So it's official - Mark Teixeira is a Yankee. Mike Francesa was very negative about the press conference, but I enjoyed watching it. Like Michael Kay kept on saying, Teixeira actually looks happy to be a Yank. (Randy Johnson would win the "least happy to be a Yankee" contest!)
I was thinking of having five people introduce the next person before getting to my squawk, like at today's presser, but since Squawker Jon boycotted watching the press conference, I decided against it. So I'll have to go solo with my observations:
* I thought Mark was confident with the press, but seemed sincere, and not slick. He came off as a very likeable guy.
* Mark said something about having decided weeks before to be a Yankee. So it sounds like he did toy with the Red Sox after all. Gotta love it!
* When the microphone went crazy when Brian Cashman was talking, I half-expected a reaction shot of Scott Boras saying "sign Manny or else" to Cash.
* Mark said more than once that signing with the Yankees was a "no-brainer," to which I could imagine Yankee-haters' reaction of "no kidding" to that one!
* Hal Steinbrenner looks like his father, but with Tucker Carlson's hair.
* Boras looks like Tom DeLay.
* And Teixeira? Who does he look like? It's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't think of who it is.
* I guess No. 25 won't be retired for Jason Giambi, after all!
* Besides being a great hitter, and the best glove the Yanks have had at first since Tino Martinez, Teixeira seems like he will fit in well with the Yankee way.
* Loved hearing Teixeira gush wearing a Yankee cap and rooting for Don Mattingly while Teix was growing up in Baltimore.
How many days is it until pitchers and catchers? I can't wait!
What did you think of the Mark Teixeira press conference? Leave us a comment!
9 comments:
I like the Texiera signing a HUGE upgrade over Giambi. HOWEVER, it still doesn't cover the fact that this team is OLD at some very key positions in the outfield and in the infield. There was an interesting article on SI.com today by Tom Verducci,about teams with older players making and succeeding in the playoffs. He wrote that the last team to get to the WS with a SS over 30 was the Orioles with Cal Ripken back in 1996(!) Jeter has been pretty durable throughout his career but the clock is ticking.And the "Material Boy" at 3rd ain't no spring chicken either. Cashman better spend some decent money on a good bench or all these free agent signings won't mean a thing come August and September (and dare we dream) October.
Texeira is a good player, and seems like a good guy. but lisa, please stop with the mularkey, or at least acknowledge that you don't buy it.
michael kay says Teixeira actually looks happy to be a Yank. first off, Kay is, perhaps, the largest yankee shill this side of Grandpa mike and emperor. for him to say anything other than that the sun is shining bright in the bronx would be a surprise. secondly, the man has a brand new, shiny contract. of course he is happy. who wouldn't be?
Texeira was on with francesa, and he sounds like a likeable guy, from what we could hear over francesa's incessant talking. but even he acknowledged that a factor was the great contract the yankees offered, which made it a no-brainer. i'll give him some credit for honesty for at least acknowledging the financial impact.
anywho, enjoy the season. good luck yankee fans!
km
Keep in mind baseball today is a business and players are businessmen. That said, I still feel that of the 3 recent signings Mark Texiera makes the most sense. CC seems to want to test the waters of NY, and IMO AJ signed for the bucks as they all do. Texiera adds the big bat we sorely needed, the defense that has been missing since Tino left and by all accounts come to spring camp in shape and ready to play. Seems like strong family orientation and way less drama than A-Rod.
"Kay is, perhaps, the largest yankee shill this side of Grandpa mike and emperor"
KM, you forgot about Max Kellerman and Brandon Tierney! I think they both beat the crap out of Kay, especially Max.
yeah but I like kellerman, he is a great boxing guy, and tierney is a bada$$, so I won't mess with him.
km
Good point.
KM, do you like Steve "The Shmooze" Sommers and Craig Carson on WFAN?
Oops - Cartin, not Carson - my bad.
I prefer The Scmoozer, too. I get a kick out of how he always like to say the full name of the teams: The Metropolitans, The Knickerbockers, etc.
Cartin is pretty much Boomer Esiason's sdiekick, but he has some funny moments.
Yeah, for the most part what you say about Cartin is true, but for me he occasionally comes off with things I laugh at. I don't find him nearly as entertaining as Max, and he certainly isn't fit to clean the soles of Max's shoes when it comes to knowledge, but if nothing else is on the radio I can tolerate him for a little while.
Overall I'm more a fan of the ESPN personalities. WFAN is my fallback when the ESPN guys drone on and on about football and hockey. At least Scmoozer talks baseball interspersed with other topics, even if he is a Metropolitan fan. :-)
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