Joba Chamberlain Backs Jorge Posada After Star Catcher's Yankees Revelation

Former New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain has publicly supported catcher Jorge Posada following the latter's candid remarks about feeling unwelcome by the organization.

Posada, a key member of the Yankees' dynasty that secured four World Series titles, shared his sentiments during an appearance on The Post's "The Show" podcast. He stated that he does not feel welcome when he visits Yankee Stadium or participates in team events, including spring training.

Chamberlain, who played alongside Posada from 2007 to 2011 and was part of the 2009 World Series-winning team, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to comment on Posada's revelation. "Says a lot coming from him, just saying," Chamberlain posted, indicating the significance of Posada's public statement.

In subsequent posts, Chamberlain responded to fans who speculated about the Yankees' current relationship with former players. When one user suggested the Yankees "look down on former players," Chamberlain replied, "Who knows anymore." He also hinted that "there are some that they love that are still around," implying a perceived favoritism within the organization.

Posada, who spent his entire 17-year MLB career with the Yankees from 1995 to 2011, was inducted into the team's Monument Park and had his No. 20 retired in 2015. Despite his significant contributions and status as a fan favorite, he expressed a distinct feeling of being ostracized.

"I don’t feel welcome when I go there, you know? Even in spring training, I don’t feel like — I’m just like, I don’t know, like, I don’t feel welcome. I don’t feel like they want me there, so I don’t go," Posada said on the podcast.

While Posada did not pinpoint a specific event that led to his current feelings, he alluded to difficulties during his final season in 2011, when he publicly disagreed with the team regarding his playing time and role as a designated hitter. "My last season of my career was a really tough one when it comes to handling everything in my part and also the Yankees toward Jorge Posada. So, it’s tough to go back and feel that again," he stated.

Posada has attended several Old Timers' Days and was present for the 25th anniversary of the Yankees' championship team in 2023, as well as a pregame ceremony on September 11 commemorating the terrorist attacks. However, these appearances have not mitigated his sense of not being wanted by the franchise.