Jorge Posada Is Still Not Hitting

After Jorge Posada quietly removed himself from the lineup on May 14th, it looked like maybe he had turned a corner. He had three hits in his next six ABs (including two doubles) and three walks. But since then, he's been the same ol' Jorge.

Before Posada-gate (125 PA): .165/.272/.349

Since (33 PA): .185/.333/.296

He's getting on base a bit more, but hitting for less power.

How much of these terrible two months can be attributed to luck?

First off, I don't believe a player that OPS+'ed 125 and 117 the last two years could fall off such a precipitous cliff. His peripheral stats somewhat back that up. While his line drive rate (15%) is the lowest of his career, it's still not low enough to explain his .181 BABIP. He's also hitting more grounders than at any time since 2004. With his speed, he just can't beat out any infield hits. With that said, I do expect his numbers to increase as the season wears on (and as his luck changes). But how much is anyone's guess.

If the last couple games are any indication, Posada will abstain from seeing southpaws the rest of the year. He did not get a PA against either Brett Anderson or Gio Gonzalez, both lefties. And for good reason: in 33 PA his OPS vs. LHP is .182. That's not his batting average, that's his OPS. Against righties he's fared respectably well: .734 OPS over 125 PA.

That is the reverse of his career splits, where he's hit better against lefties. So would you let him DH against southpaws? Should he only hit against righties? And how long should he remain with the team if he's continues to struggle?