When the Yankees signed Mark Teixeira to an eight-year, $180-million contract before the 2009 season, they thought they were getting a player who would average about 34 home runs a season and drive in in the neighborhood of 113 runs a year. Plus, he was a borderline .300 hitter and by all accounts, an outstanding first baseman.

Now, as we approach the halfway point of his contract -- this is his fourth season in pinstripes -- Teixeira has been when the Yankees expected him to be, almost to the decimal point, and in some ways, he has been even better. In his first three Yankees seasons, Teixeira averaged 37 home runs a season and 114 RBI. This season, with 19 home runs and 64 RBI, Teixeira is on pace to hit 35 homers and drive in 118. Despite a series of injuries and illnesses, he has been extremely durable. And he has come as advertised as a defensive first baseman.

The only category in which he has declined is batting average.

Teixeira was a career .290 hitter before joining the Yankees but has batted just .264 in pinstripes. He has admitted to being "embarrassed'' by his .248 average last year, and this season, has "raised'' his average to .256 with a hot July, including two hits in last night's 3-2 loss to the Athletics.

The reason seems obvious: The so-called Teixeira Shift, increasingly utilized over the past three seasons when he bats left-handed. In his first year as a Yankee, when he batted .292 overall, his average as a left-handed hitter was .282.

But over the past three seasons, his average as a left-handed hitter has been atrocious -- .244 in 2010, .224 in 2011, .237 so far this season. And a possible indication that the shift is the reason is his batting average on balls in play (BABIP) as a left-handed hitter: .255 in 2010, .222 in 2011, .239 this season. Simply put, it means that as a left-handed hitter, he is often hitting it right at someone. Sounds like the shift.

Call it stubbornness if you will, but Teixeira knows what kind of a hitter he is. Although he paid the idea some lip service in spring training, he has been resistant to consciously trying to hit the ball the other way or, as he hinted he might, occasionally laying down a bunt.

The numbers tell you what Teixeira already knows: he is power hitter and a pull hitter, and in spite of the shift, and the effect it has had on his batting average, the power numbers have still been there the past two years, and barring an injury, will probably be there at the end of this year too.

So, the Question of the Day is: Does it really matter if Teixeira hits .250 as long as he continues to put up 35 jacks and 110+ RBI a season? After all, it's productivity that matters, and those numbers seem to indicate that he is a productive hitter in spite of his batting average. Can you live with Tex as he is? Let us know below.

Up now: Jeff Fletcher with the Rapid Reaction off last night's game, as well as the latest on Nick Swisher's injury and a very interesting blog item concerning Raul Ibanez.

Coming soon: Katie Sharp examines today's matchup in What2Watch4 later this morning. Jeff Fletcher will be in the clubhouse when it opens at about 5:30 p.m. for tonight's 9:05 p.m. start, Phil Hughes (9-7, 4.22) facing RHP Jarrod Parker (6-4, 3.16) in game three of this four-game series.

As always, thanks for reading.