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Buster Posey News & Rumors

SF Giants' Buster Posey getting more rest
May 22
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey provides another example of how the realities of a season overwhelm well-laid plans of spring. Posey was supposed to play a fair amount of first base to keep his bat in the lineup while giving his ankle a semi-rest. Early in the season, Posey played first against left-handed pitchers while Hector Sanchez caught. Things have changed. Posey has played first base only twice this month and not since May 11 at Arizona. He caught Monday night's game against lefty Randy Wolf while Sanchez sat. Brett Pill started at first, as he usually does now against left-handers."
Giants' Buster Posey is back and better than ever
April 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Scott Ostler
"Buster Posey went 1-for-3 Sunday, so his batting average nose-dived from .354 to .353. He did manage to stay in the top 10 among major-league batters, at No. 9. Posey is far behind the leader, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp (.425), but Kemp hasn't faced the Giants' pitching. One month living in the .350 neighborhood doesn't put someone in the Hall of Fame, but it's a bit surprising to those of us (my hand is raised) who expected Posey to take a while this season to bounce back from surgery to repair his badly injured leg."
Buster Posey takes celebrations easy
April 21
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Mama and Papa Posey did not raise a dummy. When his teammates race onto the field at AT&T Park after a walkoff hit and become a celebratory assault-and-battery mob, Buster Posey largely stays out of the fray. Posey did so in the 11th inning Wednesday night when Melky Cabrera singled home the game's only run. This was not a new strategy to protect the leg he hurt last year. He always tries to enjoy the pile from a safe distance. "If you watch the replays of any walkoff, that's usually where I am," he said Friday. "When we won the division, the NLCS, the World Series celebration, I was there outside the pile. It's just a risk I'm not willing to take. I'm not going to get pulled down to the"
Giants fans happy to have Buster Posey back
April 14
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist Gwen Knapp
"Buster Posey said he tried to soak up all his welcome-back ovations, remembering the hard work that went into repairing his left leg and returning him to the Giants' lineup. But when he walked toward the plate Friday afternoon for his first official swing at his home park this year, Posey appeared to tune out the standing crowd and wild applause. He stepped into the batter's box as quickly as possible, eyes glued on the pitcher as the ovation kept building. He had flunked elementary Savoring The Moment. Then he aced Home Opener Theatrics. On the second pitch, Posey lofted a ball into deep center for a double, scoring Melky Cabrera for the first run of 2012 at the Giants' park. The"
Giants catcher Buster Posey sidelined by shingles
April 12
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey was a late scratch from Wednesday's game because he still is dealing with complications from shingles, a painful skin rash. Posey first started feeling sick during last week's Bay Bridge Series, and he started getting blisters on his left side Sunday. Posey had a scheduled off day Monday and the Giants were off Tuesday, but he said he still felt "too worn down" to play Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies. "It just kind of zaps you," he said."
SF Giants' fans help Buster Posey, Brian Wilson
April 3
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Giants returned to town and got all emotional, thanks to their fans. "It's one of the coolest experiences I've had in baseball, and I feel really lucky to play in San Francisco," catcher Buster Posey said after his first game since May 25, having receiving loud cheers when first taking his position and before each of his four plate appearances. "I can't express enough how meaningful it was. It was really special.""
Buster Posey's health the best development of spring camp for San Francisco Giants
April 2
San Jose Mercury News
 
"The Giants might have found a future leadoff hitter and a long-term solution at shortstop during their 44 days in Scottsdale, but this spring will be remembered for what they didn't find with Buster Posey. There were no significant bumps or bruises, no limps or unscheduled days off. No setbacks of any kind. "Everything is normal," the franchise catcher said. Posey looked that way while hitting .306, catching 49 innings and doing everything from handling a play at home plate to scoring from second on a hard-hit single."
