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I've been trying to find a comparable example of a player I've loved watching that fades out this way, without being at least on his terms as far as playing time. I can't easily find one in my memory.

I find it unbelievable that Posada himself hasn't seemingly come to the conclusion that it is over and announced his retirement.

Peter -

Yes, it is really sad to see one of the dynasty icons get benched, regradless of the propriety of the move.

Had I been writing the screenplay for Jorge, I would have had him retiring at the end of last season. My view is that it's much better to go out a few games too soon rather than a season too late. Mussina got it right - really right - as did Pettite. Go out with some dignity, not as a stubborn or grumpy (or both) old man who is simultaneously in denial and hurting the team.

On a personal level, it's hard to give up on him and his greatness, he spoiled me for how a modern catcher can contribute. But I can't deny the changes that come with age. It's about speed, reflexes and reaction time - the decline of those facilities is what ends a baseball career. I truly hope he doesn't try to sign on with another club - that move could only end in more indignity.

BL-

That's a good question. It's usually injuries that get them like Larry Bird or Mattingly. I was too young to see him, but I have often read about Willie Mays in a Mets uniform at the end of his career.

Mitchell

It's like the old Branch Rickey adage, better to trade someone one year early than late.

I agree about Jorge, but based on his 2010, I understand why he thought he could come back and be productive. I think the Yankees made a mistake not letting him catch a little bit to get his groove back.

My ideal ending would be for Jorge to announce he is going to retire at the end of this homestand. (I am sure the Yankees would be more than willing to pay out the remainder of his contract.) He turns 40 next week and could then focus on "retirement"

Peter,

I think I also suggested something like that (early retirement) a little while ago - but the more I thought about it, the more I thought that his contract may not permit him to get paid if he's healthy. In other words, I wonder if his "getting paid to retire" is permitted under the current collective bargaining agreement. Yeah, I know it's a somewhat legalistic question, but I just wonder about the "legal mechanics" of a move like that.

Also, I think the issue about not catching again was about his knee and what it would do if he squatted a few hundred more times on it. Didn't he just have it repaired, wasn't there a cyst issue or am I remembering something completely wrong?

Either way? Yep, I agree that retirement would be best at this point - with a really nice Hip Hip Jorge sendoff celebration.

Mitchell

You probably did. And while you are probably right that there would be legal concerns, I bet the Yankees could let him retire and them miraculously hire him for the remainder of the season as a consultant. And a consultant who happened to earn the exact amount he lost by retiring. Strange how those things happen....

The cyst was an issue last year. I think the non-catching this year was more about concussions and the fear of another one.

Sounds like a plan ...

Peter,

In the interest of stirring the pot a little bit:

we've got 13 pitchers - with 6 starters. The topic the other day was Hughes going back to the pen and now the (slight) buzz is AJ going to the pen. Sooo, my question to you is: who (if any) of the 6 would you consider moving to the bullpen.

Were I Girardi, I would probably move Colon to the pen as he seems to be the one who is tiring fastest yet who has the most dominating stuff for several innings at a time. I think this would maximize his remaining time with the team.

I would not even consider sending Hughes there, nor Nova. If they need to work on something, they can do it in Scranton.

AJ? I could see moving him there, but I think with the proper application of a 2 x 4 to his dense cranium, he could learn to be a pitcher instead of a thrower. His breaking stuff is nasty, so nasty that no one knows where it's going half the time, but I think if he could make the transition to a guy who relies on control and nasty breaks with the occasional fastball to keep everyone honest - he could be more valuable in the rotation for the next two years.

Freddy? I hate watching the guy pitch as I'm always convinced that he's throwing 85 mph cookies and ,any moment now, someone is going to recognize it and light him up, but I can't deny that he is a pure pitcher in that he keeps batters off balance - consistently and effectively. He won't tire as easily, he throws soft and easy.

CC? Nope, he's the Ace, he stays right where he is.

Thats' my take ... yours? Anyone else have an opionion?

Mitchell,

An interesting suggestion on Colon -- it never occurred to me. But I think I'd keep him right where he is for now. If after say three more starts it looks like fatigue is irreversibly setting in, I would consider it. Hard to do though -- he's our second or third best starter right now. Once he's moved, I don't think there's any going back, so they need to be sure they want to go down that path.

Nova stays right where he is. Right now, he's the our other second or third best starter -- his season is definitely trending in the right direction.

The Yankees might be tempted to move Hughes because he's had success in the role before, but I agree with you -- I wouldn't do it.

AJ? I cannot see putting him in the bullpen. He has a knack for turning sparks into conflagrations. Putting him in the bullpen for anything other than mop-up work is asking for trouble,. I really like the suggestion about the 2 x 4. Don't think it will help, though. He's what, 33 years old? He is what he is. He's never going to harness his gifts and he's not going to make the transition to a guy who relies on control and nasty breaks. Frankly, he's the one who deserves to go to Scranton. His enormous contract shields him from that, of course.

No way I'd consider putting Freddy in the bullpen.

Mitchell

I agree with your train of thought, but....

Colon is probably the Game 2 starter in a playoff series right now. If he is unable to make that start, the Yankees have a big problem.

I agree that the Yankees need to figure out a way to preserve him over the final seven weeks of the season, but they also need him to start in the playoffs.

Maybe the six-man rotation is the way to go. Maybe shutting him down for two weeks with an "injury" is the way to go. Whatever the answer, they have to make sure he is able to take the ball as a starter in October.

Right now my playoff rotation would be CC, Colon, Nova and Freddy. Imagine your reaction if I had told you that in March.

Peter - I would have made another losing bet with you ...

Greg - You gotta pick one of 'em to leave the starting five. :-)

Mitchell,

Ah, yes -- good point. IMHO the choices are:

1. Colon if he gives consistent indication (over at least the next 3 starts) that fatigue has set in. (I think he did OK today).

2. Burnett, if they're only going to limit him to mop-up work.

3. Hughes if neither or plays out. Because Nova has pitched so much better recently.

Doing would probably mess with Burnett's head so much (yes, it can be messed up even more . . .) that it would probably scare the Yankees into thinking he'd be 100% guaranteed to be useless for the remainder of the contract. They're not going to risk that given the amount of money owed. Since is clearly not going to happen, I guess that means Hughes would be it.

Greg

Hughes would be my guess as well. I totally agree that the Yankees won't want to risk screwing AJ's head up even more with a bullpen move, but I wish they would reconsider.