"It's really kind of simple," Texeira told the Post. "If you don't want to play in front of 50,000 people every single game, if you don't want the energy of the best city in the world behind you every day, good or bad, and if you don't want to be in a position where you can win a championship … well, then you probably shouldn't play in New York."
Texeira enjoyed his first season with the Yankees as he hit 39 home runs and drove in 122 runs. The first baseman has always liked New York.
"I'd always enjoyed playing in New York when I was playing on other teams and in other cities," Texeira said. "I had some good games when I'd come in with Texas or Atlanta or Anaheim, but beyond that, I really liked what the whole experience of playing in New York was like."
Texeira spent his first six seasons with three teams: the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Although he'd never played in New York for an extended period of time, the two-time All-Star knew what to expect from the city when he signed with the Yankees as a free agent.
"I knew exactly what I was walking into," Texeira said. "I didn't go there with any kind of blinders. If anything, I went looking forward to everything associated with it."
The Yankees ended last season with their first World Series title in nine years. Texeira can only hope the pressure remains intact this season so the team can repeat its success.
