Yankees retire Posada's No. 20 in Monument Park
After spending the better part of two decades situated behind home plate for the New York Yankees, Jorge Posada's career was front and center Saturday in the Bronx.
Flanked by his Core Four teammates and a collection of past and present greats, Posada returned to Yankee Stadium to have his No. 20 retired during an emotional pregame ceremony that included the unveiling of his plaque in Monument Park.
Posada was joined by his wife and two children on the field before New York's game against the Cleveland Indians as part of a two-day celebration honoring the five-time All-Star and ex-teammate Andy Pettitte.
"I have never been nervous on a baseball field,'' he said. "I am today. I am simply a man who was born passionate about the baseball and the New York Yankees. I can honestly tell you this is one of the happiest days of my life.''
With a group that included Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Joe Torre at his side, Posada thanked fans and the organization before making special mention of Cleveland's Mike Aviles, whose young daughter is currently battling leukemia. Posada's son, Jorge Luis, suffers from a serious skull condition called craniosynostosis.
Despite the adversity he endured during his career, Rivera said Posada's leadership and fiery demeanor never wavered.
''I remember the passion and the determination he had to win, the dedication, going through tough times, adversities, family issues, but he was there,'' Rivera said. ''He was there for us.''
The switch-hitting catcher followed his eight-minute speech by nearly overthrowing the ceremonial first pitch to his 15-year-old son.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
Posada, a key member of five World Series winning teams, ranks among the all-time leaders in several offensive categories, including games (8th), doubles (7th), home runs (8th), RBIs (11th), and walks (7th). He appeared in 1,574 of his 1,829 games behind the plate.
''Catching for the New York Yankees was such a thrill every day,'' Posada said. ''I got to play the same position as my idols Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey, Elston Howard and No. 15, Thurman Munson.''
5-YEAR PEAK BY WAR
| Year | 2B | HR | RBI | OPS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 24 | 30 | 101 | .922 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 35 | 28 | 86 | .943 | 5.5 |
| 2007 | 42 | 20 | 90 | .970 | 5.4 |
| 2005 | 23 | 19 | 71 | .782 | 4.3 |
| 2002 | 40 | 20 | 99 | .837 | 4.0 |
(Courtesy: Baseball-Reference.com)
According to Baseball-Reference, Posada also wore numbers 62, 41, 55, and 22. His No. 20 is the major league-leading 19th unique number the Yankees have retired.
Pettitte will have his uniform retired and plaque added to Monument Park during a pregame ceremony before Sunday's finale.
- With files from The Associated Press