As we all have likely heard by now the Yankees first baseman
has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2016 season. While this
came to a shock to many, including myself, after Teixeira stated he wanted to
finish his career with 500 home runs and play another four-or-five years if you
look at his injury history and his recent production it is likely the best
decision he has ever made. While everyone around the Yankees blogosphere will
likely kiss his butt and remind us all about him finishing 2nd in
the AL MVP voting in 2009 after leading the league in home runs and RBI and
will remind us of his walk-off home run in Game 2 of the 2009 World Series I
will remember Teixeira in a different way. Call me spiteful and call me
disrespectful but I cannot remember Teixeira in any other way than the man made
of glass, and that’s just keeping it real with you.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m in no way shape or form trying
to be disrespectful here and I am the farthest from ungrateful as well. I
appreciate Teixeira going out there every day that he could and I appreciate
all the production and the memories that we (and I used the term “we” loosely
for obvious reasons) had but I just can’t see him in any other form. It’s like
that aging veteran that held on for just far too long you always find yourself
thinking that he should have retired the season before or retired on top and on
his own terms. That didn’t happen this time around with Teixeira, injuries and
ineffectiveness forced him out of the game that he loves.
The wrist injury that cost Teixeira almost two full seasons,
one season to rehab and one season sitting out after the surgery, and the
fractured shin that cost him his resurgent 2015 season. The knee injury that
robbed him of a big chunk of his 2016 season. The pinky that he cut sliding
into home against the Baltimore Orioles that cost him what feels like a month
and the other little nagging injuries that every once in a while reminded us
all of Carl Pavano. That’s how I will remember Teixeira and honestly, I hate it.
The difference between me and us at The Greedy Pinstripes is that we’ll tell
you how we really feel, that’s what a blog is for, and not what we think you
want to read just to garner more clicks and views.
Hopefully you appreciate that and if Mark is reading this I
hope he knows and understands that we truly appreciate everything he did for
us, did for the game and did for the Yankees but some things just cannot be
helped nor changed. Get healthy, stay well and enjoy retirement Mark and
congratulations on an amazing and illustrious career in the greatest game on
Earth. Major League Baseball.
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)