Posada Out With Shoulder Tear

Bad news for Jorge Posada and another injury notch is added to the Yankees tally for 2008 as the starting backstop is likely headed to the disabled list with a tear in his right shoulder:

The Yankees’ injury troubles took another discouraging turn Sunday when Jorge Posada was a late scratch from the lineup with a recurrence of the shoulder problem that bothered him early this month. This time, the injury seems serious.

The Yankees said there would be no announcement until after the game, but Posada, who has a tear in his subscapularis muscle, is expected to visit Dr. James Andrews and will most likely be placed on the disabled list.

Posada has already shared his magnetic resonance imaging results with Andrews, and Posada has said that surgery would not be necessary. But the problem has not improved as Posada hoped, again raising the specter of an operation.

Chad Moeller could be claimed by other teams in the very near future and the Yankees will need to reacquire the 33 year-old journeyman catcher as they have zero depth in the minor leagues to call up as a backup to Jose Molina.