From Tino to Tex: A True Glove Story

(The Voice of Yankees Universe) 

By John Bonini

In Oct. 1995, Yankee fans were cherishing the first playoff appearance of their beloved captain, Don Mattingly. Another first baseman, this one perched in the visiting dugout, torched the Bombers and became familiar in years to come in the "big ballpark." 

Tino Martinez would go on to hit .409 in the infamous five-game set of the 1995 ALDS, collecting nine hits while driving in five en route to a Mariners victory in what was later dubbed the “series that saved baseball in Seattle.”

Even more impressive was the fact that it was Martinez’s first postseason appearance.

As history would show, certainly was not his last. 

Flash forward 13 years, and yet another first baseman, Mark Teixeira, is making his postseason debut for the Anaheim Angels in the ALDS.

While the Angels eventually fall to the Red Sox, Teixeira’s performance surely makes Martinez proud as he bats .467, collects seven hits, and scores four runs in the four-game series. 

Continuing to follow in Martinez’s footsteps, Teixeira soon found himself donning pinstripes after signing with the Yankees in the offseason immediately following his postseason success.

Like Martinez, Teixeira had spent six seasons in the big leagues before landing in New York. Eight years after Martinez’s last big season in the Bronx, the Yankees have finally found a suitable replacement.

Not since the championship years have the Yankees had a slick-fielding, power-hitting first baseman.

Martinez and Teixeira are virtually clones on the defensive side of the ball, with Martinez’s career fielding percentage is .995; Tex’s is .996. 

As Martinez displayed on several times from 1996 to 2001, on any given night, his defense could save as many, if not more, runs than his bat could produce.

Meanwhile, Jason Giambi, while a significant power threat at the plate, was nowhere near the caliber of defender as Martinez and Teixeira. 

You can also expect Teixeira to benefit from the dimensions of Yankee Stadium, as Martinez did.

While Tex is a switch hitter, the bulk of his at-bats will come from the left side. Just ask Martinez, who averaged 27 HR per season with the Yankees, and 18 HR per season when playing with other teams, about the benefits of hitting lefty in the Bronx. 

The similarities between the two first basemen goes even further.

Both were first-round draft picks; Martinez was No. 14 and Tex No. 5. While both made their big league debuts only two years after being drafted, at the age of 23. 

So while Teixeira’s career path may already eerily mirror that of Tino Martinez, the new kid on the block has to hope his future continues to follow Martinez's road.

If history does indeed repeat itself, then one can only wonder what the next eight years may have in store.