Mark Teixeira
Encyclopedia
Mark Charles Teixeira nicknamed "Tex" is an American
Major League Baseball
player for the New York Yankees
. Mostly a first baseman
, he has also played third base
and in the outfield
. He played college baseball at Georgia Tech, where in 2001 he won the Dick Howser Trophy
as the national collegiate baseball player of the year.
Teixeira was drafted
in by the Texas Rangers
, and made his MLB debut for them in . In mid- he was traded to the Atlanta Braves
, and traded again in mid- to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. In December 2008, he agreed to a contract with the New York Yankees. Teixeira has won four Gold Glove Awards
and three Silver Slugger Awards. Teixeira also holds the all-time major league record for most games with a home run
from both sides of the plate, with 12.
, and attended Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore
, Maryland, where he played for the school's varsity baseball team. Teixeira is a Portuguese American
. He also has roots in the South American country of British Guiana (now Guyana
), the country from which his grandfather migrated as a young man.
by the Boston Red Sox. Teixeira chose not to sign with the Red Sox, however, opting instead to play college baseball for Georgia Tech.
at Georgia Tech
. In , his batting average
was .427, and his OPS
was 1.319. He also won the Dick Howser Trophy
as the national collegiate baseball player of the year.
In 2001
, Teixeira re-entered the draft and was selected by the Texas Rangers
with the fifth overall pick. The Philadelphia Phillies considered selecting him with the fourth overall pick, but the demands of Teixeira's agent Scott Boras
swayed the Phillies to select Gavin Floyd
. The Rangers signed Teixeira to a Major League contract worth $9.5 million over 4 years.
Teixeira began the season in the Florida State League
, where he batted .320 with an OPS of 1.000 in 38 games. He was then moved up to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers
, with whom he batted .006 with a .094 OPS and hit no home runs in 128 games. It turned out that 2002 would be his only season in the minor leagues; he made the Rangers out of spring training
in .
As a rookie in 2003, Teixeira hit .096 with a .811 OPS and 26 home runs. He improved on these numbers in , batting .281 with an OPS of .930, 38 home runs, and 112 RBI
. On August 17, 2004, he hit for the cycle. For his accomplishments in , he earned the Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting first baseman in the American League
as well as the Gold Glove
signifying his place as the best fielding first baseman in the American League. He was also named to his first All-Star Game after winning the fan voting portion of the selection to be named the starting first baseman for his league. During the game, Teixeira hit a home run from the right hand side of the plate, something he had failed to do in the entire first half of the season. In a five game span around the All-Star Game, Teixeira hit five home runs with 13 RBI. He finished July with 13 home runs and 30 RBI and was named the American League Player of the Month
. Overall, Teixeira batted .301 with 43 home runs and 144 RBI in the 2005 season.
In 2005, Teixeira became the third switch-hitter in MLB history to hit at least 20 home runs in each of his first three seasons, after Eddie Murray
and Chipper Jones
. He is also one of just five players in Major League history to hit at least 100 home runs in his first three seasons, joining Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio
, Ralph Kiner
, and Eddie Mathews
as well as current first base star, Albert Pujols
. Other players - Mark McGwire
, José Canseco
, Todd Helton
, Ryan Howard
- have hit 100+ home runs in their first three full seasons, but these players had all played partial seasons prior to playing their first three full seasons. His 2005 total of 144 RBI is a Major League record for a switch-hitter.
On Mother's Day
, May 14, 2006, Teixeira was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a pink bat
to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Teixeira's season began slowly, as he collected only nine home runs before the All-Star Break. After the All-Star Break, however, he was among the league's leaders in home runs, and again finished with over 30 homers and 100 RBI for the season.
Teixeira agreed to a two-year $15.98 million contract before the 2006 season to avoid his first two years of arbitration.
On June 9, , Teixeira's franchise record 507 consecutive-game streak came to an end. Teixeira landed awkwardly at first base after running out a grounder in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers
the previous day. The streak was second to Miguel Tejada
at the time. The strained quadriceps muscle placed Teixeira on the disabled list
for only the second time of his career.
