We’ve all heard that cliché’, lame line before, “It’s not you, it’s me.” It’s the most unoriginal way to let someone down easy when a relationship isn’t working out. You want to save yourself from an uncomfortable situation and also try to cushion the fall for the person being let go…neither are usually accomplished with this tactic. In fact it almost always turns out to be a disaster.
Better to just be honest, leave no room for guesswork or pleas for one more chance. If it’s over, it’s over. I’ll save Mark Teixeira the BS and just lower the boom. Tex. I’m just not a fan. You seem like a good guy, but you are missing that thing that makes you a New York Yankee. I won’t pretend to think you’ll find it and you shouldn’t either.
Am I being tough on Tex? Yes! Look, the guy is one of the best defensive first basemen I’ve ever seen. The New York Rangers would start this guy over Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes at The Garden.
He could have stopped Sid “The Squid” Crosby from finding the net in that gold medal game in 2010! Tex can pick it, there is no question there…and I still say he is missing something.
Think about the Yankees who have manned the first base in the recent past. Donnie and Tino…hell even Giambi. They all had one thing in common. They were blood and guts guys. They played hurt. They played with fire and intensity. I just don’t see in Tex. And when I do see his attempt at emotion, it seems canned. He is just a vanilla cone…it can be good, but it’s boring and we all know it.
Would Donnie ever come out in the press and casually say, “I’m declining and we get paid too much.”? NOT ON YOUR LIFE. Would Tino stand in front of his locker after an abysmal day at the plate answer questions like he was reading a prepared telemarketer’s sales pitch? NOPE! But Tex is an All-Star at that game.
I always watch the post game interviews and when they get to Tex I flip to another channel, or turn the TV off and watch the brick wall in my apartment…hey, it’s twice as riveting as listening to the easy listening sounds of a Teixeira interview. I mean if we want to hear that all is great no matter how awful he looked at the plate we should have kept Swisher…at least he had a little pep.
Look, I am not saying that Tex isn’t going to be remembered as a Yankee because he is boring. The Captain isn’t a sound bite machine. But Jeter is everything Tex pretends to be. Jeter is ALL heart and his lust for winning is makes him a dying breed. Tex openly admits EVERY SINGLE SEASON that he is a slow starter. Okay, you put your finger on the problem, NOW FIX IT!! How do we give him a pass on that? The Yankees pay him crazy money and I question it every year.
In 2009 Mark was a big part of the reason the Yanks were able to win the series. He has natural baseball ability. He could be great. He should be a fan favorite…but he ain’t.
I don’t want to give the impression that this is personal. Again, I think Tex seems like a good guy. He is clean cut, polite and does great charity work and so on. But I am talking about the type of player he is. I feel if the Boss (cira 1993) were here Tex would be the daily target of George’s not-so delicate jabs and a fixture on the back page of the Post…for all the wrong reasons.
Mark is not a Steinbrenner Yankee. He won’t ever be mistaken for “The Warrior” or Captain Munson. Let’s face it if Paulie or Thurman admitted they were in decline they wouldn’t suit up everyday, they’d hang ‘em up!
Tex was once a legitimate switch hitter. Now I think he should pick a side and work on that rather than put up .230 from one side and .231 from the other. I think he should bat 6th or 7th , because he isn’t a middle of the order guy anymore…hey, he’s declining remember. Tex just frustrates me, folks. I’m sorry that I’m not all that sorry about being honest about Mark. I know all about his up side, I just don’t think it’s there anymore. I know he had a major injury to his wrist and is working on getting back to playing strength, but at least when Overbay whiffed at an awful pitch I didn’t feel the need to scream at the TV…Lyle wasn’t paid big money and had…well an expectation level you’d expect for a Lyle Overbay. Tex being out last year saved me from losing my voice yelling, “C’mon Tex! What do they pay you for?!”
Hey, who knows, maybe Tex finds new life drinking all the organic juices from his gourmet juice stores. Maybe he channels the spirit of Charlie Hustle and starts hitting the ball the way Ronnie Lott would pop receivers daring to go over the middle…but I doubt it.
Tex’s career as a Yankee will mirror the month of March. He came in like a Lion and will go out like a lamb…that starts slowly…and bats .230…but plays great defense…but fans in big spots with an uppercut swing that makes little league coaches groan…
For another take on Tex, check out BYB writer Jeana Bellezza's piece titled IS TEIXEIRA ON TARGET?
--Mike O'Hara, MLB Fan Cave Host, Season 1
Twitter: @mikeyoh21
"Paulie was always my favorite player."
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