We all know Mark Teixeira has been in a bad funk since the season began. As of today he's hitting just .202/.331/.430 with 7 HR and 19 RBI. Some in Yankeeland are beginning to get concerned that the Yankees signed a bust. Even General Manager Brian Cashman admitted that he believes the pressure of New York
has gotten to Teixeira:
“I think it’s the pressure,” General Manager Brian Cashman said. “The easy answer is the contract and adjusting to the new environment and the excesses that come with playing here. But in his particular case, the history shows he’s a slow starter, and this compounds it.”
Clearly that is part of it, I also think the wrist injury set him back a bit, and as Cashman said he's already known to be a slow starter. But luckily for the Yankees Teixeira wants nothing to do with any of these excuses:
“There are no excuses,” he said Wednesday. “If you start making excuses for yourself, something’s wrong with you.”
While I do agree that pressure is probably part of his early struggles, I'm not worried at all about Mark Teixeira. It's frustrating that he's been slumping and he needs to turn things around very soon, but I'm confident that he will. Also, if it makes any of you feel better, at this time in 1996 Tino Martinez's OPS (on-base % + slugging %) was 61 points lower than Teixeira's is now (.761 for Tex and .700 for Tino is '96). So this isn't the first time the Yankees have dealt with a new first baseman who got off to a rough start, and things worked out pretty well with Tino.
6 Comments:
Tex will be fine. He is still patient at the plate and he had a great night last night.
I agree with Crossfire.
I have a question for anyone who knows the answer---
I am looking to buy a couple of seats for an upcoming Yankees game & I may go for the grandstand behind home plate. I can get seats to row 1, but I see on the Yankees' 3-D seat selector on their website that there is a narrow plastic shield or something above the wall in front of the row 1 seats in the grandstand. It seems ridiculous to me, no chance any baseballs will make it back that far, and also, it seems like it would block the otherwise clear view of part of the field (like in a hockey rink). I guess it's there for safety purposes. But if that shield is truly there, am I better off getting a seat with a view above that shield, maybe row 3-4 or so, so I can have a clear view of the field?
Thanks everyone.
I'm not sure Steve. Let me try to find some pictures for you.
I'm also pretty surprised there isn't more, or apparently any concern for Teixeira. From some of the comments in game threads I thought people were getting nervous.
Thanks, Greg. I'll keep my eyes open for it. The pictures I am referring to are from the Yankees' website, that '3D Seat Selector' that shows up on the menu when you put your mouse on "Yankee Stadium" on their main web page.
I am not concerned about Teixeira in the slightest, BTW. It'll come.
This season has been so weird in so many ways so far.
The idea that a player who averages .287/.376/.537 36 121, and historically starts slow, is being characterized by anyone as a bust is patently ridiculous, and that individual should be pile driven.
Its frustrating to say the least to watch him struggle, but like most I'm confident he'll turn it on. When he does, he and Arod could be scary.
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