New York Yankees: 17 Years of Memorable Moments for Jorge Posada

Jorge Posada was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 24th round of the 1990 amateur draft. He signed on May 24, 1991.

He retires on January 24, 2012 after 17 seasons for the New York Yankees.

Posada's career spanned 17 seasons in which he had 1,664 hits, 275 home runs, 1,065 RBI's, 900 runs, and 379 doubles. He had a career .273 average.

He played in 125 postseason games as well. When it mattered most, Posada had 103 hits, 11 home runs, 42 RBI's, and 23 doubles.

He was a four time World Series Champion, winning it all in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009.

Posada was a five-time All-Star, appearing in the game in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2007. He also won the Silver Slugger Award for catcher in the same seasons.

Posada was a member of the Core Four and a true New York Yankee.

There are far too many memories that Posada gave to Yankee fans over the years to go through them all, but here are a few of them.

Posada Is a Part of Perfection

In 1998, Posada caught David Wells' perfect game.

It was his first year playing over 100 games.

He played in 111 games in 1998 and batted .268 with 17 home runs and 63 RBI's.

Posada Smacks His First Postseason Home Run

In Game 1 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Indians, Jorge Posada hits his first postseason home run. 

It was the first of his 11 postseason home runs.

Yankees Take Game 1 in 1998 vs. Padres

Posada congratulates Mariano Rivera in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series against the San Diego Padres. 

The New York Yankees would sweep the Padres to win the World Series.

It is the first title he wins as a part of the postseason roster.

Posada Is Behind the Plate to Celebrate the 1999 World Series

For the first time, Posada is behind the plate for a World Series clincher. 

He added a run-scoring single in the game.

First All-Star Appearance

In 2000, Jorge Posada participates in his first All-Star game.

He entered the game with a .309 average, 14 home runs, 41 RBI's, and 14 doubles. 

He would go on to win a Silver Slugger Award at catcher that year, an award he would win from 2000-2003.

Go Ahead Run in 2000 World Series Clincher

With the game tied in the ninth inning of the 2000 World Series, the Subway Series, Jorge Posada works a walk off Al Leiter.

The previous two batter struck out.

Scott Brosius singled and Luis Sojo followed with a single. Posada scored the winning run, and the Yankees would win the game 4-2 to clinch the World Series.

Posada Beats the A's Facing Elimination, 1-0

Facing elimination in the 2001 ALDS, Posada hits a solo home run in the fifth inning against Oakland for the games only run.

The Yankees went on to win three in a row and ultimately advance to the World Series.

The Play

Posada is a part of a play that lives in Yankees history.

After receiving the throw from a scrambling Derek Jeter, he puts the tag on Jeremy Giambi as he tries to score.

This went down as one of the best postseason plays in history.

Magic in the Ninth

The Yankees entered the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2001 World Series trailing 2-0 to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

New York already had miracle comebacks in the previous two games in the ninth inning.

They would make it three in this one.

Jorge Posada was the first batter of the ninth and hit a line-drive double. 

After the next two batters made outs, Scott Brosius hit a game-tying two-run home run. 

The Yankees would win the game in the bottom the of the 12th on an Alfonso Soriano single, scoring Chuck Knoblauch.

Although the Yankees would lose the final two games in Arizona, it still went down as one of the best World Series ever, in a year New York needed a distraction.

20 Home Runs, 99 RBI's, 40 Doubles in 2002

Posada and Jeter await the 2002 Division Series against the Anaheim Angels.

New York lost the series 3-1.

He had a stellar 2002 however, making the All-Star team, hitting 20 home runs, 99 RBI's, and 40 doubles. In 2007, he became one of only two catchers in MLB history to hit 40 doubles in two seasons.

This was his first.

Posada and Pedro

Before the infamous brawl broke out in Boston, Pedro Martinez has some words towards Posada. Posada let Pedro know how he felt.

Later in the game, the benches cleared after Manny Ramirez took exception to a Roger Clemens pitch. The infamous brawl included Pedro throwing Don Zimmer to the ground.

Posada vs. Pedro Round 2

Posada gets to Pedro in the eight inning of Game 7 of the ALCS. He ties the game with a double in a game the Yankees would go on to win.

2003 ALCS Game 7

An exhausted Mariano Rivera embraces Posada after Aaron Boone's walk-off home run that sent the Yankees to the 2003 World Series.

13 Innings of Red Sox vs. Yankees in 2004

On July 1, 2004, Boston and New York played one of the greatest regular season games in their long rivalry. 

Derek Jeter stole the show in this game as he flew in to the stands after making a spectacular catch.

Posada, however, went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two walks in the 13-inning, 5-4 Yankees win.

Posada Hits His 200th Career Home Run in 2007

Posada rounds the bases after a home run in 2007.

He would hit his 200th home run on April 17 against the Indians.

He finished 2007 hitting .338 with 42 doubles, 20 home runs and 90 RBI's.

Posada Christens the New Stadium on Opening Day

Two thousand and nine saw the first regular season game at the new Yankee Stadium.

Posada brought the crowd to their feet when he connected for the first regular season home run at the Stadium in the fifth inning.

Posada Drives in Two Runs in Game 4

After New York took the lead in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2009 World Series, Posada stepped up to the plate and drove in two insurance runs. 

The Yankees took a 7-4 lead with the two run single and and won Game 4.

Yankees Win the 2009 World Series

Posada leads the celebration after the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies to win the 2009 World Series. 

Parade of Champions

Posada greets fans along the parade route after the Yankees won the 2009 World Series.

He had four hits and a home run in both the ALDS and ALCS. 

In the World Series, he had five hits and five RBI's.

Back-to-Back Slams

Posada celebrates a grand slam on June 12, 2010. 

The next day he hit would hit another one.

After Being Benched, Posada Hits Another Grand Slam

Posada was benched in the middle of the 2011 season.

After five days without taking the field, his number was called.

On August 13, he returned to the lineup and hit a grand slam.

It would be his 10th and final grand slam of his career.

Posada Takes the Field

On August 25, 2011, Posada takes the field in the ninth inning to play second base. 

It was the first time Posada ever played second base in the majors. He had been signed as a second basemen when he first joined the Yankee organization before being moved behind the plate.

The Yankees were leading comfortably, 22-8, after belting three grand slams.

Posada's Last Game

On October 6, 2011, Jorge Posada played his last game. He fought for the season to continue in Game 5 of the ALDS. 

In his final game, he went 2 for 4.

He was the lone bright spot in the Yankees offense in the 2011 postseason, hitting .429. It was the second highest average of his career in the postseason. 

He added his first career postseason triple as well in 2011; he had only 11 in his entire career.

Posada went out with the same passion and intensity we have come to expect.

Jorge Posada played his final game as though it was indeed his last.

The same way he played every game of his career.