Time to start transitioning Posada to DH

Jorge Posada was a bit miffed at not being activated for yesterday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. He's likely to be even angrier if the New York Yankees finally tell him what has become obvious: that they need to start transitioning him to a designated hitter role.

I'm not suggesting that Posada become the Yankees full-time DH right now. I still think he can catch two or three games a week. But I think it's time for the Yankees to acknowledge that the plan to have a 38-year-old catching 100-120 baseball games this year year was unwise. Having Posada catch a few games a week and DH the other games keeps his still superior power bat in the lineup everyday while lowering the risk of a devastating injury that forces him out for an extended period of time.

Posada's been a #1 catcher since 1999 so he's unlikely to take this news well. But I think it would be better for him because it will alleviate the wear-and-tear on his knees and still get him his four at-bats each night. He could keep piling up the offensive numbers that will make him a Hall of Fame candidate.

One of the primary reasons for the Yankees sticking with Posada, despite his defensive problems and trouble interacting with pitchers, was that they really had no solid player to replace him. No-hit defensive guys such as Jose Molina and John Flaherty had fairly lengthy careers as back-ups in the Bronx because of this void. But Francisco Cervelli has proven that he can be an everyday catcher in the big leagues. He has good relationships with his pitchers, a clutch bat and the youthful energy and enthusiasm that a veteran club like the Yankees desperately needs.

Posada is a fierce competitor and will be reluctant to admit that his days as an everyday catcher should end. His mental and physical toughness have made him one of the premier catchers of his era. But part of being a team player is a willingness to do what's best for the team and what's best is for Posada to start transitioning to a DH role and let the youngster get nicked up by all those bouncing pitches and foul balls. After getting over his hurt feelings, Posada may realize he doesn’t miss that part of the game too much.

Francisco Cervelli becoming a big-league star

Francisco Cervelli is showing that he is more than just Jorge Posada's back-up catcher. He's becoming a star right before our eyes.

For all the talk about calling Jesus Montero up to the big leagues, Cervelli has really been the most important replacement player for the limping New York Yankees. In Posada's absence, he has hit .429 with 12 ribbies. How many teams would love to have a primary catcher who hits like that, let alone a back-up catcher? Cervelli's no slouch on the bases either, beating out balls for hits and tripling earlier in the week, much to the amusement of Yankees Captain Derek Jeter.

Most importantly, Cervelli has made the Yankees starters so comfortable that they have continued their superb pitching throwing to him. They really feed off his energy. That’s critical because starting pitching has been the primary reason for the Yankees dominance so far this season, with the offense only really coming to life in the last two games against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

The youngster has played so well that the Yankees haven't missed Posada as much as anyone would have thought. Of course, the Yankees need Posada to get better and back in their lineup. But Cervelli's great play has important implications. Joe Girardi can rest or DH Posada without missing a beat. That's important because Posada turns 39 in August and keeping him healthy will be an important priority for the Yankees manager.

Jorge and AJ pass first test together

It wasn't the greatest game AJ Burnett pitched, but considering that it was in Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox, it was pretty solid. Burnett tossed five innings, giving up only three earned runs. Most important was who he tossed them to: Jorge Posada.

The pitcher and his catcher seemed to be on the same page all night, never showing any signs of their previous pairing at Fenway when Burnett blew up in frustration after giving up a monster shot and blowing a huge lead. This time it was all systems go, with Posada blocking balls at the plate, coaching Burnett to mix in his off-speed pitches and successfully encouraging his excitable pitcher to slow things down.

Both players are anxious to put this behind them, if for no reason than they are getting tired of talking about it. Burnett seems to be getting particularly frustrated, testily telling Kim Jones last night that this was the last time he would be answering the question, a comment openly mocked by the YES Network studio guys. As much as Burnett and Posada would love for this issue to go away, reporters are watching carefully for any sign that the relationship between the two players will implode.

