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Introducing Players A and B, and their 2012 numbers through Wednesday's games:

Player A
Stats: .232 BA, 5 HR, 19 RBI, .683 OPS
Salary: $180 million over eight years
Skinny: Average has steadily declined since posting a .353 clip in 2008, but power numbers and glove remain at elite levels.

Player B
Stats: .212BA, 1 HR, 14 RBI, .505 OPS
Salary: Approximately $254 million over 10 years
Skinny: Annually rated as one of the best players in the world and a bona fide threat to Barry Bonds’ all-time home run record. Receiving the benefit of the doubt by those waiting with confidence he’ll bust out. And waiting, and waiting, and waiting ….

Player A is Mark Teixeira. Player B is Albert Pujols. Teixeira has been affected by a bronchial infection since last month, which could

From around the Yankees and the game:

• Earlier I cited Brian Cashman’s comfort level with A.J. Burnett. Jon Paul Morosi views the Yankees’ fifth-starter competition as one of baseball’s top position battles to watch in Spring Training. He forecasts what I’m expecting: Strong performances and good health creating a roster crunch and trade speculation.

• Said Mark Teixeira on Tuesday before he was honored with a Thurman Munson award: “I might lay down some bunts this year. I’ve been so against it my entire career, but I might lay down a few bunts. If I can beat the shift that way, that’s important.”

Opponents have employed a defensive shift against Teixeira when right-handers are on the mound and it’s affected his splits

The 32nd annual Thurman Munson Awards is tonight at Manhattan's Grand Hyatt, where Yogi Berra and Mark Teixeira will be among the honorees. Berra will receive the Legend Award to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1962 World Champion Yankees. Teixeira will be honored with a "Thurman" for his success on the field and charitable work off it. Diana Munson, Thurman's widow, will once again be in attendance for an endeavor that has raised raising nearly $11 million to assist children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Other Thurman honorees are Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey, NBA Hall of Famer Chris Mullin and Georgetown and NBA great Dikembe Mutombo. Mets infielder Daniel Murphy will receive a "Rising Star" award.

For tickets and information on the Munson Awards Dinner,

Mark Teixeira slugged 39 home runs in 2011, which tied his Yankees high set in 2009 and was four behind his career best in 2005. His 111 RBIs was his fourth-highest career total and he once again played a Gold Glove-caliber first base.

However, concerns about Teixeira are growing at the exit of the 2011 campaign. After batting a career-high .358 in 2008, Teixeria’s average has declined each subsequent season and bottomed out at .248.  While hitting .302 against left-handers, Teixeira, a switch-hitter, batted an alarming .223 versus righties.

The paltry clip came down to two factors, Yankee Stadium’s enticing short right-field fence and opponents committing to an infield shift that sees the shortstop move over to the second base position. The key for Teixeira in the offseason,

Before a game that meant nothing to the Yankees other than pride and keeping the integrity of the sport, manager Joe Girardi switched his No. 3 and 5 hitters, dropping Mark Teixeira to the fifth spot and moving Robinson Cano, who has emerged as arguably the team’s MVP and a top contender for league MVP, to the three hole.

Jay Jaffe breaks down the numbers. We’re in agreement that this could turn out to have a major and positive impact on the Yankees’ drive to title No. 28. Teixeira, a switch-hitter batting .223 against right-handers thanks in part to defensive shifts that moves the shortstop to the other side of second base, is completely on board with the decision. While the majority of Texieira’s home runs (24 of 37) have come against righties, the mission is

Phil Hughes may have been the story of the Yankees’ 6-0 win Tuesday night, but Mark Teixeira supplied the power behind Hughes’ performance and joined some pretty elite company.

Teixeira homered from both sides of the plate for the 12^th time in his career to pass Eddie Murray and Chili Davis for the most in Major League history. Teixeira has 31 homers in 2011, one behind MLB leader Jose Bautista and three in front of teammate Curtis Granderson. He’s also gone yard at least 30 times for eight consecutive seasons and each of his first three with the Yankees. The only others to do that in pinstripes? Babe Ruth, Roger Maris and Alex Rodriguez.      

“I grew up in Baltimore, and Eddie was such a great player,” Teixeira told reporters in

By going yard off Randy Wolf in the third inning against the Brewers Thursday afternoon, Mark Teixeira not only reclaimed the Major League lead with his 25^th home run, it was the 300^th of his career. 

Teixeira led off the bottom half of the third by smashing Wolf’s offering over the left field fence at Yankee Stadium. It was also Teixeira’s 63^rd RBI, which has him second behind Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez (71). Tweeted Jack Curry: Teixeira will have the ball as memento. Eddie Fastook, team security, retrieved it from fan at the price of a signed bat and ball, and picture with the Yankees slugger.

The last to hit his 300^th career home run in a Yankees uniform was Jason Giambi (off the Angels’ Esteban Yan) on July 31, 2005. Giambi slugged No. 299 and

Front and center behind the Yankees' offensive surge is Mark Teixeira. He’s homered in three straight games, while driving in seven, and is tied with Toronto’s Jose Bautista for the Major League lead with 24.

Despite batting just .246, Teixeira’s 62 RBIs is second behind Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez (71) and is flirting with surpassing his career highs of 43 home runs and 144 RBIs set 2005. For what it’s worth, Teixeira didn't hit 24 homers last season until August 6. And on this date in ’05, Teixeira had 20 homers and 60 RBIs after 76 games, equivalent to the amount he’s played this season.

The next time Teixeira goes yard it’ll be career homer No. 300, and the odds are for him with 15 of his 24 long balls coming at Yankee Stadium. Lifetime

It’s appropriate that 50 years after Roger Maris' and Mickey Mantle’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s Major League home run record, two Yankees are close to the pace set by the M&M boys.

Curtis Granderson (20) and Mark Teixeira (19) are the first Yankees pair to hit at least 18 home runs through the team’s first 60 games since 1961, and the first big-league duo since the Phillies’ Ryan Howard (19) and Raul Ibanez (21) in 2009. On this day in ’61, Maris had 21 and Mantle 18. Today in 1927, Ruth, the league’s first record holder, had 22 en route to 60 in 154 games.

Of course, Maris’ record was broken first by Mark McGwire (70) and Barry Bonds (73), one an admitted PED user and the other recently found guilty of obstruction of justice. Both had denied