WHY JORGE POSADA GETS THE LAST LAUGH

Yeah, it’s Spring training but this is where you work out the kinks...I know, I've said it a thousand times but it's true. One guy who’s done absolutely nothing so far is this spring is Raul Ibanez, a guy whom Yankee brass was insistent on having on their roster. But if you know Yankee fans, and I know you do because you are one, we’re growing quite impatient and that’s the way we roll. You don’t perform, we want you out…it doesn’t matter that it’s the Spring, am I right? The funniest part of this is... you know who’s laughing his ass off right now? Jorge Posada. Remember, Jorge was the guy they DIDN’T want as their Designated Hitter in 2012 because they were afraid he couldn’t hit anymore. It’s funny how the Yankee Gods work sometimes, ain’t it?

Sure, Raul Ibanez will have a horrendous record this spring, and the numbers don't matter, but it does matter when it comes to the real thing, the regular season and if he’s still not hitting by May 1^st, you cannot sit there and tell me that we have to sit and wait for things to "click." You sign a hitter to hit, not to whiff. Let’s face facts.

I like Ibanez and I know he’s going through his growing pains of now being a New York Yankee, but there is a time frame for that, and time’s running out. This is a veteran, not a rookie who can’t get his crap together and we need him, it’s a roster spot we're clogging. If he doesn’t start hitting ,Yankeeland will start thinking “Well, why didn’t we go with a sure thing? Why didn’t we go with Hideki Matsui or Johnny Damon or Jorge Posada and give him whatever money we could, guys who know the pressure of being in pinstripes and understanding it. Surely they would pick up where they left off in the Bronx, right?” I understand the thinking, but of course there is no way of knowing. Sure, l would love Hideki Matsui back in pinstripes, I rooted for it, but it didn’t seem as though the Yankees were very interested. Johnny Damon and Scott Boras must have shared the crack pipe because $5 million was just way too high for an aging outfielder who only wants to play baseball so he can reach 3000 hits. Now all Johnny Damon has is a bunch of highlight tapes and his couch. He’s not working.

I have faith in Raul Ibanez, but believe me, I’m with you, the guy needs to start hitting. If it clicks, I’ll be happy, but if he doesn’t and the season starts with a DH with a hole in his bat, you really need to start asking questions…Did the New York Yankees make a mistake? It’s funny… I’ve been thinking about Jorge Posada all Spring... every time Ibanez comes to the plate and I keep wondering why the Yankees didn’t want Jorge and why they thought a guy with absolutely no experience as a New York Yankee should have been given a shot and not a guy who already knew the pressures of pinstripes. I just don’t get it, but either way… hopefully it works itself out. Stay tuned.

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