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Jorge Posada Laura Posada Biography & Facts

Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta (born August 17, 1970) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Posada recorded a .273 batting average, 275 home runs, and 1,065 runs batted in (RBIs) during his career. A switch hitter, Posada was a five-time All-Star, won five Silver Slugger Awards, and was on the roster for four World Series championship teams. Drafted by the Yankees in 1990, Posada was originally an infielder before moving to catcher during his minor league career. He debuted in the major leagues in 1995, but it was not until 1998 that he found regular playing time. A solid-hitting catcher, Posada established himself as a mainstay in the Yankees lineup and as one of the "Core Four" players who contributed to the Yankees' winning seasons. In 2003, he finished third in voting for the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award and became only the second Yankees catcher after Yogi Berra to hit 30 home runs in a season. Posada added one of his best seasons in 2007 at age 37 when he batted .338. Following a stint as designated hitter in 2011, he retired. Posada is only the fifth MLB catcher with at least 1,500 hits, 350 doubles, 275 home runs, and 1,000 RBIs in a career. From 2000 to 2011, he compiled more RBIs and home runs than any other catcher in baseball. He is the only MLB catcher to ever bat .330 or better with 40 doubles, 20 home runs, and 90 RBIs in a single season. Away from baseball, Posada is the founder of the Jorge Posada Foundation, which is involved with research for craniosynostosis, a birth defect that impacts his son. Early life and education Jorge Posada was born on August 17, 1970, in the Santurce district of San Juan, Puerto Rico to a Cuban father and a Dominican mother. He attended Alejandrino High School in San Juan, where he participated in several sports, including baseball. He was named to the all-star team in 1988–89 as a shortstop. He also umpired for the girls' softball team. Posada's SAT scores were not high enough for him to enroll in a four-year college. Fred Frickie, the head coach of the college baseball team at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama, recruited Posada without scouting him in 1991. Posada accepted the scholarship at Calhoun without visiting the school. He made friends on the team quickly. Posada has also spoken about the racism he encountered from classmates at the school. He was voted best hitter (1990), co-captain (1991), and selected all-conference (1991). He was inducted in the Alabama Community College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 and Calhoun retired his number (#6). Professional career Draft and minor leagues (1990–1996) Posada was drafted by the Yankees in the 24th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball draft as an infielder. Yankees scout Leon Wurth followed Posada as he played for Calhoun, and rated his bat and attitude highly. Posada signed with the Yankees for a signing bonus close to $30,000. The team agreed to keep him in their system for three years. Posada played second base in his first season with the Oneonta Yankees in the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League, in which he had a .235 batting average and four home runs in 71 games played. As the Yankees felt that Posada lacked the speed to remain an infielder, they began to transition Posada into a catcher in 1992. Though Posada initially resisted the position change, as he didn't feel able to catch full-time, he agreed. That year, he played for the Greensboro Hornets of the Class A South Atlantic League. He finished the season with a .277 batting average, 38 extra-base hits, including 12 home runs and 58 runs batted in (RBIs). He caught Andy Pettitte for the first time while they were teammates at Greensboro. A full-time catcher in 1993, Posada started the season with the Prince William Cannons of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League. After he hit 17 home runs and recorded 61 RBIs in 118 games for the Cannons, he was promoted to the Albany-Colonie Yankees of the Class AA Eastern League. He earned Carolina League mid-season and post-season All-Star honors. Still working on his defense, Posada committed 38 passed balls in the 1993 season, the most in the Carolina League. The Yankees promoted Posada to the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League in 1994. He batted .240 with 11 home runs on the year. His left leg was broken and ankle was dislocated in a home plate collision, prematurely ending his season. After recovering from the injury, Posada played for the Clippers for the majority of the 1995 season, batting .255 with eight home runs and 51 RBIs. The Yankees included Posada in trade discussions with the Seattle Mariners in their attempts to acquire Tino Martinez. Three weeks later, the Yankees attempted to trade Posada and Mariano Rivera to the Cincinnati Reds for David Wells, but that trade was not accepted. Returning to Columbus in 1996, Posada batted .271. He appeared in the 1996 Triple-A All-Star Game. New York Yankees (1995–2011) 1995–1999 Posada made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 1995, replacing Jim Leyritz in the ninth inning of a game on September 4, 1995. Despite his appearing in only one game during the regular season, the Yankees included Posada on their postseason roster, and he appeared in Game 2 of the 1995 American League Division Series (ALDS) as a pinch runner, scoring a run. The Yankees lost the division series in five games to the Seattle Mariners. Posada began the 1996 season with Columbus, but was promoted to the Yankees late in the season. He appeared in eight games, making his first start on September 25, 1996. Posada appeared in eight games in 1996, recording one hit and one walk. Posada did not appear in the postseason but the Yankees still succeeded as they defeated the Atlanta Braves in the 1996 World Series. Despite not being on the 1996 World Series or any Postseason rosters for the Yankees, Posada still received a 1996 World Series Championship ring from the Yankees. Posada succeeded Leyritz in 1997 as the backup catcher to Joe Girardi, with Girardi serving as a mentor to Posada. Posada was expected to appear in approximately 40 games in 1997; he started in 52. Posada appeared in 60 games during the 1997 season and batted .250 with six home runs and 25 RBIs. The Yankees made the postseason again, but the team lost in the 1997 ALDS to the Cleveland Indians. After the 1997 season, the Yankees offered Posada and Mike Lowell to the Montreal Expos for Pedro Martínez; the Expos traded Martínez to the Boston Red Sox, instead. During the offseason, Posada hired a personal trainer and running coach, who helped improve his physical conditioning. Going into the 1998 season, Posada pushed the Yankees to increase his playing time. Posada caught David Wells' perfect game on May 17, 1998. Overall, Posada batted .268 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs over 111 games in the 1998 season. The Yankees reached th.... Discover the Jorge Posada Laura Posada popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Jorge Posada Laura Posada books.