Girardi chalks up Tex outburst to 'intensity'

ARLINGTON -- The Yankees have spoken often about the positive chemistry in their clubhouse this season, and manager Joe Girardi said that he does not believe that will be affected by Mark Teixeira's on-field outburst in Monday's 6-2 victory over the Rangers.

Teixeira was irate after third-base coach Joe Espada told him to run "easy, easy" coming around third on a Chase Headley single, believing there would be no play at home plate. Teixeira was gunned down by center fielder Leonys Martin, raising his arms in incredulity before attacking a garbage can in the dugout.

"They happen all the time. Sometimes people see it more than others, but things happen," Girardi said. "You put 40 grown men in a room for 190 straight days, things happen. There's intensity, there's emotion.

"I know as a player there's been times that I've said things and wish, 'Man, I probably could have done that different.' But to me it's all about your heart, where your heart really is. Tex displays a lot of intensity every day he plays, and we understand that."

Espada apologized to Teixeira for sending him and said the mistake was his own. Teixeira said after Monday's game that he was shocked to have to slide in hopes of avoiding the tag from catcher Robinson Chirinos.

"Yeah, for a lot of reasons. I can get hurt," Teixeira said. "I'm not expecting a play at the plate. That's a big run. There are a lot of reasons why that can't happen."

Girardi said that the incident was discussed after Monday's game and is considered to be "a non-factor" in the Yankees' clubhouse.

"The one thing that we want from our players is intensity," Girardi said. "I think Joe Espada has done a tremendous job, coaching third, coaching our infield. As a player, there are times that I made incorrect reads as a baserunner.

"As a manager sometimes or as a player, I've said things that I wish I'd maybe stated a little bit different. Everything's OK. We talked about it, we move on and we learn from it. Things are good."