Report: Jorge to announce his retirement

January 7, 2012 by Joe Pawlikowski 95 Comments

It looks like Yankees fans won’t have to worry about seeing Jorge Posasda in a different uniform this season. WFAN’s Sweeny Murti reports that Jorge will announce his retirement within the next two weeks. We’ll surely have a riveting tribute to Jorge once he does make the announcement. For now we can reminisce about our favorite Jorge memories — I’m sure his double off Pedro Martinez ranks highest for many. We can also get a head start on making arguments for his Hall of Fame candidacy. Remember, he still has the highest WAR of any catcher since 2000.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

Hip hip :(
- Bo Knows
  
  JORGE!!!!
http://www.bronxbombersreport.com Craig Maduro

It might sound selfish, but I’m happy to hear this.
- Will (the other one)
  
  Me too. Jorgie’s had a long, productive, successful career; assuming this is true, I’m glad I won’t have to watch him play out a couple more shadow-of-his-former-self years in a different uniform.
  - http://www.bronxbombersreport.com Craig Maduro
    
    Exactly. It’s nice to see someone as loved as Jorge has been to start and finish his career in pinstripes.
Bobby Montano

Jorge Posada will always be one of my favorite Yankees. His career seems to be underrated by many, which is a shame. He is one of the greatest offensive catchers ever.
- Bern Baby
  
  And to think if he had been a starter in 1996…when he was 26. Girardi sucked.
  - JohnnyC
    
    Jorge turned 25 in August of 1996. You’re thinking of his older brother probably.
  - Steve (different one)
    
    If he was a starter in 1996, maybe he’s burned out by 2006….Don’t think it works both ways
  - Arkius
    
    There’s always one moron in the crowd. Girardi didn’t suck, and that comment was uncalled for under the circumstances.
James A

From all the Yankee fans, thank you for everything Jorge, including not going out as the 25th man on Baltimore, I’m looking forward to seeing him at the Stadium for big game and hopefully in Cooperstown in between 5-10 years
- Cris Pengiucci
  
  +1!
candyforstalin

thank you, jorge.
Dan 2

Glad to see him leave on a high note after the playoff he had. I was afraid that he would be one of the ones who hung on too long.
- Bern Baby
  
  On a high note? He was still the best catcher on the team and they ripped the position away from him, gave it to an outsider who struggled to 700 OPS, and effectively blackballed him throughout the game. No one thought he could catch because the Yankees made that call.
  - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
    
    No one thought he could catch because the Yankees made that call.
    
    It was pretty obvious that Jorge was done behind the plate in like, 2009.
    - Bern Baby
      
      Wrong. He was fine in 2009. As good as Cervelli with the offense. Even in 2010 he was passable. How much arrogance does it take to think a C his whole career could become a DH? He could have easily split duties with Martin. Martin needed the rest too.
      - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        Wrong. He was fine in 2009.
        
        Oh. Well with all that evidence, consider me convinced.
      - Arkius
        
        Bern Baby, which NY Yankees were you watching in 2009? Jorge was passing more balls than any other catcher in MLB, and in 2010 he got worse. He started to have trouble with easily catchable breaking balls.
        
        Sorry, but It doesn’t take arrogance to realize a players skills have diminished; it takes a willingness to face reality, which you don’t seem to want to do, but that’s your problem.
        
        With all his offensive ability, Jorge Posada was never known as a top of the line receiver at any time during his career, he was adequate. He didn’t split time with Martin, because the Yankee front office knew his time as a productive player was at an end; it was a painful conclusion, but it was time to move on and see what the kids in the minor leagues could do.
  - JohnnyC
    
    Guess you’re not too concerned with the multiple concussions and lingering after-effects like migraines and dizzyness. Well, it ain’t your life.
    - Bern Baby
      
      How nice of you to swallow the Yankee PR. Cashman has shown he knew how to avoid the Bernie mess. Maybe he’ll float a story about Jeter’s STDs wreaking havoc on his SLG?
      - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        Jorge himself acknowledged the concussion problem, but don’t let facts get in the way of your rant.
        
        http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/baseball/klapisch/021811_Klapisch_Jorge_Posada_cant_mask_the_pain_he_felt_last_season.html?page=all
        
        Bern Baby
        
        And yet mid-season he was ready to start because he saw the suckfest in front of him.
        
