Joe Girardi Finally Gets It Right, Shows Jorge Posada the Respect He Deserves

According to Anthony Rieber of Newsday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi has informed Jorge Posada that he will be a bench player for the foreseeable future, choosing to slide Eric Chavez into the role of left-handed designated hitter.

Unlike the situation in May, when Girardi benched Posada but didn't tell him, instead letting the beloved veteran find out by looking at the posted lineup when he got to the ballpark, Girardi and Posada spoke at length about his future with the club.

Posada is taking the demotion in stride and with class.

"

"He (Girardi) said he was going to put the best lineup on the field, and he doesn't know when I'm going to DH again. So right now I'm sitting the bench...I'm not happy about it, but right now I can't do anything about it. I put myself in this situation. You just have to keep on working."

"

Girardi's remarks were respectful of what Posada has done and what he means to the team:

"

"He was OK with it, Jorgie has a lot of respect and pride in what he's done. You could see the disappointment and understand that.

"

As for Posada's future with the club—while many will speculate that this move sets up a promotion of Jesus Montero from Triple-A to the Bronx before rosters expand on September 1, I wouldn't be so quick to rush to judgement.

Girardi told Posada "You're still going to be a big part of this and we're going to need you. We're just going to do some different things..

As for Montero, Girardi intimated that if Montero does join the big club, it won't be as a catcher, which begs the question—what position does Girardi see Montero playing?

To bring up a highly-touted prospect, albeit one whose star has diminished some this season, to do nothing but be a part-time DH seems counter-productive to his continued development.

Then again, so is keeping him in Triple-A where he seemingly is disinterested and has nothing left to prove.

"Jorgie's with us, and my plans are he'll be with us" remarked Girardi.

Perhaps both Girardi and Posada have grown up a bit since May.

Maybe—just maybe—what at one time seemed destined to end in embarrassing fashion for all parties involved will finish in a civilized manner.

Jorge Posada deserves to finish the year with the Yankees—the only team he has ever known—then ride off into the sunset.

But I'm a realist.

Alex Rodriguez will return from the disabled list at some point in the near future, leaving the Yankees with three designated hitters in Posada, Chavez and Andruw Jones. Both Chavez and Jones can play the field, while Posada cannot, save for an occasional appearance at 1B.

With a roster move needing to be made, Jorge could be the odd man out.

If, and I still believe it is a rather large if—but if A-Rod's return spells the end of Jorge Posada's phenomenal career, then Posada deserves one last game, in Yankee Stadium, to be introduced as the starting catcher of the New York Yankees.

Anything less would be uncivilized.