Mark Teixeira: You can fool New York Yankees fans, but you can not fool me

Logan on 05 29, 2009

Yankee fans are probably rather satisfied with the production they’ve received from their newly acquired All-Star first baseman, but let me shed some light on the why they should be disappointed after shelling out a contract of that magnitude to sign this guy away from other potential bidders.

Sure, Teixeira has belted 15 home runs and knocked in 39 RBI through Wednesday, but there are a few alarming statistics that I feel the need to point out. One in particular that I think makes him fit in wearing that new pin-striped uniform more than the rest…but I’ll get to that later.

The four time Silver Slugger’s batting average has dropped thirty-seven points since 2008, sitting at a quite pedestrian .275 at the moment. Now an average of .275 is not terrible by any means, but when you pay this guy $8,125,000 more than he was making in 2008, you should expect his average to rise thirty-seven points rather than vice-versa.

Speaking of important statistics that have dropped since his arrival in New York:

WPA (Win Probability Added): This stat measures assigns a +/- number to a player based on how he effects his team on play in which he is involved during any given game. Mark Teixeira in 2008 had a 5.87 WPA, a career high for him. This year, that number has decreased to 0.76, by far his lowest total since 2003 which incidentally was the only year in which he hit lower than his current batting average of .275 (.259, 2003).

UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating): His statistical decrease from last season doesn’t stop at the plate. The UZR rating measures how far above or below league average that a particular player is in terms of the ability to get to double play balls, allowing runs via errors, stopping runs via assists and so on and so forth. In essence, it is a good barometer of a player’s defensive impact. Teixeira is a solid defender normally, especially in 2008 in his time with the Rangers and Angels. His UZR last year was 10.6, again a career high for him (playing for a contract were you Mark?). 2009 has seen a significant drop in this category, dipping into the negatives in fact. At -1.1, Yankee fans have to be severely questioning his desire defensively after getting his big contract. Must have Barry Zito syndrome.

Lastly, and this is the one that I believe makes him a true Yankee, we have the good old clutch measurement.

Clutch: This number is the one that measures how a player reacts in “high leverage” situations when compared to his performance in “neutral environments.” When comparing this year’s clutch number of -0.66 to year’s past, you guessed it, it has dropped. In 2008 he came in at 0.78, the second highest such total in his MLB career. It only seems right that dawning that new Yankee uniform would hinder his ability to produce in the clutch, just ask A-Rod about that.

There’s no doubt in my mind that playing at Yankee stadium has provided a spark to his power numbers and RBI production, essentially blinding the people in New York to the fact that he is underperforming as I said above. Take a look:

Batting Average: Home (.330) Away (.200)
Home Runs: Home (10) Away (5)
Slugging %: Home (.725) Away (.413)

I mean the guy hit a broken bat home run the other day to left field…and that thing got out by a mile. That tells me that he’s either the next Yankee to be linked to ‘roids, or that they need to address this record setting home run problem in this new Yankee Stadium by moving the fences back a few feet. Yankee fans need to wake up and realize that their new prized possession Mark Teixeira is not all that he’s cracked up to be, whether or not his stats show it.