Mark Teixeira is a really good major league baseball player for the NY Yankees. Though not possessing much speed, he more than holds his own defensively at first base, is a switch-hitter, and amongst the American League leaders in home runs and RBIs this year.
Mark Teixeira and the Yankees are also feeling some frustration right about now. Not long ago, they had a commanding lead in the AL East. But they just got swept by the surging Toronto Blue Jays, including two shutouts in a row -- the first time that's happened to the Bronx Bombers in over 20 years -- and they are no longer a shoo-in to even make the playoffs. Lots of teams are breathing down their necks and anything could happen in the next couple months of the season.
Thing is, Mark Teixeira just showed himself as clueless in a press conference after the Toronto game earlier tonight. During the contest, MT had occasion to try and catch a pop up that was drifting into the stands. Nothing new there. It happens all the time. Fielders lean, and sometimes jump into the stands trying to catch batted balls.
But on this particular occasion, a fan -- who had every right to try to catch a souvenir -- incurred Teixeira's wrath. Feeling he was "interfered with", MT shoved the fan and had a few choice words for him after he was thwarted in his attempt at catching the pop-foul. Replays clearly showed the fan immediately backed off with palms up and spread. He didn't want any trouble.
Yet during a post-game interview, MT said fans have a right to insult, but not assault. True indeed, but that's not what happened in this instance. If anything, Teixeira assaulted the fan. Trying to laugh it off at a press conference, much less blaming the fan for bad conduct, doesn't change what happened. The fan was right and Teixeira was out-of-bounds, literally.
Let's get real. We all know that when at a major league baseball game, it is forbidden to go on the field -- for any reason. Doing so will result in an immediate ejection from the ballpark and might even lead to criminal charges.
But when one has paid big bucks for a box seat and is sitting there when a ball comes their way -- they have every right to try and catch it. If the fan can't go on the field, then the fielder shouldn't be able to go into the stands. And if he does, then tough if he encounters resistance and/or interference while trying.
The field is the field and the stands are the stands. Players belong on the former and spectators in the latter. True, the wall separating players from fans is a grey area. When fans lean over into the field of play, a player could have a legitimate beef if he was interfered with. But when a player leans into the stands, all bets are off. If anything, it is the fan(s) that could have a beef. They paid to be there and have done nothing wrong.
For a player to "assault" one of them while they are exactly where they are supposed to be, then turn around and blame it on the fan, is the epitome of arrogance and folly.
Mark Teixeira may be a worthy major league baseball player, but it appears he's clueless when it comes to reality and dealing with common citizens that pay his ridiculous salary. ($22,500,000 this year).
Hmmm. Maybe when his baseball career is done, he should go into politics. He's exhibiting all the signs of being a "natural".
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