Mark Teixeira Rumors: Monday

Have to agree with Olney, don't see why the Red Sox would raise their offer at all, it seems that the market is pretty much set right now for Tex. You can go to the Sox for 170-175 or you can take less money and play for a worse team.

I am in no way a Sox fan but I don't see how they don't land him.

Someone sign him or even better have ALL the teams use the withdraw method of their offerings and watch Scott Boras and Tex sweat their greedy butts off. That would be great ! Just pull all the offers and let him stay in limbo until the realize the economy and what they are asking for...

i'm so confused..

1) what does derek jeter have to do with tex?

2) how does boras think he's going to get 190 for him if the highest bidder is <180?

this is so wierd. i'm tired of it.

God this is so annoying. I don't even care if he ends on my Sox anymore. Just sign already! ANY TEAM for CHRISTS SAKE!

When Tex signs the drama won't go away. As soon as Tex goes somewhere the Manny drama will start. Should be fun....

I am huge sox fan and were going to sign Tex and we will have are 1-2 punch of Teixeira and Papi.

All of this drama and hoopla for Tex to wind up either in New York or Boston. Yawn.

Homer, correction: Boston or DC.

everybody should pull thier offers and let tex and boras negotiate with whoever he wants to play for or teams should just spend thier money on the remaining free agents then there would be no money left

"I think Teixeira does not want to sign with Boston.

Posted by: yanks12025 | December 22, 2008 at 09:22 AM"

Why would you think that? To pretty much anyone who's ever followed the tortuous signing of a marquee Boras client, this is really just par for the course. Boras personally calling Cahsman to try to get the Yankees into the bidding didn't work, so he's trying to hold out until the Sox bid against themselves, which they've flatly refused to do.

I really wonder how Boras thinks he's going to be able to continually pull the same "mystery team" gag every year with every big name he's got on his roster. GMs and owners just aren't falling for it any more.

I'll never understand why these misinformed people somehow think that the Steinbrenner clan has more cash than the Nats. Old Teddy is worth 3x as much as Hank and friends, it's not a matter of financials, it's just a matter of HOW MUCH the Nats are willing to spend. Please get off the "only people who can afford to win are NY, LA, and BOS aka the Nats have no flexibility." They've got $4B worth of flexibility if they're willing to spend it.

All a clever ploy by Boras to determine how much salary teams are willing to commit for next year.

He now nows how much the O's/Nat's/Angels/Sox/Yanks can still add to their payroll because any offer he received (withdrawn or not) told him how much these teams could commit in salary.

Once Boras has determined the highest limits, Teixeira will sign and then Boras will be knocking on the same doors reminding them they did have the money for Teixeira so ponying up the money for his other clients shouldn't be an issue.

Not Joe Morgan,
Different ownership/front office now then when Teixeira came out of highschool.

He can be upset all he wants with what happened in the past but he might end up with just as evil owners playing for any team.

Teixeira is actually said to be strangely comfortable with the current ownership.

Holding a grudge against the same ownership would be one thing; holding a grudge against totally new people with deep deep pockets would just be mildly crazy.

There is something wrong with what's been reported. If it was true that the Sox were offering $175-180MM over 8 years, then why would they walk away saing there are higher offers of the board? And that implies not one but multiple higher offers. The Nats and Os haven't gone higher than that if the rpeorted numbers are accurate. So either the Sox' offer is lower, or the Nats & Os are offering more than we think. I think its the latter - and from what I've been told from very close sources in Baltimore, is that the Os are going to end up with Tex unless the Yankees swoop in with a crazy offer at the last minute. McFAIL has twice made a player the highest paid in baseball - Puckett & Sandberg, so there is a precident. Believe me, it's a done deal, he is going to Baltimore. I have a great source who I can't disclose or he will get in trouble (McPhail hates leaks to the media).

Absolutely! If the Sox have the highest offer than so be it. But the general tone of comments is "if the O's or Nats offer him more money then he must just be in it for the money", not a "oh he must want to be close to his family". Which is kind of ironic since, as you stated, right now Boston has offered the most, reportedly. I don't here a chorus of "he must be doing it for the cash" when Boston is mentioned. There is also speculation that the Nats may bid up to $200M and that the O's deem their offer "very flexible". Either way I find it mildly amusing that after being crappy for almost the entirety of 86 years, now when someone may actually NOT want to play for Boston they seem to be less of a person.

Where do you live now Wittcap? Probably couldn't hack the weather you wussy.

Rememberthecoop,

You are correct about MacPhail paying Puckett the highest contract when he signed (3+ million per). You are incorrect about MacPhail paying Sandberg the highest contract when he signed (7+ million per). That was Stanton Cook in '91 who gave then GM Larry Himes the ok. MacPhail was still with the Twins in '91 when they won it all.