But the New York Yankees coaching staff must be breathing a collective sigh of relief. For the Yankees to once again ascend to the top of the baseball world, they will need another solid year from Burnett, who no longer has the Jose Molina security blanket. He's going to have to pitch to Posada and he must do it well.

Thanks to Keith Allison via Wikipedia for the photo.

Time to see if Jorge, AJ on the same page

The time has finally come to see if the spring training bonding worked for Jorge Posada and AJ Burnett. Both players started camp fully intent on resolving whatever issues existed between them. They also were determined to show the baseball world that they could build a strong working relationship. Did it work? We get the first answer tonight.

Posada had a rough night behind the plate Sunday so the questions have already started about his ability to manage a pitching staff. And those questions start with Burnett, one of the more difficult and frustrating pitchers to handle given his erratic pitching tendencies.

It would be great for the New York Yankees if Burnett and Posada have a good night. It’s an interesting twist of fate that the effort to work well together begins in Fenway Park, the site of Burnett’s notorious meltdown last year that started all the questions about his ability to work with Posada.

The team took a bit of a gamble letting Jose Molina, who had a nice rapport with AJ, go and giving the back-up job to Francisco Cervelli. If Posada and Burnett fizzle together, the pressure will be intense on Joe Girardi to make Cervelli AJ's personal catcher. The kid did a good job filling in for Posada and Molina when they got hurt last year, but still has to prove he can be a reliable backstop in 40-50 games.

Test #1 is tonight, but this will be an important issue for the Yankees throughout the season.

Thanks to shortstopVM via Wikipedia for the photo.

Jorge, AJ bonding off to a good start

The lovefest between catcher Jorge Posada and wild righty AJ Burnett got off to a good start yesterday when Posada caught AJ's first bullpen session in spring training. Both men seem determined to put an end to the lingering controversy created by Burnett's apparent preference throwing to Jose Molina, a preference that forced Joe Girardi to bench Posada at the start of Burnett's playoff games.

Posada and Burnett both insisted that they were looking forward to working together. Burnett did admit there were communication problems during rough starts last year, but said he wants to throw the ball to Posada. Jorge said they have both moved on and that he loves catching AJ.

But it's easy to bond in spring training when the baseball games don't mean anything. The real test comes during a critical start against the Boston Red Sox. Will the two men figure out a way to work together to tame the Red Sox bats? Or will Burnett again show his frustration with Posada after that August meltdown in Fenway Park last year? We'll know soon.

Thanks to Keith Allison via Wikipedia for the photo.

Time to fix Posada-Burnett catching problems

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Jorge Posada will catch AJ Burnett during spring training games in anticipation of regularly catching the wild righty during the regular season. It's a good plan.

It's high time that Burnett be weaned off this personal catcher routine. I know he had problems with Posada and pitched better when being caught by Jose Molina. I even advocated that Molina catch him during the baseball playoffs last year, given the high stakes. But it's a new year and Molina is no longer a Yankee so it's the perfect time for Jorge and AJ to get to know each other and get a rhythm going.

Posada seems genuinely excited about catching Burnett after feeling the sting of having to sit at the start of his turns in the postseason rotation. But the catcher, known for his fiery personality, is going to have to make a real attempt to understand his pitchers' needs. And that goes beyond Burnett, who wasn't the only pitcher to have a problem with Posada.

But the focus will be on Jorge and AJ. Let's hope for the Yankees sake those two can finally start seeing eye to eye.

Thanks to ShortstopVM and Googie man via en.Wikipedia for the photos.

Francisco Cervelli's time is now

Francisco Cervelli stepped up for the New York Yankees in a big way last year when both Jorge Posada and Jose Molina went down with injuries within a week. His fantastic baseball performance was surprising and very welcome, hitting nearly .300 and earning raves from a pitching staff where some members quietly grumbled about Posada's catching ability. Now let's see what Cervelli can do with his chance to shine as Posada's backup.

