Professor Teixeira’s School Is In Session

Mar 11, 2014; Melbourne, FL, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder

(15) gets back safely as New York Yankees first baseman

(25) takes the late throw in spring training action at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Say whatever you want about Mark Teixeira’s contract with the Yankees. Tell me that he hasn’t lived up to it or that he’s ruined his swing by aiming for the short porch. I’m of the school that likes the 30 homers and 100 RBI that Tex delivers despite his low average and slow starts. But whatever you think of his hitting you have to agree that Teixeira’s defense has been nothing short of fantastic. Even coming off an injury that stole the 2013 season from him Mark’s defense and offense has looked good on the comeback trail and he’s just warming up. If he can be a 30/100 player and once again be a top defensive first baseman, the Yankees will be very happy.

The most encouraging thing about Teixeira’s early spring training is that he looks and feels very healthy. Tex hurt his wrist last year and the fact that he feels good is so important and it is a very good sign. But the Yankees can’t afford to jump out of their socks yet. If Teixeira goes down with another injury the Yankees don’t have an immediate replacement. They got very lucky with a surprisingly good season from Lyle Overbay who has now moved on to the Milwaukee Brewers on a minor league deal. Mark Reynolds followed the same path and joined him in Milwaukee. So with no immediate replacement, who’s going to play first base if (and pray it doesn’t) Mark Teixeira goes down again? Well to quote the movie Moneyball “Well… we’re going to have to teach one of them.”

The Yankees have a lot of people in big league camp right now and odds are that one of them can competently play first base. Alfonso Soriano, Corban Joseph, Russ Canzler, Jose Gil and Kelly Johnson have each taken some practice at first base but none are very familiar with that position. So who better to teach some old dogs new tricks than first base’s defensive top dog himself, Mark Teixeira? Professor Tex’s school of first base is in session.

“Hopefully, they won’t have to play first. That’s the goal — to stay healthy.” Tex said when asked about him tutoring some possible alternates at first. “But if you have a situation like last year, where in spring training we’re scrambling for a first baseman, you want to be able to have guys that are already on your roster that can do that. It’s just an insurance policy that we hope we don’t have to cash in.”

Kelly Johnson started a recent spring training game at first base and looked very solid there. “If we put him at first base, he would be fine over there,” Johnson’s Gold Glove teacher said of how he looked during that game. I trust Tex’s vote of confidence but also keep in mind that he’s one of the nicest guys in the game.

Whether Johnson can play first or not is not important right now. Teixeira looks very healthy at the moment and pretty soon it will all kick into place and we’ll have our first baseman back. But if Mark finds himself down and out again it would deal a huge blow to the Yankees lineup. With Overbay and Reynolds gone and no prospects ready to go, if Tex goes down the Yankees have no immediate answer to the question “Who’s on first?” Hopefully the professor can work some magic.