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Nolan Writin'

Making a case for former Texas Rangers on the 2022 HOF ballot

By Tyler Henderson

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 9: First baseman Mark Teixeira #23 of the Texas Rangers runs to first during the game against the Anaheim Angels at the Ballpark in Arlington on April 9, 2004 in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers won 12-4. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 9: First baseman Mark Teixeira #23 of the Texas Rangers runs to first during the game against the Anaheim Angels at the Ballpark in Arlington on April 9, 2004 in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers won 12-4. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Mark Teixeira of the Texas Rangers bats during a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on Tuesday, April 11, 2006. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
Mark Teixeira of the Texas Rangers bats during a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on Tuesday, April 11, 2006. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images) /

Mark Teixeira- Texas Rangers, 2003-2007

Big Tex, another Rangers’ farmhand, was supposed to be apart of the next group of playoff-bound Texas talent. He, alongside Michael Young and Hank Blalock, were the foundation of a really talented, but really bad group of Texas teams.

However, after five very productive years in Texas, Teixeira was traded to Atlanta, which would be the franchise-altering trade the Rangers desperately needed. In Arlington, Tex hit .283/.368/.533/.901, slugging 153 homers and driving in 499. Not to mention, he was a switch-hitter producing from both sides of the plate.

After it was all said and done in 2016, Mark Teixeira finished his career as a .268 hitter with an .872 OPS, OPS+ of 126, 409 homers, 1298 RBIs and just under 2,000 career hits (1,862).

According to Baseball Reference using OPS, Tex ranks as the fourth best switch-hitter of all time. He had an OPS of .896 versus lefties, and an OPS of .862 versus righties. That is a .034 differential, putting him behind Jorge Posada, Carlos Beltran and Mickey Mantle.

Pretty impressive company, especially with guys like Chipper Jones and Lance Berkman following behind him.

Bill James’ Hall of Fame monitor says Tex sits just over the “likely to get in” mark of 100 (109), but the 3x All-Star and Silver Slugger and 5x Gold Glover should have as good a chance as anyone to get in within his first five years. Not to mention, Mark Teixeira was always considered one of the best guys to play the game. He’s my pick to get in out of the bunch.

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