Actually its 2 questions, #1) Is Mark Teixeira a future hall of famer? 35 years old he currently has 394 career home runs with 1,254 RBI & a 273 career batting average. He's also a 5 time GG winner. He's on pass for 45 HRs this season which would be a new career high (43 with Texas in 2005). This would put him at approx 408 career HRs by seasons end. This is also his 9th season with 30 or more HRs. If he has 4 years left in his career & he should be able to do that, he will reach the elusive 500 HR club. So...HOF yes or no? #2) Where does Teixeira play in 2017? He has one more year (2016) left on his contract for $22.5M. Providing he has another good year in 2016 do the Yankees resign him for a few more years, and if so for how much? Perhaps 2 years for less money ($15M per)? Or do the Yankees let him walk & give the full time job to Bird?
a good one rick.... tex is an enigma, first off, and this is just my feelings.... as a first baseman, yes he has been a very good one, but lets not forget he was a 3rd baseman, when you get as far into the game as tex, the transition is not very difficult, and it is a much easier position to play. As a hitter, always felt he was a hit for average player with 20 to 30 dingers a year. When they put the shift on him, the org. and himself did not counter it, they continued to go for the long ball, and no longer were concerned about average, i feel this was a big mistake and will probably keep him out of the hall.
If Bird works out I'd like to see he (Bird) and Tex swap time between 1st and DH . If Bird plays as well as the attitude I've seen him display when interviewed the Yankees have a good one.
I disagree, I think 500 HRs is still pretty much a lock for any player who's never been linked to PEDs.
Currently, With 1,783 Hits, 1, 254 RBI's with a Lifetime .273 Batting Avg, will work against any HOF Vote. Of course Tex is only 35, and could go on to play another 4 years or so; adding to those stats..... If the years ahead, are good to Tex, and He can bring his avg up, (which I don't see happening). I think his quantity of: RBI's and Hits, is not enough alone; to get Him in the HOF. However- if he can reach 500 HR's, those HR's may be the 1 and only 1 thing that allows him to sit right on the HOF fence, otherwise; I don't foresee Tex as a HOF'r. On the flip side, if we take a look at Harmon Killebrew's lifetime numbers, Tex should surpass Harmon's RBI's (1584) or Hits (2086), then if Tex gets his 500 HR's, He could easily become enshrined. It seems inevitable, there will come a time, when 500 Hr's is no longer a given for a HOF. Tho' I personally can foresee Tex, hitting more than 500 HR's, or closer to Harmon's, IF he's lucky, and Healthy more than anything. Tex would need to only hit approximately 25 HR's a year in the next 4 yrs, tho' I see Tex hitting more than 100 HR's in the next 4 yrs, 2016 on. IF he stays a Yankee, which should bring his numbers up, and with the short porch, I don't see why Tex wouldn't get into the HOF, with more than 500 HR's........
Excellent point on Killibrew & his low hit total & average (256) You've got to figure that when its all said & done, Teixeira will end up with over 2,300 hits, that's only an average of 126 hits each year for the next 4 years. Killibrew as you mentioned had 2,086 (256), McCovey had 2,211 (270), & Eddie Mathews with 2,315 (271) so the hits will be enough as will the average. And like I said, I still think 500+ HRs will be enough to get him in. As far as question #2, if he ends up having a decent year in 2016 & by decent I mean 25/90/270 you know someone is going to offer him a 2-3 year contract but to be honest I'd rather see the Yankees go with the youth (Bird).
I think tex is done with the yanks after his contract ends and bird will be the younger,cheaper alternative that looks to have a lot of upside
I wouldn't mind seeing in 2017 Refsnyder at 2nd, Judge in right, Bird at 1st & Severino as one of our ace's.
By the time his contract is over after the 2016 season he'll have around 435 HRs & he'll be 36 years old. You can be sure that if has a good final season with the Yankees that someone will pick him up. If so I think he'll be able to squeeze out another 65+ HRs before his career is done.
Bump's tenure with Yankees will be over by 2017. I would be very surprised if he was kept on. I do not think he is HOF worthy........but it will be debatable. Rick, you got those grey cells churning. lol
