Former Yankee great Darryl Strawberry saw it coming. He knew that Derek Jeter was going to be one of the best to ever put on the pinstripes long before that became a reality.

Part I: Strawberry on his treatment centers and ministry

loading...

"I remember when he came up in '95 at the end of the year," said Strawberry, when he called into Armen Williams' show on 104.5 The Team, on Friday. "I just kept telling him, 'You're going to play in the big leagues up here. You're going to be awesome. You're going to be a star. They're going to love you."

What did Strawberry see in Jeter?

"'You can play, number one. And you're good looking so New Yorkers are going to eat you up.'"

The first five years of Jeter's career at the Majors were the last five for Strawberry and the two formed a bond to where Strawberry now calls Jeter, 'a wonderful friend'.

"The thing about him is that he's a real person," said Strawberry. "He's never changed. He's never been too big for anybody. He's never said anything about anybody. He's always had respect for any player he's played with and he's always had respect for the game."

Strawberry, who has opened up a treatment center in Florida and is continuing his ministry efforts, believes that Jeter is one of the top role models we've ever seen.

Part II: Strawberry talks Yankees, Mets and his World Series rings

"I always tells parents and kids all the time,  if you want to use somebody as an example of what you want your kid to be like, Derek Jeter is the model you want to use. He is the prime example of what an athlete is really all about. He stands out, he's classy, he's first class and he treats everybody the same way."

Follow Jeter's final season and hear every game on your home for New York Yankees baseball - 104.5 The Team.

More From 104.5 THE TEAM