        If his health was a concern at all, he should have been forced to retire or released. Its a convenient excuse.
        
        http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        If his health was a concern at all, he should have been forced to retire or released. Its a convenient excuse.
        
        Rather than see if they could get something out of him as DH? Sounds smart … or more like you refuse to acknowledge the truth.
  - Diamond Dan
    
    He had negative dWAR in 4 straight seasons going into 2011. Russell Martin isn’t a great defensive catcher, but he was still an improvement. Posada had a chance to prove he could still catch from ages 35-38, and he didn’t. If he had gone out and caught last season at the same level as 2010, I really don’t think there would have been any teams knocking down his door to sign a 40-year-old catcher.
    - Bern Baby
      
      Yeah cause a -0.2 in 2009 is really meaningful.
      - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        That’s why he said four straight years.
        
        Bern Baby
        
        Four straight years by barely squinting. Martin was -0.1 this year and a -0.6 in 2009. BFD.
        
        http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        “Barely squinting” is 2,809 innings caught, or roughly as many innings as Pedro Martinez threw during his career.
        
        And if four straight years is barely squinting, why are you citing one-year samples for Martin?
        
        lol
        
        RetroRob
        
        BTW Do you have a problem appearing under your other names now?
  - Steve (different one)
    
    No, everyone thought he couldn’t catch because he couldn’t catch. Give me a break. You can argue that he could have possibly served as a backup, but arguing that Posada should have been the everyday catcher in 2011 is ridiculous.
Jim

He’s a Yankee legend and a prick. I will miss him.
- Jorge Posada
  
  Come here you big lug, and let me piss on your hands.
Bo Sad

You earned Jorge, thanks for all the clutch hits, titles and being a worthy heir to the long list of great Yankee catchers.

Have fun with your family Mr. Posada, the Yankee universe is looking forward to seeing your son in pinstripes one day
- MannyGeee
  
  And that wife of yours too…. I mean… Wowza!
RetroRob

I thought he would give it one last try somewhere else, but hopefully he’s reached a decision he’s at peace with, and that the Yankees can find a place in their organization with them if he has an interest.
- mike oxaflopin
  
  he always did have an opinion with personnel(i don’t think i ever liked it).. joba’s role comes to mind
Soriano Is A Liar

For a while, I always thought Jorge was a good, but not good enough candidate for the Hall. But I’ve been thinking lately, and I’m really coming around to him. Other than Piazza, there’s really no other catcher of the time better than him, especially now that Hometown Discount is missing time with injuries and possibly moving off the position.
- Bern Baby
  
  The problem is he’s caught between Piazza and I-Rod and not as good as either. Perhaps if he had been a starter before 28 he would have had the counting stats. Oh well. One of my favorites.
  - JohnnyC
    
    He caught 99 games in 1998, his age 26 season.
    - Bern Baby
      
      Who was the starter in the 1998 ALDS?
      - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        Who started in the ALCS and WS? I think your tree is out of cherries.
        
        Bern Baby
        
        He didnt start every game even as their very different seasons dictated he damn well should have. Torre finally came around to giving him half the starts. Bravo?
    - Bern Baby
      
      A starter’s workload is 130-140 games. He didn’t get there until 2000- his age 28 season. All those fewer games add up especially in his prime and especially as we’re discussing his HOF case.
      - JohnnyC
        
        He wasn’t a full time catcher in the minors until 1993, his age 21 season. As you know, he started out in 1991 as a 2nd baseman. 21 is rather late to be converted to catcher. Takes time to be a competent major league receiver.
      - Genghis
        
        40 more games would have made a difference in his HOF case? 38 more hits? 5 more HR? 20 more RBI?
      - Genghis
        
