Everyday until spring training begins the "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog will review one player from the Yankees roster. We will review a total of 25 players, the 25 we believe will be on the active roster after spring training. Our reviews are all edited by Carl Pavano himself to insure they're up to the stringent "Pavano Tough" standards.
Mark Teixeira joins the Yankees as the only offensive addition in this off season, but he brings more than just a good bat. Teixeira is a former gold glover, who solidifies the infield offense replacing what has been an unsure hand at first in Jason Giambi. Last season, Teixeira split time between the Braves and the Angels and hit .308 with 33 homeruns and 121 RBI's. 26 of those homeruns were hit left handed though admittedly he had more left handed at bats to begin with. His time with the Angels saw him hit an exceptional .358. Teixeira has a .290 career batting average, and a .378 career OBP.
My Fearless Prediction
I think we'll be seeing a little more pop from Teixeira from the left side since the dimensions of Yankee stadium are quite favorable. I would say that he will push towards 40 homeruns next season, while playing solid first base, batting just under .300 and sleeping over with A-Rod and Jeter every weekend they're playing a home game.
Little Known Teixeira Fact
Teixeira once saved a drowning horse by lifting it over his shoulders and carrying it out of the rapid currents to safety.
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14 comments:
adding a bat who once saved a horse? I believe the yankees will be the most feared team in baseball next season. looking foward to your next 24 players.
btw, should tex or arod bat 4th??
Only offensive addition? What about The Swish?
I believe the horse had one of those $20 per month, 3rd world slum babies clinging to it's mane when TEX! rescued it, too.
I don't think anybody should know just what the 3-4 holes in the lineup is going to be until the card is delivered at gametime.
That will be worth a paragraph to every blogger every day, and 5 minutes to the roundtable talkingheads on Baseball Tonight and MLBTV eveery night.
Joe
Sean, if I had to guess, I'd say he's batting in the 3 spot. A-Rod has been batting 4th all for a while now, and I don't think they'll change that. It could come though that if A-Rod gets into a rut, the two may get flipped around.
RSiciliano, I forgot about Swish, though in honesty, I'll wait to see if they trade him before I pass any judgement on him. I hope they keep him and move Nady, since Swish has a few years left on a relatively inexpensive contract, but we'll see.
Joe, yeah, its up for debate, but the 3 spot would be my guess. I just don't see them moving A-Rod, but opening day will be teller.
Girardi hasn't been wasteing away this offseason eating icecream and little debbie cakes, so I am sure he's had enough time to think this through. he'll probably tinker with the line up during some of thoese expedition games and really get a feel for the new mixture of players. you could move a guy down one spot and loes like 9 rbi's, so hopefully G-baby will establish a grove with tex and arod in comfortabel slots and we can focus on more important things..like how long it'll take Girardi to find the chips ahoy hidden in CC's locker. =) (my guess is its behind the teamissued foot messaagers, right next to the 46' flat screen tv)
I don't want them to trade Swisher or Nady. Matsui isn't going to make it past April.
Joe Girardi needs no encouragement to (over) tinker with the line up. Remember last season?
Yeah, last season Girardi switched up the lineup nearly every other game. I'm sure it was the result of the crappy offense, so I wonder if the Yankees start hitting well early, if he'll just leave the lineup alone.
RSiciliano, Matsui's going to be a DH so even if he's gone they won't have a hard time replacing him. I just wonder what we may be able to get for either Nady or Swisher. A solid utility infielder? A setup guy? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Fernando, my friend, how could you forget to mention that the horse Marky T saved was named Big Brown?
BTW, we definitely need to have President Obama throw the first pitch in the new Yankees Stadium.
If you enjoy watching Tropic Thunder, you'll probably like
Kung Fu Hustle too.
Actually, what I was facetiousley suggesting was switching them up day be day through the season.
The key is Matsui. If he's healthy and "on" in the 5 hole, nobody's going to pitch around ARod to face him. If Nady or Swisher or someone has to fill that spot, there'll be trouble. If A Rod doesn't have confidence in the hitters coming up behind him, he swings at more bad balls. Thinks he has to do it all himself.
OTOH, he likes someone in front of him with a lot of patience, that gives him a chance to see what the pitcher has going that day, like Abreau did. Tex fits that bill.
However, one of the resons he was picked up was to prtect Alesx. He cant' do that hitting in front of him.
With Tex behind him, they have to try to get Alex out, throw him strikes. I can't think of a pitcher that would want to do that, but if he's comfortable, he'll lay off the bad balls and have another monster year.
And there's nothing any opponent can do about it.
Tex will lay off the bad balls, because that's what he does, whoever's behind him.
I'd bat Alex 3rd.
Roger Maris hit 61 Home Runs batting third--because Mantle was behind him.
Tex isn't the Mick, (and Alex isn't Roger Maris--he's a much better hitter.)but the principle still applies.
And one of the things I just enjoy seeing is an intentional walk followed by an unintentional one. (The best planned lays...er..ah..)
Joe
I don't think Alex will be happy about losing his No.4 spot to Marky T.
The truth is:
Giambi+Abreu > Swisher+Marky T
We need at least another bat.
Frankly, I'd give Alex the option of where he wants to hit. Since he's a (slight?) head case, I'd bat him wherever he feels most comfortable is where I'd use him. I doubt Teixeira cares either way.
However, if I had my choice (which I don't, because I don't have a flat-top).. A-Rod third and Teix 4th.
If/when Chopsui goes down for the season in April or May, and if they've already dumped Xavieck Nadisher, they'll have no one to replace him. By that time, though, Shelley Duncan will have approximately 15 homers in 40 at-bats in Scranton. Maybe he can come it and knock some balls around. (I'll never give up on Shelley, just like I'll never give up on Respect Jeter's Gangster.)
Joe, that's why Manny's bat would have been so deadly in this lineup. Could you imagine a 3-4-5 of Teixeira-ARod-Manny, or ARod-Manny-Teixeira. It would be deadly. I know its not going to happen, but man would we be stacked.
RSiciliano, I kind of wanted Shelley to get picked up somewhere only because I wanted him to play everyday. However, if keeping him means we'll see him on the bench next season, I'm all for it. Shelley brings the energy this team needs.
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