The Yankees season came to an end on Thursday night, and along with it may have come the end of Jorge Posada’s career. Posada’s four-year, $52.4MM contract expires after the season, and so far the only team he’s ever played for has shown little interest in re-signing him.
Although he hit a career worst .235/.315/.398 with 14 homers in 2011, Posada was the team’s best hitter in the postseason, when he picked up six hits and four walks in the five games against the Tigers (.429/.570/571). He was in the lineup all five games because Detroit used four right-handed starters, and the switch-hitter actually handled righties very well this year (.269/.348/.466). It was lefties that gave him trouble (.092/.169/.108).
Despite seeing his playing time dwindle throughout the summer, Posada said in August that he wants to keep playing beyond this year. The Yankees used him almost exclusively at DH this summer, in part because his defensive skills behind the plate have eroded, but also because of long-term concerns about head injuries. Posada did appear in 14 games at first base in 2011 (eleven starts).
As always, the free agent market is flooded with one-dimensional DH types. Posada’s pedigree is on par with anyone’s, but teams have been shying away from overpaying for name value in recent years. His market may not be as robust as he may like, and may even be non-existent.
I think he’s going to retire. Hard to see him wearing any other uniform, as I’m sure he feels too. Plus with Martin and Montero behind the dish, he’s an odd man out.
If he’s smart he’ll retire. The Yankees already kept him longer than anyone else would have and he really needs to look in the mirror and honestly assess his future. I don’t know him so whether he coaches, manages, does TV or goes off to join Bernie Williams band I have no idea. It is better however to go gracefully than be embarrassed out after a month anywhere next year.
I think if a team offers him a job he takes it.
I see him with another team unless he’s willing to take a massive paycut (We’re talking less than Martin’s making). For all the talk about him being a classy guy I’ve seen lately, he spent the first half of the season being a malcontent as opposed to taking responsibility for his own decline. Seems like he’ll be more interested in continuing on than actually preserving his reputation.
Even if he takes a massive pay cut I don’t see the Yankees having him back. They will likely carry 3 catchers next year and have Montero DH so there is no roster spot for Posada and his complaining. Even is Montero is traded for pitching it would seem more likely that the DH would be used to as a way to give rest to A-rod and Tex or maybe another bat they bring in.
I agree. Plus, the Yanks organization does not handle losing very well with the expectations that are on them to advance in the post season every year. They will need to show that changes are being made, and Posada is an easy one that is very apparent because of his large profile. They’ll probably let all their free agents walk, with the exception of Sabathia and probably Swisher. Change will be the buzz word around the Yanks front office.
If anyone should walk it should be Sabathia! Great pitcher but he becomes exhausted, fatigued and careless after 3-4 innings. This may be due to his excessive weight gain, who knows? Posadas career is over. I think we all know that. BUT it doesn’t give us the right to degrade him over some complaining. He’s played well over the past 15 yrs NO COMPLAINTS THERE? SEVERAL WORLD SREIES, NO COMPLAINTS THERE? Now one who IS a complainer would be A Rod. How about we talk about how he was soooooo effective when he was on steroids but can no longer produce.
Are you on drugs? That made no sense.
what do you think the word complainer means? Btw arods two best offensive seasons were in 05, and 07, well after after testing.
Just curious. Why do ppl act as if Tex is an old guy in need of rest at DH? He’s only 32 in April.
i do agree that the Yanks will have Montero and Martin split C duties with Montero DH more than C and Cervelli as the back up.
I will never blame an athlete for becoming upset when he has to face the facts about his career. Guys like Posada can’t remember anything other than being a baseball player and a damn good one at that. Seeing your skills deteriorate before your eyes and losing your identity is hard to deal with.
I hope he retires, but most importantly, I hope the Yankees aren’t dumb enough to offer him a new contract.
I hope he retires from playing, but takes some sort of a mentor position to help out montero (not so much defensively). I think something like what Reggie Jackson does for the yanks would be helpful. Especially if he could be in the dugout like half of their home games, or less, his leadership wouldn’t be lost.
I think he should retire and go (somewhat) gracefully, but I also think he’s stubborn enough to feel that he’s entitled to a contract somewhere, probably for more than he’s worth. I just don’t know what team might offer him that.
I can’t see why anyone would want a 40-year-old designated hitter who can’t hit.
Maybe some offensively-challenged AL team like the Mariners or A’s would offer him a million or so to be a part of a DH platoon, but even that is doubtful.
