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Mark Charles Teixeira ( tay-SHAIR-ə; born April 11, 1980), nicknamed "Tex", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and New York Yankees. Before his professional career, he played college baseball at Georgia Tech, where in 2000 he won the Dick Howser Trophy as the national collegiate baseball player of the year. One of the most prolific switch hitters in MLB history, Teixeira was an integral part of the Yankees' 27th World Series championship in 2009, leading the American League (AL) in home runs and runs batted in (RBI) while finishing second in the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) balloting. Teixeira was a three-time All-Star, won five Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards, and holds the major-league record for most games with a home run from both sides of the plate, with 14. He was the fifth switch hitter in MLB history to reach 400 home runs. Drafted fifth overall by the Texas Rangers in 2001, Teixeira made his MLB debut on Opening Day in 2003, and hit 26 home runs as a rookie. He hit career-highs of 43 home runs and 144 RBI in 2005. The centerpiece of consecutive mid-season trades in 2007 and 2008, the Rangers first sent him to the Braves for a prospect package centered around Elvis Andrus and Matt Harrison. He was later traded in July 2008 to the Los Angeles Angels, where he played for half a season and lost in the first round of the playoffs. In December 2008, he agreed to a lucrative eight-year contract with the Yankees, contributing his most productive season with the team the following year. Injuries limited his effectiveness afterward, including a calf strain in 2012, early season-ending wrist surgery in 2013, various ailments in 2014, a shin fracture in 2015, and neck spasms and torn cartilage in 2016. Teixeira retired at the conclusion of the 2016 season and contract with the Yankees. In each season from 2004 to 2011, Teixeira hit at least 30 home runs with 100 RBI. Early life Mark Charles Teixeira grew up in Severna Park, Maryland, the son of Margaret "Margy" Canterna and John Teixeira. He attended Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, where he played for the school's varsity baseball team, and was teammates with Gavin Floyd. His paternal grandfather emigrated from the South American country Guyana, and he has English and Portuguese ancestry through his father. Teixeira's mother was of Italian descent. College career The Boston Red Sox selected Teixeira in the ninth round of the 1998 MLB draft. Teixeira chose not to sign with the Red Sox, however, opting instead to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology to play college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, citing that he didn't appreciate how the Red Sox treated him. In the summer of 1999, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he won the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect Award. In 2000 with the Yellow Jackets, his batting average was .427, and his on-base plus slugging (OPS) was 1.319. He also won the Dick Howser Trophy as the national collegiate baseball player of the year. Professional career Draft and minor leagues The Texas Rangers selected Teixeira in the first round, with the fifth overall pick, of the 2001 MLB draft. The Philadelphia Phillies considered selecting him with the fourth overall pick, but the financial demands of Teixeira's agent Scott Boras swayed the Phillies to select Gavin Floyd. The Rangers signed Teixeira to a major league contract worth $9.5 million over four years. Teixeira began the 2002 season with the Charlotte Rangers of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, where he batted .320 with an OPS of 1.000 in 38 games. He was then moved up to the Tulsa Drillers of the Double-A Texas League, with whom he batted .316 with a .994 OPS and hit 10 home runs in 48 games. Texas Rangers Teixeira made the Rangers Opening Day roster out of spring training in 2003. As a rookie in 2003, Teixeira hit .259 with 26 home runs, 84 runs batted in (RBIs), and a .811 OPS. In 2004, Teixeira batted .281 with an OPS of .930, 38 home runs, and 112 RBIs. On August 17, 2004, Teixeira hit for the cycle. For his accomplishments in 2005, he earned the Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting first baseman in the American League as well as the Gold Glove signifying his place as the best fielding first baseman in the American League. He was also named to his first All-Star Game after winning the fan voting portion of the selection to be named the starting first baseman for his league. During the game, Teixeira hit a home run from the right-hand side of the plate, something he had failed to do in the entire first half of the season. In a five-game span around the All-Star Game, Teixeira hit five home runs with 13 RBI. He finished July with 13 home runs and 30 RBI and was named the American League Player of the Month. Overall, Teixeira batted .301 with 43 home runs and 144 RBI in the 2005 season. In 2005, Teixeira became the third switch-hitter in MLB history to hit at least 20 home runs in each of his first three seasons, after Eddie Murray and Chipper Jones. He is also one of just five players in Major League history to hit at least 100 home runs in his first three seasons, joining Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner, and Eddie Mathews as well as current first base star, Albert Pujols. Other players – Mark McGwire, José Canseco, Todd Helton, Ryan Howard – have hit 100+ home runs in their first three full seasons, but these players had all played partial seasons prior to playing their first three full seasons. His 2005 total of 144 RBI is a Major League record for a switch-hitter. On Mother's Day, May 14, 2006, Teixeira was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a pink bat to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation. Teixeira's 2006 season began slowly, as he collected only nine home runs before the All-Star Break. After the All-Star Break, however, he was among the league's leaders in home runs, and again finished with over 30 homers and 100 RBI for the season. Teixeira agreed to a two-year $15.98 million contract before the 2006 season to avoid his first two years of arbitration. On June 9, 2007, Teixeira's franchise record 507 consecutive-game streak came to an end. Teixeira landed awkwardly at first base after running out a grounder in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers the previous day. The streak was second to Miguel Tejada at the time. The strained quadriceps muscle placed Teixeira on the disabled list for only the second time of his career. Atlanta Braves On July 31, 2007, two weeks after turning down an eight-year, $140 million contract extension from the Rangers, Teixeira was traded to the Atlanta Braves (along with left-handed reliever Ron Mahay) for catcher/first baseman Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and four prospects: shortstop Elvis Andrus, an.... Discover the Kelly Mcwilliam Mark David Ryan popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Kelly Mcwilliam Mark David Ryan books.