YESNetwork: Pepe: Yanks missing Posada

Why Take Less When Pepesi’s Best!

No doubt the Yankees are weakened by the absence of Alex Rodriguez. They miss his potent bat, his run production, and his presence in the middle of the lineup.

But they might miss Jorge Posada even more.

With Posada, the Yankees have won five pennants and three World Series.

With A-Rod, they have won no pennants and no World Series.

The undeniable fact is that the Yankees have won 39 pennants and 26 World Series with power (Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson) and pitching (Bob Shawkey, Herb Pennock, Waite Hoyt, Lefty Gomez, Red Ruffing, Whitey Ford, Ron Guidry, Goose Gossage, Mariano Rivera). But, the case can be made that the real reason behind the Yankees’ unprecedented success has been the man behind the plate.

Simply put, you don’t win championships without a superior catcher, and the Yankees have had their fair share of dominant, superior catchers. Six backstops (including two Hall of Famers), have held down the vital position and have accounted for 33 pennants and 22 World Series championships in an 83-year span, from 1921 to 2003.