        Additionally, by your “standard”, Bill Dickey was only a “starter” for 5 seasons. Ivan Rodriguez for 8 (same as Jorge), Yogi for 7 (although Yogi did play other positions), Johnny Bench for 7, Piazza for 5, Mickey Cochrane for 5, Fisk for 8. Apparently Gabby Hartnett only “started” for 2 seasons, so he must have paid off the voters to get into the HOF. In fact, Gary Carter is the ONLY HOF catcher with more 130 game seasons as catcher than Posada; Gary edges out Jorge, 9-8.
  - PETERS UNDERSIDE
    
    The two rumored steriod users.
- steve s
  
  Here is how I cured myself of thinking Jorge is even a borderline HOFer. He has almost identical offensive stats as Mike Lowell so the primary difference between them was that Lowell was a decent defensive 3rd basemen and Jorge was a less than decent defensive catcher (and that’s being kind). No one would consider Mike Lowell a borderline HOFer so how does Jorge have any claim just because he was a catcher but a clearly worse defender. This is not meant as a diss to Jorge but the use of the term borderline HOFer with Jorge seems to me to be Yankee fan talk wishful thinking.
  - JohnnyC
    
    Considering Lowell played on a Red Sox WS winner, I’m sure he’ll get some HOF votes, especially from the Boston writers.
  - Steve (different one)
    
    Below average catcher >>>> average 3Bman
  - Joe D.
    
    Firstly, there is a massive difference between 3B and C in terms of expected offense, perhaps especially during Jorge’s career.
    
    Secondly, I can’t understand for the life of me how Jorge’s 47.6 offensive WAR is in any way identical to Lowell’s 22.6. Or how the thirty points of OBP slipped by you.
    
    The primary difference between them was not position: it was that Jorge was an offensive juggernaut who was a sharply above-average hitter over 15 years (121 OPS+) at a position you where you get on your knees and thank Jesus if you stumble onto a guy who can even vaguely approach league-average hitting.
    
    Even before accounting for position, Jorge was a much better hitter than Lowell, After accounting for it, the comparison is just brutal.
    
    * Note: The above comments are in no way meant to disparage Mr. Lowell, who had a very nice career.
    - steve s
      
      Thanks for the hyperbole. Sure Jorge walked a few more times but Jorge and Lowell’s slugging was almost identical (.464 for Lowell/.474 for Jorge) and their “average” season over their careers eerily identical (Lowell stats listed first: Runs 78/80; HR’s 23/24; RBI’s 96/94; BA .279/.273; OPS .805/.848). Oh, by the way, here are Lowell’s and “juggernaut” Jorge’s WS offensive numbers: Lowell: .289/.372/.474/.846; Posada: .219/.333/.333/.667; The only proper use of the word “brutal” in the comparison is that Jorge was a brutal defensive player (dWAR of minus 2.9) while Lowell had a dWAR of 6.2 and has the second highest fielding % of any 3rd baseman in MLB history. I applaud you for loving Jorge and you have a great handle but your analysis is more like Jorge’s fielding than his hitting.
      - Joe D.
        
        You said they had “almost identical offensive stats.”
        
        Then you post their composite season, which shows a 43-point OPS differential. If that’s almost identical to you over 6 to 7 thousand plate appearances, I guess there’s not much more to be said.
        
        World Series stats (amounting to a tiny fraction of their respective bodies have work — 43 plate appearances in the case of Lowell) and talk of defense do nothing to help your flawed argument regarding their offense.
Bronx Byte

Jorge will be a lifetime Yankee. Once he sorts things out with family, he’ll serve the team in some capacity.
mark

Classy decision. I just wish Andy would give it one more shot.
Bern Baby

If only he had been a starter before he turned 28. He would have been an all-time great like Fisk or even Carter. Too bad the Yankees are about to repeat the same mistake with Montero. There are no DHs in the Hall for a reason. And too many people see Jorge as a DH who caught. Fo shame. 1997 might have gone differently too.
- Monteroisdinero
  
