Yankees Legend Jorge Posada Says He Doesn't 'Feel Welcome' by Organization
The five-time World Series champion expressed a sense of estrangement from the team he played his entire 17-year career with.
Jorge Posada, a cornerstone of the New York Yankees' dynasty teams, has revealed that he does not feel welcome by the organization despite his storied career, which includes five World Series championships and a retired number in Monument Park.
In a recent interview, Posada stated that the feeling of not being wanted extends to his interactions with the team, including during spring training. "I don’t feel welcome when I go there, you know? I don’t feel like they want me there, so I don’t go," Posada told the New York Post. He added that he has not felt a sense of belonging from the organization.
Posada's final season in 2011 was marked by public disagreements with the team's management regarding his role. He was shifted from his primary catching position to designated hitter and backup first baseman, and at one point requested to be removed from the lineup after being placed ninth in the batting order. Posada indicated that his departure from the team was difficult, not just for him but also in how the Yankees handled the situation.
Despite interest from other teams following his departure from the Yankees, Posada retired in January 2012. He clarified that his issues were not with former manager Joe Girardi, with whom he had played in the late 1990s, but rather with the circumstances surrounding his final season. "I never got a chance to fight for my job," Posada said.
Posada attended two Yankees games this past season: one for Old Timers' Day in August and another during the Subway Series commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.