Is 500 Home Runs A Feasible Goal For Mark Teixeira?

Mark Teixeira, who has stated that he would like to play five more years, has added another goal for his career: reaching the 500 home run milestone that, before the steroids era, used to guarantee induction into the Hall of Fame.  Teixeira, who is a free agent after 2016, stated that he believes he can reach the milestone if he is able to play as long as he’d like:

I think if I play long enough I’ll get there.  God willing I’ll play four, five more years and that’d be a nice number.

Teixeira, who currently sits at 394 home runs, will pass the 400 home run mark early in the season.  If he plays five more years as he’d like to do, he would need to average just over 21 home runs per season, something that shouldn’t be difficult, if he stays healthy.  Teixeira hit 31 in 2015, and has never hit below 22, besides the 2013 season which only saw him play 15 games.

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While injury is the only obstacle Teixeira faces, it is one that is increased for a player who hasn’t played a full season since 2011, especially considering that only 18 players have hit 106 or more home runs from the age of 36, Teixeira’s age, until the end of their career.

If Teixeira remains with the New York Yankees, then I believe his chances at reaching 500 are increased, as he can take advantage of the short right field porch, even as he ages.  Teixeira has always been a very capable power hitter, and transitioning to DH in the near future could help him increase his durability, and thus stay on the field more often than not.

With Greg Bird due back from injury in 2017, Teixeira could be on his way out of the Bronx following the season, but either way, I will be pulling for him to reach the 500 home run milestone.  As stated earlier, for non-steroids users, 500 home runs has always been a guarantee into the Hall of Fame, and Teixeira has never been linked to steroids.

Although a lot of his time in pinstripes has been marked by injury, and a view that he is overpaid, Teixeira did help bring a championship to the Yankees, and seeing him in Cooperstown, where he would surely choose to enter as a Yankee, would be great.

What do you think Yankees fans?  Can Teixeira reach 500 home runs?  Let us know in the comments below.

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