If I were Jorge, I’d ride off into the sunset, maybe take a few years off, maybe see if the Yanks wanted to keep me around as an instructor or something along those lines. I’ve got my five World Series rings, I’ve got an .848 career OPS, I’ve made about $100MM in the last 17 years. If I were Jorge, I’d much rather call it quits on a relatively high note than embarrass myself playing 70 or 80 games with mediocre team in 2012.
I hope he retires but that’s completely for selfish reasons. As for Posada, his 2011 wasn’t as bad as most suggest.
Vs lefties he hit a respectable .269/.348/.466 w/ a .814 OPS and 14 hrs. His OPS vs RHP was higher than lefty DH’s Damon, Abreu, Matsui and Dunn.
If he’s willing to take a $1 mil or $2 mil than a contender will sign a guy that can hit RHP, is a switch hitter and can C some in an emergency.
The Mariners might be interested if he could still play Catcher and platoon with Miguel Olivo on the cheap, but their loaded with young DH type talent who could as easily put up similar numbers.
No way he retires, not coming off that playoff series where he batting near .500. He’ll do what 90% of players do, hang around too long, embarassing himself. He’ll latch on with some scrub team and start the season as their DH, then as the season rolls on and he shows he can no longer catch up with a major league fastball, he’ll lose starts to younger players and by the end of the year he’ll be nothing more than a mentor to the younger players. Very sad, but most atheletes can’t walk away at the right time. Also, he’s actually a year older than he says he is. Don’t ask me how I know. If I tell you I’ll have to kill you.
Posada has nothing left to prove to himself, the game, and the fans. That is the question he needs to ask himself over the next few weeks. He would be smart to end his career as a Yankee and retire this offseason. It’s very easy for us to say this looking in from the outside, and I imagine Jorge still feels he can play longer, but that’s the point; not every player needs to walk off the field giving every last thing they have, which usually results in injury or negative criticism for not producing.
Yeah, I think if somebody offers him a spot he will take it. He may have to settle for a minor league or spring training invite. Unfortunately he is one of those guys who wont be content to go out with a little dignity. You would think 4 rings, top 10 ever in homers for a catcher, 5 time silver slugger, and at least a candidate for the HoF (dont know about getting in but plenty will consider him) would be enough to say “I had a good career…’ but I guess he is going to need a walk on in Baltimore or somewhere to say that.
I think that’s a bit harsh. I can’t see him going thru a competition for a job or being sent to the minors. Like Bernie Williams I expect him to prolong the retirement announcement but ultimately retire rather than suffering the embarrassment of playing in AAA.
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dumb disqus and reply!
Jorge is a Franchise player, one of the few. If the Yankees don’t resign him he’ll retire. If you ask me they should hire him as their hitting coach, he is a switch hitter after all
Switch hitting doesn’t really matter as a hitting coach and after the complaining and problems he caused this year I don’t think there would be much respect for him in the club house as a hitting coach.
Kevin Long has done a great job in that position. Why would the Yankees fire him to hire Posada?
The guy gives you an OPS close to 800 so long as you platoon him. On a $1-2m deal he would be fine as part-time DH/1B. Don’t know if he is willing to play for that little though.
He isn’t, and even if he was, Old Man Jeter and Payrod will need to utilize that DH slot a bunch next year I’m sure. They should focus more on bring Chavez back as an insurance plan to protect against all Payrod’s post steroid injuries.
Having watched & listened to J Posada for the past 15+ years, he’s made it clear that he would love to finish/end his baseball playing career with the only team/organization he’s played for, here with the New York Yankees. He’ll be remembered as another NYY Great and rightfully so. Having said that, if the Yankees don’t extend or offer Posada a contract, I’m almost positive that Jorge Posada will hang up his cleats put his catchers gear in a box, call Jeter, Mo, Andy & Bernie first, I mean they practiculy played their entire careers together and let them know that he is Retiring. I don’t see Posada playing anywhere else.
He is a “true Yankee”, they should keep him and get rid of A-Rod. Never too old to learn how to play the hot corner…
But in all seriousness he had a great career and it would be a shame to see him latch on somewhere for another year or two, because we all know how it would turn out. Sure he can still hit a little, but I don’t think he can catch at this point, and it would be sad seeing him wallow away in some place like Oakland or Seattle (no offense) when he has nothing left to prove.
Or Pittsburgh? Sorry I couldn’t resist. I do love what Huntington is doing though. They’re not that far off.
Any true Yankees fan would know that Posada would retire before signing with any other team!!! Its the only team he’s played for. He is truely a franchise player and will always be remembered as so. As far as his so called ” whining “, put yourself in his cleats for a bit.
I could personally see Posada in an Orioles Uniform with Showalter being his manager.
Why not offer him a coaching job in the minors?