Posada sprains left ring finger
Yankees catcher Jorge Posada singles in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays, Sunday. (July 4, 2010) Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
Jorge Posada just can't seem to catch a break.
The Yankees catcher - who was activated from the disabled list last month - was lifted in the seventh inning of yesterday's 7-6, 10-inning victory over Toronto after a foul tip off the bat of Fred Lewis clipped his glove hand.
The team described his injury as a sprained left ring finger. X-rays were negative and Posada is listed as day-to-day. He was replaced by Francisco Cervelli.
"It's frustrating," said Posada, who crouched in obvious pain after being hit. "Once I'm feeling good at the plate and getting comfortable there, something happens . . . It's just one of those years. Hopefully, the second half is better."
Posada was activated from the disabled list June 2 after missing 15 games with a hairline fracture of his right foot. He is hitting .207 (18-for-87) since his return.
"I have protection in the glove and still it's painful when I get a foul tip off of it," he said. "It's going to happen. It's part of the game. When you're behind the plate, you're going to get a lot of them.''
No Braden
The Yankees open a series in Oakland Monday night, but Alex Rodriguez will not get to face Dallas Braden. The Athletics lefthander is on the disabled list.
It was Braden who got into a hissing match with A-Rod over whether it is proper to cross the pitcher's mound after a foul ball. A-Rod later said he didn't want to "extend the 15 minutes of fame he already has."
Less than three weeks later, Braden pitched a perfect game, after which his grandmother said, "Stick it, A-Rod."
Braden, however, told the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday: "I'm way over it. My 15-minute timer went off a long time ago."
Trainer's room
Nick Johnson (wrist surgery) will head to Tampa to begin injury rehab with an eye toward a late July return, at best, after getting examined by his doctor Saturday.
