over-rated, I'm sure not a single one ever wore the stripes and has seen Jeter play day-in day-out. When was the last time you saw Jeter not touch first on a ball he put in play regardless of the outcome? Exactly.

A-Rod just can't win because the expectations placed upon him are so unreasonably high. He can go .375-60-180 this year and he'd still wouldn't catch a break because "that's what he's supposed to do with that contract." Cut the dude some slack, it's not like he held out for the $252M, it was offered it him. And no one in there right mind would turn that down.

Highlights from Jim Callis' chat over at ESPN.com (lots of good stuff this week):

Tom (Hartford): How would you rate their performance this year: Andrus/Martinez/Tabata
Jim Callis: (2:18 PM ET ) Fernando Martinez has been a revelation in the Sally League. Ranking the three 17-year-olds there, Jose Tabata would be second and Elvis Andrus third.

Andy (Austin): Are we any closer to televising the draft?
Jim Callis: (2:23 PM ET ) Nope. But I'm available if ESPN is interested. Really, there's no reason they couldn't take 3-4 minutes between picks and spent two hours televising the first round.
Jim Callis: (2:23 PM ET ) Let me add to that answer . . . it also would be easy to get video of all the top picks and provide interesting commentary/discussion.

David (Maryville, TN): Why can't the draft have a salary cap and you get your bonus based on where you're drafted and not who you're drafted by. The MLB draft will always be a farce until this occurs.
Jim Callis: (2:26 PM ET ) There has been talk of an NBA-like slotting system. And while I believe in the free market, I've come to hope for the same thing. Let teams draft based solely on talent. Though some might object at having to shell out more money than they wish if they have a bunch of early picks. I don't think the MLBPA would mind less money going to draftees (who aren't part of the union), but I don't know if they'd sign off on a restricted market for draftees when they vigorously oppose it for big leaguers.

Peter (Albany): I love baseball, but the only reason the NFL and NBA drafts are watchable is because the players chosen will be playing NEXT season, not 5 years down the road.
Jim Callis: (2:30 PM ET ) That's a good point on one hand, Peter. But I think the first round would hold enough interest, and it's got to be much more watchable than the second day of the NFL draft (and I love the NFL) or the second round of the NBA draft.

Alex (D.C.): Why not have an age limit on the draft? That way these kids are closer to playing and we'd minimize the detriment for those who can't make it to the big league level and forego their education.
Jim Callis: (2:31 PM ET ) What about the kids who can't go to college or don't want to? Very, very few players get a full scholarship to play colelge baseball.

Don (Pa): Gardner or Ellsbury [that's Jacoby Ellsbury of the Sawx for those that don't know]
Jim Callis: (2:52 PM ET ) Ellsbury, though Brett Gardner is having a nice year.

Dean NJ: Hughes or Pelfrey?
Jim Callis: (2:55 PM ET ) Pelfrey.

Alex (marlboro, nj): Better Career: Craig Hansen or CJ Henry
Jim Callis: (2:56 PM ET ) Bitter Yankees fan? I'll take Hansen, but Henry is talented as well.

AB (NYC): Randy Johnson or Sandy Koufax?
Jim Callis: (2:57 PM ET ) Peak: Koufax. Career: Big Unit.

jon (ny): jim, you know you took hughes over pelfrey last week, right? check the transcript
Jim Callis: (3:00 PM ET ) This ain't rocket science! They're close. Ask me again next week.

Alex (marlboro, nj): Yeah Hansen would have been good coming from St. John's to the Bronx-just a little bitter...what do you tihnk of Cox vs Hansen though?
Jim Callis: (3:00 PM ET ) Still Hansen, but Cox should be a good second-round pick. Nothing wrong with those picks for the Yankees.

Dave (Palmyra, PA): '07 strike or lockout?
Jim Callis: (3:04 PM ET ) Neither. I don't think either side will let a work stoppage happen.

Wayne (NYC): Stud prospect or solid pro?
Jim Callis: (3:05 PM ET ) Relative to each other, the solid pro is going to be underrated and the stud prospect overrated by most fans.

