NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Yankees designated hitter Jorge Posada withdrew from the lineup an hour before the team's 6-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday after being dropped to the ninth spot in the batting order.
Posada has not batted ninth since 1999.
"My back stiffened up a little bit. I was taking a lot of ground balls at first base and worked out and I wasn't 100 percent."
However Yankees general manager Brian Cashman's statement to the media during the game refuted Posada's claim of a stiff back.
"There is no injury," Cashman said. "Obviously I've talked to Jorge. I'm not going to comment on my conversations with Jorge on it. That's the only thing I've got to tell you."
Posada was taken aback by Cashman's mid-game interview.
"I didn't know he made a statement. I don't know why he's going to make a statement during the game, in the middle of the game. I don't understand that," Posada said.
"You know, so that's the way he works now.
"I think we should have waited for the game to be over to talk to whoever's doing the game. It's kind of like, you're not supposed to do that."
Posada was replaced by Andruw Jones who went 1-for-4. In his first season as the team's designated hitter Posada is hitting just .165 in 32 games.
(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario. Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
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