Results tagged ‘ Jorge Posada ’
Jorge Posada: Mariano Rivera “is a freak of nature”
Jorge Posada hasn’t yet arrived in camp for his duties as one of the Yankees’ guest instructors, but we must be getting close, because the five-time World Series champion is starting to talk a little ball.
Posada was a guest on Sirius/XM MLB Network Radio this morning with hosts Jim Memelo and Jeff Nelson. He shared his thoughts on several topics around the 2013 Yankees, including Posada’s prediction that Mariano Rivera will be able to return to the same dominant level for this team.
On Mariano Rivera: “Mariano is going to be 100 percent. Mariano is a freak of nature. One of those things about Mariano, he has great control, that cutter will not go away. I expect Mariano to be the old Mariano.”
On Derek Jeter: “He said it perfectly the other day, he’s going to be sore all over because he hasn’t been able to train like he wanted to, but he’s going to push himself to be ready for Opening Day. I know him, he’s going to probably be doing two-a-days and working really hard off the field to get back to 100 percent when it comes to Opening Day.”
On the Yankees’ catching competition: ”Obviously whoever has the best spring is going to start. That probably changes throughout the year. We’ve got three young catchers and we’re going to hopefully look forward to seeing them compete. This is what baseball is all about. You don’t get the job, you earn the job. I think it’s going to be good.”
On scouting reports for Cervelli and Romine: “Cervelli, very energetic, very athletic, very quick behind the plate. He has a good arm. He’s a lot more mature now so I think it’s perfect timing for him right now. Romine, obviously a little younger, smart kid behind the plate. We like him very much but they don’t want to rush him, so we’ll see. He’s got a shot too. We’ll see what happens in the spring.”
On Kevin Youkilis: “It’s going to be fun. I think it’s going to be great. The guy plays hard, that’s another guy that wants to prove himself. He had a tough year last year and I bet he worked really hard during the offseason to be a Yankee and be a part of this team.”
Mariano Rivera still wants that inning in center field
There were several light moments during last night’s charity event to benefit Yankees radio engineer and producer Carlos Silva, but one that sticks out concerns Mariano Rivera and his not-so-secret desire to play center field for an inning in a big league game.
A fan brought the topic up during the Q&A portion of the evening, and I was a little surprised to hear it — I assumed that’d been put to rest by last year’s injury in Kansas City. Yankees manager Joe Girardi answered the question fairly, pointing out that the only scenario where they’d even consider it would be a bad one for the Yankees — it’d have to be late in the season and already apparent that the team wasn’t going to the playoffs, since they wouldn’t risk losing their closer (again) with any chance of a World Series on the line.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman had a better response, laughing and saying that Rivera killed those plans for himself by crumpling on the warning track at Kauffman Stadium last May.
“My answer is, you saw what he did. He can’t play center field,” Cashman said, laughing. “The guy is an old man! He blew his knee out!”
That doesn’t mean Rivera has completely given up on the idea; brought on stage seconds later, he announced that we all haven’t heard the last of him in center field.
It should go without saying by now, but this Rivera guy doesn’t give up easily. Here’s how Girardi and Cashman handled the question:
More newsy notes from last night:
- Cashman said that the Yankees invited Hideki Matsui to Spring Training as a celebrity guest instructor, but Matsui declined because his wife is expecting a child. By the way, Jorge Posada – fresh off his appearance at Women’s Fantasy Camp – has hinted that he’ll be attending.
- Girardi said that there is “no formula” for how the Yankees will handle their catching, but they’re holding firm that it’ll probably be from the group of Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart and Austin Romine. The Yankees don’t view Stewart as a starting catcher, but Girardi said that he could see Romine – who remains slated to begin the year at Triple-A – playing in New York for “a substantial amount of time” in the near future.
- Cashman likened Yankees outfield prospect Mason Williams to former big league outfielder Otis Nixon with a little more power, which is a comparison I hadn’t heard before. He also said that Mark Montgomery has a real chance to land at the big league level this year, wielding a nasty slider that could have him help in a David Robertson-type role.
- Cashman on why the Yankees were so quiet on the free agent market: “This market, this winter, was bad.”
- Cashman on what he liked about adding Travis Hafner: “Big hairy monster. I keep saying that, but none of those guys have a lot of hair. He’s the profile we like; on-base percentage with power from the left side. He’s not someone that when he’s coming to the plate, a pitcher is going to be too comfortable facing, especially in our ballpark.”
