http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/511 Recent articles about Jorge Posada en-us Even with Jorge Posada trying to postpone shoulder surgery until after the season, he can't go on catching. That must be good news to Paul Lo Duca, who told the Washington Post that he would welcome a trade if it meant he could catch again. He's been playing first base for the Nationals. He's batting .248 in 121 at-bats. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:06:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295602 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295602 While most Yankees fans are clamoring for a left fielder or another starting pitcher as the July 31 trade deadline looms, one overlooked position seems to be that of catcher. It appears Jorge Posada is lost for the season, and it could be that he is no longer able to play as an everyday backstop again. In the meantime, Jose Molina has filled in as the regular catcher, with very mediocre results. While he is a decent defensive player, his .220 batting average, .260 on-base percentage and .300 slugging percentage are laughable. You'll take that out of a back-up catcher one game per week, maybe. Jose's brother, Bengie Molina, on the other hand is a whole different story. Sure, the Giants catcher may be the slowest baseball player since Cecil Fielder, but beyond that, it's hard to find something he doesn't do well. This guy is simply a pro's pro. He defends well, rarely letting balls get by him, and he is second in the National League when it comes to throwing out would-be base stealers, having gunned down 34.5 percent this season. And while handling pitching staffs is sometimes an overrated quality, he is one of the best. But fielding aside, Molina is always a threat at the plate with men on base. He certainly rivals Posada when it comes to catchers hitting in the clutch, and he's been doing so ever since his Angels days, when he actually protected Vladimir Guerrero for a time. On a young San Francisco Giants team, Bengie is the unquestioned leader. On the Yankees, he would be a welcome veteran who could add some pop to the lineup and provide a reliable presence behind the plate. And being that he's under contract through 2009, he might make Posada's possible transition to 1B/DH a little smoother. The only question is: Do the Giants let him go? While San Francisco drafted Florida State phenom Buster Posey with the fifth pick in this year's amateur draft, the young catcher is likely a couple years away from The Show. GM Brian Sabean won't let him go for nothing. New York will need to dangle a couple of solid prospects, certainly making a better offer than what the Giants got from the Brewers for the pinch-hitter deluxe Ray Durham. So let the Molina brothers unite in The Bronx. It could make for a joyous reunion. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:25:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295528 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295528 If you're not familiar with Carl, he's the biggest of the big New York Giants football fans. He's also a New York Yankees fan, and an Aqua Teen Hunger Force star. Get through the Jeremy Shockey stuff at the beginning, and he's got some interesting stuff to say about Jorge Posada and A-Rod. – Hat tip to [...] Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:10:18 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295259 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295259 With Posada possibly out next season the Yankees are in need of a good, veteran catcher. Does that mean Paul Lo Duca, currently with the Washington Nationals? According to a nationals.com article, it could. Paul Lo Duca realizes that the Nats probably won't need him next year. They've got the young catcher Jesus Flores and Johnny Estrada when Flores needs a break. Currently, Lo Duca's been playing other positions-first base and left field. Lo Duca's a good hitter but at 36, he might not fit into next year's trying-to-build-a-young-team Nationals. Again, does this mean the Yankees? Possibly. Does this even come into play (now would be a good time for an excuse the pun note but if you're reading this you're probably used to my puns) now? No. For now Posada's still in the Yankees lineup even if he's not behind the plate. And Lo Duca's still with the Nationals even if he isn't behind the plate either (although for different reasons). I wouldn't be too surprised though. Lo Duca's a high profile player, who's used to New York, in fact even a friend (maybe not friend more like acquiantance) of the New York media (with the exception of that teenage tabloid scandal) and he'd fit in well back in New York. I think he even still resides there during the offseason. And as I said, the Nationals are trying to build a younger team. They want their younger veterans to step into leadership roles and that includes their intended starting catcher Jesus Flores. The Nats want a young team that they can mold into a great team and keep for years, not a catcher who could likely retire at anytime (unlikely for awhile, since he's still a great player and in great shape but a possibility nevertheless.) To be honest, Lo Duca as a 2009 Yankee makes a lot more sense than Lo Duca as a 2009 National. * "lo" is Hebrew for "no" Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:13:20 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295084 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295084 One day I'll stop with the punny titles I promise. Well I don't promise, but I'm sure one day I won't be clever enough to think one up. All season I've been following Jorge Posada, waiting for him to be healthy and behind the plate again, following his progress, etc etc. Well now it turns out that he's going to need to have surgery on his right labrum. He can either have the surgery now and be out the rest of the season or he can stay to play another position (first base was mentioned) and/or hit. If he stays now and delays the inevitable surgery, he risks missing the first game (and more) of the 2009 season. So, Jorge, the coaches, trainers, and organization have to weigh the pros and cons of waiting or getting it over with. According to Mgr Joe Girardi though the ball's in Jorge's court saying "You can't force a player to have surgery." I can certainly understand how much it sucks to not be able to play for the final, more important months of the year. And Posada is one of our better hitters and we certainly need them since Matsui might/probably is out the rest of the season. But I'll never understand how they can simply ignore the pain and keep playing. As Jorge himself put it "One day it hurt so bad I couldn't even lift my arm to brush my hair." Is that an amazing concentration on the game that they don't even feel the pain or just stubbornness? Maybe we should be asking Phil Hughes. