Posada apologizes for Saturday

May 15, 2011 by Mike Axisa 101 Comments

Update (8:25pm): The Yankees announced that they’ve accepted Posada’s apology and consider the matter closed. Jorge will not be disciplined. Good to hear, let’s all move on to the important stuff.

Original Post (6:00pm): Jorge Posada apologized to Joe Girardi today, telling reporters that he just “had a bad day.” Posada indicated that he will also speak and apologize to Brian Cashman at some point as well. I’m sure they’ll be accepted. “I think I’ve learned from this,” said Jorge. “It’s not about Jorge Posada, it’s about the team. I let some people down. Everything happens for a reason. You live with your mistakes, you move on.” He also spoke to some teammates before apologizing today, namely Derek Jeter.

Posada, by the way, is not in the lineup tonight. That probably has to do more with Jon Lester (Posada is 4-for-21 off him and hitless in 24 at-bats vs. LHP this year) than all this nonsense though. We might not see him against David Price tomorrow either.

Cuso

Fair enough. Let’s move on.
- JerseyJoe
  
  Let Jorge have his way and throw his fit…it not like Chavez doesn’t run better and accept a dh role..not to mention if ne one forgot Andrew jones is on the bench n will do better batting daily. He did just go yard btw
Pat D

Glad I won’t be watching tonight to hear ESPN talk about it all game long.
http://www.theyankeeanalysts.com Steve S.

Bravo. Way to man up, Jorge. Now let’s just put all this behind us.
Matt :: Sec110

What I don’t like is a few of Jeter’s comments (coming from Yankee beat writer tweets).

This one via Jack Curry:
More Jeter on Posada: “My understanding is he told the mgr he needed a day. If that’s the case, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

I know him and Posada are boys, but come on, there was obvious wrong doing on Posada’s part…he admitted it himself.

That being said, it seems like this was ‘fixed’ as best they could. Jorge seems embarrassed and truly apologetic, and for that, I give him credit.
- Pasqua
  
  Technically, Jeter’s comment is accurate. A guy says he can’t go that day, and a maanager should respect that (especially a veteran). The big issue was the supposed “hissy fit” that Posada threw and the accusation that his ask-out of the lineup was because he was batting 9th. Jeter’s comment (smartly) avoids that issue.
  - CP
    
    I agree. Even if the reason is simply that he was upset to find out he was batting ninth. If his head’s not in the right place, then he’s not going to help the team, so he shouldn’t play. It becomes a problem if it goes on more than a day or happens a couple of times.
  - http://www.theyankeeanalysts.com Steve S.
    
    No, his comment is still wrong and I suspect disingenuous. The manager makes the call on whether or not a player is too hurt to play, not the player. The player is supposed to tell him how he feels, but not make the call.
    - Pasqua
      
      Forget the context for a second (batting 9th). If Jorge Posada says to Girardi, “I don’t think I can go today,” do you really think the manager is going to INSIST that his 13-some-odd-year veteran plays? He might try to talk him into it, or raise an eyebrow, but I can’t imagine he doesn’t give him the day. Posada, regardless of this incident, has built up plenty of “gamer” equity in his career.
    - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
      
      No, his comment is still wrong and I suspect disingenuous.
      
      His comment is most likely disingenuous, and that’s likely exactly how Jeter intended it to be. He has no need nor inclination to talk to the press about his real feelings. Jeter playing the middle and not PUBLICLY siding with either Girardi or Posada makes sense, and is the move of a savvy captain (something I haven’t often given him credit for being).
      
      I hope Jeter, behind closed doors, told Posada that he was wrong for what he did, but I hope that Jeter also refused to PUBLICLY pile onto Jorge’s misery-fest, and it looks like that’s what he did. Well played.
  - Cuso
    
    Yeah, it might have been accurate, but was uncomplete. Jeter didn’t comment on the “hour before game-time w/o being due to illness/injury” angle.
    - Pasqua
      
      Right. So he stayed clear of addressing the real issue, like a good politician. He’s good at handling the media.
- JobaWockeeZ
  
  Jeter’s not going to start a rift with 2 members of the “key three.” He probably wants this bs to end and I’m fine with that.
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
    
    And he probably wants to stick up for his aging friend while that friend is being shown the door, because he knows he might be shown the door himself at some point in the near future and hopes his friends will similarly stick up for him.
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
  
  Do you think Jeter really thinks nothing at all was wrong about what Jorge did?
  
  Or do you think Jeter isn’t going to tell you what he really thinks about what Jorge did, because Jorge’s his friend and you’re not?
  - Matt :: Sec110
    
    He could have said “Jorge made a mistake, we all have, now we have to move forward.”
    - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
      
      He said, emphasis mine,
      
      “My understanding is, he told the manager he needed a day. If that’s the case, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
      
      Translation: As far as I know or even care to find out, Jorge didn’t do anything disrespectful. If that’s the case, and Jorge didn’t do anything disrespectful, nothing bad happened and nobody should care.
      
