Posada: Chamberlain should stay in the bullpen

NEW YORK " Jorge Posada wants Joba Chamberlain kept in the bullpen and predicts more injuries for the young pitcher if the New York Yankees put him their starting rotation.

"I think if you start him and he pitches 200 innings in one year, you're going to lose him. He's going to get hurt. I don't see him as a starter," Posada said Monday during a session of "CenterStage," scheduled to air on the team's YES Network starting Sept. 28.

Chamberlain, the hard-throwing righty who turns 23 next week, began the season in the Yankees bullpen, then moved to the rotation in June.

He was sidelined from Aug. 4 to Sept. 2 because of rotator cuff tendinitis and went back to the bullpen.

"A little tendinitis, it just tells you a lot," Posada said.

after the TV interview.

Chamberlain was 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 12 starts, striking out 74 in 65 1-3 innings. He's 1-2 with a 2.29 ERA in 24 relief appearances, fanning 34 in 28 2-3 innings.

"I see him as a reliever. I think his body is made up for a reliever," Posada said.

The 37-year-old catcher had season-ending shoulder surgery June 30 and expects to return behind the plate for New York next season, anticipating he can catch 120-130 games.

With the Yankees almost certain to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1993, he says the team must go into the free-agent market to repair its starting rotation. CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets and A.J. Burnett are their chief targets.

"We're pretty much going to be in it, but you don't know if those guys are going to want to come here," Posada said. "I hope they do."

On another topic, Posada voiced anger toward Pedro Martinez for the 2003 brawl between the Yankees and the Red Sox during the AL championship series.

"I thought he was going to hit me in the head with a bat, after we had the fight and he pushed Don Zimmer. It was ridiculous. I mean, he throws at Karim Garcia because he's losing the game. I mean, there's no class," Posada said.

It might have been an uncomfortable situation had Posada signed with the New York Mets after the 2007 season. He would have had to catch Martinez.

"You try to forget about the past and look forward," Posada said.

Told of Posada's comments after the Mets' 7-2 loss at the Nationals on Monday night, Martinez said he wouldn't throw at a batter on purpose because he was angry about losing.

He also said Posada insulted Martinez's mother during that game.

"He cursed my mom, which is something I would never do to his mom, because she doesn't play," Martinez said. "She's not in the field. She's someone that you admire and respect. And I didn't like that."