The fallout from Jorge Posada's highly-publicized refusal to play for the New York Yankees Saturday night when he was placed ninth in the team's batting order is continued to rain down on the player, and the team. There are a couple of new reports today, one that Posada was so angry on Saturday that he asked off the team, another that he refused to catch when asked to do so during Spring Training.
The New York Post reported that Posada, claiming he had been treated unfairly by Manager Joe Girardi during Girardi's entire three-plus year tenure with the Yankees, wanted off the team. Girardi was the Yankees' starting catcher in the late 1990s when Posada came to the big leagues, and Posada eventually took Girardi's job. There has been a long-running belief that there remains some tension between the two dating back to that time.
The New York Daily News also reported that Posada refused to catch in a game during Spring Training. Posada denied that, saying the team "never asked" him to do more than catch in the bullpen a few times.
Posada has not been in the Yankee lineup since refusing to play on Saturday, and is hitting just .165. In many ways, it is unfortunate to see a proud 17-year veteran who has been so highly respected and done so much for the franchise involved in this type of bickering.
Sadly, though, the end comes for all athletes and they are usually the last to see it. In Posada's case the Yankees have to put winning above the veteran's feelings, and that is a hard pill for any veteran to swallow.