Cashman: Posada’s our DH

December 6, 2010 by Mike Axisa 46 Comments

Via LoHud, Brian Cashman told reporters this afternoon that Jorge Posada was in fact slated to be the team’s regular designated hitter next season. “He’s our DH,” said Cashman. “That’s what he is, unless he plays himself off it.” Harsh, but it’s what’s best for the team. Looks like Jesus Montero is going to get a chance to sink or swing next season.

mbonzo

Good, I couldn’t imagine having Montero/Posada as our catching rotation. Teams would run all over us.
- pat
  
  Cervelli was objectively terrible behind the plate last year.
  - mbonzo
    
    Which is why they are looking in to Russel Martin. I still have hope for Cervelli, he was very good behind the plate in 2009 and in the minors. 2010 was his first year catching more than 42 games since 2007 so I wouldn’t expect his numbers to be great, but he looked pitiful. He should rebound.
    - MikeD
      
      Why would Martin sign with the Yankees? I doubt he wants to be a back-up, so his only hope to play would be Montero’s failure. I think the Red Sox have a more attractive situation to offer since I don’t believe for second they’re committed to Salty.
      - mbonzo
        
        I agree, but their interest shows that the Yankees want a better fielding catcher than Posada or Montero.
      - The Three Amigos
        
        Most money? Injured and wants to catch less for one year to fully heal and try to rebound? Work with Kevin Long to try and regain his former bat? Montero may not even start in the majors and with Posada DHing, cervilli would go to AAA. More then enough catching for Martin, plus he would most likely be a late game defensive replacement for Montero too.
    - http://twitter Tamagura
      
      I agree. They need to give Cervelli a chance. He was really great in 2009. Many Yankees slumped in 2010. I think Cervelli has a great future as a catcher. He Has a lot of heart. Also, I think he is a ‘real’ man because he does ‘not’ wear & ‘fuss over’ batting gloves.
  - http://www.theyankeeu.com/author/steve-s/ Nostra-Artist
    
    He was also AJs personal catcher, who gives you no chance to throw anyone out. He threw out 43% in 09, so I suspect that AJ had a lot to do with it.
    - http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
      
      FWIW: If you take away Cervelli’s starts with AJ, he was still only at 22.5% this year.
      (He was 24 SB : 2 CS with AJ; 31 SB: 7 CS with other SP)
    - Chris
      
      Whether it was AJ or just a bad year, Cervelli’s minor and major league history suggest that he’s pretty good at throwing runners out. Hopefully he bounces back.
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:_kiqlcWTTZDd3M:http://static.funnyjunk.com/pictures/44c94946_8621_3dc0.jpg&t=1 Do Not Feed the Trolls!

Letting Montero start next season almost makes up for Joba staying a reliver

Almost cash almost
Mickey Scheister

Have him catch Pettitte, for old times sake!
http://www.theyankeeu.com/author/steve-s/ Nostra-Artist

“..unless he plays himself off it”

That could be taken two ways. That if he somehow has a tremendous ST behind the plate, he could earn himself some time behind the plate.

The other way to take is he’s our DH, unless he sucks at DHing, and then he rides the bench. I suspect this is what Brian was thinking.
- http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno
  
  Yeah I was just gonna say, it could be taken that first way.
  - http://www.theyankeeu.com/author/steve-s/ Nostra-Artist
    
    I could see it either way, but I’ll assume Cash is familiar with Jorge’s career numbers coming off the bench as a DH/PH. IIRC his OPS drops around 100 points to around the .700 mark. I’m sure they’re hoping for more than that out of their 2011 DH. They may want to give Montero some of those ABs, especially if they land a Russell Martin.
    - http://www.theyankeeu.com/author/steve-s/ Nostra-Artist
      
      Here’s the piece I did
      
      http://www.theyankeeu.com/2010/11/jorge-the-dh-22851
    - Moshe Mandel
      
      I’d say that number might be misleading. DH/PH time often comes when a catcher is hurt/beat up/tired. It doesn’t erase the entire disparity, but I bet you’d see a pattern of this among catchers who have been around for a bit.
      - radnom
        
