A Life In Pinstripes: Yankees C Jorge Posada Retires After 17 Seasons, 5 Titles And 1 Team.NEW YORK - Jorge Posada was watching television when he saw speculation on which teams were interested in signing him as a free agent.
"They put my face on the different uniforms," he said. "And he did not look good."
He started a Yankee and ended as a Yankee, spending his entire career in stripes.
Flanked by his wife and children, with five World Series trophy sitting on a table to his right, the five-time All-Star Catcher retirement at age 40 Tuesday after 17 seasons in the majors. He finished with a .273 career batting average, 275 homers and 1,065 RBIs.
At a conference packed new Yankee Stadium, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia were among those who watched Posada fight the tears as he sat on a dais with his wife, Laura, 12, son of Jorge Jr. and daughter Paulina 9 years. It was clear that the rest of the family also wanted to be lifers Yankees.
"It's so cool," Paulina told her father as she took the box in front of his seat with his name and the famous lock "NY" logo. "I'll keep that."
Posada joined Bernie Williams and Andy Pettitte retired, leaving only the Jeter 37 years and 42 years, Rivera from the core group that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five years from 1996-2000.
"Said Mariano what it is. He says another year. But as Derek says he has three more to go. So we shall see, "Posada said, adding he did not expect the general approach to leave after next season.
"I do not think about it now. But the time will come, "said Rivera.”Surely the time will come when I'll have to just admit it and hang (up) the glove and the uniform and move on. We all go through it."
Jeter, the Yankees captain and leader, Rivera is expected to survive.
"Mo still has to go first. It is much older than me, "he said before adding with a laugh:" Mo will be here longer than us all. "
Howling success and fuming over the failure, Posada was often nuclear fission in the middle of the Yankees and what became known as the Core Four. While Jeter and Rivera rarely reveal their feelings, and only occasionally Pettitte, Posada was a window into the passion of the Yankees, praised, strutting, ventilation and combat.
"We feel the same way, I'm just better at hiding it. But we feel the same way inside, and I think that's why we got along so well through the years "said Jeter, who first played with Posada in the minors in 1992.
He called it "Sado" for years, since the late Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard mispronounced the name of Posada when he pinch ran for Wade Boggs in Game 2 of the AL playoffs in 1995.
In the same room where Pettitte announced his retirement months ago 11 ½, select season ticket holders were invited to sit in the audience.
Posada spoke with great fervor on the team that drafted in the 24th in 1991.
"Every time I walked through the doors Yankee Stadium," he began, "I quoted Joe DiMaggio and said," I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee. "
"I could never wear another uniform," he said. "I will forever be a Yankee."
Posada's voice broke, especially when he spoke in Spanish about his parents. He thanked his teammates, rubbing his chin three times and wiping his eyes. He called Rivera "my brother" and praised Jeter "that helped me stay focused and positive."
"I hope that you will not miss me that much," he said.
Diana Munson, wife of the late Yankees catcher Thurman Munson, spoke with admiration of Posada, who was a quote from her husband in his locker: "Batting fourth and being in the range is important, but I think the stuff I do behind the plate is more important. "One day at Yankee Stadium, Posada sitting next to her and told her about his admiration for the former captain, died in a plane crash when Posada was 7. It ended after Posada in the box scores.
"It is actually the one who brought me back to baseball again. After losing Thurman, I kind of lost my heart for baseball," she said. "He plays the game; I think the way Thurman played: a lot of granularity, a lot of tenacity. ... I think he and Thurman would have been best buds. He certainly has the "it" factor. I cannot describe it. I do not know what it is. But I knew from the experience he had, and I think the Yankees fans have also realized that, and I guess they are so sad today that we all are. "
It was followed by a video tribute and fan Lisa and Brett Niederer of Bristol, Wisconsin; she spoke of the Foundation Jorge Posada and his emotional support and financial assistance to families affected by craniosynostosis, a disease that causes bones in the skull fuse prematurely.
Jorge Jr. had nine operations, and Lisa Niederer was seen on television when the father and son went on the field together during the introductions of 2002 All-Star Game. Brett, then 2 ½, was diagnosed with the disease to the beginning of this year, and they talked about the family support of Posada.
"I knew we were not alone anymore," said Lisa, who became a mentor for the foundation.
When the focus returned to baseball, Posada recalled how he began his professional career as a shortstop, was moved to second base and was invited by the Yankees to move to catcher after the 1991 season.
"I felt like it was the worst decision ever," he said, remembering all the balls past, he has, while catching up above Draft Brien Taylor. "It was not a pretty sight.”
He went on to have careers of the most offensive by a receiver. Posada hit the switch made the decision to retire during a tumultuous season that turned May 14 when he was batting .165 and had fallen to No. 9 in the order to bat against Boston. He asked to be removed from the range, saying he was not ready to play.
Posada joined to hit 0268 for the rest of the season, leaving him with a .235 average, 14 homers and 44 RBIs. And then September 21, his two-run pinch single beat Tampa Bay to win the AL East and win another ovation. He hit .429 (6-14) in the five-game loss to Detroit in the division series.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman said it was just a blip in his career - some of Posada's fiery temperament, one that drew fans to him, that he may take with him in supervision or management - after the Yankees honored him with a tribute chances this year.