(along with left-handed
reliever
Ron Mahay
) for catcher
/first baseman Jarrod Saltalamacchia
, and four prospects: shortstop
Elvis Andrus
, and starting pitcher
s Matt Harrison
, Neftali Feliz and Beau Jones. Teixeira was activated for that night's game against the Houston Astros
and arrived in the dugout during the seventh inning. He was promptly shown on Turner Field
's high definition video board and received a boisterous applause from the Atlanta crowd.
In his Braves debut on August 1, 2007, Teixeira hit a 3-run homer and drove in 4 runs in a 12–3 rout of the Houston Astros. Teixeira went on to homer in each of the following two games, becoming just the second player to homer in his first three games as a Brave - the first being Gary Sheffield
in 2002.
On August 19, 2007, Teixeira had his first multi-HR game against the Arizona Diamondbacks
off Yusmeiro Petit
. He would repeat that feat the next day, going deep for two three-run home runs versus the Cincinnati Reds
. Teixeira, a switch-hitter, hit both homers on the 19th batting from the left side of the plate, and hit his homers on the 20th from the right side. He was named co-NL Player of the Week from August 20–26 by slugging .793 with three home runs and as expected, he was awarded NL Player of the Month for August. On September 22, Teixeira had his first walk-off
hit
with the Braves when he singled
in Willie Harris
giving the Braves a 4-3 extra-inning victory.
In 54 games with Atlanta in 2007, Teixeira batted .317 with 17 home runs and 56 RBI. The Braves avoided arbitration in the 2007 offseason and signed Teixeira to a one-year, $12.5 million dollar contract for the season.
for Casey Kotchman
and minor league pitcher
Stephen Marek
. Batting third in the Angel order, Teixeira hit .358 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs after the trade to help his new team to their first 100-win season in franchise history. Through 2011, he was one of seven major leaguers to have had at least four 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons in their first five years, along with Chuck Klein
, Joe DiMaggio
, Ted Williams
, Ralph Kiner
, Albert Pujols
, and Ryan Braun
. Teixeira became a free agent following the World Series.
, Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington. Both the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals offered contracts that would have been the most lucrative in the organization, and among the longest and most lucrative in Major League Baseball. In December 2008, Teixeira agreed preliminarily to a deal with the New York Yankees
worth $180 million over 8 years, and he was formally introduced as a Yankee on January 6, 2009. The contract included a full no-trade clause, plus a $5 million signing bonus
. He signed with the Yankees over a number of other clubs, including the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
, Boston Red Sox
, Washington Nationals
and Baltimore Orioles
. Teixeira wears number 25 instead of his preferred number 23, since 23 is retired in honor of Don Mattingly
. Mattingly was Teixeira's childhood idol, and was the reason Teixeira wore 23 earlier in his career.
In the 2009 season
, he led the AL in both home runs (tied with Carlos Pena
of Tampa Bay) with 39, and RBI with 122.
Teixeira received a World Series Championship Ring as the Yankees
won the 2009 World Series
, but struggled offensively throughout the postseason, batting only .180 overall and .136 in the World Series. However, several of his hits proved very important, including a walk-off home run in Game 2 of the ALDS
and a game-tying home run in Game 2 of the World Series. Additionally, he made several stellar defensive plays in all rounds of the playoffs.
For the 2009 season, Teixeira was awarded both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards at first base in the American League. He also finished second in the AL MVP balloting behind Twins' catcher Joe Mauer
.
On May 8, 2010, he became the second Yankees player to hit three home runs in one game against the Boston Red Sox
, joining Lou Gehrig
, who accomplished the feat on June 23, 1927. Once again, Teixeira won the 2010 Gold Glove Award for American League first basemen. Teixeira never fully recovered from his slow start in April and May, hitting a career-low .256, but still managed to hit 33 home runs and 108 runs batted in for the 2010 season.
On June 30, 2011 Teixeira hit his 300th career home run.
