Joint interview from back when they were friends. A-Rod and Jeter were buddy-buddy back in the 1990s, when Rodriguez was a young star shortstop in Seattle and Jeter emerged as a force that helped the New York Yankees win four World Series titles in five years. But A-Rod dissed Jeter in a 2001 Esquire article, saying “Jeter’s been blessed with great talent around him” and “he’s never had to lead.” “You go into New York, you wanna stop Bernie [Williams] and [Paul] O’Neill,” A-Rod was quoted as saying. “You never say, ‘Don’t let Derek beat you.’ He’s never your concern.”