Jorge Posada : Future With The Yankees ?
October 29, 2009 · Tony Menendez · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
If you are a catcher prospect, please contact the New York Yankees today. Immediate position available. Looking for a regular catcher starting 2012. Maybe before.
This is an employment ad you will not find in The New York Times. The word is traveling around all Yankee Stadium.
Jorge Posada is not happy about being bumped for Game Two of the World Series. Once again, this postseason Manager Joe Girardi elected to use back-up catcher Jose Molina to be behind the plate for starter A.J. Burnett.
Things happens and no matter how the Yankees fare in the World Series it looks Jorge Posada’ s future in the pinstripe uniform can have some turns in the reminder two years of his contract.
Nobody should doubt about his tools. However, the Bronx Bombers message seems you are old and we have to start getting ready in the baseball market.
Posada, 38-years-old, has seen lately how the Yankees managed their affairs with veteran players. Among many names, Posada had not forgotten how good friend Bernie Williams was shown the door.
The 15-year career catcher will make $13.1 million next year and with nowadays economics anything could happen.
Does anybody have notice how much talk have been lately this could be the last postseason of the so called Forever Four: Posada, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera.
That is why they are trying to win the World Series.
Not for legacy. It is for payroll purposes.
Posada’s money can be use for a free agent or an A-type player to get by a trade.
Nobody should forget the Yankees can go for a time with Molina and rookie Francisco Cervelli.
Furthermore, nobody should forget that Posada came up in a similar way to the majors. Posada started sharing time back in the mid-1990’s (1996-1999) with regular catcher and now his boss Girardi.
In 2000 Girardi was gone to the Chicago Cubs via free agency and Manager Joe Torre gave Posada his trust and made him his full-time catcher.
There were a lot of questions of the once second baseman however with hard work he became a pivotal franchise player.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Posada became the first player to catch at least one game with the same team in 15 straight seasons since Johnny Bench with the Cincinnati Reds from 1967-1983.
He became a five-time All Star and also a five-time Silver Slugger Award winner in the same years from 2000-2003 and 2007.
He is the only Major League catcher to ever hit .330 or better, with 40 doubles, 20 home runs and 90 RBI in a single season.
Posada and legend Yogi Berra are the only Yankees catchers to hit 30 homers in a season.
By the way, his 22 homers this season made him only the six catcher all-time to hit at least 20 home runs in eight seasons, joining the club with such names as Bench, Mike Piazza, Gary Carter and Carlton Fisk.
Since 2000 Posada had more hits, home runs and RBI’s than any other catcher in baseball. Period.
Yankee Bench Coach Tony Peña once said Posada could be forever a catcher. Possibly true but it have to be seen his status with management.
Word is roaming around that free agent Hideki Matsui will return to Japan and the pursued free agent will be Vladimir Guerrero. Also, there is good gossip will be a possible winter trade with the Mets for Carlos Beltran.
That is the Yankees way.
As for now, Posada’s mind is on the World Series and win. He does not want to be again in the history books as the final out of the 2003 World Series, a ground out against the champions Florida Marlins pitcher Josh Beckett.
It is an old cliché used by Posada along his career. He is enjoying the moment now and tomorrow and the future is another matter.
Time will tell.
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