Jorge Posada: Positive Words About Yankees’ Catcher Does Nothing for His Future
October 7, 2011 · Eric Bowman · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The New York Yankees faced elimination last night in the ALDS but came up short against the surging Detroit Tigers, which left everybody wondering what the future has in store for a few prominent Yankees.
Despite a solid series, longtime Yankees catcher Jorge Posada isn’t likely to return, even though all his teammates and coaches had nothing but kind words about him after the 3-2 loss.
Posada finished the ALDS 6-for-14 with a batting average of .429, as well as a .579 on-base percentage. Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters after the game that Posada was great for them. Per ESPN:
[Posada], was awesome. He’s had a tremendous career, and I’m sure he’s going to continue to play, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.
What he gave us in the postseason, I don’t think there is a prouder moment that I’ve had of Jorgie…The heart that he showed during this series, that’s why Jorgie has been a great player.
He made the most of what could have been his last postseason trip with the Yankees, but it is sad the Yankees couldn’t hang around longer just for Posada.
It wasn’t a great year for Posada, who removed himself from the lineup earlier this season, but he tried to make up for it during the postseason. That’s what a Yankee great does, and if he doesn’t return, he will be greatly missed.
“He’s like a brother to me,” Derek Jeter said of Posada in The New York Times. “I don’t know what the future holds. It’s not something we’ve talked about.”
Jeter and Posada came up through the minors together decades ago, and they have been a part of some great teams.
This season was the last of a four-year, $52 million contract for Posada, and not knowing what the future holds is something Posada doesn’t want to think about right now.
“I don’t want to look at it like that,” Posada said. “We lost, and we’ll see what happens in the offseason.”
Posada was very emotional when speaking to reporters.
After the loss, the positive thoughts poured on about Posada from everyone in the Yankees organization.
“Jorgie played like a true Navy Seal,” Alex Rodriguez said. “This guy has five championships, and he played like he was 26 out there for the five games. We love Jorgie, and he just played great.”
Rodriguez and Posada have been teammates since 2004.
“He is definitely one of the premiere catchers of this generation,” [Yankees GM Brian] Cashman said. “He is a borderline Hall of Famer and he is one of the best catchers in Yankee history.”
Cashman has been with the Yankees since the late ’80s, and he’s seen the ups and downs of Posada’s 16-year career. He chose not to speak on what their plans are for this offseason, which is understandable given that they just lost.
People can say all they want to about Posada, but it doesn’t change the fact that his days as a Yankee are likely over.
If he doesn’t return, he’s had a great run and will obviously be missed by all. With that, I leave you with this.
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