The pressure on Cervelli is going to be tremendous this year, especially with superprospect Jesus Montero waiting in the wings. Montero is already getting a lot of ink, with a profile in the Daily News this weekend. But Montero is only 20 years old and probably needs at least another year or two in the minor leagues. This is Cervelli's time to show what he can do in the big leagues.

He is lucky to have a former big-league backstop in Joe Girardi as his manager. Girardi taught Posada a lot of what he knows about catching and can do the same for Cervelli. Plus, Girardi is going to be patient with the youngster and will do his best to deflect any pressure. But ultimately it will be up to Cervelli to show last year was no fluke. I'll be rooting for him.

Thanks to Keith Allison via Wikipedia for the photo.

Yanks budget concerns justified

After seeing the latest luxury tax bill for the New York Yankees, I can understand why Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner are so determined to stick to their budget, reportedly set at about $185 million. The Yankees will send Major League Baseball a check for $25.69 million for the 2009 season, bringing their total luxury tax bill to $190 million since 2003. By comparison, the Boston Red Sox have paid nearly $14 million in that timeframe as the runner-up in luxury tax payments.

Going forward, the Yankees' threshold for paying a luxury tax rises to 40% of payroll over $170 million in 2010 and over $178 million in 2011, the last year of the current collective bargaining agreement. If the Yanks successfully keep to that $185 million figure next year, their luxury tax payment would be only $6 million, more than 75% lower than this year's payment. Even if the 2010 payroll goes up to $200 million, that still represents only a $12 million payment, reducing it by more than half.

The team has made several moves this offseason that have reduced payroll dramatically, including not re-signing Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, who made a combined $26 million in 2009. Even smaller moves such as promoting Francisco Cervelli to be the back-up catcher saves cash as he made only $400,000 compared to Jose Molina's $2.1 million. Of course, the Yanks have also added about $23.5 million to next year's payroll by trading for Javier Vazquez and Curtis Granderson and signing Nick Johnson.

During the Granderson press conference, Hal Steinbrenner said if the Yankees have the money to spend they will, but also said he is a "believer in budgets." Cashman seems determined to stay below the limit Steinbrenner gave him. Let's see how close they actually come to sticking to their budget. I say they miss it by at least $10 million. After all, it is the Yankees.

Hairston Jr. should return to Yankees

I'm hoping Jerry Hairston Jr. returns to the Yanks next year. I think he's a great fit for the team, especially as Joe Girardi is going to have to rest Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez to keep them fresh throughout the season. As long as he doesn't ask for the moon, I think Brian Cashman should bring him back.

Eric Hinske could return too, but I think of him as less of a priority. He brings good pop to the Yankee bench, but he's a pretty one-dimensional player.

I'm less inclined to bring Jose Molina back. He's a good defensive catcher, but his lack of a decent bat puts the Yanks in a bad spot. I love what Francisco Cervelli did for the Yanks when Molina and Jorge Posada were injured and I'd like to see him get a shot as the back-up catcher.

I'd like to see Xavier Nady come back from his injury and play for the Yanks. He was a solid player after being traded to the Yanks in 2008 by the Pirates. If it wasn't for his unfortunate injury, I believe he would have made another strong contribution to the team.

Hairston Jr., Hinkse, Molina and Nady have all filed for free agency.

Thanks to Keith Allison via Wikipedia for the photo.

Joe Girardi hints at roster changes for World Series

On Mike Francesca's show today, Joe Girardi hinted that there would be changes to the Yankees roster, which is due to Major League Baseball by 10am tomorrow. He wouldn't publicly announce what the changes would be, but when Francesca mentioned that Eric Hinske would probably replace Freddy Guzman due to the need for additional hitters against a National League team, he agreed that change makes sense.

Francesca also asked him about carrying three catchers and Girardi said that if they wanted to add another pitcher for the next round, that is something they would have to look at. That does not bode well for Francisco Cervelli, who would likely be off the roster, but is a good sign for Brian Bruney, who probably would take his place. Having the three catchers has worked well for Girardi since he's been able to pinch hit Jorge Posada for Jose Molina, who has caught AJ Burnett in all his starts, without worrying about a catcher getting hurt. But that doesn't mean Posada will be catching AJ in Game 2. "The AJ/Molina thing has worked pretty well," Girardi said.

