Mark Teixeira
From BR Bullpen
Mark Charles Teixeira
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 215 lb.
- School Georgia Institute of Technology
- High School Mount Saint Joseph College
- 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 seven 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. After a slow start, Teixeira took his accustomed place among baseball's best sluggers in his initial season in pinstripes. He hit .292/.383/.565 in 2009, with 43 doubles, 39 homers, 122 RBI and 103 runs scored. He led the AL in total bases (344), home runs, RBI and extra-base hits while forming a formidable tandem in the middle of the Yankees' batting order with Alex Rodriguez. He was a leading candidate for the MVP Award, finishing second in the voting behind Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins, and picked up both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award at first base while being named to the All-Star team. He was not as hot during the post-season, but still contributed 2 home runs, 10 runs and 8 RBI towards the Bronx Bombers' conquest of their first World Series title since 2000.
On August 2nd, 2011, Teixeira hit homers from both sides of the plate for the 12th time in his career in a win over the Chicago White Sox, giving him the all-time record ahead of Eddie Murray and Chili Davis. The two long balls also gave him his 8th consecutive 30-homer season.
[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. In his first seven years in the majors he has twice finished in the top ten in MVP voting (he was 7th in 2005 and 2nd in 2009) and has now found a place among league leaders in major offensive categories.
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)
- 4-time AL Gold Glove Winner (2005, 2006, 2009 & 2010)
- 3-time AL Silver Slugger Award Winner (2004, 2005 & 2009)
- AL Runs Scored Leader (2010)
- 2-time AL Total Bases Leader (2005 & 2009)
- AL Home Runs Leader (2009)
- AL RBI Leader (2009)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 9 (2003-2011)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 8 (2004-2011)
- 40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (2005)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 8 (2004-2011)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 5 (2004, 2005 & 2008-2010)
- Won a World Series with the New York Yankees in 2009
[edit] Records Held
- RBI, switch hitter, season, 144, 2005
