Photographers Blog

By Mike Segar

Firstly, let me say I am most definitely NOT a New York Yankees fan. I grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and have been a devoted Boston Red Sox fan my entire life. The Yankees are our sworn enemies as Red Sox fans and that never changes.

However, in my job as a photographer for Reuters I have covered the Yankees in the MLB playoffs since 1996, when I covered my first New York Yankees World Series championship.

That season a young rookie shortstop named Derek Jeter made his postseason debut as the Yankees went on to win the first of five World Series titles through 2009 (losing two more World Series in 2001 and 2003 along the way). I have seen a lot of playoff baseball games and experienced countless exciting and memorable moments as the Yankees and Jeter proved their greatness time and again.

Jeter is the Yankees’ all-time career leader in hits (3,304), games played (2,585), stolen bases (348), and at bats (10,551). He has been elected to 13 All-Star teams, won five Gold Glove Awards, four Silver Slugger Awards. two Hank Aaron Awards, and a Roberto Clemente Award. Jeter is the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop, and the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits. The 37-year-old Jeter’s 216 hits lead all Major league hitters in 2012.

You could go on forever with statistics about why Jeter is a sure Hall of Famer and clearly one of the very best to ever play the game of baseball. But there is something else about him. I, like most people, have the nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the Yankees captain and for how he conducts himself, how he competes and represents the sport of baseball and the Yankees. It’s truly been a privilege to have photographed him in so many great moments.

By Darryl Webb

“I was really glad I saw it coming.”

I know that statement above sounds a little confusing so allow me to explain.

I don’t know how many professional sporting events I’ve covered in the last 20 years. Let’s just say it’s been a lot and in all that time I’ve never been hurt. There have been a couple of close calls here and there, but nothing serious until earlier this week.

Had I not seen this sphere coming toward me at a blistering speed, the end result could have been a lot worse. I’m not saying it would have been as bad as Sports Illustrated’s photographer John Iacono, who was hit by an overthrown ball in 1999, shattering his jaw which resulted in two titanium plates, some wire mess and something like 20 screws. But it definitely would have been worse than a headache, a bump on the head and two hours spent at Urgent Care.

As I stood in the first base photo well between innings, trying to figure another angle to shoot the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Albert Pujols, I saw Angels’ third baseman Mark Trumbo make a throw to first – a throw he’s made a million times I’m sure. But this time the trajectory was off, it had some extra height to it, and unless Pujols was suddenly 10 feet-tall that ball was headed in my direction.