Good morning Yankees family and welcome to March baseball
here on The Greedy Pinstripes. Prospects Month 2016 was an overwhelming success
that everyone seemingly enjoyed but now it’s back to the grind as we now
prepare for Spring Training and the beginning of the 2016 season and beyond. I
say beyond because in my research this morning I saw an interesting post on the
Latin Post, seen here, that stated that Mark Teixeira wanted to stay with the
New York Yankees until he was at least 40-years old. I had to double take but
it is true, 40-years old. FYI he’s currently 35.
Teixeira enters the 2016 season in the final year of an
eight-year contract worth $180 million and enters the season fresh off a
fractured shin that cost him much of the final two-plus months of the season. Teixeira
says the fracture is healed and he feels good and is ready to play this season.
Teixeira feels so good he feels like he could play until he’s 40.
"I would love to
play until I am 40. My body feels good. Why not play until I am 40? Being the
kind of hitter I am, I could be a DH the last few years of my career. I would
love to play that long."
But will it be in the Bronx?
"I would love to
stay here, but we will see what happens. For me to be in a productive position
and help our team win maybe in my last year is all you can ask for,"
The Yankees are trying to get younger so that has one strike
against Teixeira immediately. Secondly the Yankees DH position will be clogged
up once again in 2017 with Alex Rodriguez in his final season in pinstripes
before the position truly becomes available in 2018. It’s not out of the realm
of possibility to see Teixeira sign a one-year deal to give the Yankees some
insurance and Greg Bird enough time to truly heal and mend his shoulder injury
but four more years after that? I don’t know about all that…
The right move is to offer Teixera a qualifying offer. That would provide insurance for Greg Bird and expecting a full year of health from a 42 year old DH. It would also answer the question of whether or not he truly wants to finish his career in New York or chase another multi year deal. If he wants to stay in New York, he'll play year to year until he's no longer able to. My guess is that he'll turn it down and sign with whoever gives him the biggest contract. If he does accept it, Bird returns to form, and Arod stays healthy all year, then we have an expensive but dangerous switch hitting bat of the bench. There could be worse scenarios.
ReplyDeleteA lot can happen between now and then obviously but as it stands today I agree with you Jeff. Assuming health, serious injuries anyway that would cause him to miss part of most of the 2017 season, of course.
DeleteHis body feels good..... Of course it does, spending that much time on the DL.
ReplyDeleteHaha!
Hey now Mr. Blue Jay fan. Remember where you are! I kid, lol. We rag on him more than you ever could.
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