Jorge Posada

As can be expected from a 39-year-old catcher, Posada battled a few nagging injuries last season and missed 40-plus games for the third straight year. His offensive numbers also began to slide, as he posted his lowest average (.248) and his third-lowest OPS (.811) since 1999. A move to the DH role this season could help keep his legs fresh, but we're talking about a player who will turn 40 this season and comes with some significant injury concerns. Don't overpay for the name.

Posada will turn 39 this season, so a sharp decline probably isn't too far down the road, and his defensive skills seem to have begun their slide already. To help keep him fresh as long as possible, the Yankees may begin transitioning him to designated hitter in 2010, especially if Hideki Matsui signs elsewhere. He's not done being a productive fantasy option, however. Posada homered once every 17.4 at-bats last season, the second-best mark of his career, and his .522 slugging percentage was his third-highest. With a potent lineup around him he'll continue to put up numbers, whether it's as the catcher or as the DH.

Posada attempted to play through a torn rotator cuff and labrum damage last season, but it clearly bothered him at the plate as his power was drained to the tune of just three homers in 168 at-bats. The Yankees put him on the DL in late July and shut him down for good to have him undergo surgery and begin the rehab process. He's expected to be ready for the start of spring training, so keep an eye on his progress heading toward Opening Day and be ready to take advantage if his cost on draft day is discounted because of his missed time in 2008. Posada still has three years remaining on a four-year, $52.4 million deal that he signed in November 2007, so he'll remain a significant part of the team's plans for the next few seasons.

Offensive numbers are always at a premium behind the plate and Posada did not disappoint in 2007. His .338/.426/.543 line set career high across the board, but the biggest difference in his game was a signifcant increase in good fortune, as his .389 BABIP was 63 points higher than his career average rate. That said, his plate discipline remains superb (he led all catchers in walks and on-base percentage), and while his track record suggests he's do for some normalization from 2007, expect another 20-homer campaign in 2008.

There are few 35-year-old catchers with 20-homer power, which explains why having a good backup catcher hasn't been a major priority for the Yankees. Like many of his aging teammates, critics wonder how much longer he can produce at his current level, only to have their grumblings of a regression silenced by season's end. He'll likely finished in the top-10 for production again in 2007, but a slide towards to lower end of that list is a likely possibility.

Posada is still one of the better hitting catchers out there, with an excellent batting eye, but he'll be 34 in 2006 and his stats have been in steady decline since his huge 2003. He'll have plenty of opportunities in the stacked Yankees lineup, but will hurt teams in batting average and won't produce the power he did in the past.

Posada's overall numbers look good, but his RBI and AB totals were his lowest since 1999, and he doesn't score as many runs as most other Yankees starters. When 33-year-old catchers decline, they can do so quickly. He's got enough left to be a top-notch fantasy catcher for the next couple of seasons, but expecting another 2003 may be too much to ask.

Posada put up big numbers in 2003, batting .281 with 30 HR and 101 RBI to put him at or near the top offensively of all catchers. His power and on base percentage all jumped up and with Gary Sheffield on board this season, he will only get more opportunities to get on-base and drive in runs. Defensively, he has a very strong arm but had some trouble handling pitchers. The re-signing of John Flaherty will afford him the occasional day off on day games after night games so expect him to get around 475 at-bats this season.

Aside from Mike Piazza and a banged-up Ivan Rodriguez, Posada easily outproduced every other catcher in the league last season. That said, Posada's real baseball productivity (.370 OBP) is bolstered by his willingness to take a walk, while his fantasy numbers (.268, 20 homers) are very good for a catcher, but won't carry your team. At age 32, Posada should be able to take another full season or two of the pounding that goes with his position, but don't expect him to improve on his numbers in 2003.