Nationalsclub.com | Washington Nationals News, nationals Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>The Yankees know as well as anyone that World Series are not won on paper. If winning a title were as simple as that, the Yankees would have a couple more World Series rings from the last eight years, maybe even three. </div>That being said, the trio of big-ticket signings by the Yankees this month - CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira - do a lot to swing the odds of success in the Yankees' favor. The addition of Teixeira last week could be a tipping point, in large part because he was the one player of the three whom the Red Sox really wanted. So the Yankees not only added a premier offensive and defensive player but kept him away from their top rival. "New York really made sense from a family standpoint, a geographic standpoint," Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, said by telephone yesterday. "Mark really liked Anaheim, too, but they took themselves out of it." The Angels pulled their offer for Teixeira Dec. 21. That left the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals and Orioles, though most reports had Teixeira choosing between the Red Sox and Nationals as late as Dec. 23, when he came to terms with the Yankees. The Yankees, at least publicly, were a dark horse. Boras disputed that yesterday, as well as Newsday's timeline of the negotiations. He said the Yankees had an offer on the table all along, though team sources say that was not the case. Regardless of how things went down to get Teixeira in pinstripes, the fact is he chose the Bronx over Boston. He won't officially become a Yankee until he passes a physical, and an introductory news conference likely won't be held until after Jan. 1. But the teams in the American League know the Yankees have significantly upgraded their club. The Yankees needed to improve their rotation, especially after Mike Mussina retired, so they signed the top two starters on the free-agent market. Their offensive output declined dramatically in 2008, so they signed the top hitter, too. The Yankees expect some automatic improvement in the lineup if Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui are healthy, and if Robinson Cano bounces back, but they also have to replace the offensive production of departing free agents Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu. Teixeira and Nick Swisher not only fill the offensive holes but are younger and more athletic than Giambi and Abreu. Teixeira in particular also is a tremendous defensive upgrade. Mel Didier, a veteran Rangers scout who has known Teixeira since he was drafted, thinks his transition will be seamless. "You never know how somebody will react to that environment in New York," Didier said, "but I think Mark will be fine. I really do. He's a very focused individual, and he really wants to win." Didier praised Teixeira's patience at the plate, as did Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. Didier said Teixeira should drive in anywhere from 100 to 140 runs, depending on who hits in front of him. Jaramillo talked about how the switch-hitting Teixeira has improved at the plate by studying opposing pitchers and better learning his swing. Offensively, Teixeira has the strengths of both Abreu and Giambi. He boasts a high on-base percentage (.410 in 2008), walked even more than he struck out in 2008 and is the home run threat that Giambi was when healthy. Still, the Yankees finished seventh in the AL in scoring last season. Boston was second. The Red Sox, of course, traded Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers at the deadline and won't have him going forward. But their offense remains strong even without adding Teixeira. A healthy David Ortiz and Mike Lowell are critical components of Boston's formula for success, neither of which is a given, but MVP Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, J.D. Drew and Jason Bay are productive hitters. And Boston's rotation remains excellent. "Nothing's guaranteed," one AL scout said of the Yankees, "but they are in the driver's seat. It'll be tough to beat them if they stay healthy." A Yankees official said nothing has been decided on Andy Pettitte. He said chances are less than 50-50 that Pettitte will be back, "but not a lot less." It all depends on whether the Steinbrenners want to add $10 million or more to the payroll for Pettitte, given that they just committed $423.5 million to Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira. Boras said he continues to have dialogue with the Mets regarding Derek Lowe but that they are just one of the teams involved.

The Yankees know as well as anyone that World Series are not won on paper. If winning a title were as simple as that, the Yankees would have a couple more World Series rings from the last eight years, maybe even three.

That being said, the trio of big-ticket signings by the Yankees this month - CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira - do a lot to swing the odds of success in the Yankees' favor.

The addition of Teixeira last week could be a tipping point, in large part because he was the one player of the three whom the Red Sox really wanted. So the Yankees not only added a premier offensive and defensive player but kept him away from their top rival.

"New York really made sense from a family standpoint, a geographic standpoint," Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, said by telephone yesterday. "Mark really liked Anaheim, too, but they took themselves out of it."

The Angels pulled their offer for Teixeira Dec. 21. That left the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals and Orioles, though most reports had Teixeira choosing between the Red Sox and Nationals as late as Dec. 23, when he came to terms with the Yankees. The Yankees, at least publicly, were a dark horse.

Boras disputed that yesterday, as well as Newsday's timeline of the negotiations. He said the Yankees had an offer on the table all along, though team sources say that was not the case.

Regardless of how things went down to get Teixeira in pinstripes, the fact is he chose the Bronx over Boston. He won't officially become a Yankee until he passes a physical, and an introductory news conference likely won't be held until after Jan. 1. But the teams in the American League know the Yankees have significantly upgraded their club.

The Yankees needed to improve their rotation, especially after Mike Mussina retired, so they signed the top two starters on the free-agent market. Their offensive output declined dramatically in 2008, so they signed the top hitter, too.

The Yankees expect some automatic improvement in the lineup if Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui are healthy, and if Robinson Cano bounces back, but they also have to replace the offensive production of departing free agents Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu. Teixeira and Nick Swisher not only fill the offensive holes but are younger and more athletic than Giambi and Abreu. Teixeira in particular also is a tremendous defensive upgrade.

Mel Didier, a veteran Rangers scout who has known Teixeira since he was drafted, thinks his transition will be seamless. "You never know how somebody will react to that environment in New York," Didier said, "but I think Mark will be fine. I really do. He's a very focused individual, and he really wants to win."

Didier praised Teixeira's patience at the plate, as did Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. Didier said Teixeira should drive in anywhere from 100 to 140 runs, depending on who hits in front of him. Jaramillo talked about how the switch-hitting Teixeira has improved at the plate by studying opposing pitchers and better learning his swing.

Offensively, Teixeira has the strengths of both Abreu and Giambi. He boasts a high on-base percentage (.410 in 2008), walked even more than he struck out in 2008 and is the home run threat that Giambi was when healthy.

Still, the Yankees finished seventh in the AL in scoring last season. Boston was second.

The Red Sox, of course, traded Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers at the deadline and won't have him going forward. But their offense remains strong even without adding Teixeira. A healthy David Ortiz and Mike Lowell are critical components of Boston's formula for success, neither of which is a given, but MVP Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, J.D. Drew and Jason Bay are productive hitters. And Boston's rotation remains excellent.

"Nothing's guaranteed," one AL scout said of the Yankees, "but they are in the driver's seat. It'll be tough to beat them if they stay healthy."

A Yankees official said nothing has been decided on Andy Pettitte. He said chances are less than 50-50 that Pettitte will be back, "but not a lot less." It all depends on whether the Steinbrenners want to add $10 million or more to the payroll for Pettitte, given that they just committed $423.5 million to Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira.

Boras said he continues to have dialogue with the Mets regarding Derek Lowe but that they are just one of the teams involved.