NewsTeixeira makes it look easy, but it's not
Toronto (42-38) at New York (45-33), 1:05 p.m. ET
By Jared Diamond / MLB.com
07/03/09 1:27 AM ET
NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira's defense has been so good this season, every ball that gets by him comes as a surprise. In his first three months manning first base for the Yankees, Teixeira has already built a highlight reel of diving plays and error-saving scoops on low throws from infielders. Perhaps that combination of consistency and flair has left everyone spoiled. There were three separate plays in Thursday night's 8-4 loss to the Mariners, albeit difficult ones, that Teixeira had a chance to make but went unconverted. He even made an error, his first in 106 games, in the ninth inning. Though few first basemen in all of baseball probably would have made any of the three plays, Teixeira has set the standard so high that it was shocking to see even one scoot by. "I'm going to make a couple of errors every year," Teixeira said. "You just don't want them to be in a big situation. You want to make every play you can, and it just happens." The first chance for Teixeira came two pitches into the game, when Ichiro Suzuki hit a rocket line drive just over his head. He reached up as fast as he could, but the ball hit off his glove and continued on down the line. Ichiro wound up with a double and ultimately scored the game's first run. It was a pure reaction play and a clean hit all the way. Teixeira has simply performed well enough to convince fans that he could and should make a play on any ball hit in his direction. "I didn't really see it," Teixeira said. "Those are ones you just kind of throw your glove up and hope it goes in there." It seemed he also had a shot on a ball hit down the right-field line by Ryan Langerhans to lead off the sixth. Teixeira tried to pick the hard-hit grounder, but it again ricocheted off him and went as a double. Teixeira said it would have been "straight luck" to have caught the ball. His error in the ninth came when Suzuki hit a slow roller wide of the bag. Teixeira fielded it cleanly, but he rushed the toss to pitcher Alfredo Aceves, who was covering first. Though the play was ruled a throwing error, manager Joe Girardi and Teixeira stressed that with Ichiro's speed, it is possible that even a good throw would not have had him. "It's one of those that I got to get rid of it quick and throw it as hard as I can," Teixeira said. "Even if I get it to Ace, he may beat it out anyway. I'm just trying to get it to him as quick as possible." Almost as surprising as it is to see Teixeira make an error is how long it has been since he has hit a home run. After a smoking May in which he blasted 13 homers, he has cooled down significantly at the plate. He has not hit one in 17 games -- a stretch spanning 68 at-bats. Teixeira went 0-for-4 on Thursday to dip his batting average to .274, the lowest it has been since May 29. "That's the streakiness of power hitters," Teixeira said. "I hit a bunch for a month there, and because of that I'm not going to hit some for a while. I'd love to hit 60, 70 homers, but that's just not me." In light of Teixeira's recent power outage and rare sluggishness in the field on Thursday, it seems perhaps he could use an extra day to recharge. He has not had a day off since June 3. Girardi said he expects to either sit Teixeira or use him as a designated hitter in one of the Yankees' next four games. They begin a weekend series with the Blue Jays on Friday afternoon.NYY: RHP A.J. Burnett (6-4, 3.93 ERA)
Burnett had his best outing as a member of the Yankees in his previous start, working seven shutout innings while allowing just one hit. The right-hander dominated the Mets, taking a no-hitter into the sixth before surrendering a clean single to Alex Cora. Burnett finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts. TOR: LHP Brian Tallet (5-5, 4.47 ERA)
Tallet picked up a loss at home against the Phillies on Sunday after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits over six innings. The lefty issued six walks and struck out six in his 15th start since being moved out of the bullpen. Tallet faced the Yankees on May 14 and earned a no-decision after yielding two runs on four hits with five walks and two strikeouts over six frames. In his career against New York, Tallet has gone 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA in 21 appearances. Tidbits
Backup catcher Jose Molina played five innings in the field for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on a rehab assignment in Pawtucket, R.I. He went 0-for-2 with an RBI at the plate. ... Prior to Thursday's game, the Yankees signed three Latin American free agents: catcher Gary Sanchez, shortstop Damian Arredondo and pitcher Chris Cabrera. ... Teixeira went 72 games this season without an error, the longest single-season errorless streak by a Yankees first baseman since Tino Martinez in 1996 (82 games). Tickets
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• Saturday: Blue Jays (Roy Halladay, 10-2, 2.56) at Yankees (Chien-Ming Wang, 1-6, 10.06), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Blue Jays (Scott Richmond, 6-5, 3.69) at Yankees (Joba Chamberlain, 4-2, 3.89), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Blue Jays (Ricky Romero, 6-3, 2.85) at Yankees (Andy Pettitte, 8-3, 4.25), 1:05 p.m. ET
Jared Diamond is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
