He played in the championship seasons of , , , and , and with World Series runners-up teams in and An emotional Posada broke down in tears as he thanked his family in Spanish, and again when he began to thank his team mates, many of whom were in the audience.
Posada became a free agent following the season but decided to end his MLB career with the team that drafted him in Converted to catcher from second baseman, Posada played one game for the Yankees when he came up in and eight games during the regular season with the team that won the World Series before working his way in as a regular, eventually displacing current manager Joe Girardi as starting backstop. You should do everything possible. If the Yankees don't call, just go as a Yankee.
Posada never regretted it. On Saturday, all of his closest friends and mentors came to celebrate. His close friend and best man in his wedding Derek Jeter was there. Joe Torre was there. Posada had always had a picture of Thurman Munson in his locker, so having his widow there meant a lot.
Yogi Berra couldn't make it, but wrote Posada a personal letter, which was shown and narrated on the large video board. He had never wanted to be a catcher and was angry when he initially made the move from second base, but now, he can't imagine his career any other way.
Maybe it was the fan in me that got in the way, but when news broke two weeks ago that the announcement of Jorge Posada 's retirement was imminent, I did not jump on Bleacher Report to wax poetic.
I decided to wait—perhaps because, deep down, I was hoping for one more year, though I knew, just as everyone else did, that it was time for him to walk into the sunset. Today, that is exactly what Posada will do as he prepares to announce his retirement at Yankee Stadium.
He finishes his career as one of the most underrated Yankees and catchers of all time. Yes, I know that the very idea of a Yankee being underrated sounds impossible, given New York's reputation for "overhyping" everything and everyone. But it is true—a five-time All-Star, Jorge Posada spoiled Yankee fans for more than a decade and never got the accolades he deserved.
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