Are athletes the last ones to know when they’ve lost it — to know that they’ll never be the player they once were, at least on any kind of consistent basis? We tend to think that’s true, but in light of Saturday’s Jorge Posada drama, we direct you to this ESPN.com column by Doug Glanville, the former big-leaguer who’s contributed to the Times and also penned a book since his retirement. After all, who better to explain what it’s like for a big-leaguer who’s moved past his prime than someone who’s lived through that scenario? Glanville gets into how he responded to a diminished role as a member of the Phillies. (Spoiler: It involved venting to the club’s general manager.) And he explains that “baseball players are terrible self-evaluators who need denial as much as they need a rocket arm.” Writes Glanville: “The better player you have been, the longer it will take to accept anything less than being the guy who needs the uniform ripped off his back, even if it takes skin with it.” [ESPN.com]