Posey plays in S.F. for 1st time since injury
April 2
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey has reached several post-injury milestones in spring training: First time running the bases. First Cactus League game. First at-bat. First hit (a home run). First time catching. First runner tossed out. First play at the plate. First slide into the plate. First time catching back-to-back games. First time catching Tim Lincecum. Now comes the biggie, at least for Giants fans. First time playing in San Francisco. The Bay Bridge Series begins Monday night, and Posey will play his first game at Third and King since May 25, the night Scott Cousins barreled into him in a home-plate collision that trashed the catcher's left ankle and sent him to an extensive rehab program that's"
Buster Posey catches games two days in a row, a good sign for the San Francisco Giants
March 28
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey turned 25 on Tuesday, but the more important number at Scottsdale Stadium was two, as in two straight games behind the plate. Just as he has done all spring, Posey passed his latest test without incident. Setbacks were expected when Posey started the task of checking off one rehab box after another nearly six weeks ago, but the Giants catcher has continuously shown nothing but the best signs. "He's not coming in there talking about an ankle problem or using that as an excuse," said Tim Lincecum, who started with Posey for the first time since last May 21. "It's just: 'I'm Posey. I'm back out there, and I'm doing my job.' "That's what makes it easier. He was on hiatus for a"
Giants glad to have Buster Posey delivering
March 28
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey planned to spend his 25th birthday quietly with family Tuesday night. "Boring, huh?" he said. No, no Buster. Giants fans will take "boring." Now, if they heard you planned to go skydiving, they would have a collective coronary. With just more than a week to go before Opening Day, Posey is healthy, running well and hitting. He passed another milestone Tuesday when he caught for the second day in a row, completing seven innings each time. The next step is a nine-inning game, but not today, when he will play first base or be the designated hitter."
Buster Posey 'feels great' after playing first base only hours after catching six innings
March 25
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey faced another small test Saturday and passed with flying colors. Posey started at first base for the first time, playing six innings just a few hours after catching six innings in a night game. "He feels great," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's coming out of these games with no issues. That's good news for us. He's getting more and more comfortable in all facets of the game." Posey's first defensive chance came on a suicide squeeze play; he made the throw home to easily nail Colorado's Chris Nelson. Posey went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs, bumping his average past .300. Bochy said Posey will be off Sunday and that when he gets back behind the plate this week, his innings"
Buster Posey gets through play at plate
March 25
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"One of these days, Buster Posey is going to get whacked at the plate again by a runner trying to score. That nugget of inevitability gained clarity from Mitch Moreland, the big Texas Rangers first baseman, after he scored Friday night on what was Posey's first play at the plate since his life-changing collision with Scott Cousins in San Francisco in May. Runners might sympathize with Posey, but they are not likely to go easy on him. "It didn't cross my mind who was catching or who we were playing," Moreland said. "I was at second base, and there was a single up the middle, and I tried to score." This play was uneventful. Posey made sure of that by heeding manager Bruce Bochy's dictum that"
SF Giants' Buster Posey homers, 1st hit of spring
March 15
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey played it down, typically. Yeah, it was nice to finally get a hit - a home run, in fact. But he claimed it was just another step on the journey to Opening Day. "I still think it's about getting ready and preparation and getting at-bats and seeing pitches and trying to work on timing," said Posey, who was hitless in his first seven Cactus League at-bats. "I'm just glad I hit it hard. That's the goal coming up every time, just to hit it hard.""
Giants' Wilson, Posey pick up where they left off
March 12
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"It was one pitch that encapsulated everything the Giants hoped to see this spring. Closer Brian Wilson fired a cutter past Seattle designated hitter Vinnie Catricala for strike three. Buster Posey caught the ball, leaped from his crouch and threw out Carlos Peguero trying to steal second base. Wilson's 2012 debut Sunday was just as satisfying as Posey's two days before. With his elbow injury a distant memory, Wilson pitched the fourth inning of a 7-5 Giants victory and retired the side on nine pitches, all fastballs and cutters."
