I have been on a soapbox most of the year when it comes to promoting Posada. His off-season conditioning has really paid off in ####s. He has played through some injuries and has maintained his stamina for the entire season.
His desire and willingness to take advantage of and be tutored by an all-star catcher, first base coach Tony Pena, has improved his quickness, throwing mechanics and accuracy. This has allowed Posada to throw out base runners at a much-improved rate then at anytime in his long career with the Yankees.
His handling of the pitching staff has been remarkable. His long time personality problems with Randy Johnson are a thing of the past. You can see the respect Randy now has with Jorge every time the duo are teamed up (which now is every start for Randy) on the mound, behind the plate and in the dugout. Jorge made an all out effort to reconcile their differences the first day of spring training. No ego here. Not for Jorge. Not this year. Never.
The revolving door of starters, both through trades and call ups from the minors, has been an easy transition for all arms thanks to Jorge’s command and respect he projects on the field.
His clutch hitting has been obvious to all that follow the Yankees on a regular basis. His is driving the ball with authority. He has Had only one slump all year, which lasted eighteen at bats. Not bad for a catcher his age. When most catchers at this point in their careers are showing signs of slowing down Posada has stepped up and improved all aspects of his game. We who follow this team see it and marvel. The rest of baseball does not.
I was disappointed last Sunday evening when Jorge launched a towering fly ball to left centerfield that was clearly over the fence against the Red Sox, were it not for an amazing leaping over the fence catch by Coco Crisp it would have put the Yankees ahead in the eighth inning possibly winning the game for the Yankees. All this on a national ESPN broadcast. Jorge has been that kind of clutch all year.
He is a not an MVP by offensive numbers but his overall play is MVP quality in his performance and importance to his team. While Derek Jeter is having his MVP season so is Jorge Posada. The oh so quiet MVP
Obviously you need to read between the lines for this one. I said Jeter is having an MVP year. Posada is playing like an MVP. I guess people only read what they want.
Typical Yankee fan. If there was going to an AL Catcher for MVP it would be Joe Mauer. He means way more to the Twins than Posada means to the Yankees. Mauer is carrying his team to a wildcard spot in the TOUGHEST division in baseball the AL Central. The Yankees have Jeter, A-Rod. Mauer just has role players on his team.
Once again, read what you want. I said he is playing like an MVP. I did not say he was ann MVP given the players vying for that award. Typical short sighted baseball fan.
Posada's play behind the plate has been great but when compared to his captain's cosistent play througout the season it pales in significance. Even Abreu since his acquisition has proven to have been more of a catalyst for the Yankees' dominant play and their march towards a 9th consecutive AL East divisional title than Posada. But Jeter stands heads and shoulders above the catcher for this season and should win the AL MVP award.
The Yankees should never win an MVP. They are a roster loaded with stars, and you could not say that take away one, and they would suck. Look at how the Twins may do if Morneau or Mauer were taken out of the equation. There's the true MVP's
The article is not about promoting Posada as an MVP candidate. The observation is that he is playing like an MVP plays the game. Jeter is clearly the MVP of this team. I stated that in the article.
The Yankess have played most of the season without two of their top RBI guys, Matsui and Sheffield and their second baseman out for six weeks. They were decimated with injuries the first half of the year. Guys like Bubba Cosby, Andy Phillips, Nick Green and Melky Caberra played regularly. They still were in the race.
Wisconsin Viking. Obviously you have not followed the Yankees and that is fair but to make a comment on a suggestion of loaded lineups and your dislike of this team is short sighted on your part. Your Twins have Three candidates for MVP which will take away votes for any of them to prevail. Jermaine Dye to me is the clear leader for MVP but if the White Sox do not make the playoffs I doubt that he will win the award.
The Twins have been playing incredible ball and deserve the division title. With any luck perhaps an MVP award too.
Fox 5 ... I think that's just about the norm nowadays for deciding upon an MVP as rarely is it given to a player whose team isn't in contention. With the exception of A-Rod's win when he was with the Rangers I can't think of any.
I've always liked Posada. He gives the team a little moxy in all of the glamour. I not with you on the MVP deal but he is definitly a great ball player.
Last edited by SofaKingSpecial on September 20th at 12:37 PM.
