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Getting Jorge Posada adequate rest has been a topic for all the years I was here playing and even more recently. The bottom line is he's such a productive player. He wants to be in the lineup every day and Joe Torre wants him in the lineup every day, so the backup position, as long as Jorge stays healthy, is a position where you have to be a good teammate.

You have to work with the pitching staff and have to help some of those guys. The coaching staff and Brian Cashman have a tough decision on whether to go with a veteran like Todd Pratt, who has done the job before, has a great reputation as a team player and is good with a pitching staff. Or, a younger guy like Wil Nieves, for whom it might be an adjustment being a backup for him and having a routine where he can stay sharp and one where he can develop a relationship with the pitchers. It's an interesting debate and a tough decision for the coaching staff to make.

Pratt's pros are his attitude, his personality, what he brings to a pitching staff and what he brings to a team. He has a lot of energy in the dugout. He makes sure that all the other extra players on the club are ready to go, and are thinking about the team first and not themselves first, which is an important thing for a backup player. And you know what? He is 40 years old, and in a perfect world he's going to catch maybe 30 games, so you don't really worry about the age and the wear and tear. You worry about what he brings to the club on the days he's not pitching. And he brings a lot of energy. He's had a great career as a backup player and that wouldn't change if he makes this club.

Pratt's experience playing in New York also comes into the equation. It's a different animal playing in New York and I think Todd is experienced enough to know that the days that he plays, as long as the club wins, he's not concerned about his offensive numbers or anything like that. But there's no saying that Wil Nieves couldn't be that guy either. He's a young guy as far as experience goes, but he's a mature guy and he might be able to fit that role for years to come. There's no secret Jorge's getting older, so you have to start thinking about a replacement for him if the Yankees don't re-sign him. When you have competition like this, it's good when you have to make those tough decisions.

The fact that Nieves has been with the Yankees organization since 2005, he's a guy whose defense has improved in the short period he's been here; I think Tony Pena has helped his throwing. Offensively, he's probably not a guy who will hit home runs like a Todd Pratt would in a backup role, but he'll give you a solid at-bat. He'll get his base hits, but more importantly his defense has stepped up a little bit. That's going to make him a quality backup as well.

Raul Chavez has been as advertised. He's a guy who has experience and a quality deep defender who throws well. It's a tough role when you're talking a guy who plays once a week to 10 days - your offensive numbers aren't going to be great. But Chavez also gives you quality at-bats and it gives the Yankees a little bit more depth.