Baseball Musings: Teixeira a Yankee?

December 23, 2008

Teixeira a Yankee?

8 September 2008: Los Angeles Angels Mark Teixeira during a game against the New York Yankees in Anaheim, CA.
Photo: Icon SMI

Sources are telling everyone that Mark Teixeira signed with the Yankees, pending a physical.

The New York Yankees swooped in Tuesday and nabbed prized free agent Mark Teixeira, reaching agreement with the first baseman on an eight-year contract worth $180 million, two sources involved in the negotiations tell ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
The Yankees had made an offer to Teixeira weeks ago, but then withdrew it. Their intention all along was to make a deal if it fell within parameters acceptable to the organization. They made their formal offer Tuesday.

The contract will pay Teixeira an average of $22.5 million per season.

Note that this blog had the Yankees signing three big-name free agents on Sept. 9th, and actually got two of them right.

Mark does it all offensively, hitting for average, getting on base, and hitting for power. On top of that, he added very good range numbers. Think of a Jason Giambi who can move.

The main problem with the signing is that it creates a glut in the outfield and at designated hitter. Matsui, Damon, Swisher, Nady and Cabrera. On the other hand, with a righty, two lefties and two switch hitters, and Damon, Swisher and Cabrera all able to play center, there are plenty of platoon and defensive alignments available. No one should get worn out. Still, I won't be surprised if one of these players moves in a trade.

This also means Jorge Posada won't be moving to first anytime soon.

Once again, the Yankees are taking advantage of their strong financial position in a down market to stock up on great players. Now, we'll see if it actually pays off.

Yankees Examiner Pete Sabatini likes the move.

Posted by David Pinto at 04:48 PM | Free Agents | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Dude, you nailed it. A big 3 for 3. You just pulled off a Reggie moment.

Posted by: Devon Young at December 23, 2008 05:39 PM

Wow. You guessed that the Yankees would sign the top two pitchers and the top free agent after missing the WS by 6 years or so.

Such a Karnac.

Posted by: dave at December 23, 2008 05:46 PM

Congrats, they now have TWO A-Rods. And, I don't mean that in a good way.

Tex will make little difference on this team. If the Yanks are better next year, and that's a BIG if, it's because they will actually have a couple of starting pitchers now.

Posted by: Denton at December 23, 2008 08:18 PM

Firstly, Dave you shouldn't come on someones website and try to make them look stupid. If you do, you should at least spell your sarcastic joke right. Carnac not Karnac.

Secondly, there isn't a doubt that his is a helpful signing for the Yankees at least in the short term. Yankees haven't had an offensive and defensive player at first since Tino Martinez left the team the first time. Secondly, keeping him off the Red Sox (which seemed the most likely team to sign him recently) makes it a double win.

Keep up the good work, David. Thanks for a year of Musings, Merry Christmas!

Posted by: Kyle at December 23, 2008 08:48 PM

I'm not calling him stupid. Why would you think that?

I'm just pointing out that predicting that the Yankees would sign the top two pitchers when the reason they haven't won squat for the past 5 years or so because of pitching is obvious.

Predicting that they would sign Teixeira when their 'roided first baseman is finally off the books is obvious as well.

Predicting the Yankees will sign the top pitchers and infielder by throwing the most money at them is obvious.

Posted by: dave at December 23, 2008 10:17 PM

Damon, Swisher and Cabrera all able to play center

No offense but only Cabrera is able to play center - and they need Damon to lead off. Texeira's a really good player but now thye've either got to play Damon in CF and catch Posada or have 1 of them DH. Maybe Swisher can play RF but unless they are going to deal/dump Matsui or Nady then they have a lot of guys on the corners and are really weak defensively up the middle.

Posted by: Bandit at December 24, 2008 07:25 AM