Brian Wilson ready to take mound for San Francisco Giants
March 11
San Jose Mercury News
 
"After Buster Posey's grand spring training debut, now it's Brian Wilson's turn. After much offseason concern about the right elbow that troubled him at the end of last season, the Giants closer will make his first appearance Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. Manager Bruce Bochy was frank about what he expects. "A good inning, an easy inning to be honest," Bochy said. "I'm not looking for him to go out there and overdo it. It's been a while, and I know he's excited about it. We'll keep an eye on him, but he's good to go." Bochy said Wilson will be on a limit of approximately 25 pitches, or the same number he threw throwing live batting practice Wednesday. He added that Wilson will"
Buster Posey makes successful return
March 10
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey is so cute when he is standing by his locker, speaking in a tone usually reserved for reciting a shopping list and doing a poor job hiding that he is hole-in-one happy. How could he not be after playing in a baseball game for the first time in more than nine months Friday? His two innings behind the plate and one at-bat in the Giants' 6-3 victory against Cincinnati were uneventful. Given all he has been through, uneventful was just the ticket. "It was fun," Posey said quietly. "I put in a lot of work to get back in the game. Even though it was two innings, it was nice to be out there. "I definitely had some nerves - good nerves, though." Posey started the game and caught two"
Buster Posey to make Cactus League debut on Friday
March 9
San Jose Mercury News
 
"After more than nine months of waiting, Buster Posey's time finally has come. Posey on Thursday confirmed what manager Bruce Bochy has hinted at all week: The catcher will make his spring debut Friday at Scottsdale Stadium. "The plan is to catch a couple innings," Posey said. "I'm excited." Freddy Sanchez also will make his spring debut as the designated hitter. Posey ran the bases Thursday to test his surgically repaired ankle and did short sprints in the outfield. "It felt great," Posey said. "I'm really happy with the way (my ankle) responded to running." Posey had a slight limp the first time he ran this week but was at nearly 100 percent effort while working out with trainer Dave"
Buster Posey, Freddy Sanchez return to SF Giants
March 9
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Play ball, Buster Ballgame. It happens at Scottsdale Stadium today, when Buster Posey starts at catcher against the Cincinnati Reds. Matt Cain will be on the mound, and for the first time in 289 days Posey will catch a pitch as a hitter stands in the box and an umpire deems it a ball or strike. "It's going to be a big day for Buster," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's been waiting for this day for quite a while. I'm sure he'll have some anxious moments before the game starts. He'll be hyped up. It's going to be a good day for him and a good day for the club because he means a lot to the club.""
SF Giants could get Posey, Sanchez back Friday
March 8
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Giants knew that at some point they needed to cut the harnesses off Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez, throw them into a game and hope they are ready to withstand the rigors of competition. It looks as if Friday will be that day for both. Manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Posey might catch "a couple of innings" in Friday's game against Cincinnati at Scottsdale Stadium. Bochy also said Sanchez was "real close" and could be the designated hitter Friday."
Buster Posey pleased with his baserunning session
March 7
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey rounded third, pushing off the bag with his surgically repaired left ankle, and jogged home. And with that, the Giants' catcher and cleanup hitter took the latest significant step in his rehab from ankle surgery. Posey was pleased with the way he felt after running the bases several times Tuesday at Scottsdale Stadium. "It felt as good or better than yesterday," said Posey, who on Monday night ran wider circles on the dirt. "It was a significant improvement." Posey said his ankle "seems to respond better and better" to each new step in his rehab. He revealed that he also ran the bases about 10 days ago and estimated that this time he upped the effort to about 60 to 70 percent."
Giants: Freddy Sanchez might play Thursday or Friday; Buster Posey could be in lineup by weekend
March 6
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Manager Bruce Bochy said Freddy Sanchez likely will play in an exhibition game later this week, and Buster Posey could join him. Bochy is eyeing Thursday or Friday for a possible spring debut by Sanchez, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. Posey's recovery from ankle surgery took another step Monday, albeit a cautious one. Using a padded mat, Posey practiced sliding for the first time since last May's season-ending injury. He later moved from the grass to the dirt and simulated baserunning. But Posey didn't actually run the bases, instead circling the outer edge of the infield. Bochy said Posey, who appeared to have a slight limp when approaching maximum effort, could run the bases"
Buster Posey highly valued
March 4
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"As a sophomore in college, Buster Posey moved from shortstop to catcher because physically he was a better fit behind the plate than the middle infield. Mike Martin Jr., an assistant at Florida State, suggested the idea, knowing it would boost his program as well as Posey's future value. Right on both accounts. Five years later, Posey has far more value as a catcher than at any other position, including first base, where it's generally easier to find premium hitters. Consider Yadier Molina's new contract extension: five years, $75 million. Over the past five seasons, the St. Louis catcher hit .289 and averaged eight homers, 51 RBIs and 130 games. Pedestrian stuff. If he put up those"
