Mon Aug 08 08:55am EDT
It's the last thing any athlete wants to hear from a coach: We think we're a better team without you.
Hearing that has to be especially difficult for someone who's had as much success in his baseball career as Jorge Posada(notes). But that's the conversation he had with New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi before Sunday night's 3-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
"He said he was going to put the best lineup on the field, and he doesn't know when I'm going to DH again," Posada said. "So right now I'm sitting on the bench… I'm not happy about it, but right now I can't do nothing about it. I put myself in this situation."
Two months ago, Posada also appeared to take responsibility for his plight. But his actions spoke otherwise when Girardi penciled him into the ninth spot in the lineup, and he then said he couldn't play due to a sore back. (Interestingly, this also took place before a game against the Red Sox.)
Yankees GM Brian Cashman added more drama to the situation when he met with the media during the game, saying Posada pulled himself from the lineup. Worked into a frenzy, reporters surrounded Posada's locker after the game, asking for a response to Cashman's comments. Posada took exception to Cashman talking to the media during the game, sneering "That's the way he works now."
Sunday's announcement came with no such theatrics.
Posada didn't have a chance to take himself out of the Yankees' lineup this time around. He wasn't batting ninth. Girardi didn't have him in the lineup at all, giving Eric Chavez(notes) the start at designated hitter. (For what it's worth, Chavez batted 0 for 4 with three strikeouts on Sunday night.)
Back in May, Posada was hitting .165/.272/.349, making Girardi's decision look like a no-brainer. Posada improved from there, seemingly motivated by the slight, and pushed his batting average up to .240, with a somewhat respectable OPS of .754. But it's never really gotten better from there. As of Sunday, he was batting .230/.309/.372 and struggling through a 1-for-13 slump.
Chavez looks like a better option at DH, hitting .323/.389/.431. But those numbers have been compiled in only 72 plate appearances this season. However, Chavez can still play in the field, playing 18 games at third base. And with Alex Rodriguez(notes) working his way back from knee surgery, the Yankees might need some help at that position.
Ultimately, that might be what benching Posada is really about. A-Rod might have to play at DH when he first returns. That leaves an opening at third base, which Chavez would likely fill — perhaps in a platoon with Eduardo Nunez(notes). Chavez could also help out at first base occasionally, allowing Mark Teixeira(notes) to DH. However it works out, the Yankees now have more lineup flexibility.
The Yankees have one more option at DH, which would be to call up Jesus Montero(notes) from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. According to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, the team's preference is to go with Chavez first. Rodriguez would probably have to show he could play third base regularly again before Montero could be called up to take the full-time DH role.
Sitting on the bench can't be the way anyone wanted to see Posada's 17-year career with the Yankees end. But he's not being released, presumably to avoid clubhouse drama. And there's plenty more baseball to be played, including the postseason. Posada was hitting decently against right-handers, with a .263/.340/.438 average and all nine of his home runs. Maybe he has some contributions left to make this season.
But it could be a while — a long one — before that opportunity comes around for him.
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Jorge who??
Amen Nana B.! You are so right.
Are you kidding? He's not having a bad year. Punch up Jeff Mathis' stats with the Angles. And then Posada our way.
Hey Red Sox fans.... Go put on your bright red gay pride colored shirts and go hold hands with other men and sing Neil Diamond ROFL Fruits!! Posada was always better then Varitek. Much like the Yankees will always be A better franchise then the Red Sox.
PS Not just Yankee fans laugh at you joining hands with other men and singing Neil Diamond in that old dump of A ballpark. Ugliest stadium in baseball for the record.
your career can only go so far jorge. face it, your getting older. same thing happened to benito santiago. it happens man. you had a great career. but again, its not going to last forever. it was great while it lasted.
