Why You Should Buy Jorge Posada's Book
By: Nick Scott
I won't lie, I'm a bit heated. I am writing this article in direct response to one of the most ignorant posts I've seen by a Yankee fan on Twitter. I won't name names or directly quote anything, but the post essentially said they hoped Jorge Posada doesn't sell any copies of his newly published book.
If you consider yourself a Yankee fan, you're as confused and outraged as I am. Apparently the person in question didn't like the fact that the book mentions Posada's unhappiness with how Joe Girardi handled him at the end of his career. Jorge notes that he felt mishandled and that he wasn't always told the truth towards the end of his career and these comments shouldn't be controversial to anyone in the least bit.
Joe Girardi responded when told of these comments by simply saying he tried the best he can do - which should be the end of the conversation.
This is why I'm so bewildered that someone is so upset about a few honest remarks that they hope a Yankee great wouldn't make any sales off their book.
First off, even if I somehow found these remarks as controversial, Jorge has every right to say it. It's basic freedom of speech. On top of this, Jorge posted these remarks in about the most professional way possible. He certainly could have been a drama queen and made public his dissatisfaction with Girardi, turning the Yankee fan base on Joe Girardi right then and there. Instead he saved these remarks and published them in part of his autobiography years after time had cooled things off and is anything but slanderous about it.
The second point thing I wish to note is that Jorge actually has an argument when he says he was mishandled his last few years in pinstripes.
He first states he was humiliated by his move from catcher to designated hitter. In all honesty, that move was probably a necessary evil. Sure, maybe Jorge could have been a once or twice a week catcher, but my qualm with how Girardi handled him isn't over that.
No, what Girardi did wrong that Posada has reason to be mad about is attempt stunts like batting Posada at the very bottom of the order. Posada surely shouldn't have been the cleanup hitter, but ninth? That's doing nothing other than humiliating a struggling hitter and shame on Girardi for even trying that. I don't fault Posada when he refused to play after seeing himself in the nine hole.
This is especially ludicrous considering how Derek Jeter was treated. Jeter was in the top of the order all of last year before retiring and as great as Jeter has been in his career, any rational fan knew he didn't belong so high in the lineup as diminished as his skills had become. Joe also didn't force Jeter from his field position that shortstop despite the fact that at his age Jeter was far below a defensively acceptable fielder. Giradia made clear he wasn't "running a (Jeter) retirement campaign," but compared to how he handled him compared to Jorge, I beg to differ.
Or how about this year? Girardi has consistently rolled out Carlos Beltran anywhere between 3-5 in the lineup despite Beltran hitting under .200 for most of the year and only now has he moved him lower.
So what accounts for Girardi's unfair treatment of Jorge his final year? Personally, I think it was just Giradi still being relatively new to managing and just making some rookie mistakes.
Some could argue that perhaps Joe had some resentment over how Jorge essentially took over as catcher in New York while Joe was the incumbent catcher. If we are being honest with ourselves Giradi, while a fine manager, was never close to the star player that Jorge Posada was.
I guess there might be some truth in that as it's probably pretty awkward when you take a guy's job, then he becomes your boss, but I don't completely buy that being the sole reason for what occurred.
This is not an article to slander Girardi. He makes some head scratching moves at times, but the man has been right more than he's been wrong. He squeezes every last win out of whatever scrap management gives him on a yearly basis. Sure, I would like him to be a more passionate manager and drop the overly polite robotic responses to everything that occurs, but Joe is what's best for the Yankes at manager right now.
All I'm saying, is while Joe might not have meant to mishandle Jorge his final year, he certainly did. Even if you don't agree Jorge still has every right to say what he did and he did so in an effort to create as little drama as possible, though the media, right on cue, blew it way out of proportion.
Jorge was a fiery player who backed up his intensity with play on the field. Jeter might have been the one who held the formal title of 'captain' but more than one ex Yankee has spoken to say Posada was the real captain behind the scenes.
Jorge noted while joining the YES booth during today's game that he felt he was a secretive player while with the Yankees and this book is his desire to open up and share with Yankee fans who he is and share great stories that were never told during his playing time. As Yankee fans we are privileged that he has this desire to share such things with us and that alone should be your reason to buy the book.
In the end, I'm here to say don't like some meaningless, insignificant, and manufactured drama scare you away from buying a book written by a Yankee great. Jorge had every right to say what he did and said it the right way. There are way bigger fires to fight than to waste water on a the barely burning cigarette that this story is.
