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BOSTON -- No one has to remind manager Joe Girardi of the importance of a
stabilizing force behind the plate. The Yankees manager was, after all, a
catcher on the 1996, '98 and '99 World Series championship teams.
So when Jorge Posada went down early in the season with a nagging right
shoulder injury, the Yankees manager had no choice but to turn to Jose Molina
and hope that the pitching staff could get comfortable with the backup.
The Yankees will send ace and American League Cy Young Award candidate Mike
Mussina to the mound in search of his 14th win, while the visiting Orioles
counter with Jeremy Guthrie in the opener of a three-game series in the
Bronx, where the Bombers have won their last 10.
Mussina is just one of the many Yankees pitchers who can vouch for Molina
after Posada, who returned on June 5 only to reaggravate the same shoulder
strain, eventually land on the 15-day disabled list again on July 21.
"Jose understands how to handle a staff," Girardi said. "I don't know where
we'd be without him, bottom line. I know we'd probably be under .500 without
him."
And there's another stat to back up Girardi's point. Entering Sunday night,
pitchers had a 3.32 ERA with Molina calling the signals -- the best mark of
any catcher in the Majors.
"He's done a tremendous job for us," Girardi said. "What he's been able to do
with our staff and our young pitchers, getting them through tough spots, he
has just been remarkable."
Molina doesn't just call a good game. He has thrown out 25 baserunners trying
to steal, also tops in the bigs.
"His ability to shut down a running game has been great," Girardi added.
Asked if he feels satisfaction that the team has weathered the injury to
Posada, Girardi said only time will tell.
"I don't think you take time to reflect on that," Girardi said. "The
satisfaction is if you're where you want to be on Nov. 1. That's the
satisfaction, because the goal is still there. Obviously, there's still a lot
of games and we've made up some ground fairly quickly, but we need to keep
going."
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