Let's face it - Posada is experiencing real professional baseball survial of the fittest - like it or not. the Red Sox and Yankees are at a dead even heat to dominate the American League East. Culling time is here. Baseball is no different than Hollywood - you cut the mustard or get the hook. No real room for sentimental "the good old days" when Posada did this or did that...it's not the end of the world. Yankees could hire him in some other capacity. Not a Yankee fan by any means...just your friendly neighborhood realistic baseball fan :)
Die hard Red Sox fan here..Hate the Yankees but respect a few players on their team, Posada being one them. Not great but always played the game the right way, and had some very respectable seasons. 17 yrs. is a long career behind the plate. Good luck to him in the future.
Angels bout to whoop that @#$% this week!!! boston and texas might have you scared but fear the angels!!
It's time to givethe young guys a turn.Getting old is good.Take it as it comes.I worked for 30 yrs. in the streets against the bad guys.Then one day I said that it's time to let the young bloods do it.No regreets.Life is good.
Do any of you know what your talking about ? this is a business and Posada has not been up to par for three years now..I'm a Yankee fan for 35 years and I love Posada for everything he's done but it's time to retire...
You've got to be kidding me!!!! put him back on the roster!!!!!
Hip Hip Hor Hay!
You will not be missed.
Signed Oriole fan.
For those of us that know that Posada has a sick kid the title for this article made me think something much worse. "Words you never want to hear?" Yea.
Apparently very few, if any, of these comments are from true Yankee fans, if even from baseball or sports fans. Jorge Posada is a class act. He is a true NY Yankee. And a @#$% fine one at that. His trying to stay has nothing to do with greed, it is about loyalty and love of the game and love of the pinstripes. As for the "old" comments, obviously you are in your 20's, still wet behind the ears and have no idea what you're talking about. Hopefully, he stays with the team thru out the rest of the season and the postseason and then retires in style with dignity and pride with his head held high. Go Yankees !
yankees mgr did not say to pasada, "we are a better team without you." Glad to see Yahoo continues its stellar job of reporting. Taking players in and out of the lineup is a common occurance in baseball. I would bet the farm you will see jorge back in the lineup by weeks end. No, I am not a yankees fan. I am a red sox fan to the death. I respect the job posada did for the yankees throughout the years. I think he will retire after this season. GO SOX!
When did this guy ever hit? He had one great year batting over .300. I'm a Yankee fan and I never, ever liked this guy as a catcher. They won in spite of Posada catching. Could not throw a runner out, he would hit a homer when the Yankees were losing or winning 10-2 when it didn't really matter. His claim to fame was a bloop double when the Yankees beat Pedro Martinez in game 7 in 2001 or 2002. He was given way too much credit because he was on a winning team. Best of luck to you and your family Jorge but I'm not all that upset about it. You sure as hell have enough $$ for being a marginally good catcher on a great friggin team.
Been a Yankee fan all my life, but I never suffered under any illusions about management.
They hire and fire players like they change their socks.
They crow about "taking care of our own," but i don't think they treat their players with the
respect they deserve. A veteran like Posada certainly deserves more. Every player goes
through slumps. NY fans are too demanding as well. We got spoiled expecting a
championship every year. Now the SF Giants, they're an organization with class.
another brett favre, athletes who are past their prime just being selfish who are holding their teams down. its best to go out while you are on top as opposed to being washed up and useless
The Yankees made the mistake of signing him to a 4 year contract for a player even at that time was starting to go downhill. They just did it again with Jeter and you'll soon see the same drama happening again soon. This is why the Red Sox don't give older players long term deals.
It's a @#$% getting older and can't pull your load. Happens to everyone.
If this weren't the Yankees, this would not be news anywhere. The rest of the US couldn't care less about the Yankees.
Compared to Yankee hotdogs like Swisher and Gardner, Posada has lots of class and exemplifies what a true NY Yankee is all about. Once Yankee management has no further use for you, they cast you aside like a piece of crud. For shame.
do folks really read this?
you can only stay on top for so long then you get replaced as he replaced the guy in front of him
Big League Stew is an MLB blog edited by Kevin Kaduk. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.
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