While it would appear the Jorge Posada situation has quickly cooled down, there is still plenty of talk going on about the state of the Yankees with their 39-year-old DH remaining a popular topic. After he reportedly threw a fit on Saturday when Joe Girardi penciled him in as the ninth hitter in the New York lineup, Posada apologized to his coaches and teammates and was given a standing ovation when he came to the plate as a pinch hitter Sunday night.
Interestingly enough, Posada received some supportive words from a member of his biggest rival on Sunday afternoon. As pointed out by The Boston Herald, David Ortiz said he believes the Yankees are treating Posada unfairly and should show him more respect.
“You want me to tell you what I think? They’re doing that guy wrong,” Ortiz said. “They’re doing him wrong. Because that guy, he’s legendary right there in the organization.”
Ortiz also said that he thinks Jorge would be better off if the Yankees allowed him to catch a few games rather than focusing solely on hitting, adding that “DHing sucks” and can mess with your head when you find yourself in a hitting slump.
Simply put, I couldn’t disagree with Big Papi’s assessment any more. It has been said that the most difficult thing to do as a manager or coach is to deal with an aging superstar, and this is a perfect example of that. Why does it matter that Posada was once a great hitter and an important piece of the Yankees’ lineup? He is batting .165 and does not have a hit against left-handed pitching. The job of a manager is to win right now and there’s a fine line between loyalty and stupidity.
Based on Ortiz’s and a few others’ reasoning, Joe Girardi would have an obligation to keep Yogi Berra in the Yankees lineup in a reasonable position if he wanted to play. After all, he was once a great hitter and has done tremendous things for the organization, right? Respecting Posada is completely reasonable. Believing he should be in the Yankees lineup because he was a great player in the past is just plain illogical.
