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August 5, 2007

Teixeira's glow shines on Jackets too

By CARROLL ROGERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kevin Brown is old school by now. The 1994 trio of Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek and Jay Payton has long been inducted in the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame and is heading into the twilight of their major-league careers.

But Georgia Tech's reputation for major-league success just got a jolt.

Perhaps the guy with the potential to be the biggest of them all has just landed in their backyard. Mark Teixeira is playing for the Braves a short trip down the connector from where he was the national player of the year for the Yellow Jackets in 2000.

Teixeira's trade to the Braves this week shines the light on the success of a college baseball program, which seems to be compounding on itself.

Georgia Tech has nine players in the major leagues right now and another 29 in the minors, including four in the Braves' farm system. Ten Tech players were drafted in June, which matched a school record.

The Yellow Jackets are in the upper echelon of college programs in terms of having the most players on major-league rosters. Tech is tied for sixth with Long Beach State (9) behind Southern Cal (16), LSU (14), Cal State Fullerton (12), Arizona State (10) and UCLA (10), according to Rick Brenner of the Society for American Baseball Research.

What makes Tech such a strong producer of talent?

"I've always said part of it is the baseball, but part of it is the caliber of kid that we get a chance to coach at Georgia Tech," said coach Danny Hall, who has been at Tech for 13 seasons. "They're usually obviously very good baseball players, but they're also very good students and good people. And I think the combination of the two — the academic setting and the baseball — it just lends itself to those guys being prepared to compete at a high level."

In a recent study, Baseball America evaluated college programs on 11 different criteria over 1999-2006 and ranked Georgia Tech the 12th overall in the country. Part of the reason they weren't higher is because many of the players who helped Tech pace Baseball America's college All-American teams in 2001-03 haven't made the majors yet.

But what Tech might lack in overall numbers, they make up for in profile of the players in the majors.

"I think if you look at the guys who have played and are currently playing, they're not just playing, they're making a lot of money and certainly playing at a high level," Hall said.

At age 27, Teixeira is making $9 million and about to watch that rise in arbitration next year and potential free agency after that. He is in his prime, five years into his big-league career, a Gold Glover and an All-Star.

He becomes the first former Georgia Tech player to wear a Braves uniform since outfielder and clubhouse funny man Darren Bragg in 2002 and 2003. Otherwise for Techies it's been Mike Bell, an infielder for the Braves in 1990 and 1991 and catcher Bob Tillman from 1968-1970.

Teixeira is an enthusiastic supporter of Tech baseball and now that he's back in town might also have to have dibs on Hall's tickets to a Tech football game or two.

Teixeira believes a national championship would help push Tech into the elite of college programs — the Yellow Jackets have been to three College World Series and haven't won one yet. But he knows first- hand how well Tech prepares players for the majors, and he believes that sets Tech apart.

"One thing Tech does, they recruit talent, but they also recruit character," said Teixeira, who married his college sweetheart. "Even to get into school, you've got to have a good head on your shoulders, and those kind of players are the ones that make it to the next level. There's talent everywhere in the country, in college ball and minor league. To get to the point where you're going to be a major-league player, it takes a little bit extra."

Ex-Yellow Jackets players in majors

Recently acquired Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira is one of nine former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets players currently on major-league rosters. A look at each, with a comment from Tech baseball coach Danny Hall (2007 statistics are through Thursday):

Marlon Byrd, OF, Texas: .326, 36 RBIs in 60 games

Comment: "He has overcome a lot of adversity in his life, and to his credit, I think he overcame that adversity and figured out a way to stay up there and compete at a high level."

Kevin Cameron, P, San Diego: 0.95 ERA in 29 appearances

Comment: "He had a lot of talent [but] probably never had the success that he wanted to have or that we thought he could have, but he hung in there for a long time and mastered a little cutter. His mastery of that cutter has given him a big boost to get to the major leagues."

Nomar Garciaparra, 1B-3B, Los Angeles: .285, 5 HR, 54 RBIs

Comment: "He's an All-American on the field, an All-American off the field. Great talent, great head on his shoulders, great competitor."

Matt Murton, OF, Chicago Cubs: .252, 1 HR, 9 RBIs

Comment: "Very athletic guy, a professional hitter. Not as much power as maybe you would think he would have but just a very good hitter."

David Newhan, OF, New York Mets: .213, 1 HR, 4 RBIs

He transferred to Pepperdine before Hall arrived at Tech.

Micah Owings, P, Arizona: 5-5, 4.91 ERA, 18 starts

Comment: "Great competitor and strike-throwing machine." (Owings transferred after two years and pitched for Tulane as a senior in 2005.)

Jay Payton, OF, Baltimore: .271, 4 HR, 39 RBIs

Comment: "Maybe one of the best hitters I've had the privilege of coaching. He hit the ball to all fields. His junior year he had over 100 hits and 100 RBIs, and that's hard to do in college baseball."

Mark Teixeira, 1B, Braves: .296, 15 HR, 55 RBIs

Comment: "A lot like Nomar. All-American on and off the field. Great competitor. Great head on his shoulders."

Jason Varitek, C, Boston: .272, 9 HR, 45 RBIs

Comment: "Probably the greatest competitor I've ever coached. Literally like having another coach on the field. A great guy. Probably the best leader I've ever coached."