One year after winning his first World Series, Derek Jeter experienced his first World Series hangover. The New York Yankees struggled to maintain consistency in 1997 and though they clinched the AL Wild Card, the now-rival Cleveland Indians won the decisive Game 5 in the ALDS.
Jeter played well, but was clearly affected too. His batting average dropped to .291 and his RBI dipped too, but he still posted a 4-WAR season. Considering he had a 2.2 WAR as a rookie, that’s decent progress.
And looking towards 1998, the New York Yankees got aggressive in the offseason.