(The following is being syndicated from The Captain’s Blog).
Now bunting for the New York Yankees, first baseman, number 25, Mark Teixeira.
Frustrated by his dwindling batting average against right handed pitchers, the slugging Yankees’ first baseman recently suggested he may start bunting more in order to thwart the shift that has stolen so many hits from him. For some Yankees’ fans who have grown frustrated by the site of Teixeira grounding out to shallow right, that epiphany will probably be looked upon as a godsend, but is it really in the best interest of the team?
I have to adapt. I’ve been frustrated the last few years, because those balls haven’t been falling in. Finally I’ve kind of given in, and I’m going to hopefully start using that side a little more.” – Mark Teixeira, quoted by MLB.com, January 31, 2012
Like it or not, Mark Teixeira has become much more one-dimensional from the left side of the plate. Playing 81 games with the Yankee Stadium short porch staring you in the face sometimes has that effect. However, Teixeira’s performance as a lefty pull hitter hasn’t really suffered. Although off career highs in 2008 and 2009, the Yankees’ first baseman still managed to hit 0.337 and slug 0.837 when pulling the ball against righties in 2011, allowing him to compile a wOBA of 0.493 in those situations. Again, those rates aren’t as lofty as a few years back, but they are still potent enough to make the Yankees question whether Teixeira should waver from his pull happy approach.
Teixeira’s Offensive Rates as a Left-Handed Pull Hitter
Source: fangraphs.com
Even though the shift may be stealing a few singles from Teixeira when he pulls a ground ball, where it seems to really be beating him is to the opposite field. Despite having the entire left side of the field open when facing right handed pitchers, Teixeira has seen his productivity as an off-field hitter in those situations plummet. Since 2007, when Teixeira’s average and slugging were .333 and .689 as lefty going the other way, the first baseman has gradually declined into an abyss. Last year, Teixeira hit 0.086 and slugged 0.103 when using the opposite field as a left handed hitter, which is as close as you can get to being an automatic out. Also, even though his average on balls hit to center as a lefty rebounded in 2011, his slugging remains well off his career norms, suggesting he has become little more than a singles hitter when going up the middle as a southpaw.
Teixeira’s Offensive Rates as a Left-Handed Off Field Hitter
Source: fangraphs.com
It’s easy to understand why Teixeira has become more pull conscious from the left side. After all, he has had a lot of success launching fly balls into the seats at Yankee Stadium. The mystery, however, is his inability to be even marginally productive when going the other way as a lefty. Ironically, it is that phenomenon, not becoming pull happy, that has led to a decline in Teixeira’s overall offensive numbers. Could it be that Teixeira has responded to the shift by forcing his attempts to use the opposite side? Instead of waiting for the right pitch to drive into the left field gap, perhaps Teixeira is making his mind up before the pitch is even thrown? Or, maybe Teixeira’s focus on pulling the ball has caused him to neglect his opposite field swing mechanics? What ever the reason, it seems clear that before Teixeira tries to use the opposite field more often as a southpaw, he should first figure out why he has had little success doing it over the past two seasons.
Teixeira’s Offensive Rates as a Right-Handed Pull Hitter
Source: fangraphs.com
Although Mark Teixeira has become very singular from the left side, his approach as a right handed hitter remains more varied. In 2011, Teixeira continued to mash as a pull hitter from the right side, but also chipped in with a 0.265 batting average and 0.559 slugging percentage when using the opposite field. In fact, Teixeira’s 0.349 wOBA as a righty going the other way ranked among the best rates of his career. What makes that level of success even more impressive is it represented a big rebound from 2010, when Teixeira’s opposite field performance as a right hander suffered even more than it did from the left side. Although last year’s right-handed struggles going the other way may have been an aberration (or maybe just the result of batted ball classification, considering his relative rates going up the middle), his improvement suggests that Teixeira may be capable of making a similar adjustment as a lefty swinger.
Teixeira’s Offensive Rates as a Right-Handed Off Field Hitter
Source: fangraphs.com
It’s easier said than done, but Mark Teixeira needs to adopt the approach he uses as a right handed hitter when batting from the left side. First and foremost, his objective should be to pull the ball because that’s when he has the most success. Then, if he is able to adjust to pitching patterns, he can once again start lining balls into the left field gap when batting from the left side. However, if Teixeira is unable to re-find his opposite field stroke as a left handed hitter, he would be better advised to pull everything. After all, there’s no point forfeiting the high reward of going for the downs when the alternative pay-off is so low.
When the situation calls for it, an occasional bunt against the shift wouldn’t be a bad idea, but what the Yankees really need is for Mark Teixeira to maximize his potential to do damage each and every at bat. If that means swinging from his heels as a left hander, so be it. With the right mix of patience, such an approach can yield a very intimidating offensive presence, not unlike the first baseman who preceded Teixeira in pinstripes. Considering his defense and overall batting skill from the right side, becoming Jason Giambi when batting as a lefty not only wouldn’t be a bad thing, it might actually lead to a renaissance in Teixeira’s career.
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3 Responses to Would Mark Teixeira Be Sacrificing Too Much by Going the Other Way?
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TIQ IQ
Based on my admittedly inexpert visual observations this seems to have been a big part of his problem.
I’m not Kevin Long but anyone can see that from the left side he collapses his back leg, lengthens his swing and uses a pretty extreme uppercut. All of that seems to force him to commit too soon. You can see it in the way he is fooled by off-speed pitches.
When he tries to go the other way this approach works against him since he’s out in front and pulling off the ball.
The bunting idea is stupid (of course Joe Girardi will love it) but I think if Long is able to get Tex to use a more balanced approach from the left side (as he does from the right side) he’ll still be able to pull the ball but force pitchers and defenses to pitch and play him more honestly.
Agree completely with the first part (not so much the second). If by opening his stance or changing his approach he enables himself to hit the ball the opposite way with authority, meaning more hard hit line drives, he’ll be far more productive. Managers will start seeing his updated spray charts, position the fielders accordingly, the shift disappears and the times when he pulls the ball should yield better results. If he’s trying to pull everything, the quality of contact on balls hit the opposite way is likely to be poor.
On the bunt, if the opposing defense is giving you something, why on earth wouldn’t you take it? I know his job is to be a power hitter, but no one would complain if he hit a single in those spots, and the bunting into a shift should yield a far higher probability of success. Given the positioning of the infield, a run can still score on that play. We would agree that sacrifice bunting has limited applications but this is the very definition of ‘bunting for a hit’. What I find to be stupid has been his approach the past 2 years, which has resulted in the shift and declining results.
I don’t think his wife would be too happy… I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. All kidding aside, I think your analysis is simply amazing. Please keep up the great work. You’ve helped me look at the Yankees in a completely different, more analytical way than I ever thought possible. I really hope Tex can turn it around. He went from being a hero in ’09, to being depressing and heart wrenching to watch.