Teixeira called his Angels tenure "the best 2 1/2 months of my career," though the ending wasn't storybook. A team that led the major leagues with 100 wins and was favored to reach the World Series lost to the Red Sox in the first round.

"I sat and cried at my locker after that last game in Boston because I knew that was a special group, I knew how good a chance we had, and we let it slip away," Teixeira said.

"After the season, my wife and I stayed in L.A. for 10 days. I thought there was a really good chance I'd be back. It would be different if my family or my wife's family was from the West Coast."

But Teixeira's parents live in Baltimore, and his wife's parents live in Atlanta. Their proximity to New York, combined with the Yankees' top-dollar offer, persuaded Teixeira.

"I'm a businessman, too, and in the end, the Yankees made the best offer, and it was the best situation for my family," Teixeira said. " . . . I get to see my parents every week I'm home, and they get to see their grandkids. That's pretty special."

It will be even more special when Teixeira, a notoriously slow starter -- he has a .259 career average in April -- starts hitting.

Hampered by a sprained tendon sheath in his left wrist, an injury he suffered in the second game of the season, Teixeira began Thursday's game with a .197 average, three homers and 10 RBIs.

His replacement in Anaheim, Kendry Morales, was batting .288 with three homers and 14 RBIs.

"Other than hitting under the Mendoza Line, it's been a great transition," Teixeira said. "My wife loves it here, the ballpark is beautiful. Other than not getting any hits, I'm doing fine."

Ervin Santana, rehabilitating from a sprained elbow ligament, threw 45 pitches in three innings of an extended spring training game in Arizona on Wednesday, and John Lackey (forearm strain) completed the same workout Thursday in Arizona.

Scioscia said the two right-handers both felt good after their games and would make their next starts -- Monday and Tuesday -- for triple-A Salt Lake. They'll need two or three more rehab starts before joining the Angels .

Though Santana and Lackey will only be in the 75-pitch range after two more starts, Scioscia said having an extra reliever on the roster would allow them to return to the big leagues for their third start, where they can continue to build stamina, and their efforts won't be wasted in the minor leagues.