  Hopefully they won’t. Jesus will make us not miss Jorge.
  - Bern Baby
    
    Not with Martin and his suckfest a repelica of Girardi’s.
    - G
      
      Haha look at this guy… Russell’s defense was invaluable last season. Jorge was consistently bad behind the plate and with him catching all year the pitching staff may have performed much differently…
      - Bern Baby
        
        Hahahaha…you mean the 100 SBs Martin gave up? Yeah he sucked. Glad one study though has people thinking Martin is “invaluable”. You have friends in Girardi, scioscia, and Torre. Exactly why Montero will be a DH.
        
        Adam
        
        So, friends in three really successful major league managers? Sounds good to me….
        
        Steve (different one)
        
        Martin threw out 30% of base stealers last year. In 2010, the year you claim Posada was “passable”, Posada threw out 15%.
        
        Martin was twice as good as Posada. If Posada was “passable”, how are you deriding Martin? Facts are your friend.
        
        http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        Posada also allowed 2x as many passed balls in ~400 fewer innings.
        
        JohnnyC
        
        You mean the 104 SBs Posada gave up in 2007? Or the 94 SBs he gave up in 2001? Or the 90 SBs he gave up in 2005? Or the 15% of basestealers he caught in 2010? Yeah, he sucked. Great offensive catcher, bad defensive catcher.
        
        http://www.bronxbombersreport.com Craig Maduro
        
        Who cares if Montero spends most of his time as the DH?
        
        Duderinough
        
        I don’t think you saw any games in 2011 because Martin’s defense was awesome.
- JohnnyC
  
  Do you know something we don’t? Is Posada actually 2 years older than he claims? Or do you lack basic time-telling skills?
  - Bern Baby
    
    I lack memory skills.
- Sean C
  
  Well, Montero is 22. We’ll see where he is in 6 years. If Montero has the career Posada had, I think we’d all be greatful.
http://www.twitter.com/matt__harris Matt :: Sec110

He’s so close to the hall
Kevin

You will be missed Jorge.
Jon in CUO

Congrats on a great career, Jorge. I’ll miss watching you play.
Andrew D

While I’m sure in his mind he wants to keep playing, the rest of him however is probably saying no. Its a shame to see such a great competitor have to come to this decision but in terms of any legacy he may leave, it is for the best that he doesn’t play for another, lesser team, get injured or dropped and only be remembered for not packing it in when he should have.
I, and more importantly the team will miss him being around every day.
http://www.twitter.com/matt__harris Matt :: Sec110

I think we can all agree that he’s close to the HOF, but not quite there…

Here’s another question…future manager?
- Ty
  
  I can see him being more of a bench coach. It would be fun to see him in either position though.
Kathy A. Mills

Wow! Makes me feel so sad! :-( Thanks, Jorge for the good times!
27 times a champ

Thanks for the memories Jorgie!
I am not the droids you’re looking for…

I do think that Pudge’s suspected PED taint (not to mention Piazza’s…) may help Jorge’s HoF chances over time. Kind of hope so.
- Steve (different one)
  
  I’d rather not discuss Piazza’s taint
- Rainbow Connection
  
  AND the fact that Jorge caught all those roided up Yankees pitchers! That could take a toll on one’s hands!
  - RetroRob
    
    Why do you think he used to pee on his hands? It was to toughen them up to catch those roided fastballs.
CMP

I’m really curious to see how the voters are gonna treat Piazza and IRod.
They’ve kept out Bagwell because of suspicions about PEDs and these 2 are probably more suspicious that Bagwell.

I’ve read where Piazza would shower in private in the Mets clubhouse because his back was completely covered by acne and IRod came to camp with the Tigers looking like he shrank in the wash over the winter once they began testing for PEDs.
- James
  
  I hope in five years the BBWAA will come to some unspoken consensus on how to handle reputed juicers. Maybe the Hall will step in and finally offer some guidance. Most of these writers are in their “second childhoods” I think, so sometimes they need to be treated like children and given VERY specific instructions.
Jamey

I suppose you’re always going to wish things could have ended on a better note, but gotta admire the guy for playing as long as he did at a position not typically known for lengthy & PRODUCTIVE careers. Farewell Jorge, one of my favorites.
http://www.twitter.com/james_dasilva James d.