      Jeter’s being deliberately obtuse to avoid having to pick a side. I totally get what Jeter is saying and why he’s saying it.
      - Pasqua
        
        Bingo. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
      - CP
        
        It’s typical Jeter. He talks and talks, but ultimately says nothing.
      - DCBX
        
        Derek’s comment can also be taken as “I spoke with Jorge. That’s none of your business. He apologized to the rest of y’all, and at this point, it is a “you” problem.
        
        It is somewhat unprofessional on Posada’s part to get a 24-hour “back injury” because he doesn’t like the 9 hole… but if it bothers him that much, he’s not going to hit any better when his timing is all jacked up at the plate AND he is getting forced to play anyway by the same manager who just put him in the 9 hole because he isn’t hitting his weight. Let him take a day off and get his head straight. A
        
        All the cliche “no i in team” stuff aside – I bet TSJC would have been able to put up a superior WAR as the DH thus far this season. Let’s not pretend that it might not be best for everyone for him to sit if he feels it will help him get sorted.
    - Rookie
      
      Well said, Matt. I think that’s EXACTLY what Jeter should have said.
      - first time lawng time
        
        Then people would be freaking out about what a jerk Jeter is for not supporting his friend.
        
        The best thing that Jeter can do in this kind of situation is be neutral with the public.
  - http://www.theyankeeanalysts.com Steve S.
    
    This.
- http://twitter.com/JoeRo23 The Honorable Congressman Mondesi
  
  I wouldn’t be surprised if Jeter’s reaction was influenced by his personal feelings about Cashman (and how Cashman handled this situation). It wouldn’t be surprising if Cashman is not Jeter’s favorite guy.
Feim

I wonder how many at bats it will take until Posada decides to retire…
- Pasqua
  
  Probably all of them.
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
    
    Agreed.
    
    Jorge will play until he’s benched. And then, after being benched, if the team doesn’t make a move to cut him, he’ll sit on the end of the bench all year long until his contract is up.
    
    http://mattbors.com/images/cashShirt.gif
    - http://www.theyankeeanalysts.com Steve S.
      
      I don’t see them cutting him. I don’t see him being traded for anything of value. From the team’s perspective, a 60 day DL stint would be best. If they do trade him for a B-prospect, they’re doing him a favor.
      - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
        
        A B prospect for a 39-year-old DH with a wOBA of .276 making 13.1M for the year is impossible. We’re firmly in D prospect territory… not that this would ever happen anyway.
        
        It’s either A) start hitting, B) get comfortable riding the bench, C) get cut, or D) retire.
        
        DCBX
        
        Yeah, it may be time for Jorge to figure out which minor league farm system he wants to coach/manage for after this season.
        
        As long as they don;t let him teach the baserunning fundamentals.
      - Pasqua
        
        He’s a 10/5 guy. He’d have to agree to a trade, and my hunch is that he would not.
        
        http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
        
        He’s a 10/5 guy.
        
        Shit, he’s a 17/17 guy. That’s a whole different level of “no trade clause”.
A Gritty Dude’s Gritty Dude

Good move Jorge
special kid

please shutup posada. you can apologize all you want, it doesnt change the fact that youre washed up! go sit on the bench and drink your wife’s breast milk.. good boy, good boy!
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
  
  Oaktag.
- Yanks27rings
  
  Damn, and I thought I could spell at age 11!
- http://danielslifka.wordpress.com Jerome S.
  
  I am increasingly convinced of your specialness.
  - first time lawng time
    
    Don’t compare specialkid to real children with mental disabilities. That’s mean.
    
    They get ridiculed enough. Comparing them to specialkid is just uncalled for.
    - Yanks27rings
      
      +1,000
    - http://danielslifka.wordpress.com Jerome S.
      
      i lol’d.
    - special kid
      
      lol
Jorge

They should all be batting ninth.

Jeter: “Hey Joe, where am I batting tonight?”
Girardi: “Ninth.”

Rodrigurz: Hey Joe, where am I batting tonight?”

You get the drill.

I hope the apology is accepted, everyone moves on, that nothing like this happens again, and that Jorge Posada is given the retirement celebration he deserves next year at the stadium.
IRF

Well I’m glad thats over.

