Posada: Molina to catch AJ
by NumberSeven on Oct 6, 2009 2:22 PM EDT
44 comments
This is according to the LoHud Yankees Blog:
Jorge Posada just revealed that Joe Girardi told him on Sunday that Jose Molina will catch A.J. Burnett in this series.
...
“I just hope we win that game,” Posada said. “That’s all I’ve got to say.”
He added, “It’s not like I didn’t see it coming.”
When asked if he might be the DH when Molina catches, Posada said he wasn’t sure but that, “Matsui is our DH.”
Also confirmed on Tyler Kepner's twitter page.
Hopefully this works out for everyone. With AJ pitching to a comfortable backstop, there will be no excuses. I just hate to have Matsui's or Jorge's bat sitting on the bench in favor of Jose Molina.
0 recs |
44 comments
Email
Print
Comments
Clearly by that quote Jorgie is pissed about it....But its about the team. I think hitters are like .270+ off of AJ and Jorge, but like .240 off of AJ & Molina. I wonder if he made this face after he found out:
http://www.everyjoe.com/knucklecurve/files/2008/05/jorge-posada-yankees-injury_nc.jpg
------It's October,winning is what the Yankees do........let's just do it already
by ReggieARodJeter on Oct 6, 2009 2:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Posada should keep his mouth shut...
…it’s not his job to break news, it’s Girardi’s.
Play the role your manager tells you to, and shut the fuck up.
by New York Sports Jerk on Oct 6, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Amazing that he's got that ego thing goin' still.
Isn’t it obvious to him by now that the reason Mo and Jeter are getting all the credit and all the glorification for the late 90s dynasty and current resurgence has to do with his attitude sometimes?
------It's October,winning is what the Yankees do........let's just do it already
by ReggieARodJeter on Oct 6, 2009 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
While I agree with you, Jerk...
He was point blank asked if Joe had said anything about it to him.
If Posada blows off the question, or is less than truthful- he gets villified for being a liar, as Girardi did last year.
Granted, Jorge could spin it in a more positive light… hopefully this all works out.
by NumberSeven on Oct 6, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he could have pulled a Jeter
“Mr. Girardi is the manager, we all trust him and I think that we are all competitors and want to be out there every single inning, but he calls the shots and we respect him”.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's why Posada is not a captain
He is very self absorbed. I LOVE him but he should be thinking about the team, not what makes him feel good. AJ pitches better with Molina, why? I don’t know. Maybe they spoon between starts, maybe Molina owes AJ money and lets him call his own game. Who cares. The numbers are the numbers.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe they spoon between starts
lol… nice
whatever it takes to win
by GriffMan on Oct 6, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only reason Posada is mad
Is because he wants to be able to play because he feels he could help the team. Even though, rationally, he knows that we’re better off with Molina in there, he wants to be out on that field because he wants to be able to contribute to another WS. It’s frustrating for him to have to sit it out. It isn’t ego, it’s pride. That being said, he shouldn’t reveal any of that anger to the media.
by YankeesRock on Oct 6, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
+1
Good point. Pride of Posada. Makes sense.
------It's October,winning is what the Yankees do........let's just do it already
by ReggieARodJeter on Oct 6, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whatever helps Burnett pitch a better game.
Is what i want.
Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.
by CasanovaWong on Oct 6, 2009 2:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
So I'm gonna take a guess that Pettite will pitch game 2 then?
As Molina hitting instead of Posada or Matsui twice in five games is sickening.
by Monotonousblob on Oct 6, 2009 3:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
+1
this should mean AJ gets the ball in game 3.
Facial LaFleur, total facial.
by Lord Duggan on Oct 6, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yankees.com
indicates that burnett is pitching game 2 and pettite 3
by justinxyankeesfan on Oct 6, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think is a bad idea.
Not sure you want to go lefty and lefty back to back.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This way it's Pettite game 3 Sabathia game 4
so either way its lefty lefty unless there’s a sweep.
Facial LaFleur, total facial.
by Lord Duggan on Oct 6, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
True
But as we all know there won’t be a need for game 4.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i think
the point about Molina hitting twice in a five game series over posada/matsui is a good one.
however the key factor are the road/home splits. (especially with the rest of the lineup, having molina in there isn’t too bad considering his defense and game-calling contributions) if i remember correctly (can’t pull up the stats at work), burnett’s a better road pitcher so he might get the call from game
Sport's newest and hottest blog: www.writingthepine.com
by jeter2jeter on Oct 6, 2009 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the stats
11 games with Molina, 16 with Posada:
Molina: batters hit .221/.307/.352.
Posada: batters hit .270/.353/.421.
Molina K:BB ratio: 2.66
Posada: 1.72
Burnett pitched better to Molina, no question, but is that really because of Molina, or is it just chance?
by Travis G on Oct 6, 2009 3:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Obviously the same size is less than difinitive
and I think that the only person who knows for sure is A.J. Burnett. I think we can stand one game of Molina in the ALDS, but it’s very likely at some point in this post season we are going to want to have him pitch to Jorge. When that time comes, he needs to not act like a middle school girl, get over it, and throw some strikes.
Facial LaFleur, total facial.
by Lord Duggan on Oct 6, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That is a large enough sample size
To remove the “accident” quotient. If anyone has ever watched AJ pitch to both you can tell right away who he likes better. He shakes Posada off like wet dog.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's not even close to a large enough sample size
11 starts are, what, 70 innings at most? If 70 innings are enough to judge a pitcher, then Jaret Wright and Bud Smith with still have jobs in major league baseball.