Jorge makes it official today
Jorge Posada will officially call it a career this morning, meeting the media for an 11 a.m. ET press conference at Yankee Stadium. Posada will retire after 17 big league seasons – all with the Yankees – and boasts final numbers of a .273 batting average with 900 runs scored, 379 doubles, 275 home runs and 1,065 RBIs in 1,829 games.
The YES Network will have coverage from the Bronx, and if you’re going to be online this morning, the conference will be streamed as it happens at http://www.mlb.com/live.
Happy 40th, Jorge
Wednesday is Jorge Posada’s 40th birthday, and how did he celebrate? Well, part of his afternoon was spent lounging on a couch with Robinson Cano and a few buddies, watching MLB Network’s “Intentional Talk.”
Posada seemed to get a kick out of the replay of a foul ball that someone laced into the booth last night, attacking John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman here in Kansas City.
He isn’t in the lineup on Wednesday, but that’s not a birthday gift. It’s a nod to Kansas City lefty Bruce Chen and Posada’s .102 batting average against southpaws this year.
When Posada finally does get into a game, he’ll become the Yankees’ first non-pitcher age 40 or older to appear in a game since Lou Piniella played 29 games in 1984.
Yankees present Jeter with 225-pound sculpture
Derek Jeter poses with his new sculpture. (Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – Derek Jeter’s unforgettable entry into the 3,000 hits club was celebrated on Saturday by the Yankees, as the captain was lavishly honored with gifts in a pre-game ceremony.
The Yankees unveiled a 225-pound custom, one-of-a-kind sculpture for Jeter, which was commissioned by CC Sabathia and Jorge Posada and depicts Jeter doffing his cap after the milestone.
Wheeled to home plate on a flat bed cart underneath a black cloth, the inscription reads, “To our captain, leader and friend, congratulations on a great achievement, from your teammates.”
The mirrored, stainless steel sculpture was created by Scott Kranzler of Milgo Industrial.
Jeter became the 28th player all-time and the first Yankee to join the 3,000 hits club on July 9 against the Rays, homering off left-hander David Price in the third inning.
It was announced on Saturday that Jeter would donate his batting helmet and batting gloves from that game to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Jeter’s parents, Charles and Dorothy, and his sister, Sharlee, were present for the ceremony.
Yankees team president Randy Levine and chief operating officer Lonn Trost presented Jeter with a 14-inch Waterford crystal vase, hand-crafted in Ireland and copper wheel engraved with the Yankee Stadium and “DJ3K” logos.
From managing general partner and co-chairperson Hal Steinbrenner and his wife, Christina, Jeter and his father received 14-karat Balfour white gold rings with 50 total diamonds, 14 of which made up a number “2.”
The Steinbrenners also presented Jeter’s mother and sister with ring top pendants with the “DJ3K” logo.
Speaking over the Yankee Stadium public address system, Rivera said, “I want to say thank God for giving me the opportunity to play with a tremendous player like Derek and being in this organization, and being able to see every one of them.
“Jeet, I love you, and continue. God bless you and God bless your family.”
Posada hopes homer swing vs. O’s opens the door
Early season results are a funny thing, as Joe Girardi was saying before the game last night. For example, he has a shortstop with over 2,900 career hits, but there are still daily questions to field from reporters asking if Derek Jeter is washed up and will end the season hitting in the .230s, as he is now (fearless prediction: he won’t).
So consider the case of Jorge Posada, who slugged the game-tying home run in the ninth inning last night off the Orioles’ Kevin Gregg. Continuing to adjust to the new designated hitter role the Yankees have slapped on him, Posada has five home runs in 10 games — and, thanks to that pesky 0-for-19 skid he just went through, just two other hits that are not home runs.
Posada is hitting just .189, but his OPS is a healthy .825 – better than Curtis Granderson, Jeter, Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner in the Yankees’ lineup. For the moment, Posada is the all-or-nothing guy.
“I have no idea, but I’m not complaining,” Posada said. “They’re hits, so I’m happy with the way it’s going. Obviously I want to get going a little bit. I went through a funk, a little bit, went through a little slump, and hopefully we can get it going for the whole year.”
