New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada throws out three of four Pittsburgh baserunners, says he can trust his arm again

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jorge Posada declared himself 100 percent on Sunday. The results made it difficult to argue with him.

The New York Yankees catcher offered solid evidence that his surgically repaired right shoulder will stand up to the rigors of 110 games this season - as the organization is hoping - throwing out three of four baserunners during a minor league exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Now you know you can trust your arm again," Posada said. "That's all I wanted to do, come out of spring training knowing that I could trust my arm."

Entering the game, Posada was 0-for-4 for the spring. That number climbed to 0-for-5 when Posada threw high and wide of second base, allowing Pittsburgh minor leaguer Gemmy Gonzales to steal the bag. But Posada made an adjustment, slowing down his thoughts, which allowed him to set his feet. With a solid foundation, Posada let loose with accurate throws across the diamond.

The results were immediate: Gonzalez, Shelby Ford (yes, kind of like the car) and Brian Friday all got great jumps off first base against Posada and his batterymate, CC Sabathia. Didn't matter. Posada nailed all three with strong, accurate, throws.

"You can't compare what I was feeling last year," said Posada, who played through his shoulder injury before shutting it down last season. "I couldn't do that, I couldn't make three throws like that."

Speaking of Sabathia, he got a bit of a workout, throwing 81 pitches in five innings. Working in front of an audience that included his wife and kids, Sabathia allowed a run on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk. He seems to be progressing along as expected.

Though manager Joe Girardi refuses to just name Sabathia the Opening Day starter, the skipper noted this morning that Sabathia is on turn to be the guy.

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada fights old habit

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Habits die hard, especially for the quintessential creature of habit, the ballplayer. Which is why New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, while standing in the on-deck circle on Monday, had to catch himself.

Two days after aggravating his right shoulder with a stretching routine he does before an at-bat, Posada almost made the same mistake twice. Without thinking, the catcher grabbed his bat at its ends, with both hands in front of him. Then, as he's done for years, he wanted to stretch the bat over and behind his head. Only this time, Posada caught himself before he could raise the bat above his chest.

"You get in the game, I went like this," Posada said, chuckling as he raised his arms. "Yeah, I almost did it again."

He played long toss but did not catch starter Chien-Ming Wang in the bullpen as scheduled. Still, Posada went 1-for-3 with an RBI single in the Yankees' 5-5 tie with the Houston Astros. He played as New York's designated hitter just two days after being pulled from the lineup when he irritated the shoulder, the same one that required surgery last season.

Perhaps Posada's biggest regret at the moment is not being able to catch when longtime teammate Derek Jeter steps into the box -- against the Yankees. The Bombers host Team USA at 1:15 on Tuesday. It will be the first time the Captain will oppose his longtime team.

Said Posada:"It's too bad I'm not going to be behind the plate, so I can really mess with him."

Posada joked that he told Yankees starter Phil Hughes to throw "nothing but fastballs inside" to Jeter. It was Hughes, of course, who in his first start of the spring, hit a pair of batters while trying to bust them inside with fastballs.

But, it seems, Yankees manager Joe Girardi got to Hughes first: "I already told Hughes he's not allowed to throw inside to Jeter." Girardi also issued another edict, this one to baserunners: no taking Jeter out at second.

Not that Posada will be affected by the latter warning. "I don't think I'm fast enough to get there," he said.

Nick Swisher, a candidate for the Yankees starting right field job, hit the wall in foul territory on Monday while making the long run to make a difficult catch.

"Me and the wall, we're buddies," Swisher said. "It's kind of like a football game. You're nervous until that first hit. Them, it's okay."