Now we will never have to hear about it again…Right?
- Pat D
  
  I have some beachfront property in Kansas I’d like to show you…
  - IRF
    
    Its just like when CC said he wasn’t going anywhere, people stopped talking about the opt out clause.
  - JMK
    
    The way the Mississippi River is going lately, that’s sounding like a viable option.
Adam

Thank goodness, our long national nightmare is over. Now we can go back to normal so people can return to their regular lives, agonizing and obsessing over the team’s place in the standings in the second week of May.
- special kid
  
  sry its just getting started…. this season was doomed when lee went to the phillies.
  - first time lawng time
    
    If the season was doomed when Lee went to the Phillies, then it wouldn’t be just getting started, no?
    - special kid
      
      cuz its only may …………..
      - first time lawng time
        
        Lee signed in January. The season ends in the end of Sep. That’s 9 months. If it’s May then we are at the midpt which is hardly getting started…
    - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
      
      The “mind” of special kid cannot be understood. Just oaktag him and move along.
  - http://danielslifka.wordpress.com Jerome S.
    
    you again. Why are you a fatalist and a fan? If you’re going to do that, go root for the Mets.
  - first time lawng time
    
    In all honesty, I didn’t want Lee to begin with. We beat in 2009, we can beat him again. It’s not like he’s a perfect pitcher either. He has had bad starts before.
Tim

I am willing to bet he retires at the All Star Break.
- mbonzo
  
  I’ll make a $6.55 million bet that he doesn’t.
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
    
    Seconded.
first time lawng time

I’m glad Jorge apologized. He let his emotions get the best of him; it happens to everyone. It’s not a big deal, let’s just move on.

I’m not mad this whole thing happned, but I am mad about when it happened. Now we have to listen to those ESPN idiots rant about this whole thing and criticize the Yankees and drool over how classy David Ortiz was through his struggles last year and how the Yankees are unclassy monsters and bad for baseball.

I might be following gameday on this one.
- DCBX
  
  Ortiz? Sure you’re riiiight….
  
  Mr. “Any of joo guys going to go out there and hit the ball for me?!”
A-Rod’s Wingman

Another big story made out of nothing.
- first time lawng time
  
  Lol kinda reminds me of last year with “Braden’s mound.”
  
  in terms of the commotion it’s caused, I mean.
  - Slugger27
    
    the bradens mound thing was minor and a non-story, i agree. it wasnt a big deal, and shouldve never got the attention it did.
    
    this, on the other hand, is a pretty big story. one of the yankee stalwarts and clubhouse leaders refused to play a game against their arch rivals at a time when the team is really struggling to win, largely (if not solely) because he was too proud to hit 9th.
    
    he let his personal feelings get in the way of the overall team goal, which is to win ballgames. he created a distraction the team certainly doesnt need. it deserved the headlines it got, in my opinion.
    - first time lawng time
      
      I agree.
- Pasqua
  
  To an extent. The public bickering (within hours of whatever it was that went down) was pretty awful. That’s something that has to be parsed by the MSM. Also awful: that Posada pulled himself because of hurt feelings (if true). These things are pretty big stories.
  
  Now, any additional stories beyond today (barring legitimate developments), THAT will be making too much out of nothing.
  - JMK
    
    THIS.
101010

That’s all and good, but it’s time to move on. Enough about Jorge. It’s time to win games.
Fernando

Good let’s move on. The guy made a mistake because his pride was hurt. He didn’t take steroids, he didn’t do drugs, he didn’t carry an unlicensed handgun, he didn’t push the traveling secretary, he didn’t push an 80 year old man during a beanball fight, he didn’t try to bean someone in the head, he didn’t hit his wife, he didn’t sexually harrass team employees, he didn’t skip out on his taxes, he didn’t steal computer equipment and he didn’t drive while intoxicated. If you forgave players for any of those infractions, then it’s obvious you should forgive Posada.
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
  
  +20
- Twains Yankee
  
  Damn man, this might be my favorite RAB post ever by someone not names TSJC
- Slugger27
  
  couldnt agree more. well said.
  
  we as fans have every right to be upset with what he did, lord knows i was. but the guy has apologized and it seems to me to be very sincere.
  
  apology accepted, jorge. now go hit the damn batting cages.
- CP
  
  But he did pee on his hands.
  
  Do we have to forgive him for that?
Chris

If he didn’t suck then this would have never happened. Hit the ball Jorge, then you won’t be asked to bat 9th. Don’t be a whiney bitch because you suck.
- Slugger27
  
  while i agree that what he did was a whiny bitch move that was detrimental to the team, he has apologized for it. he should get credit for that.
Cuso

Wow, I am so impressed with Curt Schilling as an analyst. I am learning so much from his objectivity on the Posaga (Posada saga).

/threw up in my mouth’d
- first time lawng time
  
  What did he say?
  - Cuso
    
    turn on BB2N, he’s still talking
Pasqua

Heard a caller on ‘FAN today who actually made a cogent point. He said, “Jorge doesn’t need to apologize. He needs to hit.” Let us all remember that time, and a good BA w/ RISP, heals all wounds in NY.
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
  
  ~~Time~~ Doubles heal all wounds.
- http://www.CarlsYankeeDugout.com Carl
  
  And it’d be good for that BA w/ RISP to begin increasing tonight.
first time lawng time

In about 5 monthsish from now it’ll be the end of October and we’ll be watching the Yankees championship parade an we’ll be laughing and saying, “remember the Jorge drama? Talk about an overreaction by the media.”

