Martinez, a special assistant to Brian Cashman, revealed it was the first time he'd spoken to Teixeira since spring training. But it was certainly experienced advice -- when Martinez came from Seattle in 1996, the first baseman initially struggled badly. Teixeira, the Yankees' newest star first baseman, has as well.
"It's just about his mental approach. I just told him to be more in attack mode at the plate as opposed to a passive mode where you let the pitcher dictate the at-bat a little bit," Martinez told The Post. "So I just told him, just make sure when you're up at the plate you're in control. Oh-and-oh [in the count], you're ready to go. You're in attack mode, and if you swing at a bad pitch, it's not a big deal. It's only strike one."
Martinez believes Teixeira has "been trying to be so selective and swing at the perfect pitch that I think he's lost a little bit of his aggressiveness.
"That when you're going well, you just see the ball and you hit it," Martinez said. "And when you're going bad, you try to make sure you swing at the perfect pitch and you become a little passive. So I just told him, stay aggressive and you're going to swing your way out of it."
Great to see Tino still helping the Yankees. Teixeira has been more aggressive lately, that could also have to do with seeing some better pitches with A-Rod back, but I'm sure Tino's words helped a little too. But this does make me wonder what the heck Kevin Long is doing. Why wasn't he the guy to tell Teixeira to be a little more aggressive? Maybe he was and we're just not hearing about it, but as of now it looks like Tino did more to help Teixeira than Long did.
7 Comments:
Tino is the man, and my all time favorite player. I love that he is kind of like a behind the scenes guy for the yankees now. I believe that he should come back to us somehow on the field though, I know he does in spring training, and I know he still hangs around the clubhouse. I am talking like maybe a hitting coach or bench coach, he was always nice and relaxed once he got used to NY, he fed off of us, we fed off of him. That is the way it should be between the yankees players/coaches and the fans. Thats NY !
Go Tino #24
Also I go to the game tonight .. what should I be expecting??? LOL
I heard Tino talk about this on YES during one of the games this weekend. I think it has a lot to do with hearing it from someone who has been in Tex's position before.
In my opinion it is a combination of A-Rod coming back, hearing from Tino and getting his wrist back in shape.
Inferring anything negative about Kevin Long based solely on Tino's pep talk is really grasping at straws. At the end of the day, Tex's recent performance is likely due to a combination of factors. All we know for certain is that Tino talked to Tex and someone wrote about it. Long may be telling Tex the same thing, but this doesn't generate copy.
I don't think Long or Tino helped Tex, it was a matter of time before Tex got rolling, with Arod back, it was bound to happen. Credit to Tex not Tino and long.
I think Long is OK. If he's the reason Melky & Cano are having great at-bats this season, that's good enough for me right now.
Speaking of Yankees' coaches, has anyone noticed if Girardi & his 'bench coach', Pena, talk at all during the games?
Tino has made occasional stops in Trenton and when he's here, he puts on the Thunder uniform & hangs with the players in the dugout during the games. He's very hands-on. As for Teixeira, I agree it was a matter of time, but it's always good to get some reassurance from someone who's been there.
It looks like I had a change of plans & I'll be going to the ballpark Tuesday night. Grandstand, maybe 418, but not sure about the location yet. I had better seats for tonight's game (3rd row Terrace-325), but it wasn't as convenient for me. It's probably better anyway- I've seen Andy enough over the years & this way I get to see CC, plus tonight Mo won't be available & I suspect the lineup will be a bit different tonight too. I'm gonna get there early & 'case' the place.
Well, Anon, I've never thought Long should have his job, so that's part of it. Besides '07 when he could pick Mattingly's brain all year, which he admitted he did, the team's offense has been terrible with him as hitting coach. Especially with RISP.
Greg, I agree. The Yankees were 2nd in the League in OBP last year, but were 7th in the AL in runs scored. It's about time that runners on second with 2 outs shouldn't be automatic outs.
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