Will Benching Lead To Next Round Of Jorge Posada Vs. Joe Girardi?
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Joe Girardi has a history with Jorge Posada -- and we're not talking about the Yankees' 2009 World Series win.
Who could forget the fracas in May when Posada asked out of the lineup -- and created a media firestorm -- after he was dropped to ninth in the order in a game against Boston in New York. He apologized the next day.
Posada and the current Yankees manager also had repeated clashes during the 2005 season, according to a report from the New York Daily News after the May incident, when Girardi served as bench coach for Joe Torre.
Girardi, who lost his job as the Yankees' starting catcher to Posada in 1998, was in charge of scouting reports for opposing hitters. Problems arose when Posada allegedly "veered away from the reports, choosing to call pitches on the fly."
Posada's free-wheeling style "stuck with the manager through the years," according to the paper.
Sunday, before another high-profile game against Boston, Girardi benched Posada. He even suggested the five-time All-Star might ride the pine for a while.
"He said he was going to put the best lineup on the field, and he doesn't know when I'm going to DH again," Posada said before the Yankees' extra-innings loss. "So right now I'm sitting on the bench."
Posada appeared to take the news well, but even so, are Yankees fans headed toward a new chapter in the saga?
"I'm not happy about it, but right now I can't do nothing about it," Posada said. "I put myself in this situation. I've just got to keep on working."
A former catcher, the 39-year-old Posada has been the Yankees' primary designated hitter this year against right-handed starters. But Girardi had Eric Chavez as the DH against Red Sox righty Josh Beckett.
Posada is just 3 for 18 this month and is hitting only .230 overall with nine homers and 31 RBIs. Chavez, who was activated from the 60-day disabled list on July 26, is batting .323.
Said Girardi: "We think Jorge's going to be a big part of the team. He was disappointed. You could see it."
"He's just struggling finding a way to get his hits," he added. "He did go on a good streak after we had the situation. ... It's just been a tough year for him."
Girardi admitted it was "a difficult conversation."
"It's not a conversation that's easy to get through, but for Jorge, he's very professional," Girardi said. "I know he'll keep himself ready and try to do whatever he needs to do."
Are we headed toward another round of Posada vs. Girardi? Sound off below...
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