I won't lie, I'm a bit heated. I am writing this article in direct response to one of the most ignorant posts I've seen by a Yankee fan on Twitter. I won't name names or directly quote anything, but the post essentially said they hoped Jorge Posada doesn't sell any copies of his newly published book.
If you consider yourself a Yankee fan, you're as confused and outraged as I am. Apparently the person in question didn't like the fact that the book mentions Posada's unhappiness with how Joe Girardi handled him at the end of his career. Jorge notes that he felt mishandled and that he wasn't always told the truth towards the end of his career and these comments shouldn't be controversial to anyone in the least bit.
This is why I'm so bewildered that someone is so upset about a few honest remarks that they hope a Yankee great wouldn't make any sales off their book.
First off, even if I somehow found these remarks as controversial, Jorge has every right to say it. It's basic freedom of speech. On top of this, Jorge posted these remarks in about the most professional way possible. He certainly could have been a drama queen and made public his dissatisfaction with Girardi, turning the Yankee fan base on Joe Girardi right then and there. Instead he saved these remarks and published them in part of his autobiography years after time had cooled things off and is anything but slanderous about it.
The second point thing I wish to note is that Jorge actually has an argument when he says he was mishandled his last few years in pinstripes.
He first states he was humiliated by his move from catcher to designated hitter. In all honesty, that move was probably a necessary evil. Sure, maybe Jorge could have been a once or twice a week catcher, but my qualm with how Girardi handled him isn't over that.
No, what Girardi did wrong that Posada has reason to be mad about is attempt stunts like batting Posada at the very bottom of the order. Posada surely shouldn't have been the cleanup hitter, but ninth? That's doing nothing other than humiliating a struggling hitter and shame on Girardi for even trying that. I don't fault Posada when he refused to play after seeing himself in the nine hole.
This is especially ludicrous considering how Derek Jeter was treated. Jeter was in the top of the order all of last year before retiring and as great as Jeter has been in his career, any rational fan knew he didn't belong so high in the lineup as diminished as his skills had become. Joe also didn't force Jeter from his field position that shortstop despite the fact that at his age Jeter was far below a defensively acceptable fielder. Giradia made clear he wasn't "running a (Jeter) retirement campaign," but compared to how he handled him compared to Jorge, I beg to differ.
Or how about this year? Girardi has consistently rolled out Carlos Beltran anywhere between 3-5 in the lineup despite Beltran hitting under .200 for most of the year and only now has he moved him lower.
So what accounts for Girardi's unfair treatment of Jorge his final year? Personally, I think it was just Giradi still being relatively new to managing and just making some rookie mistakes.
Some could argue that perhaps Joe had some resentment over how Jorge essentially took over as catcher in New York while Joe was the incumbent catcher. If we are being honest with ourselves Giradi, while a fine manager, was never close to the star player that Jorge Posada was.
I guess there might be some truth in that as it's probably pretty awkward when you take a guy's job, then he becomes your boss, but I don't completely buy that being the sole reason for what occurred.
This is not an article to slander Girardi. He makes some head scratching moves at times, but the man has been right more than he's been wrong. He squeezes every last win out of whatever scrap management gives him on a yearly basis. Sure, I would like him to be a more passionate manager and drop the overly polite robotic responses to everything that occurs, but Joe is what's best for the Yankes at manager right now.
All I'm saying, is while Joe might not have meant to mishandle Jorge his final year, he certainly did. Even if you don't agree Jorge still has every right to say what he did and he did so in an effort to create as little drama as possible, though the media, right on cue, blew it way out of proportion.
Jorge was a fiery player who backed up his intensity with play on the field. Jeter might have been the one who held the formal title of 'captain' but more than one ex Yankee has spoken to say Posada was the real captain behind the scenes.
Jorge noted while joining the YES booth during today's game that he felt he was a secretive player while with the Yankees and this book is his desire to open up and share with Yankee fans who he is and share great stories that were never told during his playing time. As Yankee fans we are privileged that he has this desire to share such things with us and that alone should be your reason to buy the book.
In the end, I'm here to say don't like some meaningless, insignificant, and manufactured drama scare you away from buying a book written by a Yankee great. Jorge had every right to say what he did and said it the right way. There are way bigger fires to fight than to waste water on a the barely burning cigarette that this story is.
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