We were fortunate to see one of the better old catchers in history. Now, I’m cherry-picking Jorge’s monster 2007 age-35 season and ignoring some other factors, but I think he holds up well against Bench, Piazza, Berra and I-Rod when it comes to late-career production.

Jorge’s age 35 year: .338/.426/.543, 5.8 bWAR, 5.7 fWAR
After age 35 (214 games caught): 3.1 bWAR, 3.7 fWAR

Johnny Bench, age 35: .255/.308/.432, 0.9 bWAR, 1.0 fWAR
After age 35: retired

Mike Piazza, age 35 (50 games caught): .266/.362/.444, -0.4 bWAR, 1.1 fWAR
After age 35: 1.9 bWAR, 3.3 fWAR

Yogi Berra, age 35 (63 games caught): .276/.347/.446, 2.2 bWAR, 2.9 bWAR
After age 35 (83 games caught): 3.8 bWAR, 5.2 fWAR

Ivan Rodriguez, age 35: .276.290/.444, 1 bWAR, 1.7 fWAR
After age 35 (366 games caught): 2.2 bWAR, 4.0 fWAR
LarryM.,Fl.

I have no say in Jorge’s entrance into the Hall Of Fame but was lucky to see him play. I’m selfish and glad that he will only wear one uniform that as a Yankee.

Now, the Yankees can arrange a day fitting for a prominent Yankee retiree and find a place for him in the organization. As a catcher his baseball IQ should be impressive for the knowledge of the game and evaluating talent.
dela g

Good luck, Hip Hip
Virgil Earp

Jorgie is a slam dunk hall of famer and his number should be retired on opening day next season.
Momus

Why are Yankee fans back there so selfish that they wouldn’t be happy for Jorgie finding a job with another team??? Jeez, the Yankees have been ditching their beloved players for decades, this is nothing new. Be sad, instead, that no one has offered him a job when he still wanted to play. Retiring should be when a player decides, like Andy’s last winter. Look at Matsui, dropkicked after winning the World Series MVP award – he did well in Anaheim as the DH, even better last year in Oakland. I only wish Jorgie had hoped to retire as a 1st option, and not his last. He will be welcomed back as 1 of the great modern-day Yankees, no matter what happens in the next 2 weeks – I got MLB Extra innings to watch Andy in Houston, I would do the same to watch Jorgie anywhere else!
- JMK
  
  Look at Matsui, dropkicked after winning the World Series MVP award – he did well in Anaheim as the DH, even better last year in Oakland.
  
  Um, Matsui batted .274/.361/.459 in 2010 as a member of the Pacific Time Zone Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles. That’s good for a wOBA of .356 and an fWAR of 1.5. Not bad, but not great for a DH.
  
  To say he was even better last year in Oakland is simply wrong. His line was .251/.324/.375, good for a wOBA of .306 and an fWAR of 0.3.
Santa

I’ll miss you Jorge, but we still have a bond, we share the same birthday so I’ll never forget you. Wishing you great happiness and good health on your new venture. xoxo Santa V.
retlt72

I’m both happy and sad, but I think he should go out as a Yankee, hopefully the Yankees will give him a job within the organization and he can run his foundation as well. Good Luck Jorge, and thanks for the memories!!!!
http://www.BoricuaBoxing.com BoricuaBoxingCom

Hip-Hip JORGE! Thanks for the memories my friend. You’ll be a Yankee FOREVER! God Bless!
MannyGeee

So sad to see him go yet so happy he didn’t go out like Manny Ramirez or Barry Bonds, holding on to the last shred of a chance that someone would sign him and essentially putting himself out on CRaigslist…

Youre the man Jorgie. Don’t ever change