Buster Posey believes he's ready to play in the major leagues right now.
Even if the San Francisco Giants don't share that opinion, as evidenced by their bringing back veteran catcher Bengie Molina.
But that's OK. If Posey is wearing a Fresno Grizzlies uniform on Opening Day, as most expect, he insists he won't be disappointed.
"If I am here, I'm going to have the same approach I would if I was in San Francisco, and that's to win," Posey said. "I want to come out to the park each night and focus on winning, because that's what's fun to me."
Posey, along with first-year Grizzlies manager Steve Decker, former Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky and Giants bullpen coach Mark Gardner of Clovis were featured speakers at Thursday night's Hot Stove Banquet. About 450 people filled a fancy banquet room at the Holiday Inn Downtown for the 49th annual event, which benefits the Grizzlies Community Fund.
About 450 people filled a banquet room at Holiday Inn Downtown for Thursday night's Hot Stove Banquet, which benefits the Grizzlies Community Fund.
Arthur Zaayer, 11, of Clovis asks San Francisco Giants catching prospect Buster Posey for an autograph Thursday evening.
Giants bullpen coach Mark Gardner, right, chats with Giants catching prospect Buster Posey at the start of the Fresno Grizzlies Hot Stove Banquet on Thursday night in Fresno.
The Grizzlies haven't won much in recent years, but perhaps Posey can help change that. The soon-to-be 23-year-old (his birthday is March 27) recently was named the game's No. 4 prospect by MLB.com after hitting .325 with 18 home runs and 80 RBIs last season between Class-A San Jose and Triple-A Fresno.
Posey even dipped his toe in the majors, getting 17 at-bats with the Giants following a September call-up.
"It was a great experience," Posey said of his brief time with the Giants. "The times that I got in I tried to learn as much as I could, but sitting on the bench I learned from just watching."
Posey suited up for four teams in 2009, concluding with a stint in the Arizona Fall League, which made for a whirlwind first full season of professional baseball. He admits being a little worn down at the finish, which may help explain why he hit just .225 in 71 at-bats.
"I'm not one of those guys who makes excuses," he said. "I just didn't play well. That's what it comes down to. Even if you are tired, you still have to find a way to get the job done."
Posey's performance in the AFL may explain why Giants general manager Brian Sabean told reporters that "nobody thinks he's ready to catch 100-plus games in the big leagues."
The Leesburg, Ga., native respectfully disagrees.
"I feel like I'm ready, yeah, but that's not my decision," Posey said. "My job is to go out and perform."
In his next breath, Posey acknowledges he still has plenty to learn about the finer points of catching, including calling pitches and handling a staff.
That's where Decker, a former major-league catcher who owns a 328-185 record as a minor league manager, comes in. Helping Posey polish his receiving skills will be one of Decker's most important tasks.
"He's got a lot of talent, and we've got to bring that out and make him the kind of player that helps the Giants win the World Series," Decker said.
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