Let me ask you a question: do you honestly believe there is something that Molina does – bet it pitch calling, sequencing, framing the plate – that determines whether Burnett is going to have 7 walks and 2 strikeouts that day or 2 walks and 12 strikeouts? Do you really believe that Molina is the determining factor?
Molina is an automatic out at the plate, and I would cringe if they lost the game he started by a run.
by 3460kuri on Oct 6, 2009 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bottom line
JoeG thinks Molina should catch AJ. It’s all academic now.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
girardi...
I remember when we randy johnson the one year he was with the yankees only pitch to john flaherty…. i dont remember but did tore only used posada in the playoffs??? maybe jorge is not used to this…
by bigblu on Oct 6, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This is interesting
I heard the quote on Mike Francesa’s show, and Posada sounded pretty angry about it. Basically, if Burnett doesn’t pitch well, then that clubhouse which has had so much chemistry this season, is going to be destroyed by Posada. He’s never going to let A.J. hear the end of it if he doesn’t throw 7 good innings and get a W. He’d better win. And Molina, he’d better not strike out with the bases loaded or cost the team a runs with his bat, or he’s going to hear it as well. This could work out great, but it also could destroy everything.
Still, Girardi has to do what is best for the team. This is one of the things I like about Girardi. He has guts. This is something Torre never did, and never would have done. Torre would NEVER have sat down Jorge Posada in the playoffs. Tons of pitchers hated throwing to Posada. Clemens, Mussina, Johnson, ect…. But they all pitched to him in the postseason, because Torre knew that he would get the same reaction Girardi is getting now from Posada. But again, Joe Girardi needs to do what is best for the New York Yankees, not Jorge Posada. The pitcher influences a game a LOT more than 4 at bats by a catcher, most of the time. Burnett is significantly better with Molina behind the plate. And if that gives us the best chance to win? Then Posada had better shut his mouth. But if Burnett doesn’t pitch well and the Yankees lose that game, then I’m really afraid that Posada will really hurt the chemistry, at least between part of the team. He could also significantly hurt A.J. Burnett. While he seems like a tough guy, Posada can make guys emotionally upset. And thats something the Yankees won’t need in the postseason, especially if facing elimination.
by nyyrocks29 on Oct 6, 2009 4:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Joe should tell Posada behind closed doors to shut the fuck up
until Posada is a manager one day.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not to defend Torre but..
He did start John Flaherty in game 3 of the 2005 ALDS when Randy Johnson pitched. Obviously it backfired since RJ was awful.
The inability of Posada and AJ to gel this season left Girardi in a difficult spot. Nobody wants to see Molina with a bat in his hands, but Burnett pitching well is way more important than the 2-3 at bats over 6-7 innings.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Oct 6, 2009 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really?
well, I try not to remember those series. Bad memories, you know?
by nyyrocks29 on Oct 7, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well...
Yanks role players win World Series games. Jose Vizcaino and Luis Sojo coming to mind right now, but there are certainly others.
by Sgurd0187 on Oct 6, 2009 4:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Scooped.
I’ve got a long, semi-serious look at the difference between Jorge and Jose coming soon- I couldn’t get it done before I fell asleep last night. I’ve got to get my Excel to feed the graph through properly and then I’ll post it.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
by jscape2000 on Oct 6, 2009 4:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Bottom line....
Burnett is more comfortable with Molina behind the plate, and it’s worth it to trade a 6 run, 3 IP performance and 3 AB for Molina for a 3 Run, 6 IP performance and 3 AB by Posada.
Also, this gives us the chance to play matchups with Posada and Matsui at DH, to rest Posada or Matsui, and to bring in Posada to PH and catch after Burnett goes out in a close game.
by PortlandYankee on Oct 6, 2009 4:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
They better win this game.
I mean Molina I guess is the type of horrible hitter who has come alive at opportune times in the playoffs during their runs (tho guys like Sojo weren’t nearly as bad…)
But, and while I don’t care if the same thing could have happened to Jorge…if Molina hits the Yanks out of more than one potential rally, I’m throwing my TV out a window.
What the f$%k is the internet?
by FreeBradshaw on Oct 6, 2009 6:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Look at it this way
If AJ does well with Molina, obviously we are keeping the opponent from scoring. If they DO score on AJ, Molina comes out with AJ and in goes Posada. I think this is really a none issue.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What about the DH
Is it for sure that Matsui’s going to DH over Posada in game 2? The advantage I could see to DHing Posada is that, while they’re pretty much statistically equal overall, Matsui is batting .381 with a 1.119 OPS as a pinch hitter this season.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Oct 6, 2009 6:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't know the exact numbers..
but Jorge’s a pretty good PHer too.
Also, should they fail in that PH duty and the game go to extra’s, Matsui’s useless going forward, Posada can (thankfully at that point) replace Molina.
What the f$%k is the internet?
by FreeBradshaw on Oct 6, 2009 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In Yankee Stadium
you have Matsui DH no matter what
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Oct 6, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
probably depends on the starter
Matsui OPSing .976 vs. LHP, .835 vs. RHP (strange reverse split).
Posada OPSing .836 vs. LHP, .909 vs. RHP.
so there ya go. Matsui should face lefties, Posada righties (though it could also depend on individual pitcher matchups).
by Travis G on Oct 6, 2009 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Posada is DH
and Matsui pinch hits for Molina later in the game, can Posada catch for the remainder of the game?
by pinstriper on Oct 6, 2009 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
then you'd lose the DH.
for the rest of the game.
What the f$%k is the internet?
by FreeBradshaw on Oct 6, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Community Guidelines
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
