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MLB

No Love Lost Between Ex-Teammates Mark Teixeira, Vicente Padilla

Posted Jun 02, 2009 11:16PM By Ed Price (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Rangers, Yankees

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Mark Teixeira Joe Girardi YankeesNEW YORK – If Mark Teixeira misses anything from his 4 1/2 seasons with the Rangers, it isn't Vicente Padilla.

Teixiera, now with the Yankees, glared at Padilla on Tuesday after the right-hander plunked him for the second time in the game, in the fourth inning of the Yankees' 12-3 rout. Later that inning Teixeira went in hard at second base to break up a double play and keep a seven-run rally going.

Then afterward, Teixeira made it clear what he thought of his ex-teammate.

"It's just not the right way to play the game," Teixeira said. "Unfortunately, that guy's been doing it his whole career."

Through an interpreter, Padilla told reporters: "If he thinks it was intentional, it's just stupid."

The pitch hit Teixeira in the rear end.

"I think he was trying to get inside on him to keep him from diving out over the plate," Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

In the top of the fifth, A.J. Burnett threw a pitch over the head of Texas' Nelson Cruz (who had homered in the third), and both teams were warned by home-plate umpire Doug Eddings. Nothing further happened.

Teixeira first faced Padilla on June 9, 2005, when Padilla was with the Phillies. Teixeira homered in the first and third innings and got hit in the fifth.

"Every time I've faced him since," Teixeira said, "there's seemed to be balls near my head, near my body. And today I got hit twice."

The two wound up teammates for 2006 and part of 2007.

"I remember getting hit a lot because he was hitting other players," Teixeira said. "There's no reason for it. Tonight, the same kind of thing."

In fact, Teixeira was hit by a pitch seven times while Padilla was his teammate, but only one of those came in a game in which Padilla pitched.

Teixeira said he got no response when, in their time in Texas, he told Padilla to stop throwing at batters.

"If you can't get a guy out, don't hit him," Teixeira said Tuesday. "If you don't want to pitch to a guy, put four fingers out there and walk him."

Asked if his hard slide into second was payback, Teixeira smiled.

"It was," he said, "a good coincidence."

Yankees - Where Are They Now?

    Then: Reggie Jackson | One of the brightest stars ever to play at Yankee Stadium, which will host its final regular-season game tonight, Jackson is best known for being the linchpin of the 1977 and 1978 World Series squads, including a three-home run performance in Game 6 against the Dodgers in 1977.

    Diamond Images, Getty Images

    Now: Jackson owns a chain of auto dealerships in California, and became a player in the sports memorabilia industry. He also has been active in trying to become a part of an ownership group of an MLB team.

    Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

    Then: Dwight Gooden | The star pitcher spent two stints in the Bronx, one with the World Series team in 1996, and then another one with the championship squad in 2000. His career declined sharply though, primarily due to injuries and drug abuse.

    Anthony Onchak, AP

    Now: After several brushes with the law and spending time in jail, Gooden now helps his son with his rap music career at DJR Entertainment and Hall of Fame Records.

    Chris O'Meara, AP

    Then: Jim Leyritz | The Yankee catcher inked himself into team lore after he helped fuel a New York comeback in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series against Atlanta, leading the team to its first title since 1978.

    Ron Frehm, AP

    Now: Leyritz faces manslaughter charges in Florida after a fatal accident that killed a woman on December 28, 2007.

    Larry Marano, Getty Images

    Then: Darryl Strawberry | After a bout with cocaine addiction, the former Mets star played several seasons with the Yankees, and showed flashes of his former self in pinstripes.

    Rich Pilling, MLB/Getty Images

    Now: Strawberry lives in Missouri, and does occasional commentary for SportsNet New York. He also appeared on Spike TV's 'Pros vs. Joes.' His son, D.J., played 33 games with the Phoenix Suns last year, and is now a member of the Houston Rockets.

    George Napolitano, FilmMagic/Getty Images

    Then: Bernie Williams | The five-time All-Star spent his entire career with the Yankees. He's second in the franchise's history in doubles and was the MVP of the 1996 World Series.

    Al Bello, Getty Images

    Now: Williams strums the guitar, and he will be releasing a new album next spring. He also recently made an appearance at the White House T-ball game.

    Roger Kisby, Getty Images

Tags: mark+teixeira, MarkTeixeira, vicente+padilla, VicentePadilla

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