Why Do The Yankees Seem Reluctant To Pursue Mark Teixeira?

The biggest free agent news on Dec. 19 is that Boston owner, John Henry, has announced that Boston is out of the running for first baseman, Mark Teixeira, saying that they were outbid.

Speculation immediately arose that it must have been the Yankees that knocked Boston out of the pursuit. 

But Yankee GM Brian Cashman was quoted as saying:  "It wasn't us."

That raises the question, why are the Yankees being timid about Teixeira?

Looking at his offensive stats averaged over 162 games, Tex is impressive.

Teixeira has averaged .290 BA, 177 hits, 101 runs scored, 121 RBI, 36 Home Runs, .378 OBP, and 124 strikeouts.

By comparison the person who is presently slated to start at first for the Yankees is Nick Swisher, late of the White Sox.

Swisher's 162 game averages are:  .244 BA, 137 hits, 94 runs scored, 86 RBI, 28 HR, .354 OBP, and 142 SO.

So if Tex were brought to the Bronx the Yankees would obviously get a lot more offense. 

Not only does he score more and drives in more runs, he gets more hits and strikes out less.  His average is much higher.  This means that he doesn't kill rallies and extends the work opposing pitchers have to do.

And by all accounts he is the consummate professional in his approach to the game.  He is still young, turning 29 just after the start of the new season.  He is also a great defensive first baseman, having won the Gold Glove there.

Swisher on the other hand is not a natural first baseman.

Again, why are the Yankees not pursuing Teixeira with everything left in the bank vault?

One answer could be that they have a 38-year old catcher who is coming off shoulder surgery and may not be able to catch full time.  First base may be an option.

But Posada cannot match the numbers of Tex and has never played first base.  So again, the Yankees lose in this comparison if they choose Posada over Tex.

Another thought is that Derek Jeter will be 35 next summer.  His days at shortstop have to be numbered.  Where will he finish his career?  It seems certain that he will finish with New York, but at what position.  Does Jeter move to DH to finish his career? 

Any Yankee fan that has watched Jeter pace the dugout on those rare occasions when he is not playing, wonders if he would ever be suited to hit only.  So, are Cashman and other Yankee moguls looking a few years down the road and planning on Jeter moving to first? 

This would eliminate the long-term contract Teixeira and his agent, Scott Boras, would demand. 

There is no question Jeter could handle first base, but it is hard to imagine that Cashman would pass on the chance to sign an All-Star run producer like Teixeira in order to hold a spot for Jeter three or four years from now.

The Yankees have said they are determined to trim their payroll from last year's number.  But they have in excess of $90 million coming off and so far have spent an annual average of about $40 million.

They will have to add to that number if they sign Andy Pettitte to a one-year deal.

But after the 2009 season they will shed another $26 million with the expiration of contracts for Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.

So money should not be the issue in the Teixeira equation.  It remains unresolved.  The Yankees may still go after this stellar first sacker.

With a need to replace offense with the loss of Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi, fans of the Bronx Bombers will not be happy with the batting order Cashman puts on the field if Teixeira is not pursued aggressively.