Taking a holistic look at Mark Teixeira’s 2010 stats, one can easily see that the two-time All-Star is having a down year.
The Yankees’ first baseman is hitting just .256 — 31 points below his career .287 average — with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. Teixeira’s OPS is a productive .837, but it’s 78 points lower than his stellar career mark of .915.
But consider this: Teixeira hit just .136 with two homers and nine RBIs in April. His numbers improved in May, but he was still only hitting .220 by the end of the month.
What does it all mean? Well, the Yankees are in first place, and much of it has to do with Texeira, who has finally decided to wake up at the plate.
Teixeira is hitting .383 with five homers and 17 RBIs so far in July, thanks to his 3-for-5, three-RBI game in New York’s 10-6 win over the Angels on Wednesday. His OPS in July is a ridiculous 1.333.
Always a slow starter, Teixeira hit just .200 with three homers and 10 RBIs in April of 2009, his first year with the Yankees. He went on to hit .330 with 13 home runs in May, and the rest was history. Teixeira ended up winning a Silver Slugger Award and finished second in AL MVP voting.
And when Teixeira’s hot, it changes the entire landscape of the Yankees’ offense.
When the first baseman was struggling in the early part of the season, so was third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who hits right behind Teixeira in the lineup. A-Rod has 19 RBIs in July, his second-highest monthly total in 2010 (he had 27 in May when he was absolutely on fire).
Teixeira and A-Rod form one of the most dangerous offensive duos in the American League, and when they’re both hot, the Yankees are just about impossible to beat in the long run.
Judging by Teixeira’s track record — his career OPS after the All-Star break is .968 — at least one of the two Yankee sluggers is going to have a very productive second half.
