Family matters to Yankees' Mark Teixeira

NEW YORK — Two and a half million dollars a season.

That was the difference between what the Angels offered Mark Teixeira last winter to stay in Anaheim and what the New York Yankees paid him to move to the Bronx.

Chump change in baseball's high-rent district, where Teixeira lives. He'll pay three times that much just in taxes.

In reality, however, the two sides were much further apart. Like 2,100 miles apart.

Because if Teixeira had stayed with the Angels, that's how much farther he would have been from his family in Maryland. So while the cash is nice, this decision was less about dollars than it was about sense.

"It was 99% family," Teixeira said. "I gave the Angels an opportunity. But they were the only West Coast team that I even considered.

"My family is very important to me, and playing in New York I get to see my family a lot more."

Teixeira returns to Angel Stadium tonight for the first time since October, when he cleaned out his locker after the Angels' early exit from the playoffs. It was a run to the postseason Teixeira helped fuel by hitting .358 with 13 home runs and 43 runs batted in in 54 games after being acquired from the Atlanta Braves in late July.

But he's not sure what kind of homecoming he'll get coming back for the three-game series in Yankees gray.

"I hope it's good," Teixeira said, sitting in front of his cubicle in the plush new clubhouse at Yankee Stadium earlier this week. "I loved playing in Los Angeles. I loved playing for those fans.

"I'm sure there's a lot of people who are disappointed that I didn't re-sign with the Angels. But hopefully it's not too bad."

The man who used to write Teixeira's name on his lineup card said the first baseman earned the right to move.

"Tex has done what guys have done for 30 years since free agency: have an opportunity to lay roots in a place where you feel that you're going to get the best deal, the best playing environment for you, the best city to live in," Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. "He made decisions along those guidelines. I'm disappointed that we didn't sign him. I'm sure the fans are a little disappointed.

"But it's certainly not a personal thing. He did what any player in the same situation would do: see where they feel is the best place for him to play. And he thought it was in New York."