Saturday, February 23, 2013
Posada won't be back
By Jason Catania
The New York Yankees' catching situation is such that a retired 41-year-old might actually be an improvement over the current lot.
Alas, unlike Andy Pettitte, who un-retired after a year away from the game, Jorge Posada, says he won't be making any comebacks, according to George A. King of the New York Post. Not that it was ever really a consideration, but the former All-Star who retired last January with 275 career homers said, "I have no interest in playing ball."
Posada, though, is in pinstripes at spring training -- as a special instructor for the club. The catchers he'll be guiding constitute a makeshift solution to a problem that's been evident since Russell Martin signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the offseason.
There's Chris Stewart, a veteran backup who spent last season behind Martin on the depth chart; Francisco Cervelli, who many expect to be the starter, while splitting duties with Stewart; and Austin Romine, a rookie who missed most of 2012 with a back injury and who is already pegged to start the year at Triple-A.
The state of catching around baseball is weak overall, but it was still surprising that the Yanks never brought in a more proven veteran, like Kelly Shoppach, Miguel Olivo or Rod Barajas. As is, not one of the backstops on the roster has ever started more than 80 games in a single season.