An interesting twist (one that Francesca deserves credit for getting out of Girardi) is that it's not impossible that Yankee fans could see Hideki Matsui in the outfield when the World Series moves to Philadelphia. It's been presumed that Matsui's knees are too weak to play the outfield, particularly since he only pinch hit when the Yanks played nine straight games in NL parks during interleague play in the regular season. But Girardi said he could foresee a situation where Matsui goes into the outfield later in the game as part of a double switch.

Girardi also said it's not a foregone conclusion that he will go with a 3-man rotation in the World Series because that would mean all the pitchers starting on only three days rest. He said he would wait to see how the series develops and decide if Chad Gaudin gets a start.

Thanks to Keith Allison via Wikipedia for the photo.

Starting Jorge Posada at DH the right move

Since Jose Molina will be catching AJ Burnett in tomorrow's Game 5 start, Joe Girardi is considering starting Jorge Posada as the designated hitter. It's the right move. Jorge is swinging a hot bat while Hideki Matsui continues to struggle, hitting pop-ups and striking out with runners in scoring position and helping to kill several Yankee rallies.

I also think Nick Swisher has one more game to regain his swing. If the Yankees clinch a World Series berth tomorrow and Swish has another fruitless night, then Girardi will have to add Eric Hinske back to the roster. While everyone else has shown some signs of life (except maybe Robinson Cano), Swisher continues to struggle and may have to take a seat on the bench. You can't let one player drag down your entire offense.

AJ Burnett gets the job done for the Yanks

Watching AJ Burnett pitch drives me batty, but he gets the job done, like he did last night in giving the Yankees 6 plus solid innings of 2-run ball. It is so frustrating to watch him walking and hitting batters, which I was convinced was going to burn him going against the Halos' running game. He did toss a wild pitch that allowed the Angels to score the tying run. But somehow it all worked out for him in the end and he gave the Yankees exactly what they needed.

Jose Molina deserves a lot of credit for guiding AJ through another critical start. Perhaps Jorge Posada should be grateful that he doesn't have to catch AJ when he's like this. Posada doesn't have the patience for erratic pitchers. That's probably why he and AJ don't work well together. But all Posada has to do is wait until AJ is done for the night and then he can pitch hit for Molina and play the rest of the game, so he doesn't have to sit an entire game out.

Ken Davidoff absolutely right about yankees

Ken Davidoff is right on about why the Yankees will win the American League Championship Series in 7 games. I think he makes some great points about Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, home-field advantage and the depth of the Yankees bench. He also rightly points out that the Yanks have historically done better with a Democrat in the White House. He also could have mentioned the fact that Hillary Clinton is no longer the junior Senator from NY. My friend Scott (die-hard Mets fan) used to talk about the "Curse of Hillary" as the Yanks hadn't won the World Series during her Senate career.



I do think Davidoff glossed over some of the reasons why the Angels will be a tough opponent for the Yankees. Their running game is going to give the Yankees' pitching staff fits. With the exception of Andy Pettitte, none of the starters is great at keeping runners on base. Having Jose Molina catch AJ Burnett will help a little, but AJ tends to walk a lot of runners so the bases should be full of Angels.



The Angels also have the better manager in Mike Scioscia. He has a lot more experience, including managing his team to a World Series win, than Joe Girardi. I bet Angels fans don't worry about their manager blowing out their bullpen. The Yankee bullpen, despite Phil Hughes' struggles in the American League Division Series, should be a strength if bullpen moves are properly managed. In contrast, the Angels are really missing K-Rod.



That being said, I still believe the Yankees will win what should be an awesome series. I think they have the stronger lineup and bullpen and their starting pitching matches up pretty well. Yanks in seven, baby!