Yanks Continue to Get Bitten by Injury Bug, Lose Posada and Thames

Jorge Posada is the latest Yankee to wind up on the disabled list after an MRI revealed he has a hairline fracture on the bottom of his right foot.

The injury is expected to keep Posada out of action for three to four weeks, according to manager Joe Girardi. Posada suffered the injury when the Minnesota Twins' Michael Cuddyer fouled a ball off the top of his foot in the eighth inning of a game on Sunday.

"It just wasn't feeling right," said Posada, 38, whose injury was originally described as "a knot" on the top of his foot from where the ball struck him. "The pain moved from the top of the foot to the bottom and I was hoping it was just a bone bruise. But I woke up this morning and I was still limping a little bit so we decided to get an MRI."

Girardi, who made the announcement after the Yankees lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 10-6 Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium to drop four games back in the AL East race, said Posada's injury would be encased in a boot, although he did not know for how long. "We're thinking it'll be three to four weeks before we can get him back on the field," he said.

Posada's injury leaves Francisco Cervelli as the only experienced catcher on the Yankees' major league roster. Girardi refused to say what the club would do to replace Posada, but the Yankees do have veteran Chad Moeller, recently released by the Orioles, in their minor-league system as well as 20-year-old prospect Jesus Montero, currently hitting .229 with three HRs and 19 RBIs for Triple-A Scranton.

"We're still discussing what we're going to do," Girardi said. "I think by four or five o'clock [Thursday] we'll have a pretty good idea what we're going to do."

Posada is the latest Yankee to go on the DL, joining center fielder Curtis Granderson (groin strain), DH Nick Johnson (wrist surgery) and reliever Alfredo Aceves (lower back strain). Previously, reliever Chan Ho Park missed 30 games with a hamstring strain but rejoined the team on Monday. And outfielder Nick Swisher has missed four games with soreness in his left bicep. His return is still unknown.

On Wednesday, outfielder Marcus Thames sprained his left ankle when he accidentally stepped on his bat on a sixth inning single. He is listed as day to day.

"We can't feel sorry for ourselves. Teams playing us don't feel sorry for us," shortstop Derek Jeter said. "Other guys have to pick it up."

Posada, a five-time All-Star, is batting .326 with six homers and 14 RBIs. He also has eight doubles and a .406 on-base percentage.

"He's our catcher, a DH, switch-hitter. It's a big hurdle. We're going to have to overcome it," pitcher A.J. Burnett said.

Posada missed 22 games last May with a strained right hamstring. He is a dangerous presence in the middle of the lineup and a respected veteran in the clubhouse, one of the Yankees' lauded "Core Four" along with Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera.

"It's tough, no matter what," Posada said. "You want to be out there. You see the team losing, you see the team struggling and you want to help. I really can't tell you how frustrating it is."

The 24-year-old Cervelli has played extremely well this season, emerging as a pleasant surprise at the plate. He's hitting .373 with no homers and 17 RBIs in 67 at-bats, but he's not a power threat and he knows how valuable Posada is to the Yankees.

"That's sad," Cervelli said after hearing the news. "Everybody knows we need him."

Girardi said Swisher will be evaluated again Thursday to see if he can play. The switch-hitter hasn't been able to swing left-handed, and right-hander James Shields starts Thursday night for the Rays against Pettitte.

This is just two more injuries on the long list already present. Posada's injury is more of a blow to the line-up than that of Thames.

Posada, whether we like it or not, is the starting catcher and one of the leaders on the team. He can still hit and is a key component to the success of the line-up. His absence will leave a big void in the line-up, and the players used to fill that void will need to step up big and play to their capabilities if the Yanks plan on being successful without Posada in the line-up.

As for Thames, that has to be one of the weirdest injuries I have ever heard of. He stepped on his own bat while jogging to first after hitting a single.

How does that even happen? You are supposed to toss the bat far enough away after you hit the ball and you would think he would be conscious of where the bat is after he drops it, but I guess not. I mean it's not like he threw the bat on the grass; he threw it right in the middle of the baseline. Are you kidding me?!

Thames has been hitting very well and his absence will leave a void because he was already filling the void left by Nick Johnson and Nick Swisher. The Yankees might have to re-call outfielder Greg Golson on an emergency basis to fill in for Thames.

When a player gets sent to the minors he has to stay there for at least ten days, unless there is an injury, then he may be recalled on an emergency basis. This would be the case if the Yankees decided to recall Golson.

The Yanks are in a tough spot here with all their injuries. They weren't exactly built for this to happen. Is this the 2009 Mets all over again, but in the Bronx? I guess we are going to find out one way or another, aren't we?