Post columnist Steve Serby tosses some questions to Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira in a Q&A session:
Q: What drives you?
A: I think once you win a championship, you want to win another one, ’cause every other season doesn’t stack up. So you want to get back and win another World Series. And then I want to have a Hall of Fame career. I want to play long enough to hit 500 home runs, and be consistent, and continue to be a middle-of-the-order hitter for the rest of my career.
Q: Is 500 home runs a goal for you?
A: Absolutely. Absolutely.
Q: And it’s a realistic goal.
A: Yeah, yeah. If I stay healthy, and play as long as I’d like to, it’s definitely a realistic goal.
Q: How about 40 home runs this year?
A: Could be. … It’s hard to hit 40. I’ve only done it once, and not many people can do it. But if I stay healthy and continue to produce like I’m producing, hopefully [I’ll] get close.
Q: What are the best things about being a New York Yankee?
A: You get to play in Yankee Stadium … live in the New York area — [I] love living here … having fans all over the world. I’d probably say those are the top three things.
Q: Would you want to retire a Yankee?
A: Oh absolutely. But hopefully that’s a long way from now.
Q: Do you consider Father Time your mortal enemy, is that a good way to put it?
A: No, that’s a little weird. But I think every player, as he gets older, wants to figure out a way to get healthier and get stronger. And I feel like I’ve found that. My changes in the diet, my new workout regimen this winter definitely turned back the clock. I feel better than I have in years.
Q: Life after baseball: Does that include ownership, maybe?
A: I don’t know. … Hopefully I have a long time to play. I’m not really sure what the cards hold.
Q: How long do you want to play?
A: The way I feel now, I feel like I can play five more years, five-plus more years.
Q: One favorite Derek Jeter memory?
A: The one that sticks out the most for me is the Jeffrey Maier home run. Because growing up in Baltimore, I experienced it one way as an Oriole fan, and then signing with the Yankees, experienced it a different way, ’cause that was really kinda the start of the Yankee run. That home run always kind of just sticks out in my mind.
Q: Favorite Mariano Rivera memory?
A: Him running past me for the last out of the [2009] World Series. It’s kind of that picture that I just always see of me catching the ball, and Mo — ’cause he had run to first base ’cause it was a ground ball to the right side just in case he needed to cover first — and so, I just always have that memory (smile) of Mo throwing the ball and Robbie Cano fielding it, and throwing it to me for the last out. … Me and Mo are in that picture that’ll be kind of etched in history.
Q: Is that in your den?
A: Oh yeah. I had Peter Max actually do a painting of that picture, and it’s super cool.
Q: Favorite Andy Pettitte memory?
A: There’s not one memory of Andy. … The biggest thing about him is he’s just such a great teammate. We try to talk a couple of times a month, and text every now and then, that kind of thing. Just such a really good man. He made a great impact on so many of his teammates.
Q: Favorite Jorge Posada memory?
A: (Chuckle) Probably when he played second base, and crow-hopped first when he got a ground ball, he always wanted to play the infield. He got that opportunity, and it was just something that I’ll always remember, is how happy he was to be able to play second base.
Q: For athletes in other sports who play in New York, what would you tell them about how New York embraces champions and winners?
A: Being able to win a championship in New York is really special. I don’t know any other way to put it. It’s the ultimate goal of everyone that plays, but because of the history of New York, I think it means a little bit more here. It’s almost what you expect — it doesn’t happen every year but you expect it every year.
Q: Favorite inspirational saying?
A: When I was younger, I used to love — I still do — Brooks & Dunn, and one of their lyrics is: “The only way to keep the fire burning is to outrun the wind.” And that’s just kind of life in baseball, like you slow down, you take your foot off the gas, and someone’s gonna pass you up. And I think that’s kind of a good lesson to learn in pro sports (chuckle).
Q: What has surprised you about Alex Rodriguez this season?
A: Nothing surprised me. I told everyone in spring training I expected a lot of great things out of Alex. He’s shown that the year off didn’t hurt him, it actually helped him get his body in shape and get strong and rest up, and it’s been great to see him.
Q: Describe Michael Pineda.
A: First of all, it’s great to see him healthy again. We knew how talented he was. He’s not afraid of anything, he goes after hitters, he’s got a plus heater, a plus slider, and just love playing behind him.
Q: Adjectives that would describe you off the field.
A: Organized definitely No. 1 (laugh). … Disciplined … relaxed, I’m much more relaxed off the field (chuckle). I think one of the reasons is the organization, the discipline, all the other things, they allow me to enjoy my kids, they allow me to enjoy vacation, they allow me to enjoy time with my family. I just kind of take care of my business on and off the field, and in my free time, I try to have fun.
Q: Describe your offseason workouts?
A: Every single workout was so intense, at the end of the workouts, there was a joy that you were done the workout because it was so tough (chuckle).
Q: What do you think of new MLB commissioner Rob Manfred?
A: We have a great working relationship. We were on the Pension Committee together years ago. He’s done some great work with Harlem RBI, he’s supported some things that we’ve done. I care deeply about the game, and so does he, and so we kind of enjoy like a mutual relationship that’s trying to grow the game.
Q: Is he the right man to succeed Bud Selig?
A: He’s done a great job so far. Baseball is in really good hands with Rob Manfred.
Q: When you got here, did you visit the monuments?
A: At the old Stadium, my rookie year I did. That’s the first thing I did, actually. I got to the ballpark early my first time playing with the Rangers at Yankee Stadium, and it was great.
Q: Describe how fatherhood has impacted you.
A: It puts everything into perspective … makes you really want to be a better person, a better man. There’s nothing more important in this world to me than my kids.
Q: You son Jack is 9. Give me a quick scouting report on Jack.