Buster Posey to miss some exhibitions
March 2
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Aubrey Huff will play first base in Saturday's Cactus League opener. Brandon Crawford will start at short, with Pablo Sandoval at third. Melky Cabrera will be in left field, Angel Pagan in center and Nate Schierholtz in right. Starting at catcher will be ... Chris Stewart. Buster Posey is not ready to play and might be held out of the first "two, three, four games," manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday. Both insisted the 2010 National League Rookie of the Year has not had a setback in his comeback from last year's devastating leg injury. Posey needs more preparation. He has not practiced sliding yet and still needs work running the bases, which he knew would be the most difficult test for his"
Buster Posey won't play in Cactus League opener
March 2
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey's long wait to return to the lineup will last a few more days. Posey won't play in the exhibition opener Saturday against Arizona and might not play in a game until the middle of next week. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Posey's left ankle is "not quite ready," a decision the catcher won't fight. "There's no disappointment at all," Posey said. "This is about being ready for the (season) opener. I'm feeling great. "Everything is going well, and I'm sticking to the course." The course added a few left turns in recent weeks when Posey started running the bases. He said he felt a little stiffness but that it was "par for the course." Nine months out from a collision that ended"
Buster Posey a hit on bruising day of BP
February 27
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Giants might have to start practicing in pads. On the first day of pitchers throwing full-speed batting practice to hitters, catcher Hector Sanchez smoked pitcher Matt Cain in the left calf with a comebacker, and Jeremy Affeldt drilled Pablo Sandoval in the ribs with a fastball. Cain and Sandoval hit the dirt, but both were fine afterward. The trainers were not the star of Sunday's workout, though. It was Buster Posey, who batted against a major-league pitcher for the first time since he singled in the ninth inning of that fateful May 25 game against the Marlins."
Buster Posey on an inevitable collision course
February 22
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey: We won't see this until the season starts, but it's coming - the inevitable collision at home plate. The Giants can talk all they want about Posey not blocking the plate, but he can't be planted to the side, swiping with his glove, on every play. There will be a time when he has secured the ball, his footwork is perfect (two critical flaws in the Scott Cousins collision), and here comes a baserunner with his team down by a run, two outs in the ninth inning. He has to score that run, and he knows damn well he'll look like an idiot trying to execute a hook slide against a well-prepared catcher. That's when survival instincts take hold."
Giants tell Posey not to block plate this season
February 20
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"It is not a hint, or a suggestion, or a plea, but a direct order: Manager Bruce Bochy has told catcher Buster Posey not to block the plate this season. "I'll take this out of Buster's hands," Bochy said after Giants pitchers and catchers, including Posey, finished their first formal workout of spring training Sunday. "As a manager, that's my job. I certainly don't want people to think he's backing off on his own. It's something we'll work on with him this spring.""
Buster Posey's bat tops list of Giants' concerns
February 18
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"A team that falls from a World Series championship one year to missing the playoffs the next generates a lot more questions than usual. Selecting the five most pressing questions for the Giants, as their pitchers and catchers report today, is no easy task. Will the Giants really let light-hitting Brandon Crawford be the everyday shortstop? That is a heck of a question; it did not make the cut. Will 2010 first-round draft pick Gary Brown bore through Double-A pitching and get a shot at center field at AT&T Park? Another good question, another also-ran, along with, can Tim Lincecum win a third Cy Young? Here are the five most important questions: 1. Will Buster Posey be an offensive force"
Buster Posey to try new catcher's mask
February 5
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Long before everyone fretted about Buster Posey's leg, they fretted about his head, which was absorbing a fair amount of foul-ball punishment. There was concern that Posey's goalie-style mask was not protecting him enough from concussions. Now, Posey is considering a change. He said during a FanFest question-and-answer session Saturday that he will try to use a traditional two-piece mask during spring training. "I want to see what happens when I get a good blow from a foul tip," Posey said in a follow-up interview. "The two-piece masks, a lot of times you see them shoot off a catcher's head. I want to see how it feels. If I'm not comfortable with it, I can always go back." Research"
Buster Posey uncertain how ankle will respond to playing again
February 4
San Jose Mercury News
 
