NEW YORK — Mark Teixeira has worked out at Bobby Valentine’s Stamford, Conn., baseball academy for the past two years and even donated a pitching machine — which worked flawlessly until Valentine became the Boston manager.
“As soon as he gets the Red Sox job, I go in the next morning and the first ball out of the machine was right at my head,” Teixeira said. “We had to get a technician in there to fix it.”
The Yankees’ first baseman wasn’t accusing the new Sox manager of sabotage, but let the record show that the rivalry’s first shot across the bow in 2012 was fired in New England this winter.
Valentine’s arrival isn’t the only new wrinkle in the rivalry. How about seeing Teixeira bunt to beat the shift?
“I’ve been so against it my entire career, (but) I might lay down some bunts,” Teixeira said, speaking Tuesday at the 32nd Thurman Munson Awards Dinner, which has raised $11 million to assist those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The switch-hitting Teixeira batted .224 against right-handed pitchers and admitted to being pull-happy as a lefty batter at Yankee Stadium, given the short porch in right. He hit .302 as a right-handed hitter and .248 overall.
“If I can lay down a few bunts, beat the shift a little more the other way, then I’m right where I need to be,” Teixeira said of improving his batting average.
Teixeira said he hasn’t bunted since his freshman year in high school, making the Grapefruit League season a time to experiment.
“I’ve been so against it my entire career, (but) I might lay down some bunts,” Teixeira said, speaking Tuesday at the 32nd Thurman Munson Awards Dinner, which has raised $11 million to assist those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Maybe I’ll lay down 20 bunts in spring and see what happens,” said Teixeira, who lost 14 pounds this off-season by altering his diet. “If I’m 1-for-20, maybe I’ll have to go back to the drawing board.”
Teixeira praised the “electric fastball” of Michael Pineda, acquired via trade from Seattle for Jesus Montero.
Being part of a designated hitter rotation wouldn’t be a bad idea, Teixeira said, though, “If you could pick up a guy that can come in and give you some pop off the bench and DH now and then, we’re not going to say no to that.”
Tough climb
After climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, right-hander R.A. Dickey’s next grueling task is on deck: the 2012 Mets season. “We’re in a tough division and we have to be honest about that,” said Dickey, whose arduous eight-day trek was to raise awareness for human trafficking.
Reaching the summit on the final day took 7½hours, part of an 18½-hour hike. “I’ve never experienced anything more arduous than that day,” Dickey said.
Though the Mets could’ve terminated his contract if he were injured in the climb (the club also donated money to his cause), Dickey’s quest was too important. “I understood the risk,” he said.
Briefs
The Yankees named former Cubs general manager Jim Hendry as a special assignment scout. Assistant general manager Jean Afterman added senior vice president to her title. The club also promoted Steve Donohue to head trainer and named Mark Littlefield his assistant.