The results may not consistently be there, but Posada believes he’s getting close. He said he cracked some balls at people in the series at Fenway Park that could have been hits with better placement.
“I hit some balls right at people,” Posada said. “I hit a line drive to centerfield that I hit real well, and I hit a line drive to first that I thought it hit real well. Sunday was one of those days. (Josh) Beckett was on, so you forget about that one and keep going. It’s just a matter of understanding your job, and doing what you’re supposed to do.”
Posada gets his swings as Yanks’ new DH
The biggest concern the Yankees had with moving Jorge Posada to the designated hitter role was having him find a rhythm that worked for him, doing something to occupy his mind between at-bats instead of stewing and focusing on the last plate appearance.
All spring, Posada said that preparation process would be easier for him once the Yankees got home to New York, with a bevy of tools at his disposal just up the clubhouse runway. Thus far, the experiment is working fine. Posada slugged a couple of homers off the Tigers’ Max Scherzer on Sunday and has, by all accounts, embraced his new role.
“At the end of the day, it’s just about four at-bats and being prepared for those four at-bats,” Posada said. “No matter what, it’s putting the at-bat behind you and looking forward to the next one. … It’s staying positive, staying within yourself, and looking forward to that next at-bat. You stay loose for it.”
The Yankees have no plans to move Posada back behind the plate this season – if anything, he is the third catcher, to be used only in an extreme emergency. Joe Girardi acknowledged that he is concerned about the number of concussions Posada has suffered in his career and the potential long-term impact they may have.
A telling moment came late in Spring Training, when Girardi grudgingly acknowledged he’d probably use Posada behind the plate before putting utilityman Eduardo Nunez back there. Clearly, the likes of Gustavo Molina, Jesus Montero and Austin Romine were light years ahead on the depth chart. You got the sense that Girardi would rather strap the shin guards on himself and catch a few innings than run the risk of hurting Posada.
Posada said he has grown to accept his situation and complimented the work of new catcher Russell Martin, who said that Posada has helped speed his knowledge of the pitching staff.
“I’m watching the game, talking to Russell and stuff,” Posada said. “Obviously I’m in his corner. I’m going to try to help him out. He’s got a pretty good idea of what to do back there. He’s done a good job with the bat and he looks pretty good behind the plate.”
Bernie: It’s tough to know when it’s time
Bernie Williams technically still hasn’t retired from baseball, although he spends much more time strumming a guitar than picking up a bat these days. It’s clear Williams isn’t going to be stepping up to the plate in the Bronx anytime soon.
Posada available only in emergency
Jorge Posada (right knee) is available only in emergency situations for Thursday’s game at Camden Yards. He spent most of the afternoon receiving treatment with assistant athletic trainer Steve Donohue but sent the following words along via Jason Zillo.
A.J. and Posada ready for their new beginning
I actually went back and listened to the audio of A.J. Burnett and Jorge Posada breaking down that August 22 start against the Red Sox, which still happened to be on my laptop as in MP3 form. That tells me two things — one, I need to do a better job of backing up my data, and two, the tone of both players is now markedly different.
Having a whole spring to work together doesn’t necessarily mean that Burnett and Posada will work as a lights-out battery tonight against the Red Sox, nor does it mean that Burnett will have a wonderful season against the Red Sox – shades of his ’08. But it is certainly possible that Burnett just got a little too amped up to be part of the rivalry, and as Posada says in this story, it is crucial that the Yankees keep his emotions in check.
Those poor extended spring kids never had a chance. Hughes actually had to keep pitching more than the six innings the Yankees allotted, because he’d thrown too many strikes – 70 of 100 pitches, in fact. Then he dashed to Tampa International Airport and jetted up to Boston, where he’ll get a hotel room to watch two whole games in the bullpen. Then, it’s back to (guess where?) — Tampa, Florida. Yes, it seems like some cosmic joke.
Spin that wild setup bullpen wheel! My take on the picture is that the Yankees would love, adore, relish nothing more, than to have Joba Chamberlain stand tall and morph back into 2007 Joba — right up until the game where he had the midges in his mouth. I’m just not sure where that guy is right now; he seemed to be back in the ’09 playoffs, but is he there in ’10? But as Joe Girardi said in our season-opening Q&A (and I’m sure in other places as well), Chamberlain has a “good chance” to be that eighth-inning guy. Now he’s just got to prove it.
Bryan Hoch
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