Best of The Best

The Core Four, made up of Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettite, and Jorge Posada, will live in Yankee lore for the rest of time.

Each player has managed sensational individual success. Jeter and Mariano are virtual locks to make the Hall of Fame and a convincing case can be made for Andy Pettitte. Posada's chances are unlikely but his career statistics are nothing to be ashamed of, placing him amongst the best Yankee catchers in history.

The awards and accolades that litter their shelves go well beyond individual accomplishments. The Core Four has always stayed true to the team concept. Throughout their careers, they've remained unselfish leaders with an unparalleled dedication to winning. And that they did, bringing New York five championships. But all good things come to an end. The group is on the decline and passed their prime. Well, three of them are at least.

This offseason, Andy Pettitte officially retired at the age of 38. Thirty-nine year old Jorge Posada, now the Yankees' full-time DH, is no longer the starting catcher. Last season he hit just .248 and this year he is hitting a dreaded .125. Derek Jeter's struggles are nothing new to any New York sports fan. Last year was the worst statistical season of his career and he's shown minimal signs of improvement thus far in 2011, with a .250 average and a big fat doughnut in the homerun column. Jeter is now 36 years old and, as hard as it is for most Yankee fans to admit, is rapidly on the decline. But then there's this guy named Mariano Rivera.

Rivera is 41 years old, making him the oldest of the Core Four. 2007 was a "bad" year for Mariano standards. As a 37 year old at the time, he pitched to a 3.15 ERA, the highest since his rookie season when he was mostly a starter. Everyone was crowning Joba Chamberlain the new closer. Mariano's slight dip in performance came as no shock. Normal people decline and get worse with age. But Mariano once again proved he isn't normal. He bounced back in a big way in 2008, posting a 1.40 ERA and an absurd .67 WHIP(walks plus hits per inning pitched). And he didn't slow down. His ERA was 1.76 in 2009, 1.80 last season, and 2.13 after thirteen appearances this year.

Somehow, unlike the rest of the Core Four, Mariano has gotten better with age. Pettitte has retired and Posada and Jeter, unlike Rivera, are showing us what it's like to be human. Posada is on the final year of his contract and will likely be on his couch or in a different uniform this time next season.

The Core Four is dying. But Mariano Rivera is seemingly just getting started. He is proving, once again, why is he one of the greatest athletes of this generation. Mo is truly the best of the best.

All Or Nothing

After 21 games played and 72 at bats, Jorge Posada has six homeruns and 12 RBIs. Looks respectable for a 39 year old DH with terrible knees, right? I mean, he's on a 38 homer pace. But Posada has managed just three other hits besides the six homeruns. His average stands at an abysmal .125.

Posada sorta has the right idea. Six homeruns for every nine hits is quite the ratio. But he seems to have forgotten about the hits per at-bat part. His power production hasn't made up for his horrendous average. 2011 has truly been all or nothing for him.

This season is Posada's first as a full-time DH. Jorge has always been a intensely prideful and passionate player. For the past decade or so, he's been one of the consummate leaders of the Yankees and, as starting catcher, the orchestrator of the pitching staff. Passing the reins of this pitching staff over to newcomer Russell Martin was likely extremely difficult for Jorge. Still, he handled it like a true professional and accepted his new role. But he's been slow to adapt.

On top of all this, Russell Martin has been flourishing as a Yankee. Through 23 games played, he has a .293 average, six homeruns, and 19 RBIs. He's outhit Posada while successfully leading a thus far overachieving pitching rotation. Martin's defense behind the plate is also light-years ahead of where Jorge's ever was. As a Dodger, Martin's first three seasons in the majors were impressive and promising. But in 2009 and 2010 he dropped off the face of the earth. Last season he hit just .248. Thankfully, he has shown signs of a career rebirth in a Yankee uniform.

Martin's success and the depth of strong catchers in the Yankee farm system make Posada's future in New York look bleak. His days as a catcher, for any team, are almost certainly in the past. Soon, the same will be said of his days as a major league player if he doesn't pick up his performance at the plate.