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"Bitterness That Still Exists": Yankees Legend’s Painful Exit May Explain His Rift With the Organization
Jorge Posada ©IMAGO/Newscom World
Jorge Posada ©IMAGO/Newscom World

Jorge Posada spent all 17 seasons of his MLB career with the New York Yankees, compiling 1,664 hits, 275 home runs, and 1,065 RBIs. A five-time All-Star and four-time World Series champion, Posada also had his No. 20 jersey retired by the franchise in 2015. Yet, more than a decade after his final game, the former catcher says he doesn’t feel welcome in his old clubhouse. WFAN’s Evan Roberts believes the bitterness may stem from how the Yankees handled the end of Posada’s playing career.

“They had to tell Jorge Posada stuff he didn’t agree with; he didn’t believe in. There’s no doubt that’s a bitterness that still exists,” said Evan Roberts on WFAN Sports.

Roberts further explained, “For a lot of proud athletes, those are things maybe you just don’t overcome in terms of your relationship…I hear a guy who’s still bitter about his Yankee career ending the way it did.”

Picked in the 24th round of the 1990 MLB Draft, Jorge Posada spent his entire 17-season career with the New York Yankees. He finished with 275 home runs, 1,065 RBIs, 1,664 hits, and 936 walks while earning five All-Star selections and five Silver Slugger Awards. Posada retired after the 2011 season with an impressive four World Series titles to his name, having been part of the Yankees’ championship-winning teams in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009.

Since retiring, Posada has remained involved in baseball, taking on a front-office role with the Miami Marlins while his former Yankees teammate Derek Jeter served as the team’s CEO. He also worked as the bench coach for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

However, Posada has rarely returned to the Yankees, with his most notable visit coming in 2013, when he joined the team as a guest instructor during Spring Training. His recent comments about feeling unwelcome in the clubhouse offer a possible explanation for his distance from his former team.

“I mean, I could, but I don’t think they want me there, to tell you the truth,” Posada told the New York Post’s Joel Sherman and John Heyman. “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, I don’t feel welcome. I don’t feel like they want me there, so I don’t go.”

However, the former Yankee did not elaborate on his claims. Neither did he point out any specific incident that made him feel unwelcome. But Evan Roberts on WFAN suggested it might have something to do with his retirement.

Posada officially announced his retirement in January 2012. As a designated hitter, he posted a .235 batting average in 2011. He played his final big-league game on September 28, 2011. That season, Posada was also plagued with multiple health setbacks, including shoulder surgery and knee surgeries.

After the 2011 season, the Yankees showed no interest in signing him. Posada also had no interest in playing for another team. So he chose to step away from the game entirely.

Given the circumstances of Posada’s exit, it might have affected his relationship with the Yankees’ clubhouse.

The post "Bitterness That Still Exists": Yankees Legend’s Painful Exit May Explain His Rift With the Organization appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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