Derek Jeter (Tampa): Over or Underrated?
Jim Callis: (3:07 PM ET ) Great player, but somewhat overrated.

Bobcat (Cleveland): Sowers or Philip Hughes? Why?
Jim Callis: (3:08 PM ET ) Hughes, better arm. I do like Sowers, though. [I have to admit, I was kinda surprised by this one]

Down on the Farm (2 days worth of stats):

Triple-A Columbus
(Tuesday: 4-2 win over Louisville)
Melky Cabrera: 3 for 5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI - boy, he must really love the leadoff spot
Eric Duncan: 0 for 3, 1 BB, 1 K
Kevin Thompson: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 K, 1 SB, 1 HBP
Wil Nieves: 2 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Matt Childers: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K - 10-4 GB/FB ratio, lowered his ERA to 8.44
Matt Smith: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K - back in the minors despite not allowing a baserunner in 2.1 innings for the big league squad
(Weds: scheduled off day)

Double-A Trenton
(Tuesday:10-7 loss to Reading in 14 innings)
Justin Christian: 1 for 7, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 K - picked off first
Bronson Sardinha: 3 for 6, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 K
Randy Ruiz: 3 for 6, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB (intentional), 1 SB, 1 E (missed catch)
Shelley Duncan: 1 for 2, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Kevin Howard: 1 for 6, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K
Charlie Manning: 4.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K - quietly dominating
Francisco Butto: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Justin Pope: 3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K - just demoted from Columbus
Michael Brunet: 2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
(Weds: 3-2 win over Reading, walk off style)
Bronson Sardinha: 3 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI - walk off 3 run HR in the bottom of the 9th
Randy Ruiz: 2 for 4, 1 2B, 1 K
Shelley Duncan: 1 for 4
Kevin Howard: 0 for 3, 1 BB
Rudy Guillen: 1 for 4, 2 K - threw a runner out at third
Steven White: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
JB Cox: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K - 6-1 GB/FB ratio, he's just about ready for Columbus

High-A Tampa
(Tuesday: scheduled off day)
(Weds: 8-5 win over Clearwater)
Brett Gardner: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB - lowered his BA to .370
Eduardo Nunez: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 BB - 10 of 19 hits have gone for extra bases
Cody Ehlers: 1 for 5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Matt Carson: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Marcos Vechionacci: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 K, 1 E - breaks out of slump with a Grand Slam
Tim Battle: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 CS - BA is creeping up, slowly but surely
Brett Smith: 5.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 WP - 2-10 GB/FB ratio
Phil Thorp: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K - just demoted from Trenton
Saydel Beltran: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 Balk

Low-A Charleston
(Tuesday: 5-2 win over Greenville)
Action Jackson: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI - the nickname fits him so well it's not even funny
Reegie Corona: 2 for 4, 1 RBI
Jose Tabata: 1 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
Chris Malec: 1 for 4, 1 CS
Jon Poterson: 2 for 3, 1 R
Mario Holmann: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 RBI
Abel Gomez: 3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K - pitching his way back onto the prospect radar
David Seccombe: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
(Weds: 5-2 loss to Greenville)
Action Jackson: 1 for 4, 1 2B, 2 K
Reegie Corona: 1 for 5, 1 R, 1 K - .843 OPS at short, CJ who?
Jose Tabata: 1 for 3, 1 BB - 2nd in the league with 25 RBIs (the dude in first is almost 6 years his elder)
Kyle Larson: 0 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Jon Poterson: 0 for 4, 3 K
Mario Holmann: 3 for 4, 1 R, 4 SB, 1 E - doubled his SB total for the year
Jim Conroy: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K - not flashy, but gets the job done
Rolando Japa: 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 2 WP

Update: I recieved this email this morning:

Hope your day is going well. I am a co-founder of ArmchairGM, http://www.armchairgm.com. We are looking for fans to adopt the Yankees. We're looking for 2 to 5 Yankees fans to update news, rosters, and breaking stories. If you're interested or if you think your readers would be interested click here.

I don't have the time to handle the additional "workload", but if anyone's interested either click on the link or email me at ingeorgewetrust@gmail.com and I'll forward you the email.