Back on July 21, I wrote a post about what the Yankees could do if Jorge Posada completely tanked. Well, it appears that he has. Posada has been pretty bad since then–a .268/.302/.317/.619 line–and the Yankees have decided to take Posada out of the lineup as the DH against right handed pitching.
It appears that they’re going to go with the DH platoon of Eric Chavez and Andruw Jones that I outlined earlier, unless they change course and call up Jesus Montero soon. Such a move would help get his bat acclimated to the Majors, keep Chavez’s bat in the lineup, or spell Russell Martin when needed. A trade can’t happen unless the Yankees make a waiver trade, but that market is essentially impossible for outsiders to read. So, now what? There is a non-zero chance that Jorge gets cut, but I doubt that happens.
Anyway, I figure it’s time for me to reflect on Posada a bit…
A little more than a year ago, I wrote about Jorge’s case for the Hall of Fame and reaffirmed my belief that he is a Hall of Fame player. Whether or not he gets in is another question, but his career is clearly coming to an inglorious end.
This is an odd feeling that I’m not quite used to, though it’s something I’m going to have to get used to quickly. While Andy Pettitte retired while he was still effective, so it was relatively easy to say goodbye to him. Bernie Williams slowly but surely burned out and watching him those last few years was pretty painful. I thought we were entering that territory with Derek Jeter earlier this year, but he’s rebounded a bit since coming off of the DL. Posada, though, seems like his decline is an imperfect storm.
His decline in skill as been just as big as Bernie’s was, but it wasn’t drawn out like his. It’s been abrupt. It’s been sudden. It’s been in our faces. Perhaps if he was still able to catch, this wouldn’t be so bad, but the fact that he’s in a position in which hitting is the only job makes it all seem so much worse. It doesn’t help that Posada’s been such a great bat for such a long time.
In a way, though, this is better. This is the last season of Posada’s contract, and I doubt he ends up with another team in 2012. Unlike Bernie’s situation, this is happening quickly and it will be over quickly. Maybe that’s for the better.
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17 Responses to Thoughts on Posada
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It’s a shame that everyone can’t go out like Mussina or even Pettitte. Before the season started I don’t think anyone expected this rapid and deep of a decline in Posada. I just hate the idea of seeing him sitting on the bench unused for the remainder of the season and then left off of the playoff roster. It would be nice if Posada would retire and the Yankees could give him a proper send off at the stadium this year. Posada deserves (and will get) some love from the fans for his terrific career.
I wonder if it’s better to fade slowly like Bernie or fall off a cliff like Jorge. On the one hand, Bernie was able to make a soft landing into retirement. Sure he hated the way his career was taken away from him — his grudge against Cashman and the Yanks was a bit unreasonable but certainly understandable — but at least he got to hang around for a bit longer than he probably deserved.
On the other hand we have Jorge’s inglorious end. He’s just as pissed off that his career is ending but he gets none of the pleasure out of his decline phase. He stinks in 2011, his contract is up and he’s been benched and told to wait until the end of the year before the door is finally slammed in his face.
I’d actually rather go out like Bernie. Sucking this bad in your career’s final AB’s will haunt Jorge forever. It won’t be a fun first few years of retired life in the Posada household, I’d imagine.
Actually, Williams had a fairly productive last season with the Yanks. And with the injuries to Matsui and Sheffield he stepped up and made a contribution.
I never said otherwise.
Bernie Williams had no right to hold a grudge against Cashman or anyone else from the Yankees (if he held one) when he was ready to sign with Boston before the Yanks upped their offer. I could understand signing elsewhere for more years and/or money, but archenemy Boston?
The Yanks gave him the biggest contract for a Yankee (homegrown or not) in years, average salary per year, and total money before they shattered that record with the decade-long contract they gave to Jeter. The Yanks always batted Williams third or cleanup, mostly cleanup, in his prime years and there was never talk about him moving to LF, RF, or down in the order even towards the end (he batted lower in the order towards the end but there was never “Should he be dropped lower in the order?” talk.) The Yanks owed him nothing.
There seems to be different versions of this story, but the one I remember is the yankees were going to pass on Bernie and sign Albert Belle, who George preferred. When Belle spurred the yankees at the last minute, George begged Bernie to come back, and had to pay him handsomely in the process. George of course, blamed Cashman lol.
