Yankees ink Jorge Posada for $52.4M

Jorge Posada finalized a four-year, $52.4-million US contract Thursday with the New York Yankees, the only team he has played for in the major leagues.

Posada, 36, was required to pass a physical exam to seal the deal, which was negotiated Nov. 14.

At $13.1 million US annually, he will be baseball's highest paid catcher, edging out Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez's $13 million US.

"Nowadays, it is really tough to stay with one team," Posada said. "The Yankees really made a strong push to keep me.

"For me, it was important to stay with the Yankees because I belong a Yankee. I am really, really happy that I got the chance to stay.

"Going elsewhere, I was going to listen to the offers. But the Yankees made it tough."

Posada, a veteran switch-hitter, hit a team-high and career-best .338 last season with 20 home runs, 90 runs batted in and 91 runs scored in 144 games for the Yankees.

His batting average was 51 points higher than his previous best of .287 in 2000, and he set personal highs in slugging (.543) and on-base (.426) percentage.

That said, Posada was promised he will be used more frequently as a designated hitter, giving him a break from the rigours of catching yet keeping his bat in the lineup.

"That was one of the biggest reasons that I came back as a Yankee," he said. "The [New York] Mets were pushing really, really hard to bring me over there."

Reunited with Girardi

Posada is looking forward to working again with former Yankees catcher Joe Girardi, who replaced Joe Torre as manager on Nov. 1.

Girardi tutored Posada as he was establishing himself in New York.

"I don't think it is going to be the same," Posada said. "He is the manager now.

"But I think we have the same relationship we built from when we were players. I think it's going to be fine."

Posada, a five-time all-star, is a lifetime .278 hitter with 218 HRs, 861 RBIs and 744 runs in 1,432 MLB games since debuting with the Yankees on Sept. 4, 1995.