Baltimore has a legit shot to sign Tex, just as Washington and Boston does, too.

Oh, and the mystery team...ha!

The "close to home" thing seems a bit strange to me. I could understand this is one of the suitors was a California team, but I can't understand using this against Boston. Seriously, take a look at a map. Boston is a very short fight from Baltimore/DC.

90

Who are the Nats kidding? They are not a good team and aren't even close to being one. One guy isn't going to change all that. If they sign Tex, they'll be looking to trade him real soon.

Maybe the teams he want to play for its not offering the money he wants. Look at Furcal, he went around and even got an offer around for waht he wanted from the A's, but he always wanted to return to the Dogders, but he didn't do it until he got an offer close to what he wanted. I mean if a team has the highest offer and the other teams withdraw or won't increase their, what's there to decide?

"and from what I've been told from very close sources in Baltimore, is that the Os are going to end up with Tex unless the Yankees swoop in with a crazy offer at the last minute."

*rolls eyes*

"you win 3 World Series is 90 years and all of a sudden the baseball world revolves around Boston. I've never been happier to leave N.E. "

Posted by: Wittcap79 | December 22, 2008 at 10:25 AM

What a quaint way of saying 2 of the last 5.

Disregard the passionate fan base, ownership willing to spend to put a competitive team on the field, before this new ownership group, and new general manger they didn't win a title in 86 years.

The baseball WORLD doesn't revolve around Boston the entire sports world does go get a real city.

The more this stretches out, the more I'm convinced the Sox will get him on the cheap.

Hey TomFromSD:

I did college in SoCal. The people there love living there. But ask 100 people why they live there, 99 will say the weather. I like the northeast because if you ask 100 people why they live there, you'll get 100 different answers.

Not to take a swipe at SoCal- lots of good people live there. But maybe Tex, being from outside Baltimore, isn't wired like a west-coaster.

Tex is going to sign with the team that offers him the most money. And that is the O's, as of now.

rememberthecoop,

Just because McPhail says the Orioles can be flexible, does not mean they have offered the most money. As of today, their offer stands at 7 years 140 million. Clearly, the worst on the table. As of now, the Red Sox fill every major category in the Teixeira sweepstakes.

The Sox are offering the highest contract, they are winners and they are on the East Coast. They have been waiting 2 years trying to sign Teixeira.

I will be utterly surprised if he decides against the Sox.

"I will be utterly surprised if he decides against the Sox."

you will also have to change your name haha

People, I'm not bitter, BUT...

$1MM per month (after taxes)
$35,000 per day (after taxes)
$1,458 per hour (after taxes)
$24 per minute (after taxes)
$.41 per second (after taxes)

Poor guy, hope he gets what he "deserves" Gotta love America. Anyway, gotta run and go put my college degree to work for .0012 per second...yes, I'm fortunate, but JESUS CHRIST!!! I'd like to bash Boras in the knees!

"What a quaint way of saying 2 of the last 5.

Disregard the passionate fan base, ownership willing to spend to put a competitive team on the field, before this new ownership group, and new general manger they didn't win a title in 86 years.

The baseball WORLD doesn't revolve around Boston the entire sports world does go get a real city.

Posted by: ArodSucksAtLife | December 22, 2008 at 11:18 AM"

Tawmmy from Quizee? Is that you?

it sucks for teix that this is the year he has to look for his megadeal. I think they were really banking on the Yankees playing a little bigger part to up the bids on teix and without their involvement, teams price ranges are set and teix is seeing a diminished value comparatively to what he could have gotten if he became a free agent on a year where the yankees would want to get more involved.

MLBloggin, don't be mad at Boras. He's just doing his job. I'm sure you'd want him as your agent if you were a baseball player.

rememberthecop-if you look at what henry said he was basically saying to Boras through the media, "if you got better offers, take one of them." Henry basically sent the media into a frenzy trying to figure out which team had come in higher, and now it is pretty obvious there isn't one. I wouldn't trust a word that comes from Boras' mouth when he is negotiating a big contract.

"You guys are all basing your numbers on what the O's offered based on what you've read. And that is inaccurate information. The fact that Henry himself said there were better offers out there tells you that - he said better offers, with an -s, and if it isn't the Yankees or Sox, it has to be the Nats and O's,."

Posted by: rememberthecoop | December 22, 2008 at 12:34 PM

John Henry is a quiet, gentle, rip your balls off type of negotiator who I wouldn't even want to hagle over the price of a snowcone out of fear he would walk away with my life savings, the snowcone and me thinking I made out okay in the deal.

