Teixeira Continues His Case for MVP

Teixeira Slugs CC to 18th

Written for Baseball Digest


Mark Teixeira knew expectations would be high if he signed to play with the Yankees this past off-season. He had seen players come and go before him- the good (Mike Mussina), the bad (Hideki Irabu), and the ugly (Randy Johnson). He weathered his usual slow start, and his time for coming alive coincided with the return of Alex Rodriguez. The result has been an MVP caliber season that continued last night with a 2-home run, 5 RBI performance in the Yankees crushing 10-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

The Yankees second best acquisition of this past off-season made their best acquisition, CC Sabathia, the American League's first 18 game winner. The big left-hander, and Cy Young candidate, allowed one unearned run in seven innings of work while allowing just four hits. The Yankees were already up 6-0 when the Mariners got on the board thanks to an Rodriguez throwing error, andTeixeira and company put the pedal to the medal to put the game out of reach.

Teixeira would have had a three home run game if not for the 1st inning effort of Mariners' centerfielder Franklin Gutierrez. With Johnny Damon aboard, Teixeira hit a smash to deep center off starter Doug Fister that a leaping Gutierrez got a glove on as the ball began to go over the fence for a sure home run. Gutierrez couldn't hang on though as he hit the wall and it landed in play for an RBI triple.

Hideki Matsui's 26th home run in the 2nd helped increased New York's advantage to 3-0 as Teixeira came to bat with two aboard in the 5th. This time he pulled the ball down the right field line, just over the 326-ft sign, for his 36th home run of the year and a 6-0 Yankees' lead.

Home run #37 would come after a mere single in the 7th. Teixeira, batting from the right side in the 9th against left-hander Luke French, hit a no doubt about it shot over the 388-ft sign in left-center for his 118th run batted in of the season.

Game Notes

Since the All-Star break, CC Sabathia is 10-1, 2.54 in 13 starts. He's struck out 91 in 92 innings with just 22 walks and 78 hits allowed.

Ian Kennedy is all the way back from aneurysm surgery and in this case that means back on the major league roster. IPK even surprised himself with is return. He'll get more innings over the next two months in the Arizona Fall League.

Freddy Guzman drove in his first run as a Yankee last night with a 9th inning sacrifice fly.