Blue Jays' Ernie Clement was a Derek Jeter fan, but his storybook journey just hurt the Yankees

Ernie Clement grew up as a New York Yankees fan.

His dad rooted for the Yanks, so Clement did, too.

Specifically, he was a Derek Jeter guy. That makes sense for a young infielder.

"Those guys were easy to root for," Clement told Pickin' Splinters this week.

The Yankees' fanbase surely isn't rooting for Clement right now.

He delivered the immediate punishment on Sunday in Game 2 of the ALDS, turning on a Max Fried curveball for a two-run homer. 

His next time, Clement had an RBI single.

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It's been an incredible journey for Clement to this point. 

For a long time, he didn't seem likely to be a playoff hero. The Oakland Athletics and Cleveland Guardians both let Clement go.

He grew up a star in upstate New York at Brighton High School, and he won a national championship as a freshman at Virginia. 

Clement ended up being a fourth-round draft pick, and he's always been a star at making contact. This was in there.

But to do it on this stage, in these moments, is a rise that those outside of Clement's circle may not have seen coming.

There's no choice but to believe it now. Clement is a brilliant ballplayer, and the whole baseball world is finding that out.

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