Jorge Posada Retires-Thanks for the Memories

For the second year in a row another member of the Yankees Fab Four has retired.  Last year I had a chance to look back at my favorite Andy Pettitte moment and now let’s look at little Jorge Porgies as he bids baseball adieu.

Like last year the topic of the Hall of Fame comes to the surface as Yankee’s catcher Jorge Posada retired.  Again, lets not get to ahead of ourselves here.  Yes,  he had a good career maybe even a very good one, but great?  I don’t think so.  If the Hall of Fame selected members by team, Posada would have a chance but on individual performance, I think he falls a little short.  A five time All Star and five time Silver Slugger with four World Championships is tremendous.  But, the 1664 hits and 275 home runs is far below the standards of a Hall of Famer.  He was also in a locker room flooded with steroids during his prime.  Not that he was ever accused or tested positive for PED’s but none the less.   Look at the past few years candidates and the cloud of the steroid era hangs over their head.  Justified or not.

This isn’t about debating Posada’s Hall of fame credentials, this is a time to look back and reflect on what memories he leaves behind.  Posada actually gave me two moments that will be forever branded in my mind.

The first was in 2003, when his meek ground ball was scooped up by a 23 yr old pitcher named , Josh Beckett,  who tagged the slow footed catcher as he ran down the base path.  Game and World Series over as the Florida Marlins celebrated a World Series victory in Yankee Stadium. 

The second and my all time favorite was game four of the 2004 ALCS.  Yankees up by one run with the great Mariano Rivera on the mound.  Dave Roberts on first with two outs.  The whole world knew Roberts was going to steal.  Posada knew, he also knew that if he threw Roberts out the Yankees would have swept the series and headed on to the World Seriest o face the St Louis Cardinals.  Posada never did posses a great arm and when the time came to be a Hero, his arm failed him as Roberts sliding head first beat the throw from Posada and avoided the tag from Jeter.  The rest as we all know is history.  The greatest sports choke of all time and it all started with Posada’s throw.  Click the link below to enjoy the memory Posada left behind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNnqbf2Vpv0

Thanks for the memories Jorge Porgie, I hear Bernie Williams is looking for another member of his band.

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