Mark Teixeira
From BR Bullpen
Mark Charles Teixeira
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 215 lb.
- School Georgia Institute of Technology
- Debut April 1, 2003
- Born April 11, 1980 in Annapolis, MD USA
Contents |
[edit] Biographical Information
[edit] Introduction
Mark Teixeira is a major star who has played six years in the major leagues. From 2004 to 2009 he has hit at least 30 home runs and driven in at least 100 RBI each year.
[edit] Before the majors
Teixeira attended the Georgia Institute of Technology at the same time as Cory Vance and was drafted as the fifth pick in the first round of the 2001 amateur draft. When he started in the minors in 2002, he slugged nearly .600 at two stops as a third baseman and became a major league regular for the 2003 Texas Rangers.
[edit] Rangers
Mark was with the Rangers through July 31, 2007, when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. During his time with the Rangers he was their regular first baseman although he also played some outfield, DH and (in 2003) third base. He made the All-Star team in 2005, and hit a home run in the All-Star Game that year. In 2005 and 2006 he won Gold Gloves for his work at first base.
He led the 2005 American League in total bases, was fourth in home runs, and second in RBI.
[edit] Braves and Angels
After being traded to the Braves in 2007, Teixeira spent the remainder of that season (54 games, slugging .615) and most of the 2008 season with the Braves before again being traded in late July, this time on July 29, 2008, to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim who went on to win their division. Teixeira had the highest slugging percentage on the team in the 54 games he played for the Angels.
Teixeira was a sensation for the 2008 Angels in roughly the way that Manny Ramirez was a sensation for the 2008 Dodgers. Like Teixeira, Ramirez came to Southern California in a trade in late July 2008 and hit a ton for a division-winner.
Teixeira hit .467 in the 2008 American League Division Series which the Angels lost to the Boston Red Sox.
[edit] Yankees
In late December 2008, Teixeira signed a contract as a free agent with the New York Yankees for an eight-year term, making him one of the highest-paid players in baseball. The Baltimore Orioles had also sought Teixeira, who is from Maryland, but could not compete with the Yankees' offer.
[edit] Analysis
Teixeira has been a steady hitter who has never had a bad year. He hits for power and draws walks well. His fielding ability is shown by the Gold Gloves he has won. However, in his first six years in the majors he has only once finished in the top ten in MVP voting (when he finished 7th in 2005) and has never led the league in major offensive categories such as home runs, RBI, runs scored, batting average, OBP or SLG.
However, there is one Hall of Famer on the list of the ten most similar players (according to the similarity scores method), that one being Willie McCovey, and others on the list may eventually get in. The most similar player on the list at age 28, Carlos Delgado, went on to have several more outstanding seasons after age 28 and last year at age 36 hit 38 home runs.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 2003 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 2-time AL All-Star (2005 & 2009)
- 3-time AL Gold Glove Winner (2005, 2006 & 2009)
- 3-time AL Silver Slugger Award Winner (2004, 2005 & 2009)
- AL Total Bases Leader (2005)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 6 (2003-2008)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 5 (2004-2008)
- 40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (2005)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 5 (2004-2008)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 3 (2004, 2005 & 2008)
[edit] Records Held
- RBI, switch hitter, season, 144, 2005
