Report: Jorge Posada Refused To Catch In Spring Training; DH Says Not So
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- It's Jorge Posada vs. the Yankees, round two.
According to the New York Daily News, the Yankees told Posada that in addition to DH duties, he may have to catch from time to time in an emergency. But whenever he was asked to work behind the dish, Posada refused.
"Whenever he was asked to catch in a game in the spring, the sources claimed, Posada declined, citing headaches and concern over the concussion syndrome he suffered after taking a foul ball off the mask the previous September," wrote the paper.
Posada denied the claim on Monday, saying he was never even asked to catch in a game.
"Not at all. Not once. A hundred percent," he said. "Not even close. They told me to go to the bullpen and stuff so I caught in the bullpen every once in a while, but they never asked me."
The Daily News also reported that amid Posada's blowout on Saturday, he told Yankees general manager Brian Cashman "that he not only wanted out of the No. 9 spot in the Yankee batting order - he wanted out of the Yankees, too."
"It was just something said in the heat of anger and frustration," a friend of Posada's told the paper. "He didn't want out, and doesn't want out. ... He was just frustrated and said a lot of things."
Posada pulled himself out of the lineup over the weekend, saying he needed a day off, and a public spat ensued between the slumping slugger and club management. Team captain Derek Jeter later said he saw nothing wrong with what his pal did.
Posada has since apologized to the Yankees. The team held a conference call Monday with Jeter, team president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman and managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner.
What do you make of the latest round in the Posada drama? Sound off below...
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