From Peter Abraham (LoHud):
Joe Girardi was in a weird mood after the game. He refused to say why he went to the mound to speak to Joba Chamberlain in the first inning. According to Chamberlain, it was to get the signs straightened out. I suspect it was more to keep Chamberlain and Posada from killing each other. Then Girardi actually said he thought Chamberlain pitched pretty well, which obviously is silly.
The Yankees won last night, scoring 13 runs against Boston pitching.
However, while they gained a game on the Red Sox in the AL East, the team now has a problem that must be dealt with. That problem pertains to Joba Chamberlain and the ineffectiveness that we witnessed in the Bronx. Against the Sox, we saw the Joba of old—the Joba from the first half of the season, who shook off signs, fell behind hitters and failed to work quickly. As PA notes, Jorge Posada was visibly upset with him and, with 7 walks over 5 innings pitched, the frustration was understandable. What had changed since Joba’s last start? Why was he reverting back to his bad habits? I’m not sure, but I do believe that the situation will be addressed by Joe Girardi and Dave Eiland (they know to nip it in the bud).
Based on what we’ve seen after the All-Star break, Joba needs to pitch-and-go. He needs to throw the ball like he’s doubleparked in order to be effective. That means no more shaking off Posada, who has really done an outstanding job with Joba this season. Joba must learn to trust his catcher—that’s what he has done since returning from the All-Star break and that’s what he must continue to do, for it has been a successful method. Some may argue that Joba was hurt by the Yankees’ offensive outburst in the 4th (it was a very long break) or that he just had a single bad start, however, the Joba we saw last night was far too familiar. He’ll need to get back to the formula we saw prior to his performance against Boston.
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20 Responses to Joba-Posada Drama?
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TIQ IQ
I think he was just way too amped up. Also, he looked like he was settling in at the top of the fourth but when watching him on the bench for the offense’s turn he was just hoping all over the place.
As far as him shaking off signs – I think the problem is exacerbated when he does not feel comfortable with his stuff. If he can command all of his pitches its a lot easier to throw whatever Jorge puts down.
Bad performance but it was a winning performance so it feels good considering we took our first from Boston.
He was just nibbling again. He needs to stop that shit and go after hitters. His stuff was fine. He hit 96 in the second inning. He left his aggressiveness in the clubhouse.
Maybe the extra rest was part of the problem. If I recall correctly Joe moved him up or back a day or two earlier in the year against the Sox with a similar result.
Joba needs to quit thinking and start throwing. Jorge is smart enough to think for him.
He’s a young guy in his first full year as a starter. He’s going to go through ups and downs. People (myself included at times) get so crazy about him based on however he pitched in his last start. We’ve got to relax. He’s also working through a weird fluctuating velocity issue that only the Yankee inner circle knows what’s going on there. Get used to highs and lows this season. He’s going to have plenty.
The meeting at the mound had absolutely nothing to do with Joba and Posada’s relationship. It had everything to do with the Red Sox stealing signs from second base. They did earlier in the year and Girardi wanted to make sure Joba was aware.
Wow, he has one bad start in the second half and suddenly there’s a Posada-Joba problem again. Seriously you guys, he was both getting squeezed and couldn’t locate his pitches. It happens to everybody. CC just had a game like this the last time through the rotation but I don’t recall hearing everybody calling for his head. Also, the Boston hitters were stepping out a lot in a deliberate attempt to slow him down. We won, be happy
I am ok with Joba I will say he did keep it together enough to get out of the fifth-I have been tough on Joba but I am very confident he will become an ace-Now is not the time but he did do one thing last night he did not completely fold like he did against Anaheim. That is a little positive. Posada should not be saying anythng he cost us a run by slowing down around third base
He is young and his emotions get the better of him. The extra day did not help. He has got to trust Posada. Still will be the best AL pitcher in the second half (not named Beckett)provided that they stretch out the innings limit to 150-160. So far, four second half starts and he has an era of 2. The Sox are an incredibly patient team and he has to learn to pitch to contact a little.
Posada is a bad catcher.Like the player but he calls a bad game, frames it poorly, can’t block balls in the dirt and I won’t even say anything aobut his feel for the game which is best illustrated by his brilliant base running.
Guy was a second baseman until pretty late and then was converted to catcher.It shows.
Nonsense. He’s bad at blocking balls and decent at every other aspect of catching
mryankee…yes posada made a mistake not sliding into home but i think he more than made up for hit going like 3-5 with a hr…i think its dumb to dwell on that play, one run would not have made a difference in this game…if it had i would’ve agreed with u, posada is a proud player one of the reasons he gets mad @ joba…he know he f%$# up…so he busted his ass to make up for it…the next time we rounded 3rd base to score he was sprinting i saw the highlights on espn.
That’s why word in MLB is few pitchers like throwing to him.Randy Johnson hated throwing to him as did many other pitchers including El Duque and others including Joba and Burnett.
Everyone knows he doesn’t frame well, can’t catch the ball or block it and now can’t throw anymore.
He is solid on pop ups though and is a very good though often foolish hitter.
Wow always nice when people make things up to support their argument.
Where did Burnett say he doesn’t like throwing to Posada? I’ve even heard Burnett go out of his way to commend Posada on the game he caught after a few starts this year.
Also aside from last night, Joba and Jorge worked extremely well together in their past 3 starts.
Jorge has caught the likes of Boomer Wells, Roger Clemens, David Cone, and Andy Pettitte, I’d say that’s a pretty solid group of pitchers which have had no problem with Jorge. I’ll take their opinions over Randy Johnson who just about hated everything in NY.
Pointing out pitchers who don’t complain about Jorge is hardly an endorsement.
Pitchers rarely complain about catchers.
Again,ask any press guys or agents outside the Yankees sphere and they’ll tell you what I’m telling you.
Jorge is a below average catcher defensively.
One Yankee pitcher a few years ago told his agent that he hadn’t seen so many balls dropped by a catcher (some strikes) since he was in H.S.
Anybody could see the difference behind the plate when even a beginner like Cervelli was back there.
http://blog.silive.com/yankeeswatch/2009/08/posada_must_improve_baserunnin.html
I guess I’m not alone.
Because some random blog agrees with you, that makes you right? I write a blog and disagree with you, that should make you wrong. Honestly, you mention “ask press guys” and such, and yet I had read nothing about this until this season, and even that has died down.
Joba shakes off every catcher every game! Don’t tell me he needs to trust his catcher, he knows what he has and he knows what he can throw and he has pitched good games shaking and calling his own pitches that is no where close to the problem. Posada is just a very prideful guy and has never liked to be shaken off it’s his problem not Joba’s… I have seen posada put the same sign down 4 times and get shaken off 4 times and go to the mound he needs to check his catchers pride and work with different personalities better.
seriously posada called a terrible game with burnett Molina should catch him. Burnett is a good pitcher can be awful with the wrong catcher or exceptional with the right one cut the crap dh posada in his games leave the egos behind. look what varitek was able to do with his rookie this was more than embarrasing it’s a real concern posada has pitchers he does well with let them work together
Yeah that Posada can’t call a game. If you complain when Posada catches a game that we give up runs, you have to credit him when he catches 14 shutout innings.