from the New York Times

Jorge Posada was 26, in his second full major league season, when the catching gods bestowed their rarest gift: total synchronicity with a pitcher. Posada called the pitches for David Wells's perfect game, in 1998, and the experience empowered him.

Joe Girardi, the Yankees' bench coach and Posada's mentor, said: "I really think the thing that probably had the most impact on Jorge's career was the perfect game. Because you can't get any better than what they did. He had that confidence with a pitcher - 'I know I can do it; I know I can put down every right finger.' It can't get any better."

Posada has not become the best defensive catcher in the majors since then, but he might be the most earnest. He will probably be remembered for his offense. As a switch-hitting catcher with power and a .400 on-base percentage last season, there is no one quite like him. But he takes most pride in his defense, and the aspect he cares about most is not blocking or throwing.

"My favorite part is knowing that they're comfortable, knowing that, no matter what, they can count on me," Posada said. "What I really enjoy most about catching is the relationship with a pitcher. The most important thing is they can relax when I'm back there and know that I did my job, I did some homework on hitters."

Posada's first test is to know his pitchers, and with the Yankees, the learning never stops. For the second year in a row, the Yankees will have three newcomers in their rotation.

After losing the 2003 World Series, they brought in Kevin Brown, Jon Lieber and Javier Vazquez. After losing the American League Championship Series last season, they let Lieber go and traded Vazquez for Randy Johnson. They also signed Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright as free agents.

So Posada begins again, and he savors that part of the job. On Thursday, it was John Flaherty's day to catch Johnson, but Posada asked to start instead. When Johnson fired six shutout innings at the Atlanta Braves, he had the best seat at Legends Field.

"It wasn't fun facing him, but behind there, it's fun," Posada said. "I'm telling him what to throw, I'm pumping him up. It's very exciting."

Johnson has had mixed results this spring, which is not unusual for his career. The results start to matter on opening night next Sunday, and Johnson will spend this week building a firewall around himself.

"Each day before he pitches, as it gets time for his turn, it's not an act - he just focuses more and more," said Scott Bradley, Johnson's former catcher with the Mariners. "You see his demeanor start to change. When it's his day, just leave him alone."

Only Posada and the pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre will be able to infiltrate Johnson's psyche on the day he starts. Johnson has no need for anyone else. "On the day that I pitch," he said, "the only people I really want to hear are my catcher and the pitching coach."

Last season, Posada had little firsthand knowledge of the new starters. This year's group also comes from the National League, but Posada has faced Johnson and Pavano in the World Series, and Wright pitched for six years with an American League team, the Cleveland Indians.

The familiarity gave Posada advance knowledge of each pitcher's repertory: Johnson's riding four-seam fastball, Pavano's tricky changeup, Wright's sinking two-seamer. But he did not know the pitchers' personalities, and at least one has surprised him.

"I thought Randy was going to be a little tougher," Posada said. "But to tell you the truth, the conversations have been great."

Conversation is also important to Pavano, who needs to know that his catcher interprets hitters' swings the same way he does. If the catcher sees something Pavano may miss, he wants to know immediately.

"There's not a huge ego when you're dealing with me," Pavano said. "If you think something's not going to work, I told him to tell me, because I'll take it into consideration and we'll come up with an adjustment that'll work for both of us. It's my game, but you've got to work together."

Pavano peppers his catcher with questions between innings, asking if he saw the same thing Pavano did from a hitter. Wright, who said he was easy to catch because he throws mostly fastballs, also relies on the catcher to read a batter's clues.

"He's sitting right next to the hitter, so he can see a lot of things I can't necessarily see," Wright said. "And also, being a hitter, he might have a better idea what it means when a guy's moving his feet or his hips."

The hard part, Posada said, is that every pitcher is different. Roger Clemens wanted constant feedback. Orlando Hernández needed Posada to challenge him. Mike Mussina directs his own game, with little interference. Posada adjusts daily, depending on the pitcher.

"As a catcher, you have to take pride in your work," Girardi said, "but in a relationship, you have to swallow your pride a little bit. It's opposite ends of the spectrum, because you have to open yourself up to them to let them feel comfortable with you. He's able to do that. And he's not afraid to take charge."

Communication is the most vital part of a catcher's job, Posada said. His education will accelerate when the season starts, and the new pitchers had better keep up.

"They all talk, and if they don't talk, they're going to have to listen, because that's the only way I'm going to learn," Posada said. "I'm going to sit right next to you and bug you. If they don't like that, I don't have a chance to get better with them. I've got to learn."