by
Diane Firstman |
January 7, 2009 8:34 am |
26 Comments
99 days to go till Opening Day at the Stadium … here’s some news to tide you over:
- Mark Teixeira was introduced to the New York media at a press conference yesterday. Here’s a couple of quotes from the newly-pinstriped slugger:
“The first time I went to Yankee Stadium, I was in awe,” Teixeira said. “The chance to play here my first six years in the big leagues, I always loved coming here. Seeing Mattingly when he was a coach here and going out to Monument Park was very special for me.
“I’m going to get a chance to be the first first baseman the Yankees have in the new stadium. That’s going to be pretty sweet. The fans here in New York will be pumped.”
Discussing the long free-agent process that ultimately landed him in New York, Teixeira gave much of the credit to his wife, Leigh, who helped seal the deal in a Dec. 12 conversation over dinner at a Texas country club.
“I said to Leigh, ‘Everything’s equal. Where would you want to play?'” Teixeira said. “Finally, she broke down and said, ‘I want you to be a Yankee.’ That’s what did it for me.”
- Jon Lane of the YES Network covered the press conference, and gives us a pleasing Tex quote:
Seconds into his formal introduction, Teixeira, looking completely relaxed and at ease, showed off perhaps his greatest attribute. He smiled and told the notoriously tough New York media to fire away, taking questions about accepting responsibility and playing up to expectations that will never be higher.
“I look at myself as a leader,” Teixeira said. “First and foremost, I try to do things the right way on the field and you can carry that over to the locker room and earn the respect of your teammates.”
He explained later to writers he was negotiating with five different teams, the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals, Angels and Orioles, and how the Yankees were atop the pecking order. At first, his wife Leigh told him she just wanted him to be happy. On December 12, during their weekly Friday night dinner at their country club in Texas, Teixeira asked his wife if all things were equal, where you want me to play. Her answer was New York, the Yankees and everything that comes with it.
“I might have been a little more hesitant if I hadn’t played in so many different cities the last three years,” Teixeira said. “I went to Atlanta, where Braves baseball is huge. That was some pressure. It was the first time in a long time I was nervous to play a baseball game. The same going to Anaheim. They were the kings of the AL West. The media is tougher there and the fans are into it, so I think I’ve gotten a taste of a little bit of everything and I enjoyed being a part of it.”
- The Post has more yummy quotes from Teixeira.
- Bryan Hoch at MLB.com runs down how the Yanks acquired Tex.
- More “much ado about nothing” regarding Andy Pettitte. Here’s a couple of quotes from the Yankees:
“There’s still dialogue going on,” Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said. “They were not happy with our offer; we were not happy with what they wanted. There’s been no agreement.”
Cashman would not confirm a New York Times report that New York has pulled its offer to the 36-year-old Pettitte, but said in reference to his level of interest: “Things are more complicated now.”
- The Post reports that if the offer to Pettitte is still alive, it is most likely lower than the original $10 million figure.
- The City has bowed to public scrutiny and criticism, and is giving up the luxury box it negotiated for itself in dealing with the funding for the new stadium.
[My take: I’m sure members of the Bloomberg administration will have no problem scoring a couple of free passes or luxury box invites regardless of this turn of events.]
(more…)