On August 2, 2011 Teixeira hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game for the 12th time in his career, breaking a three-way tie with Chili Davis
and Eddie Murray
for the most such games all-time.
In August 2011, Teixeira and Curtis Granderson
became the first Yankees teammates to have 30 home runs in 115 games since Roger Maris
and Mickey Mantle
in 1961.
Through 2011, he had the third-best career fielding percentage among major league first basemen (.996), behind Casey Kotchman
and Kevin Youkilis
.
Teixeira continued his postseason struggles in 2011. He batted only .167 with 1 RBI in a divisional round loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Teixeira and his family reside in Greenwich, Connecticut
. His hobbies include hunting, golfing, reading, and fishing. In 2006, Teixeira and his wife Leigh Williams established the Mark Teixeira Charitable Fund that supported six $5,000 scholarships at three high schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They have three children, sons Jack Gordan and William Charles, and daughter Addison Leigh. Mark's family ancestry is Portuguese (Guyanese).
Teixeira enjoys Broadway theatre
and identifies Les Misérables
as his favorite production. In August 2011 Teixeira made a cameo appearance during the eighth and final season of the HBO TV series Entourage
along with teammate Alex Rodriguez
. Eduardo Nunez
is also seen in the cameo.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Mostly a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, he has also played third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
and in the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
. He played college baseball at Georgia Tech, where in 2001 he won the Dick Howser Trophy
Dick Howser Trophy
The Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
as the national collegiate baseball player of the year.
Teixeira was drafted
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
in by the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, and made his MLB debut for them in . In mid- he was traded to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, and traded again in mid- to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. In December 2008, he agreed to a contract with the New York Yankees. Teixeira has won four Gold Glove Awards
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
and three Silver Slugger Awards. Teixeira also holds the all-time major league record for most games with a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
from both sides of the plate, with 12.
Early life
Teixeira grew up in Severna Park, MarylandSeverna Park, Maryland
Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:...
, and attended Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland, where he played for the school's varsity baseball team. Teixeira is a Portuguese American
Portuguese American
Portuguese Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates in the southwest European nation of Portugal, including the offshore island groups of the Azores and Madeira....
. He also has roots in the South American country of British Guiana (now Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
), the country from which his grandfather migrated as a young man.
Baseball career
Teixeira was originally chosen in the ninth round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft1998 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998...
by the Boston Red Sox. Teixeira chose not to sign with the Red Sox, however, opting instead to play college baseball for Georgia Tech.
College career
Teixeira played college baseballCollege baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Georgia Tech athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. In , his batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
was .427, and his OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
was 1.319. He also won the Dick Howser Trophy
Dick Howser Trophy
The Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
as the national collegiate baseball player of the year.
Texas Rangers
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
, Teixeira re-entered the draft and was selected by the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
with the fifth overall pick. The Philadelphia Phillies considered selecting him with the fourth overall pick, but the demands of Teixeira's agent Scott Boras
Scott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
swayed the Phillies to select Gavin Floyd
Gavin Floyd
Gavin Christopher Floyd is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox. He stands 6' 5" tall, weighs 220 pounds, and throws and bats right-handed.-Philadelphia Phillies:...
. The Rangers signed Teixeira to a Major League contract worth $9.5 million over 4 years.
Teixeira began the season in the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
, where he batted .320 with an OPS of 1.000 in 38 games. He was then moved up to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club.-Stadium:...
, with whom he batted .006 with a .094 OPS and hit no home runs in 128 games. It turned out that 2002 would be his only season in the minor leagues; he made the Rangers out of spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in .