Anyone care to confirm that?
I could be wrong but I think the Yankees turned to Belle when Bernie rejected their offer then the Yankees upped their offer when talk of Bernie signing with Boston heated up.
No matter what the stories were, Bernie was ready to be a turncoat and sign with Boston all because he didn’t get what he wanted. He got a record contract from the Yanks thus had no right to be bitter about his exit. The Yanks never said they didn’t want him back, they said they wanted him back as a part-time/bench player, his ego couldn’t deal with it, so he said no and the Yanks let him go. You’re not obligated to an everyday job anymore than the Yanks are obligated to get you back as a part-time/bench player.
I found this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/24/sports/baseball-for-yanks-it-s-plan-b-as-in-belle.html?ref=albertbelle
Veteran players should understand that when they insist on an additional year on what is likely their final contract, there is an accompanying risk that there may be an ugly exit.
It can always get ugly before the last year of the contract also. Luckily for Jorge and the Yankees, it has only been this season.
I wonder if it would have been different offensively if he was still able to catch, even occastionally? I like what Martin brings to the defense, but maybe if Jorge was still defensively capable (or as capable as he had been in the last year or 2) of catching a couple of games/week, his offense may have also been a bit stronger. We’ll never know but it seems some players do have trouble when relegated to the DH role exclusively.
Sure, but at least in part, I was specifically referencing reports that the Yankees resented having to give Posada a fourth year because he threatened to take the Mets’ four year offer if they didn’t.
Yes, I think it would be different if he could catch because the adjustment to DH has probably disrupted his routine, and because he’d still bring some value since his offense isn’t that much worse than Martin’s.
The larger point is that Posada’s career should serve as an example of how valuable an offensive catcher is, and I would hope that the Yankees give Montero an opportunity to carry on that tradition.
“The larger point is that Posada’s career should serve as an example of how valuable an offensive catcher is, and I would hope that the Yankees give Montero an opportunity to carry on that tradition.”
I get the distinct impression from the Yankees that they don’t really intend to keep Montero around and have stashed (hidden?) him in the minors for as long as they possibly can so that he maintains as much trade value as he possibly can.
I understand that he’s young for the minors and that he still has/had things to work out but I’ve also seen them fast-track other prospects in the past so I just can’t shake the feeling that the Yankees don’t have Montero in their future plans.
Maybe, but he is only 21 and he is a catcher, so extended time at AAA isn’t necessarily a negative.
Given that A-Rod is 36 and coming off two leg injuries in recent seasons, that Jeter is 37 and no longer the offensive force he once was, that Tex hasn’t been the hitter he was prior to the 2010 season, that Martin has been awful offensively since April, and that Montero is their only advanced prospect who projects to be an impact bat, I think it would be a terrible mistake to trade him unless it for an impact hitter who is 28 or under.
As recently as a few weeks ago I would’ve agreed with you. Now I’m just not so sure. There must be some reason why the Yankees aren’t making the obvious move to call up Montero. Despite their public support/advocacy of his value and talent, their actions don’t seem to back up their words.
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This is what the Yanks should do with Posada:
1. Put him on the 15-day d.l. after the current homestand (8/15-29.)
2. Have him go on “personal leave” 8/30-31.
3. Bring him back 9/1 so he’s a bat off the bench vs. Boston that night, although I’d start him at DH if his numbers are good enough against the opposing starting pitcher for him to get the start.
4. Start him at DH vs. Boston 8/25 (the rubber game of the final home series of the regular season) if the Yanks have clinched the division or clinched the wildcard but been eliminated from winning the division title by then. Let his final at-bat 8/25 be his final at-bat as a Yankee with the (faint) possibility of him being on the roster for the ALCS and/or WS.
He has just looked like a “lost soul” all season long. He obviously wasn’t mentally prepared to DH after being in the middle of the action during some great years for both him and the team. And, I believe, his mental state ultimately effected his hitting. Plus he’s caught a helluva lot of games so that impact has to be taken into account. He’s a bright guy, but appears to be stubborn. He should simply retire at the end of this year and have some type of tribute either in 2011 or the beginning of next year, including having his number retired for his wonderful contributions to 5 World Series wins and countless other thrilling moment. Vaya con dios, Jorge!