Jorge will improve I can assure you all of that. He will be anintegral part the Yankees’ championship run.
And then in few weeks, he’ll announce his retirement and throw put the first pitch at the 2012 homeopener after he receives his ring.

You all can quote this when it happens.
- http://danielslifka.wordpress.com Jerome S.
  
  /truthbomb’d
- JMK
  
  You all can quote this when it happens.
  
  Bookmarked.
  
  But I don’t believe the media has really overreacted (and as someone working in media, I encounter this every single day), not yet anyway. It’s certainly a legitimate story and frankly, I’m a bit shocked the talking heads haven’t really locked in and completely shat bricks over it.
  
  But it will come over the next few days, that I’d wager.
  
  Hopefully I can quote this next April.
  - first time lawng time
    
    Yeah I probably shouldn’t have said the media has overreacted.
    
    Basically I personally feel this situation really isn’t that big of a deal and it will blow over.
    - mbonzo
      
      I think the problem was that Cashman spoke too soon about something he didn’t know enough about. There is also part of me (the consipracy theorist) that thinks this was an ongoing issue with Posada, and Cashman finally got tired of his behavior and used the media as his cracking whip. It reminds me of how Cashman used the media during the Jeter negotiations to threaten the free agent’s personal image of being a team player.
  - Cuso
    
    You have been watching basketball today and not ESPN apparently.
- Slugger27
  
  i hope everything u say turns out to be true, but i disagree that this was overblown. one of the clubhouse leaders refusing to play because he doesnt wanna bat 9th is a story worthy of plenty of attention.
  
  im glad he apologized and im ready to put this behind me, but lets not act like what he did was no big deal.
  - first time lawng time
    
    In my view, I am more concerned with what’s going on the field than off. I’m more concerned with the way the team has played recently than with the “Posaga.”
    
    I see what you’re saying though.
Monteroisdinero

A tale of two Jorges:

One should be DH and his last name is Vasquez. The other should be on the bench and pinch hit when needed but I don’t know who he would pinch hit for.

Perhaps we should let Posada catch once a week (CC) and he’ll do better with more urine on his hands.
- Slugger27
  
  i thought you were all about youth? isnt jorge vasquez like 30? with his body type, he might already be on the decline, which is kinda sad.
  - Monteroisdinero
    
    We still have Cervelli and Martin so there is no place for Montero this year except DH since Posada isn’t going anywhere. As such, I would give Vasquez a shot at DH.
    
    Montero-much as it hurts me to say-is better off catching every day at Scranton until Posada is off the team for good.
    
    If Martin is healthy all year and they bring him back-then we need to move Cervelli next year.
    
    Vasquez is 29/30 and has 14 HR’s already. He is in his prime enough for me.
    - Plank
      
      Cervelli shouldn’t be any kind of consideration when determining if Montero is ready for MLB. If Cervelli was blocking Montero, there would be something seriously wrong with the Yankees thought process.
forensic

What a farce. He ‘kind of’ apologized to him??? And boy am I shocked that Jeter just took his side over the team/organization.
- Yankee Fan 1
  
  listen to the jeter audio before making statements like this. He really didnt “take a side”
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder
    
    It seemed like he took great pains NOT to take a side.
  - forensic
    
    He said posada did nothing wrong and there was nothing to apologize for. Even the blind supporters here said he did something wrong and posada himself said he at least had to ‘kind of’ apologize. I fail to see how that’s not taking sides.
    - Slugger27
      
      he said BASED ON WHAT HE KNEW OF THE SITUATION, posada had nothing to apologize for.
      
      now, clearly, we all know jeter knows the details of what went down. him and jorge are very close friends, both on and off the field. i suspect jeter knows exactly what happened and why it happened. but WHAT HE TOLD THE MEDIA wasn’t taking sides.
- Slugger27
  
  And boy am I shocked that Jeter just took his side over the team/organization.
  
  i read the quotes, and really dont feel like he took jorges side. sounded more like a guarded response intended to be neutral. there wasnt any “id be upset too if joe hit me 9th, im not surprised jorge asked out” type soundbites. he steered clear of saying anyone was right or wrong, as he should have.
  
  well played again by the captain.
Monteroisdinero

The real story was Girardi told Posada:

“You’re on the bench tonight. CC’s batting 9th”
- Xstar7
  
  “CC’s batting 9th”
  Now I’m excited.
mike c

the tradition of festivus begins with the airing of greivances, next comes the feats of strength
Pasqua

“Jorge will not be disciplined. Good to hear, let’s all move on to the important stuff.”

But, but, but…the chemistry! Will no one think of the chemistry?!

/sports-talk radio’d