Turning Posada's Strength Into a Weakness

Through game of April 23, 2011, Jorge Posada (NYA) had collected nine hits, six of them for home runs.  His batting average and OBP were low, but he was at least being somewhat productive with the long ball.  He was only hitting right-handers, however, and they were challenging him over the plate:

Jorge Posada, pitch frequency vs. RHP, through 4/23/2011.Jorge could pound those pitches:

Jorge Posada, in play slugging percentage vs. RHP, through 4/23/2011.After his sixth home run, pitchers stopped visiting that part of the strike zone:

Jorge Posada, pitch frequency against RHP, 4/24/2011 through 5/14/2011.Once again, Posada collected nine hits in this time frame, but this time five were singles and none were home runs.  Posada's ability to hit have declined so much that pitchers can avoid the center of the strike zone and still get him out.  Without the power, Jorge is an extremely bad hitter.  He was lucky the Yankees dropped him to ninth instead of benching him altogether.