For the near 50,000 fans in Yankee Stadium tonight, the arrival of Mark Texiera to the plate in the ninth inning, with bases loaded, one out, and the Yankees down by two runs, must have been cause for both great hope and skepticism. On one hand, Texeira has hit 34 home runs this season and driven in 95 RBI this season, power numbers that have propelled him to 3rd place in both respective categories in the American League East. And yet, Texeira is also the owner of a .248 batting average that on numerous occasions has let the Yankees down in crucial moments, including in tonight’s game. After taking a strike from shaky Oakland reliever Andrew Bailey, Texeira flaccidly swung at a Bailey off speed pitch, popping the ball up to third and effectively closing the door on a Yankee comeback. With two outs, the Yankees only managed to add another run before Nick Swisher’s long blast to dead center, only a few feet from the throngs of jumping Yankee fans, fell into the stretched arms of Coco Crisp, ending the game and leaving the Yankees with plenty to wonder about.
While Texeira’s worth to the Yankees offense is clear, performances like today certainly question whether his place in the batting order (3rd or 4th depending on Alex Rodriguez’s availability) is justified. With the likes of Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, and Derek Jeter at the top end of the Yankee lineup, it is unclear whether forcing Texeira, a low batting average power hitter, in the midst of those three is the most effective solution for the Yankees. Would Texeira be more comfortable batting in the 5th spot, leading off the back end of the lineup which features other power hitters like Russell Martin, Nick Swisher, and Jorge Posada? Robinson Cano, one of the best hitters in baseball, would seem to be a natural replacement for Texeira at the 3rd position, providing a potent 1-2-3 knockout punch for the Yankees with Granderson and Jeter up ahead.
With the playoffs right around the corner, it’s still not too late for the Yankees to try out different lineups to best maximize their player’s potential. Whether they do it just may determine whether future games like tonight’s will end up in the win or loss column.