I've read so many pieces by writer's trying to capture the essence of Mark Teixeira, and all have left me ... well, unfulfilled as to who he is and what he's all about--until I read Ben Shipgil's piece in the Times.
Don't get me wrong. I think I'm much like anyone else when I sum up the switch-hitting Tex as a solid--but not quite top-tier player. But even more important to me than his expected .290 35 homer 110 rbi was the question "who is Mark Teixeira, and does he have the toughness--not just to play, but to thrive in New York?" The list of those who couldn't is long and impressive--from Ed Whitson to Randy Johnson and dozens in between, we need Tex to thrive here, and until I read Shipgil's piece I had no idea how he might do here.
But having read Shipgil's piece. I believe he understands the "Evil Empire" and what it means to don the pinstripes. Will he thrive? I wasn't so sure before when I knew little about him. But now I think he might. He'll certainly make us forget about Giambi.