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 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Playoffs or not, Jorge Posada isn't going to catch Randy Johnson. Light-hitting John Flaherty, who has caught most of The Big Unit's 34 starts for the New York Yankees this season, will do likewise in Game 3 of the AL division series against the Angels.
"To me, pitching is such a huge part of the game. And when you see something as comfortable as that seems to be, I don't want to mess with that," manager Joe Torre said Monday. "I don't even feel bad even saying that, because when you watched (Greg) Maddux pitch all those years, Javy Lopez didn't necessarily catch. So I think the pitching is too important to worry about the offense."
Posada batted .262 with 19 home runs and 71 RBIs in 142 games. Flaherty hit only .165 in 47 games with two homers and 11 RBIs. But Flaherty is more vigilant about keeping the five-time Cy Young Award winner focused on his mechanics. That's why the Yankees are willing to sacrifice some offense for continuity.
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