Angels Land Teixeira

For the second time in the last two years, power-hitting first baseman Mark Teixeira has been traded near the deadline and finds himself in the AL West once again.  The only difference is this time he has a legitimate shot of completing this season with a World Series ring.

Major League Baseball’s best team has just gotten better as the Los Angeles Angels have acquired Teixeira from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steve
Marek.

The Angels have clearly got the better hand in this deal.  While Kotchman has had a pretty good season with a .287 avg., 12 home runs, and 54 RBI, there isn’t a soul on the planet that would want him over Teixeira and his 20 home runs and 78 RBI.

Teixeira has been one of the top players in the game the last few years and his great switch hitting ability makes him even more appealing.

Teixeira has hit 26 or more home runs in every season of his career and has had 100 or more RBI in every season since his rookie year.

Something else the Angels should be real excited about is how well Teixeira hits against the AL West.  In his career, he has 52 home runs, 166 RBI, and a batting average of about .280 versus the West.

Not only that, Teixeira is a great first baseman.  His career fielding percentage is .955 and has committed more than 4 errors in one season at first base only once in his entire career (in 2004 with 10 errors).

Teixeira is all around a great player, one that will fit perfectly in the Angels’ line-up.

The Angels have quietly been the best team in baseball for a few weeks now and don’t get much respect.  Now, with the acquisition of Teixeira, there is no question who is on top.  As Teixeira joins Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Garret Anderson, and Howie Kendrick, the Angels already great power and quality hitting just got that much better.