"So many questions await Buster Posey this spring. They hover in the air like a series of foul pops, subject to the whims of wind and spin. Will his repaired left ankle respond when he hops out of his crouch to throw? How will it feel when he wakes up the following day? Will his timing at the plate be an issue after the longest layoff of his baseball life? Will he be the ebullient rookie of the year who led the Giants to a World Series title in 2010? Or will Posey's career be more about concessions than celebrations? "I guess questions like these are just hard to answer without playing, you know?" he said, squinting a bit. "Without being back in the action." It's the thought of being back"
Buster Posey's injury can't persuade Joe Torre to consider rule changes to safeguard catchers
December 16
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey will put on his customary helmet, shinguards and chest protector when he gets behind the plate in a few months. But he won't get any additional safeguards in the rule book. Although Giants officials remain in favor of a rule change that would protect catchers from being targeted in home-plate collisions, the matter didn't come up officially at the winter meetings last week in Dallas. It didn't get past Joe Torre, Major League Baseball's vice president for on-field operations. Torre heard out Giants manager Bruce Bochy in several phone calls over the summer but declined to recommend that the rules committee take up the matter. "Well, listen, I knew it was more emotional than"
As Giants' catcher recuperates from injury, wife and new twins have kept him focused
October 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Baseballs are jumping off Buster Posey's bat again. The sound is thundering, the distance impressive. Bang! Hard grounder up the middle. Bang! Drive off the right-field wall. Bang! A ball disappears over the left-field fence. The sound would be music to the ears of Giants fans if they heard it. It's 9:30 a.m. on a back field at Indian School Park, and Posey has greeted a warm desert morning wearing a T-shirt, shorts and a loud pair of running shoes designed for Jonathan Sanchez. His audience Wednesday consists of several Giants trainers, outgoing managing general partner Bill Neukom, who happens to be in town, and four senior citizens who alight from their bicycles on an adjoining path to"
Giants Buster Posey catches bullpen sessions
October 12
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Giants catcher Buster Posey has reached a significant benchmark in his arduous comeback from a season-ending leg injury. For the first time since his May 25 home-plate collision, Posey is in a squat, catching pitchers' bullpen sessions. More significant, Posey is catching bullpens a bit ahead of schedule, boosting hope that he will be ready to play by spring training and be the Giants' starting catcher when they open the 2012 season in Arizona on April 6. "I would say that starting to catch 'pens has been a confidence booster," Posey said in a text Tuesday. "I'm very happy with the progress I've made up to this point.""
SF Giants' Buster Posey thrilled to play catch
September 11
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey played catch Saturday, and if those five words made you feel better, imagine how Posey felt after doing baseball work on the field at AT&T Park for the first time since his season-ending collision on May 25. A big deal? "Absolutely," said Posey, who got the word Friday that head trainer Dave Groeschner was ready to see Posey throw a baseball from about 60 feet. "I never would have thought I'd be that excited driving to the field to play catch for seven minutes," he said. "It was a big confidence boost to get back out there, even for something as simple as playing catch.""
Giants won't seek retribution in Florida for Buster Posey injury
August 12
Oakland Tribune
 
"However the Giants complete their journey this season, be it with another victory parade, completely missing the playoffs, or anything in between, one emotionally charged moment will stand out. Who could forget Buster Posey, their catcher and cleanup hitter, clutching the dirt in agony after a season-ending home-plate collision May 25? The Giants will receive a fresh reminder Friday, when they begin a 10-game trip on the edge of the Everglades. For the first time since that fateful series in May, they will cross paths with the Florida Marlins. So much has changed. The Marlins are a different team run by a different manager. Scott Cousins, the rookie base runner whose controversial hit"
San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey making progress in rehab
August 7
San Jose Mercury News
 
"It was a busy day for Buster Posey. He spent his Saturday morning speaking to a couple of thousand fans at AT&T Park and reached another milestone in his recovery from ankle surgery, taking his first steps without crutches. "I took a couple of laps around the weight room," Posey said. "Everything felt great. ... Hopefully, within 2-3 days, I can completely ditch this thing (his one crutch) and just wear the boot." Posey said he has been bearing weight on his ankle for the past 10 days or so while wearing the walking boot. He said he hopes to catch some bullpen sessions and hit off a tee before the season ends. "It's all dependent on how much progress we make in the next month or so," Posey"
Buster Posey scheduled to have screws removed from ankle on Friday
July 21
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Taking an important step in his long recovery, catcher Buster Posey will have surgery Friday to remove screws that had stabilized the torn ligaments in his left ankle. He will take a couple of days to recover and resume his rehab work after that. "I've been anxious about it for three or four weeks now," Posey said. "Once that happens, we'll be able to do more and make more progress." Despite the disabling nature of the injury, Posey said he hasn't put on any weight since the May 25 collision at the plate that ended his season. In fact, he has lost between five and 10 pounds while doing core work and cycling on a stationary bike."