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:56:24 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294837 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294837 Screaming Sports' Drew Thibodeau breaks out another Screaming Sports original. With so many valuable fantasy studs going down with injury, Drew decided it was time to take a look at several replacements. So if you're one of the many fantasy GM's who have been ravaged by injury, then this piece is exactly what the doctor ordered. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:40:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294793 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294793 Screaming Sports' Phil Yoon runs down several baseball Bulls and several baseball Bears in the latest edition of Stock Market. Robinson Cano? Oh yea, he's definitely a bull. Huston Street? Ehhhh ... not so much. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:19:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294788 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294788 Mike Jacobs isn't hitting many home runs lately, but he's keeping his batting average at a solid level, notes Mike Harmon. See who else you should pick up on the waiver wire, including Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta, who is available in 81% of Foxsports.com fantasy leagues. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:51:57 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294426 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294426 Former 30th-round pick Scott Feldman bails out the ill-prepared Texas Rangers yet again with a quality start - one that he was never supposed to make. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:02:33 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293885 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293885 The New York Yankees might need a catcher. The Washington Nationals have Paul Lo Duca, an overpaid, unnecessary, bump on a log who could/should be available for peanuts. Could there be something here? Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:17:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293835 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293835 With Jorge Posada back on the disabled list, possibly for the season with his damaged shoulder, are the New York Yankees better off? Newsday columnist Wallace Matthews thinks so. Losing Posada costs the Yankees a little of their heart, a little of their soul and a big chunk of their recent, but rapidly diminishing, history of success. But [...] Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:06:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293712 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293712 With Jorge Posada back on the disabled list, possibly for the season with his damaged shoulder, are the New York Yankees better off? Newsday columnist Wallace Matthews thinks so. Losing Posada costs the Yankees a little of their heart, a little of their soul and a big chunk of their recent, but rapidly diminishing, history of success. But [...] Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:06:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293712 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293712 Could they match up with Seattle? Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:29:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293526 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293526 According to Yankees blogging guru and Journal News beat writer Peter Abraham, Jorge Posada is not in the starting lineup tonight, and could be done for the season. Word is that Posada is headed to the DL as he continues to struggle with a torn lambrum in his throwing shoulder. Anyone who's watched a Yankees game this season knows that teams are running on Posada in epic, Mike Piazza-like quantities. Posada has already missed time once this season in order to rehab the injury, and it sounds like the 36-year-old veteran hopes to take that route again with an eye on returning as a DH/ first baseman and backup catcher. He will meet with Dr. David Altcheck tomorrow to determine if further rehab is even an option, or whether the shoulder requires season-ending surgery. If surgery is required, Posada would be putting the 2009 season in jeopardy were he to delay the procedure until the offseason. You hear that noise? It's Brian Cashman's iPhone. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:58:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293408 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293408 What do you get when Mike Mussina is your best starter, Mariano Rivera is making all of his other seasons look ho-hum, Derek Jeter is among the league leaders in double plays, there's a free mustache giveaway at the Stadium, and your back up catcher is putting up better defensive stats than your starter? Why, the 2008 Yankees, of course! Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:30:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290333 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290333