As a rookie in 2003, Teixeira hit .096 with a .811 OPS and 26 home runs. He improved on these numbers in , batting .281 with an OPS of .930, 38 home runs, and 112 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. On August 17, 2004, he hit for the cycle. For his accomplishments in , he earned the Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting first baseman in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
as well as the Gold Glove
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
signifying his place as the best fielding first baseman in the American League. He was also named to his first All-Star Game after winning the fan voting portion of the selection to be named the starting first baseman for his league. During the game, Teixeira hit a home run from the right hand side of the plate, something he had failed to do in the entire first half of the season. In a five game span around the All-Star Game, Teixeira hit five home runs with 13 RBI. He finished July with 13 home runs and 30 RBI and was named the American League Player of the Month
Player of the Month
The Player of the Month Award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league every month of the regular season. The National League started recognizing the award on June 4, 1958. National League president Warren Giles conducted a poll of baseball writers in each Major League city and...
. Overall, Teixeira batted .301 with 43 home runs and 144 RBI in the 2005 season.
In 2005, Teixeira became the third switch-hitter in MLB history to hit at least 20 home runs in each of his first three seasons, after Eddie Murray
Eddie Murray
Eddie Clarence Murray , nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game...
and Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
. He is also one of just five players in Major League history to hit at least 100 home runs in his first three seasons, joining Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner
Ralph McPherran Kiner is an American former Major League Baseball player and has been an announcer for the New York Mets since the team's inception. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner's tremendous slugging outpaced nearly all of his National League...
, and Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
as well as current first base star, Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
. Other players - Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
, José Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
, Todd Helton
Todd Helton
Todd Lynn Helton is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies. He is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, four-time National League Player of the Month, and three-time Gold Glove winner....
, Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
- have hit 100+ home runs in their first three full seasons, but these players had all played partial seasons prior to playing their first three full seasons. His 2005 total of 144 RBI is a Major League record for a switch-hitter.
On Mother's Day
Mother's Day (United States)
In the United States, Mother's Day is an annual holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well the positive contributions that they make to society....
, May 14, 2006, Teixeira was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a pink bat
Pink bat
In baseball, pink bats are limited-supply baseball bats manufactured by Louisville Slugger for use by select Major League Baseball players on Mother's Day, first introduced in 2006 in association with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization...
to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Teixeira's season began slowly, as he collected only nine home runs before the All-Star Break. After the All-Star Break, however, he was among the league's leaders in home runs, and again finished with over 30 homers and 100 RBI for the season.
Teixeira agreed to a two-year $15.98 million contract before the 2006 season to avoid his first two years of arbitration.
On June 9, , Teixeira's franchise record 507 consecutive-game streak came to an end. Teixeira landed awkwardly at first base after running out a grounder in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers
2007 Milwaukee Brewers season
The 2007 Milwaukee Brewers season marked the 25th anniversary of the Milwaukee Brewers winning the American League Championship and the 50th anniversary of the Milwaukee Braves winning the World Series. During the offseason, the Brewers re-signed free agents Bill Hall and Chris Capuano...
the previous day. The streak was second to Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
at the time. The strained quadriceps muscle placed Teixeira on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
for only the second time of his career.
Atlanta Braves
In July 2007, two weeks after turning down an eight-year, $140 million contract extension from the Rangers, Teixeira was traded to the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(along with left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
Ron Mahay
Ron Mahay
Ronald Matthew Mahay is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, and Minnesota Twins....
) for catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
/first baseman Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Jarrod Scott Saltalamacchia , nicknamed "Salty" is an American professional baseball catcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.His last name is the longest in Major League Baseball history...
, and four prospects: shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Elvis Andrus
Elvis Andrus
Elvis Augusto Andrus Torres is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Texas Rangers.Entering , he was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization...
, and starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
s Matt Harrison
Matt Harrison (baseball)
Matthew Reid Harrison is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers.-Baseball career:Harrison attended South Granville High School in Creedmoor, North Carolina...
, Neftali Feliz and Beau Jones. Teixeira was activated for that night's game against the Houston Astros
2007 Houston Astros season
The Houston Astros' 2007 season began with the team trying to take the NL Central title back from the World Series winners, the St. Louis Cardinals, after the Cardinals won it in 2006...
and arrived in the dugout during the seventh inning. He was promptly shown on Turner Field
Turner Field
Turner Field is a stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, home to Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves since 1997. Turner Field was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium, it was completed in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics...