Joe Mauer is a fan of Buster Posey
June 22
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Twins catcher Joe Mauer circled this trip to San Francisco on his calendar over the winter, and not because of an abiding love of sourdough. Mauer is a fan of fellow catchers. He was eager to see Buster Posey in action. Instead, Posey is out for the season following a vicious collision that crumpled his left ankle. Twins broadcaster Dan Gladden told KNBR on Tuesday that the Giants' reigning rookie of the year only had himself to blame, and Mauer had to play diplomat. What is Mauer's opinion on a potential rule change to protect catchers on plays at the plate? "I thought I might get that question here," the former A.L. MVP said. "Being a catcher, I guess I wouldn't mind it. But the game has"
Joe Mauer was eager to watch Buster Posey
June 22
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Joe Mauer hasn't met Buster Posey, but he's rooting for him. Baseball's best overall catcher, Mauer was looking forward to this week's Twins-Giants series to take a firsthand look at the National League's reigning top rookie. "I was kind of excited when I saw San Francisco on the schedule - it was a chance for me to see Buster up close," Mauer said Tuesday. "He had a great start to his career and will be a good player in this league for a long time. You hate to see plays like that happen." Regarding the home-plate collision that knocked out Posey for the season, Mauer said, "It's unfortunate, considering what he means to this team. You feel for him. I mean, he's 24 years old. He's still"
Buster Posey visits clubhouse, doesn't stay for game
June 6
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey walked on crutches through the Giants clubhouse and accepted a series of hugs Sunday morning. The sight of their smiling catcher reminded the Giants that he remains a whole person, perhaps still in discomfort but no longer in agony. The healing is coming along, both for Posey's ankle and for the Giants' shaken clubhouse. "I'm in a good place right now," said Posey, whose mental outlook has brightened as the pain and swelling have subsided the past couple of days in his surgically rebuilt left ankle. Posey didn't stay for the game. He can't negotiate the steps to watch from the dugout, and he'll be on crutches for several months longer. He is moving out of his rental house in"
Buster Posey says, 'I'm on the right path'
June 6
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Giants manager Brian Sabean and Scott Cousins apparently made peace over the weekend. The Chronicle has learned that Sabean and the Marlins' outfielder spoke by phone Saturday and had what one person familiar with the conversation described as a "heartfelt and apologetic" talk. On Thursday, Sabean said on KNBR that Cousins' hit on Buster Posey on May 25 was "malicious" and added, "If I never hear from Cousins again, or he doesn't play another day in the big leagues, I think we'll all be happy." In a statement Friday, the Giants said Sabean talked to Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest and planned to reach out to Cousins, a USF alum who has received death threats over the incident,"
Johnny Bench puts blame on Posey for catcher's injury
June 5
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench said Buster Posey "put himself in such a bad position" before he was trampled by Scott Cousins in his season-ending collision. In an interview with the Tulsa World, Bench said he teaches catchers to move off the plate before a close play to make the runner think about sliding instead of colliding. "But Buster is laying in front of home plate, and it's like having a disabled car in the middle of a four-lane highway. You're just going to get smacked," Bench said. "Show them the plate. You can always catch the ball and step, or step and catch the ball, as long as you've got the runner on the ground. And if you have the runner on the ground, there's less"
Source: Joe Torre to call Brian Sabean
June 3
ESPN.com
 
"Joe Torre, who oversees baseball operations for Major League Baseball, plans to call Brian Sabean regarding comments the San Francisco Giants general manager made in a Thursday radio interview, a source told ESPN on Friday. Sabean called the much-discussed May 25 collision at home plate between the Florida Marlins' Scott Cousins and Buster Posey, which resulted in a season-ending injury to the Giants catcher, "malicious" on KNBR of San Francisco. Sabean said he did not blame Posey for refusing to return an apologetic phone call. "Why not be hard-nosed?" Sabean told the radio station. "If I never hear from Cousins again or he never plays another game in the big leagues, I think we'll all be"
Posey injury hits home with Braves, McCann