If you read between the lines, Henry didn't say there were better offer(s) out there, he found a quiet/polite way to say "your full of it and i don't believe for one second there are better offer(s) out there and if there are, then take them because this is our offer"

Basically Henry called Boras' bluff and until Teixeira signs for a certain figure, none of us (reporters included) know who is bluffing and who isn't.

I think its safe to assume both Henry/Boras enjoy the tactics/chase more then anything else.

manny jerseys will sell way more than tex jerseys, that's all i could say about that

What's a "Papi"?

manny jerseys will sell way more than tex jerseys, that's all i could say about that

Posted by: pedro | December 22, 2008 at 01:25 PM

Yankee fans hate Manny.

First, I want to say that what I am about to mention should not be taken the wrong way by Boston Fans, but I think it is quite clear and I'll try to remain as neutral as possible, that Texeria does not want to don a Red Sox jersey. People have mentioned this several times. Henry handed him the pen last week and he put it down. Frankly, I do not think my team the Yankee's should sign him nor do I want that contract, (I'd rather have Manny) but he does want to play for the Yankee's. A lot of people have already mentioned this and I see it in print everywhere. Let's see what his options right are at the moment:

Baltimore - ok team but needs years before a championship

Nationals- Same as Baltimore

Red Sox - Basically shuned them and does not want to play there.

Is it any wonder why this is taking so long? There is no market. Funny how the one player the yankee's are not in on and the rest of baseball cannot operate. At first I thought he was being greedy with $$, but after a weekend long of reading articles and blogs, it is apparent this is a team issue. I am sure he mortified by the lack of interest from teams. Blame Boras I suppose for shooting too high.

I am wondering if this has boiled down to:

Anaheim - doesn't want to play on the West Coast and they withdrew their offer.

Baltimore - offered 7/$140 but have a long-running losing record for many years

Nationals - offered 8/160 but have not been good for a while (although could be in 2-3 years) and Tex may not want to play in the NL.

Yankees - offered something low (maybe 7/140 or a bit lower AAV) and then have not gotten back into it.

Boston - offered $170-175 million but over 9 years or 7 with 2 years of club options...something that does not equate to 8 years at $21+ million per year.

Boras has been trying to bring the Yankees back into it because he wants to ratchet-up the deal as much as possible and get the most $ out of Boston or NY. He would prefer Boston, so he can use that as leverage for Manny, but either NY or Boston would be fine because it is ultimately a much larger total value to this contract than to what Manny will sign for.

Both NY and Boston are winners, in the AL and on the East Coast. The best part is, both of them are doing their best to not make it a bidding war.

Who, other than Boras, ever said they were intersted in going a penny more than 8/160 before the winter meetings? No one did. No one wrote about it either, other than to say that Tex could get as much as 8/160. The only person talking more money and years for Tex has been Boras. No one credible. I think he'll end up with Boston or NY at 8/160...maybe with a team option so that Boras can say he got him 9 years.

Just a guess, but we will likely know something soon. Both Cashman and Theo are quiet, which means one (or both) of them are getting close to a deal.

LOL at everybody who thinks Boston is close enough to his family in DC/Baltimore because it's on the east coast. A 20 minute drive is not at all the same as a 20 minute drive + security+ flight+ get baggage+ 10 minute drive. So if he really wants to be close to his family, DC/Baltimore have a very real advantage.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons for him to not sign in DC/Baltimore. There's no need to make ones up.

the 1 2 punch of tex & papi listed above (redsoxfan17) won't work long. "papi" is out of shape & slowing.he will spend more time on DL than DH this season.

MLBloggin: I just woke up and might be doing "stupid math" right now, but it seems to me like you work for far less than minimum wage.

Ha, nevermind. I need coffee.

If the Nationals drop out, Boras might crap himself.

The mystery team is Inter Milan. Tex is going to goalkeep for ten years and $247 mil. And Tek is going to be their waterboy for three years and $33 mil.

paxterj

post of the day..

well my source tells me we wont see wont see a deal until after christmas, simply because teixeira needs to load up the slay the next couple of days, head out and deliver all of the toys the 24th, and head home for the 25th. however an official in his workshop has told me that a deal would be announced within 48 hours after christmas

Please don't do that Nats. Anything more than 8 years is ridiculously, ridiculously stupid. Beyond belief. Teixeira is a franchise player, but he is NOT A-Rod. And, the Nats aren't an AL team, so if issues do arise when Teixeira is 35+, there isn't a DH spot for him like there would be on an AL squad. He's already playing the lamest position on the diamond at 1B.

Oh, you need to pay Strasburg too, remember. There will be riots in the streets if you don't draft Stras. Oh, you also have to surround Teixeira with something.

Nats will win if thats true. Greedy Tex will take the money. Its obvious that he was only interested in the money from the beginning.