SofaKingSpecial. Again I am not touting Posada as an MVP candidate. I am only stating that he is playing like an MVP. This year especially. He has been more clutch in his at bats. Hitting along with improved defense, throwing, handling of the pitching staff and his on field leadership has made him irreplaceable this year. Clearly, and I state again, Jeter is the MVP candidate for this Yankee team.
tophatal. You are right, the guide lines for the MVP candidate are very subjective to say the least. A player must qualify by being one of, or the only player to carry that club in clutch performances through out the year (hitting, fielding, and leadership). If that player were not on this club the team would not be in the positive position that it is in with that or those players.
The voters usually put a precedence on players who's teams make it into the playoffs. Unless there are really no single standout performances from a player or players on those teams. Then, and only then, will a player like Ichiro or A-Rod, on the last place Rangers, who had seasons that were superior to anyone else in the league, be considered for the MVP award.
I understood you man. I watch every single Yankees game. He has been RED hot for several weeks now and just hit his 20th HR last night to go with some very solid RBI and Batting AVG statistics. He has been very important to this team and is CURRENTLY:
Playing LIKE an MVP
NOT
Is anyway near close to an MVP candidiate.
Sheesh....once again I wanted you to know someone got it.
rivjo. Thank you. Someone who reads an entire post.
Although Posada's numbers are equivalent to years past, it is his clutchness (if that is a word) that has been steady all year. This is one of the scenarios where statistics do not tell the whole story. Stats are not the end all to judge a players performance. Each stat has a history and a story behind it that can only be judged by witnessing it.
Fox5 ...... The one undeniable thing about Posada is that he inspires the confidence of his pitchers. He's got complete command behind the plate and they're prepared to listen whe he speaks. That's certainly what makes him so great and the fact that he's one premiere players at his position.
A catcher is always compared to as the general of the field. While Jeter obviously has MVP numbers, I agree with you that Posada is a quiet leader. He's been on the team for a number of years and provides veteran leadership in a time when so many rookies and new members are emerging. Also, his playing through injuries sustained us while many key players were down.
Recently I heard so many people coming dowon on the Indians' Victor Martinez for his inability to throw people out and how that allowed so many teams to take away the double play. posada is a rock, throwing out a solid 38% of attempted steals and boasts a .989 fielding percentage.
Point being, Posada provides veteran leadership and pretty much always has solid offensive numbers, a necessity to the Yankees. So, maybe he does play like an MVP, to those not looking at statistics.
Fox5 .... Who's the Yankees' backup catcher on their roster and how good is he ? I'm assuming that he's seen as the likely replacement for Posada when injured or upon his retirement.
tophatal....Sal Fasano is the Yankee backup catcher and a great defensive backstop. Not much on offense. The Yankees picked him up from Philadelphia around the same time as they acquired Abreu. He is a perfect backup catcher but not Posada's replacement.
The Yankees have a young player named Wil Nieves who has been their September call up. Was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on 9/1. ... Made his Yankees debut on 9/2 at Oakland, replacing Jorge Posada in the sixth inning and going 0-for-1. ... In 102 games with Columbus, batted .289 with four home runs and 37 RBIs. Batted .312 with runners on base. ... Was acquired by the Yankees on 3/29 for RHP Bret Prinz. He is from San Juan Puerto Rico.
The Yankees need to start looking for Posada's replacement. Although Nieves is young I think this off season they might finally address the need for Posada's replacement.
Fox5 ..... That was something I've been thinking about constantly as I've seen this Yankee outfit from their heydays of the mid 90's to present. And it's been a wild and interesting ride. Even the year my beloved Marlins defeated them to win their second World Series title in little over ten years.
Having only arrived here from the UK in '92 I was immediately attracted to the game and its intricacies, from then on I was hooked not only by the Marlins but the Yankees also as they were treated as being public enemy #1.
We had the same thing in the UK with Man. Utd and that same situation has now shifted to Chelsea FC as they're now personna non grata. It would appear the whole world over that people despise you having success in the sporting arena especially when you've a great deal of money in your coffers.
tophatal…. When sporting franchises like Man. Utd ,Chelsea FC and the New York Yankees reach a certain level of success in the corporate environment the conception of the business takes on a whole new aura. Although, like most business, there were struggles before there were successes. Making a successful franchise entails the right decision making from the ground up and to maintain that success requires forward visionary planning. Tricky and pricey at best.