June 3
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"When Giants catcher Buster Posey took the jarring hit from Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins last week that broke his leg and cost him the rest of the season, Giants fans weren't the only ones cringing. The play at the plate hit a little close to home for the Braves, too. The Braves run the risk of losing their own cleanup hitter and one of their more valuable players in five-time All-Star catcher Brian McCann. "You're in such a vulnerable spot as a catcher," said McCann, who broke into the majors in 2005 after Johnny Estrada suffered a concussion in a home-plate collision. "You don't know if the guy is going to slide or run you over," McCann continued. "If you turn and make a tag and he"
Buster Posey's injury sharpens debate on collisions
June 2
New York Times
 columnist Tyler Kepner
""I have a scar here," Cody Ross said, and he rolled up his right pants leg to show a gash from a catcher's shin guard. Ross, now a San Francisco Giants outfielder, was playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers a few years ago, trying to score a run and earn a roster spot. Sal Fasano, a burly veteran catcher, was poised at the plate, blocking his path. "I could have plowed him, but I'm like, it's spring training, I'm not going to do that," Ross said. "So I slid in, he dropped his knee on me and - boom! - my knee exploded. It was so deep, you could see bone. They had to stick a probe in it and clean it; it was disgusting. And I was like, I should have plowed him. You go in there timid, that's"
Giants' Buster Posey could become All-Star
June 1
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Buster Posey cannot play, but he might be a 2011 All-Star nonetheless. The Giants' catcher leads the National League in voting for the position, according to the first tally released Tuesday. He had 785,314 votes, followed by Atlanta's Brian McCann (633,987) and St. Louis' Yadier Molina (595,576). "That's pretty cool," manager Bruce Bochy said. "I'm not surprised. There are a lot of Buster Posey fans out there, not just in the Bay Area but also in the baseball world." Injured players sometimes win anyway, though his injury occurred early enough in the balloting for fans to turn to other candidates. By the same token, Giants fans can continue to vote for Posey, who would be the first Giants"
Mike Matheny says Scott Cousins 'went hunting' on Posey hit
May 31
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Former Giant Mike Matheny was one tough hombre who left the game kicking and screaming after a series of concussions threatened his long-term health in 2006. The retired catcher also believes home-plate collisions are part of the game. That said, he criticized the Marlins' Scott Cousins for the hit that ended Buster Posey's season and threatens his career. "He went hunting," Matheny said of Cousins. "Buster gave hin an option and he didn't take it. "The play wasn't illegal. He didn't come in high spikes or high elbows, but it wasn't necessary. I love the play at the plate, but when a guy goes out of his way to get you, I'm not a big fan of it. I thought it was avoidable.""
After surgery, Buster Posey turns focus to 2012
May 30
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"The Giants' prized catcher and cleanup hitter must turn his attention beyond 2011 and focus on getting healthy for 2012. After Buster Posey's 90-minute surgery on Sunday, trainer Dave Groeschner confirmed Posey is done for this season and spoke of an extensive rehabilitation that will extend into next year. "I would think so," Groeschner said when asked if Posey will be ready for the 2012 opener. "I think it's a good prognosis. It's a long road from here. I mean, he just had a very devastating injury that required surgery. He still has a long rehab process to go. We're optimistic." Four days after Posey was run over by the Marlins' Scott Cousins in a home-plate collision, two screws were"
Giants catcher Buster Posey undergoes season-ending surgery
May 30
San Jose Mercury News
 
"Buster Posey is certainly out for the remainder of the season but is expected to be ready for spring training in 2012 after surgery to stabilize his mangled left ankle Sunday, the Giants' trainer said. Posey had two screws inserted in his leg in a 90-minute procedure that "went technically well, and everyone was pleased with the way the ankle came back together," Dave Groeschner said. Posey will have to undergo another procedure in eight to 10 weeks to remove the screws. He is likely to require arthroscopic surgery again in the future to clean out scar tissue that is expected to form, Groeschner said. Posey might not be able to walk without crutches until September. Because of the"