A: Really good swing from the right side. I’m not gonna put him through the pain of being a switch-hitter, it’s hard enough hitting from one side of the plate. But good arm, and I think he’s got a future, whether it’s in baseball or any other sport. He’s got some athletic genes.
Q: Your daughter Addison is 7. What is her personality like?
A: She’s more of an ice skater. She plays tennis. She enjoys watching baseball and playing in the backyard, but I’m not sure if softball’s in her future.
Q: Will is 4.
A: Same thing with Jack, right-handed hitter. But again, I won’t make him hit left-handed also. Both my boys are gonna be right-handed hitters.
Q: If you could pick the brain of anyone in baseball history, whose brain would you want to pick?
A: I think it’s Babe Ruth. To dominate the game the way he did like no other player has, I would just love to be able to be around him and around that era to see what was going on. He was something that you’ll never see again, you’ll never see a baseball player dominate like he has.
Q: Who are athletes in other sports you admire?
A: I admire pro golfers because, much like baseball, there’s a fine line between success and failure in golf. You look at guys like Jordan Spieth at a young age, Rory McIlroy at a young age … It’s not just talent in golf. There’s so many small things that happen during a round of golf and during a week of golf that can take you from first place to missing the cut. So I really admire what those guys go through.
Q: Do you play golf?
A: I do. I love it. I love playing golf.
Q: Describe playing at Augusta National.
A: I’ve played three or four rounds at Augusta National, and it’s a special place.
Q: With David Letterman’s retirement, will your “Foul Territory” segment on YES be in the running to replace it?
A: (Smile) I don’t think so. I don’t think it’s gonna be easy for anybody to fill those shoes.
Q: That was fun though, you enjoyed that last year.
A: We did, it was fun for the guys, for the clubhouse. We had a good time doing it.
Q: Why is Dr. Brown your favorite at Juice Press?
A: It tastes good, makes you feel good, you can drink it in the summertime to cool off, you can drink it in the wintertime, make you feel better. … It’s got everything.
Q: It’s got kale, and it’s got celery …
A: (Reaches down at locker to retrieve a bottle). It doesn’t have celery — so, red apple, pineapple, kale, lemon and ginger.
Q: Favorite memory from playing with the Green Hornets in your youth?
A: (Chuckle) Green Hornets, that was a long time ago. I was 12 years old, I hit three home runs in a game. And as a kid, that’s pretty cool, to be able to hit three home runs — over the fence. Only time it happened as a kid. That didn’t happen again until I was in the big leagues.
Q: You know the “Marine Corps Hymn.”
A: I played it on the piano. After my piano lessons as a kid, that was the only song that stuck. I could play it for years after that, but I haven’t played in a long time.
Q: Are you going to be on Broadway again?
A: “Rock of Ages” was a lot of fun. I have a lot of respect for the athleticism that it takes to be on Broadway. All the dancing, all the singing, moving on and offstage. … Those actors, those performers are in incredible shape, so it was cool to be a part of.
Q: What is so great about Richard’s in Greenwich?
A: (Chuckle) First of all, my good friend Bill Mitchell, who is one of the most charitable men you’ll ever meet, owns the [clothing] store and the many franchises. It’s close, they take care of me, it’s an easy place to come in and out of, everyone’s always got a smiling face on. I love kind of supporting the local stores in Greenwich.
Q: Do you go to Polpo at all?
A: I do. I love Polpo.
Q: What’s your favorite dish there?
A: Oh, man. … If I would go there for dinner, I’d start with the tuna tartare … probably get a nice filet.
Q: Favorite New York City things?
A: I don’t get to enjoy New York City like most people do, ’cause we’re a little busy (smile). But I would say I enjoy the skyline. You get some really cool views of the skyline when you’re flying into LaGuardia at night after a long road trip, and it’s like, “We’re back home.” Driving over the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, kind of seeing that skyline there. Even get some cool views from [Interstate] 87 on my drive to work every single day from the Deegan. Just the most iconic skyline in the world.
Q: You’ve mentioned that you’ve gotten to meet some amazing people as a Yankee.
A: You mentioned one, David Letterman. Prince Harry was really, really cool to meet. That was pretty special. Guys like Richard Gere hang out around the team a bunch, you know, really big fans of the Yankees. The greatest athletes of our generation, Michael Jordan, used to hang out, come say hello to Jete. So, there’s just a ton of really cool people you get to meet.
Q: What were the circumstances meeting Prince Harry?
A: It was for a charity event with Harlem RBI. He came into town, and we spent probably three hours together. He was awesome!
Q: You’ve described yourself as boring, but with all your interests, you sound more like the Most Interesting Man in the World.
A: (Laugh) The reason I say I’m boring is because you’re not gonna see me on Page Six, you’re not gonna see me (chuckle) getting into any trouble. I’m not gonna be out till 4 o’clock in the morning in clubs. I’m gonna spend time at the baseball field and with my family. That’s the most important thing.
Q: Do you still think about your friend Nick Liberatore, who died in a car accident before senior year of high school?
A: Absolutely, absolutely. We get together with Mr. Larry and Miss Pat Liberatore every Christmas or Thanksgiving whenever I’m home [Severna Park, Md]. My friends and I still continue to remember our buddy Nick.
Q: Describe Mt. St. Joseph H.S. principal Barry Fitzpatrick.
A: Besides me father, probably my greatest mentor growing up. Has helped me through a lot of tough times.
Q: Describe your mom and dad.
A: The most important people in my life growing up. I wouldn’t be here today without them. My biggest fans and my biggest supporters. You just can’t say enough about what great parents they were.
Q: How good can this team be?
A: We’ve showed how good we can be. The key is just to do it more consistently. And I think we’re all ready to get back to that.