Posada to the Yankees 4 year deal

[LochRavenMan]

But backup catcher, if that's what he ends up as in a few years, is not a roster spot that matters in terms of taking up a spot.

Exactly, that is what people are missing here. It isn't like he is a second basemen and would be blocking a potential replacement. He can slide into the backup catcher role (while probably being the best backup catcher in the league) while braking in his younger replacement (Romine/Cervelli/Montero) in the final two years of his contract.

And lets not overlook the fact that he was 3rd in the league in OBP this year.

[RShack]

Exactly, that is what people are missing here. It isn't like he is a second basemen and would be blocking a potential replacement. He can slide into the backup catcher role (while probably being the best backup catcher in the league) while braking in his younger replacement (Romine/Cervelli/Montero) in the final two years of his contract.

And lets not overlook the fact that he was 3rd in the league in OBP this year.

Looks like Posada had them over a barrel and his agent knew it. In a couple years, he'll end up like Bernie was at the end: he'll be a sub, a mere shadow of his former self. But then, in his last season, damned if somebody won't get hurt, and he'll do absolutely great for a few weeks. Then he'll quit.

[Frobby]

This will be a bad deal for the Yankees in 2010-11, but for the time being its OK.

[Camden_yardbird]

Bad deal for the Yankees. I think more than anything it shows that their FO still will not reign in their fiscal spending.

[NewMarketSean]

They can move him to DH. Somehow I think this will work out for the Yanks.

Oh and better players stay good longer so Posada will probably be at least average up until the end of his contract.

[Frobby]

They can move him to DH. Somehow I think this will work out for the Yanks.

Oh and better players stay good longer so Posada will probably be at least average up until the end of his contract.

Most catchers are already in steep decline by Posada's age. Somehow he has defied gravity so far. Nothing personal, but when he goes, I hope he falls apart completely the way Javy Lopez did.

[NJOriolesFan]

That's a huge leap, there's usually a more gradual decline. I can see him going from a .780 OPS to sucking, but it's very unlikely he goes from .969 OPS to sucking.

He won't be worth the money, I have no doubt about that, but the money isn't that important to them.

You do realize that two years ago he did have a .782 OPS and looked like the decline was coming rapidly. He followed that up with a very good season and then his best season ever in his walk year. Why doesn't he have the ability to revert back to that .782 OPS or worse? There is absolutely no guarantee that out of Hernandez, Varitek and Posada, that Hernandez doesn't have the best season. Of course I want to move Hernandez but he could be the best of the three.

[DrungoHazewood]

That's a huge leap, there's usually a more gradual decline. I can see him going from a .780 OPS to sucking, but it's very unlikely he goes from .969 OPS to sucking.

He won't be worth the money, I have no doubt about that, but the money isn't that important to them.

Look at all of the good hitting catchers of all time. Quite a few of them fell off a cliff in their mid-30s. No gradual about it. Guys like Bench went from near peak to out of the league in two years.

Everyone is different, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Posada being paid for a year or two of this deal while he's sitting at home.

[LochRavenMan]

Fun Posada fact:

He has caught 701 less games than Pudge Rodriguez in his career even though he is older than him. So there is that possibility that he may not have that much wear and tear on his body and may be able to keep up his production.

[CrimsonTribe]

I'm not sure what to make of this. It seemed like Posada was hitting his decline 2 yrs ago, but then he goes and has a career year last year. 4 / 52 is not a risk I'd take on a 36 yr old catcher, but I'm not the Yankees.

[mweb]

Look at all of the good hitting catchers of all time. Quite a few of them fell off a cliff in their mid-30s. No gradual about it. Guys like Bench went from near peak to out of the league in two years.

Everyone is different, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Posada being paid for a year or two of this deal while he's sitting at home.

I'm not seeing a steep decline with Bench like SG is suggesting with Posada. He had an .810 OPS when he was 32, only played 52 games the next year, then had a .716 OPS and .740 OPS his last 2 years. That's nothing like going from a .969 OPS to a .700 OPS in a year.

I expect him to be paid a year or two to be a backup catcher, but I don't expect him to be awful starting next year.

[mweb]

You do realize that two years ago he did have a .782 OPS and looked like the decline was coming rapidly. He followed that up with a very good season and then his best season ever in his walk year. Why doesn't he have the ability to revert back to that .782 OPS or worse? There is absolutely no guarantee that out of Hernandez, Varitek and Posada, that Hernandez doesn't have the best season. Of course I want to move Hernandez but he could be the best of the three.

He certainly has that ability, but a .782 OPS doesn't suck for a catcher. He's obviously beaten the odds so far, I would have thought he would be basically done by now, but he's overcome the odds and had two great years.

[Mad Mark]

Rember, this is the Yankee$ we're talking about here. This would be an absolutely horrible contract for any other team. It was a necessity for them in their current circumstances (they do have to keep somebody other than Jeter around from the glory days, and Pettite and Rivera are not locks right now).

Given that--if they wanted to--the Yankee$ could find $13 million between the seat cushions in the YES waiting room, I don't see this contract hurting them, regardless of Posada's production.

[DrungoHazewood]

Fun Posada fact:

He has caught 701 less games than Pudge Rodriguez in his career even though he is older than him. So there is that possibility that he may not have that much wear and tear on his body and may be able to keep up his production.

Actually it's less than 400 once you consider minor league games.

[BostonFan]

This will be a bad deal for the Yankees in 2010-11, but for the time being its OK.

Very much like the Johnny Damon signing (which also was 4 yr/52 mil). Good move for the Yanks for 2 years, a big question mark the last 2.