's high definition video board and received a boisterous applause from the Atlanta crowd.
In his Braves debut on August 1, 2007, Teixeira hit a 3-run homer and drove in 4 runs in a 12–3 rout of the Houston Astros. Teixeira went on to homer in each of the following two games, becoming just the second player to homer in his first three games as a Brave - the first being Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
in 2002.
On August 19, 2007, Teixeira had his first multi-HR game against the Arizona Diamondbacks
2007 Arizona Diamondbacks season
The Arizona Diamondbacks' 2007 season started with the Diamondbacks attempting to win the NL West Division. The Arizona Diamondbacks' biggest move in the offseason was when, on January 9, 2007, they got their 2001 World Series co-MVP back, pitcher Randy Johnson after making a blockbuster deal with...
off Yusmeiro Petit
Yusmeiro Petit
Yusmeiro Alberto Petit is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. Petit throws right-handed. He was signed by New York Mets as non-drafted free agent on November 15,...
. He would repeat that feat the next day, going deep for two three-run home runs versus the Cincinnati Reds
2007 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds' 2007 season has been completed, and the Cincinnati Reds finished out of playoff contention.Following an 11-7 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 1, general manager Wayne Krivsky fired manager Jerry Narron and named advance scout Pete Mackanin interim manager...
. Teixeira, a switch-hitter, hit both homers on the 19th batting from the left side of the plate, and hit his homers on the 20th from the right side. He was named co-NL Player of the Week from August 20–26 by slugging .793 with three home runs and as expected, he was awarded NL Player of the Month for August. On September 22, Teixeira had his first walk-off
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
with the Braves when he singled
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
in Willie Harris
Willie Harris
William Charles Harris is a Major League Baseball outfielder and infielder. Harris is known for his quick feet and base-stealing abilities, with currently 94 career stolen bases. Harris was formerly a member of the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Boston Red Sox , Atlanta Braves , and...
giving the Braves a 4-3 extra-inning victory.
In 54 games with Atlanta in 2007, Teixeira batted .317 with 17 home runs and 56 RBI. The Braves avoided arbitration in the 2007 offseason and signed Teixeira to a one-year, $12.5 million dollar contract for the season.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
In July 2008, Teixeira was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
for Casey Kotchman
Casey Kotchman
Casey John Kotchman is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.-High school:He was on the 2001 national champion team of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida.-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:...
and minor league pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Stephen Marek
Stephen Marek
Stephen Andrew Marek is a right-handed pitcher who was once on the Atlanta Braves 40 man roster.Marek attended McNeil High School and San Jacinto College....
. Batting third in the Angel order, Teixeira hit .358 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs after the trade to help his new team to their first 100-win season in franchise history. Through 2011, he was one of seven major leaguers to have had at least four 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons in their first five years, along with Chuck Klein
Chuck Klein
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Klein was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates ....
, Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
, Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner
Ralph McPherran Kiner is an American former Major League Baseball player and has been an announcer for the New York Mets since the team's inception. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner's tremendous slugging outpaced nearly all of his National League...
, Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
, and Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
. Teixeira became a free agent following the World Series.
New York Yankees
Teixeira stated that he wanted to play closer to his family in Severna ParkSeverna Park
Severna Park can refer to:*Severna Park, Maryland, a census-designated place in Maryland, United States*Severna Park , an American science-fiction author...
, Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington. Both the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals offered contracts that would have been the most lucrative in the organization, and among the longest and most lucrative in Major League Baseball. In December 2008, Teixeira agreed preliminarily to a deal with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
worth $180 million over 8 years, and he was formally introduced as a Yankee on January 6, 2009. The contract included a full no-trade clause, plus a $5 million signing bonus
Signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee, e.g., if the annual salary is lower than he or she desires...
. He signed with the Yankees over a number of other clubs, including the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. Teixeira wears number 25 instead of his preferred number 23, since 23 is retired in honor of Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
. Mattingly was Teixeira's childhood idol, and was the reason Teixeira wore 23 earlier in his career.
