New York Yankees: Will Bombers Withstand Mark Teixeira’s Latest Calf Injury?
September 10, 2012 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The Yankees were without Mark Teixiera since the end of August and were barely hanging on to their division lead.
This past Saturday, he returned to the Yankees lineup, but only for one day, as he will be sidelined again with the same calf injury. After irritating it this past weekend, Texiera will be out for another 10-14 days, according to Eric Boland of ESPN.
Yankees announce MRI showed “irritation” of Tex’s calf strain and he’ll be out “10-14 days.” Also, Melky Mesa to be called up
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) September 10, 2012
Teixeira had been out since August 27 and returned on September 8, but in Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, he was called out sliding into first base on a blown call by the umpire. Replays clearly showed that Teixeira was safe.
The slide re-aggravated the calf injury, which again shelves the Yankees first basemen for 10-14 days; the Yankees only have 22 games remaining in the 2012 season.
Teixeira had been batting .255 with 23 home runs and 81 RBI in 120 games for the Yankees. This could be the first time in four years with the Yankees that he does not hit 30 home runs and get 100 RBI in a season.
Teixeira is an extremely crucial part of the Yankees lineup; both with the bat and with the glove.
With Teixeira out, the Yankees have used a platoon of Eric Chavez, Casey McGehee and Steve Pearce at first base and likely will continue to do so.
When Teixeira first exited the lineup with the injury; the Yankees were 74-54. Currently they stand at 79-61; so the team was 5-7 without him in the lineup.
Winning five out of their last 12 games is not a good stretch for the Yankees, considering they are struggling to hold off the Orioles in the A.L. East race.
Teixeira’s struggles in the postseason for the Yankees have been well documented, but if the Yankees want any chance of getting to October and competing for their 28th World Series, they will need their first basemen healthy and in the lineup.
Without him, it weakens and shortens the lineup; similar to what the Yankees are going through now.
Sure, Chavez and Pearce have been good fill-in options, but they are in no way going to replace a 30-home run, 100 RBI hitter in the lineup.
Now the Yankees have to figure out how to get by without one of their main sluggers for another two weeks and hope they have held onto their slim lead in the A.L. East.
If the Yankees get lucky, the Orioles and Rays will falter and the Yankees lead can increase somewhat while Teixeira attempts to recover from the injury.
Two years ago in the 2010 American League Championship Series, Teixeira hurt his hamstring during Game 4 and was out for the rest of the postseason; an injury that really shortened the lineup and helped the Yankees get eliminated in six games against the Texas Rangers.
Getting by without Teixiera will not be easy, and it only increases the roles of Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez as the main Yankees hitters.
Will the Yankees survive without Texieira in the lineup? Personally, I think they will somehow manage to get by, but it will not be easy.
For Yankee fans and the organization, they have to hope Teixeira heals quickly from this injury and he will be at full strength for the Yankees as they prepare for another run at October.
Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.
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