If you were still wondering how the Yankees planned to replace Jason Giambi’s production, fear not, as SI.com’s Jon Heyman has the story bound to cause some Xmas teeth-gnashing in Boston (and equally likely to enrich Kevin Youkilis).

The Yankees have reached an agreement in principle to sign Mark Teixeira, SI.com has learned, beating out the rival Red Sox for the free-agent slugger’s services.

Teixeira, who hit .308 with 33 home runs and 121 RBIs in 2008, will receive an eight-year, $180 million deal from the Yankees with a full no-trade provision.

The final three teams in the race to sign Teixeira were the Red Sox, Nationals and Yankees. However, it was the Yankees who stepped their heavy pursuit of Teixeira on Tuesday.

While there were rumors that the Severna Park, Md., product preferred to be on the East Coast, there never was any real evidence of that. He loved his time in Anaheim and continued to live in the Dallas area, so those suggestions may have been overplayed.

Teixeira’s deal raises the Yankees’ offseason spending spree to $423.5 million. Just last Thursday, the Yankees completed agreements with two pitchers, giving CC Sabathia a $161 million, seven-year contract and A.J. Burnett an $82.5 million, five-year deal.

News of Teixeria’s acquisition hits the ‘net the same day the Yankees announced they’re selling bleacher seats for an April 3 exhibition with the Cubs for a mere 25 cents.  It’s a heck of a gift horse to throw at a fan base gradually being priced out of the ballpark, one that should make the $10 beers taste all that much better.