Yankee fans are likely excited that Jorge Posada is staying in the Bronx for the foreseeable future. He reportedly agreed to a 4-year, $52.4 million dollar deal with the club. I know he's coming off of arguably his best season in pinstripes (.338, 20, 90) but will the Yankees (and their fans) be as excited about this deal in 4 years when JP is 40 and making $13.1 million? To me, it seems like a high risk offering a catcher on the wrong side of 35 a contract that long and that lucrative. Since turning 36, Mike Piazza hasn't had 400 at-bats in a season, hasn't hit over .285 and hasn't topped 70 RBI. Ivan Rodriguez turns 36 next month and is coming off a season where he posted some of the worst offensive numbers of his career (11 HR, 9 BB, .294 OBP, .420 SLG). Johnny Bench retired after the 1983 season, most of which he spent as a 35-year-old hitting .255 with 12 HR and 54 RBI. Carlton Fisk is really the only catcher in this class to post moderately good numbers after turning 35. In 1985 as a 37-year-old with the White Sox, he hit won the Silver Slugger after going 37/107 with 17 steals. But he only hit .238 and wouldn't top 500 AB's again in his career.
My guess is, this deal won't look so hot a year or two from now.