To appreciate those efforts one has to be a stockholder, employee or fan. Like Microsoft, you will have the true antagonists of these successes beating a steady rhythm of jealousy and disdain screaming unfair advantage because of corporate wealth. The price to pay for a successful, well-run business venture.
Fox5 ... That's so true and then we also have the opposite side to that principle. For every Microsoft, Wal-Mart, GE, Nike and Google there's always the Enron's and Tyco's of the world that crop up and throw everything into turmoil. I feel nothing but sincere heartache for all those employees that had to suffer such humiliating losses because of their bosses' corporate avarice.
We have spoken before...a while ago re: the de####able way the Yankee management handled Bubba Crosby. You are right on the money with Posada. Anyone who does not see the all-around contributions he makes both offensively and defensively is just your typical baseball stats driven geek-nerd. And besides handling the very challenging pitching staff, Jorge handles himself on and off the field like a champion - stoically humble and professionally effective. And he is clutch. A-Rod would do well to study this man. If Yanks' pitching is adequate and win it all, it is because of being so strong up the middle: Posada, Jeter, Cano, and Damon.
Fox5 .....I'd swear that I didn't see it coming but how in hell did the Astros put together such an amazing run, in order to be so close to the Cardinals ?
The Twins I can understand because they'd been playing lights out baseball. And now they're even with the Tigers.
FlyingPig....You need to read the article over again and the thread. One last time...Jorge is NOT the MVP, Jeter is the MVP of the Yankees. Jorge is playing the way an MVP plays the game. Defensively, offensively, clutch, leadership and stamina.
tophatal....The combination of the Cardinals poor play and chocking in the last two weeks and the Astros on a tear ( 9 in a row) really shocked the entire baseball community. Twelve days ago the Cardinals had an 8 1/2 game lead in the Central.
The Astros are on a high and know what it takes to fight to the finish. This has been their MO for the past three years, but they have to sweep the Braves and hope that St. Louis loses two of three.
The Astros pitching is the big question mark. Roy Oswalt,( who will not pitch in the weekend series) Roger Clemns, Andy Pettitte and closer Brad Lidge have to be on their game to pull this one off.
Pettitte has been plagued with injuries all season. Actually, he has be plagued with injuries ever since he signed with the Astros, but has pitched lights out in the last month. In the post season, if they make it, Pettitte's experience is a factor.
Clemens will pitch in the final series this weekend and Roger has looked like Roger. He will be pitching against the Braves who have had a let down but would love to play the role of spoiler. This would allow Atlanta to head into the off season on a good note.
tophatal...RJ was given an epidural injection yesterday and will try to pitch in the bullpen tomorrow. Only then will the Yankees be able to determine whether Johnson can be used in the first round of the playoffs.
Johnson is tentatively scheduled to pitch the third game of the American League Division Series. That would be Friday at either Detroit or Minnesota. If Johnson cannot pitch, Cory Lidle or Jaret Wright would take his spot.
Jaret Wright has been the most steady starting pitcher of the last couple of months. Although his innings are short, between five and 6 1/2, he manages to keep the Yankees in the game. Pitch count is always a concern with Wright and the bullpen needs to be rested on games that he pitches.
I have little faith in Corey Lidle's ability to pitch well, for his well pitched outings have been mostly inconsistent.
The one thing Johnson gave them, most of the time, was innings pitched. Like Lidle, his most consistent contributing to the Yankees has been his inconsistency. There was always the probability of him being the RJ of old at any given time.
Fox5 .. With the ALDS about to start I think the Yankees will pretty much have that series sown up as the Tigers I believe will be pretty much shot after the euphoric season they've had. It'll be pretty much one and done for as that's all I'm expecting them to take from the boys in pinstripes.
Last edited by tophatal on October 2nd at 12:34 AM.
Probably the best ever post season lineup ever assembled. Your #9 hitter Has a .343 BA.
As we know it all comes down to pitching. The Yankees went 5-2 against the Tigers this season and would have swept them if they had Rivera in the bullpen for their two loses( he was injured both games. The Yankees lost both those games in the 9th inning with a lead.
Fox5 ..... The legend and legacy of Jeter just continues to grow beyond what one thought was humanly possible. A 5 for 5 performance and he's still not yet finished as far as this series is concerned.
The guy is simply amazing and I've no doubt once his career has ended he may well end up being one the most popular Yankees' players ever.
