When Mark Teixeira and a Boston Red Sox rival engaged in verbal slugfest over repeated plunkings

A fiery exchange between Boston Red Sox reliever Vicente Padilla and New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira escalated in 2012. This came after Teixeira hit a key two-run triple off Padilla during a game at Fenway Park.

Teixeira was very clear that he thought Padilla threw at players on purpose and said as much in the post-game interview.

"The guy throws at people, the fact of the matter. I'm not saying anything that is newsworthy. It is what it is."

Padilla responded to Teixeira's comments in an interview with NESN.com, accusing Teixeira of being scared to face him. He went as far as suggesting he would be better off playing a women's sport.

Furthermore, Padilla made an allegation of racism, claiming that Teixeira didn't speak out against the mistreatment of Latin players during their time together at the Texas Rangers.

"In this sport, as competitive ball players, we get pretty fired up. So I think, maybe, [Teixeira] picked the wrong profession. I think he'd be better off playing a women's sport."

Teixeira dismissed Padilla's remarks as "clown comments" and found them humorous. However, the situation became messy, with accusations of head-hunting, cowardice, and racism flying back and forth.

Mark Teixeira and Vicente Padilla's beef continued

Mark Teixeira and Vicente Padilla and their career stats

Analyzing the situation, the facts seem to support Teixeira's claims. Padilla hit Teixeira three times in their limited head-to-head matchups, and his history includes plunking a significant number of batters throughout his career.

Teixeira's comments were backed up by testimonials from other players who criticized Padilla's negative influence on the team. Latin teammates of Teixeira's, such as Robinson Cano and Freddy Garcia, defended him and described him as a respectful and friendly teammate.

Padilla's accusations against Teixeira, particularly the racism allegation, lack substantiation and came as a surprise to those familiar with Teixeira's reputation. Teixeira's Latin teammates on the Yankees vouched for his character, further undermining Padilla's claims.

Regarding the allegation that Teixeira threatened Padilla with a bat, the truth remains unclear, as there is no corroborating evidence from other sources. It is possible that the incident was lost in translation or exaggerated over time.

Ultimately, the evidence and support align more strongly with Mark Teixeira's position, while Padilla's arguments lack substantial backing. Padilla's aggressive and confrontational demeanor during the exchange further solidified the perception that he was the instigator and a less sympathetic figure in the situation.