Mark Teixeira named 2010 Graduate of the Year

Few players in the last decade have been as consistently dominant as Mark Teixeira. Through his first seven years in the Major Leagues, the switch-hitting first baseman has averaged 35 home runs and 114 RBI per 162 games with a .290 career batting average and .378 on-base percentage. Teixeira has been to two All-Star Games, won three Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, and owns a career OPS over .900 from both sides of the plate. Teixeira’s career achievements as well as his MVP-caliber performance in 2009 have earned him this season’s Graduate of the Year award.

Teixeira grew up on the cast coast, playing high school baseball in Baltimore. Upon graduating, Teixeira was drafted by the Boston Red Sox as a ninth round selection in 1998 Teixeira however, chose to attend Georgia Tech University which has produced other Major Leaguers such as Kevin Brown, Jason Varitek, Nomar Garciaparra, and Matt Wieters. During his time with the Yellow Jackets, Teixeira played summer ball for the Maryland Battlecats of the Clark Griffith League as well as Team USA.

Teixeira hit .427 as a junior in 2001 with 80 RBI in just 66 games. The stellar season earned him the coveted Dick Howser Trophy as the nation’s best collegiate player. It also improved his draft stock from three years prior as he was drafted fifth overall by the Texas Rangers. It took Teixeira less than two years after signing with Texas to reach the Major Leagues. Teixeira hit .318 with 19 home runs in 86 minor league games in 2002 at two different levels of the Rangers’ organization. Teixeira was named to the Rangers’ Opening Day lineup in 2003 and has not looked back since.

After going 0 for 15 to begin his career, Teixeira collected his first big league hits on April 9th, 2003, and cracked his first career home run the following night, a three-run shot off of Athletics’ lefty Ted Lilly. In only his third Major League season, Teixeira swatted 43 home runs with 144 RBI at the age of 25. Both remain career-highs to this day. Teixeira has hit at least 30 home runs while driving in at least 100 each of the last six seasons.

After spending the first five seasons of his professional career with the Rangers, Teixeira changed uniforms three different times in a span of less than two years before finally settling down in New York where he plays today. The Rangers traded the slugger to the Atlanta Braves in July of 2007 in a deal that turned out well for both sides. Texas received five players, including shortstop Elvis Andrus and pitcher Neftali Feliz, both of whom have emerged as bright young stars in the Majors. Meanwhile, Teixeira infused the Braves’ lineup during their 2007 stretch run which fell just short on the final weekend of the season. Teixeira batted .317 with 17 home runs in just 54 games after the trade.

Teixeira opened the 2008 season back with Atlanta, knocking in 78 runs and belting 20 more long balls before getting traded at the deadline for a second consecutive year. The struggling Braves returned Teixeira to the American League in a deal with the contending Los Angeles Angels. Teixeira powered the Halos’ lineup over the final two months of the season, helping them to a division title. Teixeira hit .358 with 13 home runs and a 1.081 OPS in 54 games with the Angels ho won 100 games for the first time in their franchise history. It took six years, but Teixeira finally reached the postseason, and he did not disappoint. Although the Angels lost to the Red Sox in four games in the ALDS, Teixeira went 7 for 15(.467) in the series with four runs scored.

Having played for three different teams in a 15-month span, Teixeira and his family sought long term stability. In the winter of 2009, Teixeira inked an eight-year deal with the New York Yankees, who had just missed the postseason for the first time in 13 years.

While many big-name stars have taken time adjusting to New York’s spotlight, Teixeira led the American League in both home runs (39) and RBI (122) during his first season in pinstripes. It was the first time a switch-hitter accomplished this since Mickey Mantle’s famous Triple Crown season with the Yankees in 1956. Teixeira finished second in the AL MVP voting, losing out to Minnesota Twins’ catcher Joe Mauer Teixeira was still named to the All-Star team and captured both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards at first base, helping the Yankees return to the playoffs. 

Although Teixeira hit under .200 in his second postseason, he connected for a walk-off home run in Game Two of the ALDS versus Minnesota which New York eventually won in four games. Later in the playoffs, and with the Yankees down one game to none in the World Series, Teixeira hit a key home run in Game Two off of Pedro Martinez which helped New York even the series and eventually win their 27th title all-time in six games over the Phillies.

After a slow start in 2010, Teixeira came alive in late-June and led the American League in runs scored and walks through July 25th.

Mark Teixeira is already one of the most accomplished switch-hitters in baseball history and having turned just 30 years of age at the beginning of the 2010 season, he has the chance to surpass Mantle as the best ever.

DOWNING NAMED 1971 NBC GRADUATE OF YEAR

Lefthanded pitching sensationAl Downing, whose record turnabout carried the Los Angeles Dodgers to the brink of the National League Western Division title, was named

“Graduate of the Year” for 1971.

This award is presented annually to the leading player in the major leagues for the current season who had participated previously in the annual NBC National Championships at Wichita.

During 1971 Downing posted a 20-9 record with a sparkling 2.68 earned run average.

He tried for the NL lead in shutouts with five and paced the Los Angeles staff in complete games with 12. His number of victories was second only to the Cubs Ferguson Jenkins who won 24.

Downing’s 1971 turnabout also earned him The Sporting News’ “Comeback of the Year” accolade. He saw his career falter in 1970 when he could muster only five wins against 13 losses with Milwaukee and Oakland in the American League. But it was all downhill for Downing after his trade to Los Angeles during the winter.

Downing appeared in the 1960 National Tournament with Trenton PAL, the team he led to the New Jersey state championship en route to copping the Garden State’s Most Valuable Player award. Downing failed to win a game in the National but registered a Whopping 18 strikeouts in 12 innings. He appeared in the 1960 National and was in the American League with the New York Yankees next season.

He was one of more than 70 players from recent Nationals to perform during 1971 in the majors. Others nominated for the 1971 honor were: California Angels 20-game winner Andy Messersmith; New York Mets ace (20-10) Tom Seaver who led the NL in strikeouts; Al Rookie of the Year Chris Chambliss of the Cleveland Indians and Detroit strongboy Willie Horton who powered out 22 home runs.