        Was just about to say this word for word. I hate when people take the DH numbers of a guy who regularly plays the field as some kind of proof that they are not as good a hitter while DHing.
- steve (different one)
  
  i took it the first way, but i did think consider he may have meant it the other way.
http://danielslifka.wordpress.com Jerome S

over/under: .265/.375/.490
- mbonzo
  
  over .265
  under .375
  under .490
- http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno
  
  Under–I say .260
  Under–I say .365
  Over–I say .495
Gonzo

I wonder how a Martin signing would change things. Montero starts in the minors? Cervelli traded?
- radnom
  
  Montero still gets an opportunity to win the job out of spring training, but if he doesn’t get it he spends a few months in AAA then comes up late May/early June. Cervelli is stored in the minors until needed.
  
  I think this is actually a bigger signing for the Yankees than most people realize. Both having him on the roster with Montero and being able to fill in the first month or so as a starter would be enormous.
Andy

Do we really want Posada DHing? Are there no better options out there? I know we don’t want him catching, but that doesn’t mean that we necessarily want him DHing.
- http://twitter.com/steveh_mandaura Steve H
  
  Yes we want him DH’ing.
- FIPster Doofus
  
  Why not? He’s still a productive hitter.
- Sean C
  
  With the $13mil or so owed him, I think it would behoove the Yankees to use him. And I wouldn’t be surprised if A-Rod gets a share of games DH-ing. But who else should the Yankees go after? Konerko?
- ultimate913
  
  It’s only for a year. It could be worse.
- Chris
  
  Posada had a .357 wOBA last year. Only 3 DHs were better: Guerrero (.360), Ortiz (.380) and Luke Scott (.387). Posada will be more than acceptable at DH next year.
- http://twitter.com/kschmidt2 Kiersten
  
  You could do much worse than Jorge Posada, even at 39, as your DH.
Squishy Jello Person

Yep, still loving that bat
Crosetti32

Yanks need a new GM…when Cashman talks to the press about Yankee players, I get the impression it’s his form of payback for not getting picked for the teams in school.
- Esteban
  
  Ha nice one.
- http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno
  
  Not sure if serious. I’m hoping my sarcasm meter is just down.
  - Big Stein
    
    actually, I think that’s spot on.
    
    I mean, how often do skinny elves get picked for teams?
- Big Stein
  
  are saying he’s a nerd?
- ZZ
  
  Cashman was a good college ballplayer.
  
  It is amazing how many times this type of line gets thrown out there directed at people that probably played baseball at a higher level than the person making the comment.
Accent Shallow

I’d really rather see Montero start in AAA, and have him play his way onto the squad.
- Chris
  
  He already did that last year. That’s why he’s get a chance to start the season in the majors.
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com bexarama

I honestly thought the “unless he plays himself off it” comment was really unnecessary (unless Cashman meant that in a good way).
billy’s bartender

makes sense to have Montero start the season in NY. He is going to struggle the first time thru the league, so lets let him struggle in april and may. i’ve heard the ball off his bat- he will catch up to big league pitching
Jonathan

I think a lot of people are forgetting another part of Martin’s game. He can handle 3B and in a limited (extremely) sample size UZR likes his defense there. I think having him be able to play most of the backup innings at 3B while catching a bulk too makes him extremely valuable to us. Obviously, on the infield, Arod is the guy that needs the strong majority of time off his position and replacing Pena or Nunez’s bulk innings with Martin could be very valuable.
Monteroisdinero

If we don’t get Lee, spend the money on Crawford, DH Swish and Posada catches 30-40 games and is our bench super-sub in every other game. We lose a bit on our $13M investment-too bad. One less slow and bad baserunner in our offense for EVERY game. If Montero is not ready for some reason, Jorge plays more if he can stay healthy which is increasingly questionable. Hopefully Sado won’t teach Jesus his technique for blocking home plate.
http://www.twitter.com/brandonholley B-Rando

I hope Montero gets the job out of spring training. I don’t think anyone expects him to come and just start raking (which would be a pleasant surprise), but let’s let him get through his growing pains while the season is young so by mid-season, he’s had a chance to work some of those rookie issues out.
- Monteroisdinero
  
  I like this.