That nature has told its agents not to negotiate with other teams.
"They kept saying that people ask about you," said Posada. "I'm like - I'm not interested."
"They put my face on the different uniforms," he said. "And he did not look good."
He started a Yankee and ended as a Yankee, spending his entire career in stripes.
Flanked by his wife and children, with five World Series trophy sitting on a table to his right, the five-time All-Star Catcher retirement at age 40 Tuesday after 17 seasons in the majors. He finished with a .273 career batting average, 275 homers and 1,065 RBIs.
At a conference packed new Yankee Stadium, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia were among those who watched Posada fight the tears as he sat on a dais with his wife, Laura, 12, son of Jorge Jr. and daughter Paulina 9 years. It was clear that the rest of the family also wanted to be lifers Yankees.
"It's so cool," Paulina told her father as she took the box in front of his seat with his name and the famous lock "NY" logo. "I'll keep that."
Posada joined Bernie Williams and Andy Pettitte retired, leaving only the Jeter 37 years and 42 years, Rivera from the core group that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five years from 1996-2000.
"Said Mariano what it is. He says another year. But as Derek says he has three more to go. So we shall see, "Posada said, adding he did not expect the general approach to leave after next season.
"I do not think about it now. But the time will come, "said Rivera.”Surely the time will come when I'll have to just admit it and hang (up) the glove and the uniform and move on. We all go through it."
Jeter, the Yankees captain and leader, Rivera is expected to survive.
"Mo still has to go first. It is much older than me, "he said before adding with a laugh:" Mo will be here longer than us all. "
Howling success and fuming over the failure, Posada was often nuclear fission in the middle of the Yankees and what became known as the Core Four. While Jeter and Rivera rarely reveal their feelings, and only occasionally Pettitte, Posada was a window into the passion of the Yankees, praised, strutting, ventilation and combat.
"We feel the same way, I'm just better at hiding it. But we feel the same way inside, and I think that's why we got along so well through the years "said Jeter, who first played with Posada in the minors in 1992.
He called it "Sado" for years, since the late Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard mispronounced the name of Posada when he pinch ran for Wade Boggs in Game 2 of the AL playoffs in 1995.
In the same room where Pettitte announced his retirement months ago 11 ½, select season ticket holders were invited to sit in the audience.
Posada spoke with great fervor on the team that drafted in the 24th in 1991.
"Every time I walked through the doors Yankee Stadium," he began, "I quoted Joe DiMaggio and said," I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee. "
"I could never wear another uniform," he said. "I will forever be a Yankee."
Posada's voice broke, especially when he spoke in Spanish about his parents. He thanked his teammates, rubbing his chin three times and wiping his eyes. He called Rivera "my brother" and praised Jeter "that helped me stay focused and positive."
"I hope that you will not miss me that much," he said.
Diana Munson, wife of the late Yankees catcher Thurman Munson, spoke with admiration of Posada, who was a quote from her husband in his locker: "Batting fourth and being in the range is important, but I think the stuff I do behind the plate is more important. "One day at Yankee Stadium, Posada sitting next to her and told her about his admiration for the former captain, died in a plane crash when Posada was 7. It ended after Posada in the box scores.
"It is actually the one who brought me back to baseball again. After losing Thurman, I kind of lost my heart for baseball," she said. "He plays the game; I think the way Thurman played: a lot of granularity, a lot of tenacity. ... I think he and Thurman would have been best buds. He certainly has the "it" factor. I cannot describe it. I do not know what it is. But I knew from the experience he had, and I think the Yankees fans have also realized that, and I guess they are so sad today that we all are. "
It was followed by a video tribute and fan Lisa and Brett Niederer of Bristol, Wisconsin; she spoke of the Foundation Jorge Posada and his emotional support and financial assistance to families affected by craniosynostosis, a disease that causes bones in the skull fuse prematurely.
Jorge Jr. had nine operations, and Lisa Niederer was seen on television when the father and son went on the field together during the introductions of 2002 All-Star Game. Brett, then 2 ½, was diagnosed with the disease to the beginning of this year, and they talked about the family support of Posada.
"I knew we were not alone anymore," said Lisa, who became a mentor for the foundation.
When the focus returned to baseball, Posada recalled how he began his professional career as a shortstop, was moved to second base and was invited by the Yankees to move to catcher after the 1991 season.
"I felt like it was the worst decision ever," he said, remembering all the balls past, he has, while catching up above Draft Brien Taylor. "It was not a pretty sight.”
He went on to have careers of the most offensive by a receiver. Posada hit the switch made the decision to retire during a tumultuous season that turned May 14 when he was batting .165 and had fallen to No. 9 in the order to bat against Boston. He asked to be removed from the range, saying he was not ready to play.
Posada joined to hit 0268 for the rest of the season, leaving him with a .235 average, 14 homers and 44 RBIs. And then September 21, his two-run pinch single beat Tampa Bay to win the AL East and win another ovation. He hit .429 (6-14) in the five-game loss to Detroit in the division series.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman said it was just a blip in his career - some of Posada's fiery temperament, one that drew fans to him, that he may take with him in supervision or management - after the Yankees honored him with a tribute chances this year.
That nature has told its agents not to negotiate with other teams.
"They kept saying that people ask about you," said Posada. "I'm like - I'm not interested."
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