In the 2009 season
2009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
, he led the AL in both home runs (tied with Carlos Pena
Carlos Peña
Carlos Felipe Peña is a Dominican professional baseball left-handed first baseman. He played previously with the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs.Although he was born in Santo Domingo and his family is from San Francisco de Macorís,...
of Tampa Bay) with 39, and RBI with 122.
Teixeira received a World Series Championship Ring as the Yankees
2009 New York Yankees season
The 2009 New York Yankees season was the 107th season for the New York Yankees franchise. The Yankees opened their new Yankee Stadium on April 3, 2009, when they hosted an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs...
won the 2009 World Series
2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
, but struggled offensively throughout the postseason, batting only .180 overall and .136 in the World Series. However, several of his hits proved very important, including a walk-off home run in Game 2 of the ALDS
2009 American League Division Series
The American League Division Series consisted of two concurrent best-of-five game series that determined the participating teams in the 2009 American League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a "wild card" team played in the two series. The ALDS began on Wednesday, October 7 and...
and a game-tying home run in Game 2 of the World Series. Additionally, he made several stellar defensive plays in all rounds of the playoffs.
For the 2009 season, Teixeira was awarded both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards at first base in the American League. He also finished second in the AL MVP balloting behind Twins' catcher Joe Mauer
Joe Mauer
Joseph Patrick Mauer is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles...
.
On May 8, 2010, he became the second Yankees player to hit three home runs in one game against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, joining Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
, who accomplished the feat on June 23, 1927. Once again, Teixeira won the 2010 Gold Glove Award for American League first basemen. Teixeira never fully recovered from his slow start in April and May, hitting a career-low .256, but still managed to hit 33 home runs and 108 runs batted in for the 2010 season.
On June 30, 2011 Teixeira hit his 300th career home run.
On August 2, 2011 Teixeira hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game for the 12th time in his career, breaking a three-way tie with Chili Davis
Chili Davis
Charles Theodore "Chili" Davis is the hitting coach for the Oakland Athletics. Davis is a former outfielder/designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , California Angels , Minnesota Twins , Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees...
and Eddie Murray
Eddie Murray
Eddie Clarence Murray , nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game...
for the most such games all-time.
In August 2011, Teixeira and Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...
became the first Yankees teammates to have 30 home runs in 115 games since Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
and Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
in 1961.
Through 2011, he had the third-best career fielding percentage among major league first basemen (.996), behind Casey Kotchman
Casey Kotchman
Casey John Kotchman is an American Major League Baseball first baseman.-High school:He was on the 2001 national champion team of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida.-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:...
and Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
.
Teixeira continued his postseason struggles in 2011. He batted only .167 with 1 RBI in a divisional round loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Personal life
After signing his first major league contract, Teixeira set up a scholarship at his high school in honor of a friend who was killed in a car accident.Teixeira and his family reside in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
. His hobbies include hunting, golfing, reading, and fishing. In 2006, Teixeira and his wife Leigh Williams established the Mark Teixeira Charitable Fund that supported six $5,000 scholarships at three high schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They have three children, sons Jack Gordan and William Charles, and daughter Addison Leigh. Mark's family ancestry is Portuguese (Guyanese).
Teixeira enjoys Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and identifies Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
as his favorite production. In August 2011 Teixeira made a cameo appearance during the eighth and final season of the HBO TV series Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
along with teammate Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
. Eduardo Nunez
Eduardo Núñez
Eduardo Michelle Núñez Mendez is a Major League Baseball infielder for the New York Yankees. He was a non-drafted signee with the Yankees in 2004. The Yankees view Núñez as a possible replacement at shortstop for Derek Jeter.Following the 2009 season, Núñez was added to the 40-man roster to...
is also seen in the cameo.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- Hitting for the cycleHitting for the cycleIn baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
External links
- MarkTeixeira25.com
- Mark Teixeira on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Mark Teixeira on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...