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Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Newsday: O’Brien: Posada out, prognosis unknown

Barnald, sends over this Posada/A-Rod update.

Those of you who watched today’s game may have noticed that Jorge Posada was not throwing as well as normal. He left the game early, and his shoulder is a concern. He said he doesn’t feel pain there, but that he is lacking arm strength. To be honest, Posada sounded worried to me. He is going to have an MRI on his shoulder tomorrow.

Girardi said: “The ball’s just not coming out of his arm the way you’d like it to. ... There’s a weakness there, and we need to get his arm strength to wherer it needs to be.”

Posada: “I’m not 100 percent. I’m not helping the team out. It’s just as simple as that.” As for how it feels, he said: “Dead, like you’ve got no strength.”

...Alex Rodriguez answered a couple questions about the possibility of filling in at shortstop. He said: “I haven’t taken a ground ball over there in five years, not even playing around, so it would definitely be a challenge. If Joe thought that was the best combination, I would let it fly.”

Repoz Posted: April 09, 2008 at 02:02 AM | 15 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
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1. MSI Posted: April 09, 2008 at 02:11 AM (#2735976)

labrum surgery?

2. Rich Posted: April 09, 2008 at 02:18 AM (#2735983)

To state the obvious: it could be any number of things.

3. RayDiPerna

Posted: April 09, 2008 at 03:23 AM (#2736001)

The Yankees have avoided this problem for years. It's a long way down to Jose Molina.

4. Belfry Bob Posted: April 09, 2008 at 03:29 AM (#2736003)

A-Rod moves to shortstop, team wins five in a row. Jeter returns, team goes into a win-one-lose-one month.

Would this be great theater, or what?

5. RayDiPerna

Posted: April 09, 2008 at 03:34 AM (#2736007)

I think we can forget about ARod at short. They wouldn't do that if Jeter is only going to miss a few games, and they probably wouldn't do it under any circumstances. Plus, ARod may not even be able to handle the position anymore.

Although he could probably go to his left.

6. Moshe Mandel Posted: April 09, 2008 at 03:53 AM (#2736015)

I really think they need to consider moving ARod over. Betemit is terrible- he runs into a fastball once in a while, but he cannot handle breaking stuff and shows little patience at the plate. With Posada out of the lineup and Giambi/Cano/Damon not hitting, they need to maximize their offense by playing Ensberg rather than Betemit. That means Morgan at third and ARod at short.

7. baudib Posted: April 09, 2008 at 03:57 AM (#2736017)

Uh, what evidence is there that Ensberg is a better hitter than Betemit at this point? He's had a fork sticking in his back for a couple years now.

8. RayDiPerna

Posted: April 09, 2008 at 04:12 AM (#2736021)

Uh, what evidence is there that Ensberg is a better hitter than Betemit at this point? He's had a fork sticking in his back for a couple years now.

Well, one year, really, but I agree it's not worth the trouble of making radical changes in order to get Ensberg's bat in the lineup instead of Betemit's.

Moshe: There is no "Giambi/Cano/Damon not hitting." There is no "not hitting" in a 30 PA sample (Cano/Damon), let alone in a 15 PA sample (Giambi).

9. Moshe Mandel Posted: April 09, 2008 at 04:52 AM (#2736039)

I agree Ray that the sample is small, but Giambi in particular has looked brutal at the plate, and the other two have not looked much better. I think eight games are sufficient to constitute a slump. While they are slumping , the Yankees need to look for any edge they can get. I'd like to see Ensberg get a chance due to how poor Betemit has looked, especially with the only other alternative to Betemit is calling up the weak hitting Alberto Gonzalez.

10. Rich Posted: April 09, 2008 at 05:05 AM (#2736043)

Pete Abe::

Meanwhile, if Jeter goes on the DL, would you want A-Rod to play shortstop?

Here’s A-Rod’s take:

“I haven’t thought about it. But whatever Joe wants I will do. I haven’t taken a groundball over there in five years, not even playing around. It would definitely be a challenge. But if Joe thought that were the best combination, I will let it fly.”

The Yankees have faith in Wilson Betemit in the short term. But if Jeter is going to miss two weeks, you have to at least consider moving A-Rod.

11. Guy LeDouche Posted: April 09, 2008 at 05:29 AM (#2736047)

"Prognosis Negative"

12. Walt Davis Posted: April 09, 2008 at 07:10 AM (#2736067)

I like Jorge Posada and I hope he's completely fine or at least fine enough to be the Yanks' 4th DH on the roster ...

but, as probably the only human being who spoke out against resigning him, I will have a little schaudenfreude with regard to Yankee fans.

For those wondering why, the easiest explanation is to update Branch Rickey for the modern age: better to let a player walk a year too early than sign him for 3 years too long.

Still, I hope I'm wrong in Posada's case. Certainly my favorite Yankee of the last several years (I have a bit of a soft spot for Mo too; don't mind Cano yet).

13. RollingWave Posted: April 09, 2008 at 08:35 AM (#2736071)

Betemit's always been a maddening streaky hitter though. and he's always whiffing anyway. (at least since that last 2 season). it's hard to truely give up on a 27 year old with huge power AND can play the infielder reasonablly well like Wilson.

Ensberg's shoulder problem seem to really sapped into his power production. and that doesn't bold well when he plays in YS. will probably see a lot of fly outs into deep LF .

If Jeter's going to miss significantly time, they should do a Betemit / Ensberg platoon at 3rd and use A-rod at short. A-rod's probably not what he use to be there. but a. neither is Betemit (having transformed from a skinny player to a pudgy one) and b. Jeter's never been anything there heh .

As for Posada. ouch. the good news is that at least Molina might be better than a black hole. on offense and is actually a upgrade on defense.

14. Rich Posted: April 09, 2008 at 10:23 AM (#2736089)

...but, as probably the only human being who spoke out against resigning him, I will have a little schaudenfreude with regard to Yankee fans.

Almost the only human. I am one Yankee fan who was against giving him more than three years.

15. Don't want the truth; just wanna see some dingers Posted: April 09, 2008 at 11:43 AM (#2736113)

"Prognosis Negative"--isn't that the movie that inspired Kramer to write his living will?

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Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Newsday: O’Brien: Posada out, prognosis unknown

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