With news swirling around New York that Jorge Posada is planning on announcing his retirement…you’re going to start hearing Hall of Fame chatter surrounding the longtime Yankee.
But, is it warranted?
Through 17 seasons with the New York Yankees, the catcher hit .273 with 275 homers and 1065 RBIs. The five-time World Series winner was also selected to play in five All-Star games.
Not stellar, but Hall of Famer Gary Carter, by comparison, hit .262 with 324 homers and 1225 RBIs in 19 seasons. He won only one World Series, was selected to 11 All-Star games and won three Gold Gloves.
Regardless of who you root for, you’ve gotta give Carter the edge because of the era in which he played and when you consider just how much better he was when compared to his contemporaries.
With Posada, though…everyone will look at his postseason accomplishments. Heck, even dude’s longtime skipper Joe Torre brought it up a couple of months ago when asked.
“I’ve noticed over the years when guys get voted in, whether it’s first ballot, second ballot…if you play in postseason, people get a chance to see you in a different light and it may carry a little more weight,” Torre told reporters back in November, “but as much postseason as he’s played in, I think consideration is certainly warranted.”
I get the postseason inclusion when you talk about someone who rose to the occasion in October. But let’s face it, Jorge Posada is no Reggie Jackson or Curt Schilling.
Dude is more, well…dude is Jorge Posada.
Posada’s lifetime .248 batting average in 125 postseason games is not something that was written in the stars. And for what it’s worth…he hasn’t had a World Series home run since Game Three of the 2001 Series.
Should Posada be immortalized in Monument Valley? Probably.
Cooperstown? Not a chance.
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