Replies to post #63481 on Baseball Chat (BASEBALL)

[BullNBear52]

I just turned it on. I was listening to the Mets announcers trying to incite a riot.

[excel]

Notes: Posada playing skipper
All-Star catcher gets final-game reward for career season
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com




BALTIMORE -- Jorge Posada took a step into Joe Torre's shoes for the afternoon on Sunday, filling in as the Yankees' honorary manager in New York's regular-season finale against the Orioles.
"It was fun until I got here today and they told me all the 'Joba Rules,'" Posada said. "I'm honored. A lot of guys have done this and they've done a [heck] of a job. I hope to win the game. That's the most important thing."

Torre has annually selected one player to take the helm for a day at the conclusion of the regular season, and normally it has been a player expected to leave after the year -- last season, Bernie Williams fulfilled the duties for a day.

But this year provided a tough choice for Torre, who said he had to entertain numerous options before settling on Posada. Mike Mussina was tabbed as honorary pitching coach, while Posada appointed Derek Jeter as his bench coach. Ron Villone was named bullpen coach.

"You've got to keep it fun," Posada said. "Obviously, we don't want anybody to get hurt. I know who's available and who's not."

Not in the lineup for Sunday's finale as the Yankees prepare for their first-round ALDS playoff matchup with the Indians, Posada's 2007 statistics -- barring an unexpected pinch-hitting appearance -- will freeze at a .338 batting average with a team-leading 42 doubles, 20 home runs and 90 RBIs in 144 games.

He is the only Major League catcher to ever hit .330 or better with 40 doubles, 20 home runs and 85 RBIs in a single season.

"I'm really happy that I got a chance to stay healthy and put a good season together," Posada said. "It seemed like everything went right."

Impressively, Posada was able to keep his juices flowing even as a long season of catching took its toll on his 36-year-old body. Posada ranks fifth in the American League with a .393 (30-for-76) batting average in September, slugging six doubles, four home runs and 12 RBIs.

"It's a matter of really grinding it out," Posada said. "I don't think anybody who catches more than 100 games can stay fresh. It's tough to maintain, but the way we started and the way we finished really helped out a little bit.

"At the beginning, we didn't play so well and it was a tough time at the beginning. You know that every at-bat really counted. When we started playing well, it was a little bit easier."