I think the Yankees know they hold the hammer. The economy sucks and no one else is going to offer him 3/45. They're banking on the fans saying "Jeter is declining 45m while I'm living paycheck to paycheck? Who does he think he is?" Of course, the fans that say this don't understand that he's the BEST SS EVAH!!!! and that the suits making the decision to hardball Jeter are doing so in order to buy more yachts. That said, if Jeter doesn't come back and the Yanks win without him, most will be forgiven. However, if they lose without Jeter, Hank, Hal and Brian will get the tar and feather treatment.
I was holding onto the dream that I thought loyalty existed. I had Ripken, Brett and Gwynn in mind. And to a lesser extent, Biggio. Guys who were drafted with high expectations and never played anywhere else or guys you couldn't imagine wearing another uniform after spending their entire career in one place. A little bit of that dream died when Donnie Baseball put on Dodger Blue. If Jeter ends up elsewhere, the dream will get a toe tag.