Via Mark Feinsand:
Criticizing his manager isn’t Jorge Posada’s way, even as he spent yet another game away from his familiar spot behind the plate.
Privately, however, Posada has expressed his dissatisfaction with Joe Girardi’s decision to start Jose Molina in each of the Yankees’ Thursday six games – including Thursday night’s makeup game with the Pirates – according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Posada was in the lineup as the Bombers’ first baseman, but when asked about his lack of time behind the plate, Posada got testy and made it clear that he still considers himself a full-time backstop.
“I like to catch. Okay?” Posada said. “I’m in the lineup and I’m happy that I’m in the lineup, but I like to catch. I’m a catcher. I’m not a first baseman and I’m not a DH. I like to catch, so I’m looking forward to catching (today).”
Since he’s returned from the D.L., Posada is 24 for 90 with little pop in his bat – although he has also walked 16 times in 28 games. Maybe, if he can’t throw, it’s just time to shut him down and go have the surgery that he needs and start thinking about next year for him?
You can live with an OPS of .800 from your catcher – in fact, that’s nice to have from that spot. But, if he cannot catch, the way that Jorge is hitting, he’s not a tremendous help at first base or designated hitter.
I give Posada all the credit in the world for trying to play through this injury. He’s a true-gamer. But, if you can’t play in the field, and you’re not mashing with the bat, are you really helping the team?
6 Responses to “‘Sado Steamed”
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July 11th, 2008 at 9:39 am
i think this decision will come in due time… the needs to be an honest evaluation going into the deadline.
i know that they are only like 4 GB or whatever for the WC, and its tempting. but even if they win 2 of 3 from the Jays to finish the 1st half, they will only have gone 7-6 on the last stretch of games where they should have went 9-4.
that seems to be the story of this first half. falter against teams they should handle, then play well against good teams to make you feel all warm on the inside, only to have another let down against a second tier team. it all ends up in a just over .500 record.
if the yankees can rattle off a bunch of wins coming back from the break before the deadline, i think they’ll make a push.
but if they hover around .500, i agree… shut down Posada and Matsui, and let them have their surgeries. they are both under contract for next season, and id rather them come back in the spring at 100%, then struggle for the next 3 months and have a disappointing season, have the surgery, and maybe still be rehabbing when spring training rolls around.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:21 am
But, if he cannot catch, the way that Jorge is hitting, he’s not a tremendous help at first base or designated hitter.
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Having said that, no matter how good a defensive catcher Molina is, he shouldn’t be starting, not with the way the Yanks are scuffling for runs. Throwing a lineup out there like they did yesterday against the Pirates (Cabrera-Molina-Christian-pitcher), is a recipe for failure.
July 11th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
>> Having said that, no matter how good a defensive catcher Molina is, he shouldn’t be starting, not with the way the Yanks are scuffling for runs >>
But Molina’s been virtually automatic throwing guys out lately. I worry now that everyone and their sister’s going to run on Jorge these next few games.
Girardi’s kept him out this long, why not just wait until after the ASB, or at least save him to play against a slower team…?
July 11th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
But Molina’s been virtually automatic throwing guys out lately. I worry now that everyone and their sister’s going to run on Jorge these next few games.
Girardi’s kept him out this long, why not just wait until after the ASB, or at least save him to play against a slower team…?
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Molina’s been virtually an automatic out at the plate too.
That may be Girardi’s plan, to rest him, and give him more starts after the ASB. The Pirates are a slow team, so that shouldn’t be the reason that Posada sat yesterday. Toronto’s mid-pack, so we’ll see if Posada gets a start today. I do wonder what the point of keeping Moeller around is; he hasn’t gotten into a game since the 2nd, and he hasn’t gotten a start since the end of May.
July 11th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
What to expect when you give a four year deal to an aging catcher? Once again, the Yankees got caught negotiating with themselves.
Three more years of an aging catcher.
Nine more years of kabbalah and the whole A-Freud circus.
New Stadium! Here we come.
July 21st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
[...] days ago, I suggested that ‘Sado should shut it down for the season if he was not sound enough to play to the level expected from him. So, while this is [...]