From
Ken Davidoff:
This promises to be a fascinating baseball offseason, with huge dollars being committed to huge names. The free-agency battle that seems to be exciting industry folks the most is not that for the stud starting pitcher CC Sabathia, nor for the wonder that is Manny Ramirez.
It's the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes - not a shocker, when you consider he could wind up with the most money this winter. More than anything, it speaks to both the clubs that figure to be in his competition for his services and the person running the auction.
"That's going to be phenomenal," said an official from a club that will not be signing Teixeira. "The Angels, Red Sox and Yankees fighting for him, with Scott Boras as the ringleader."
What will ultimately decide this is the level of restraint exhibited by the Yankees and Red Sox. The Angels want Teixeira back, after they employed him for a two-month trial run. They've made that clear. Owner Arte Moreno isn't afraid to spend.
He does remind us that just because they will be bidding, it doesn't mean that either team will acquire him:
Don't forget, however, that the Yankees and Red Sox defined last winter with their respective discipline (some might describe it in less flattering terms). Neither club wanted to pay up the prospects and dollars necessary to land Johan Santana from the Twins, steering the lefty toward the Mets.
Davidoff also doesn't see the Yankees (or the Sox) meeting the current asking price:
It would be a shocker if the Yankees paid Teixeira the 10 years and $200 million that Boras will request. Since the Yankees are finally saying goodbye to Jason Giambi after seven roller-coaster seasons, do they really want to weigh themselves down with another monster contract at a non-premium position?
General manager Brian Cashman could approach Teixeira the way he approached Johnny Damon three years ago: Stick to a reasonable number of years and hope the market drops. But Teixeira's market is less likely to fall out that way.
I don't think anyone will come close to 10 years/$200 M either.
17 Comments:
I wouldn't put it past the Sox to go after Tex but what will they do about their 1B/3B/DH issue. Ortiz and Youkilis won't be traded, and Lowell will be difficult to move because of his contract and his injuries. I don't see the Sox getting Tex. I think the Yanks could get him though. Not for 10/200 mil though. 5-6 years at 20 mil might be more doable.
Sorry anon, I forgot to include Davidoff's section on the Red Sox:
"As for the Red Sox, they already have a very valuable first baseman in Kevin Youkilis, who made $3 million in 2008 and will probably make in the neighborhood of $7 million next year. Yet with third baseman Mike Lowell's health uncertain - he underwent right hip surgery earlier this month - the Red Sox could look to shift Youkilis to third base and sign Teixeira to play first.
Throw in David Ortiz's decline, and the Red Sox could have incentive to make a ginormous investment in Teixeira. Setting forth a potentially amazing, and lucrative, race for Teixeira."
I don't think the Sox will get him either. But for the Yanks to get him they may have to go for a 7 year deal.
I hope the Red Sox get him, all we need is to be innundated with another Boras client. I can just see A-Rod with his frosted tips and Teixiera who looks like the kid from the Santa Clause , http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/a/x/N/clause3pic17.jpg
in all these photos standing together back to back, smiling in the most homo-erotic way possible. It makes me sick.
Joe, what are you talking about?
You hope the Sox get Teixeira because he looks like the kid from Santa Clause? Ummm, OK.
As far as the Sox getting him, we should all be careful about what we wish for.
A career <.300 hitter with a <.400 OBP but can hit some home runs, and is turning 30 soon for $20 million + per year???
Sounds like another 1B we signed 7 years ago, without the OBP.
And he looks EXACTLY like the kid in the Santa Clause.
He sounds more like Tino Martinez than Jason Giambi to me.
Giambi was 31 when the Yanks signed him, Tino was 28.
Teixeira is a gold glove caliber 1B, Giambi is awful defensively.
But yes, he does look exactly like that kid.
And would we ever had paid $20 Mil a year to a Tino Martinez, or whatever amount that would translate to ten years ago?
Let's just calm down, maybe start trading some of our surplus of players for younger talent and make one big offseason move (C.C.)
Do we really want six years from now trying to trade both a declining Teixeira and oft-injured C.C. for 20 cents to the dollar and picking up the 100 million we still owe them in salary? Odds are one of the two $200 million investments are going to go awry somehow, let's hedge our bets.
Teixeira would be a major upgrade for the Yankees. He's an excellent first baseman and could bat anywhere in the line-up. He can hit for average, has his fair share of home runs and gets on base. What more do you want in a hitter? I'm sure his presence would be a huge help to A-Rod (just like Manny was to Ortiz). I'd hate to see him go to the Red Sox. If we can afford him, along with two starting pitchers, then we should make every effort to sign him.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10302008/sports/yankees/yankees_may_gun_for_manny_135928.htm
We have to at least go after Tex. I really don't know how much is too much in terms of money but you have to look at the competitive situation. Do you want to play against this guy 19 times per year? He's a perfect fit for the Yanks. Let A-Rod hit in the 3 hole with Tex in the cleanup spot. It would look a lot like Manny and Big Pappi and that's a good thing.
Umm...can we give Miranda a shot? He has a .400 average in MLB, LOL. But seriously, I have a good feeling about Miranda.
I think the Yankees should go after Burnet and Sabathia, pitching and defense wins out, even Boston has changed their ways. Texiera is not worth dumping this much money on, he is not that much better than Youk. It makes more sense for the Yankees to sign him as they have not had a decent first baseman since Tino left. I hope they don;t pony up though and use their funds for pitching and get a defensive minded first baseman. Although Tex does hav a pretty good glove.
nice blog man.
Joe, I think Teixeira is better than Tino, I just think it's easier to compare him to Tino than Giambi.
But yes, we do have to spend money on pitching first.
Faiaz,
I worry about Miranda's glove and his inability to hit lefties. But if all else fails he will definitely get a shot in Spring Training.
Rad,
Thanks.
GET TEIXEIRA!!!
Sorry, but I simply can't see Teixeira being a Red Sock. Youk is entrenched at a corner IF spot for 2009, and Lowell will not be traded. There is no market for a 3B, in his mid 30s, coming off injuries, with 2 years and 24 million left on his contract. No market. I think this will come down to either Anaheim or New York. Boston might drive up the price (check that, they will drive up the price), but they will not sign him.
Juan freaking Miranda? Are you serious? The kid can't hit a lefty to save his life. Teixeira is a GG fielder and a masher. The Yankees HAVE to get this guy
And no Giambi comparisons. Teixeira has never doped, he's younger than Giambi was when he hit free agency, and again, he's a much better fielder. Tino is a much better comparison
We should try for Tex.
Homo-erotic? Oh, as I've said, it's gonna be an interesting winter.
Mike
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