According to several baseball officials, the Yankees remain in the Mark Teixeira hunt. But the same connected voices insist if the Yankees don't land the switch-hitting first baseman, they will turn their money toward controversial slugger Manny Ramirez.
"If they can't get Teixeira, they are right there on Manny," an official with knowledge of the Yankees' plan said yesterday.
I hope this is one of the times when the NY Post is actually accurate about something - after all they did nail the CC Sabathia signing so maybe they're turning a corner.Only fools count out the Yankees when it comes to free agents. Nevertheless, Teixeira has eight-year offers for $160 million from the Angels and Nationals. The Red Sox are wary of eight years but aren't shy of six for $150. Having already spent $243.5 million for CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, the Yankees may not want to go that high (or for that many years) for Teixeira.
If they pass on Teixeira, the Yankees will try and bolster a sagging lineup with Ramirez, one of the greatest run producers in baseball history. And to clear some money, they might entertain offers for outfielder Xavier Nady, who made $3.35 million last year, is arbitration eligible and a free agent after the 2009 season.
The Yankees are likely to offer Ramirez, 37 in May, a three-year deal in the $20 million range, though agent Scott Boras reportedly is seeking a five-year deal for the future Hall of Fame lock.
To me Teixeira is clearly the guy out of these two to sign, it creates less problems and fills an actual need, first base. Manny is a great hitter, but as I've said many times the Yankees have enough corner outfielders/DHs.
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You can always teach manny of Damon to play first base.
Any chance Nady goes to 1st? Didn't he play there a bit with the Mets and Pirates? If that happens, then MAYBE I could see them going after Manny, but a stretch. Greg, you are right that the Bombers have toooooo many corner OF/DH types. My own thought w/ Tex is that eventually A-Rod might slow down enough where a switch to 1st is necessary, so do we really want 2 dudes that make a combined $45-50 million on the books for the next 8 years (give or take a year) that play the same position?
I'd say that's a possibility. Nady has played there a little bit (82 games) in the past.
As for A-Rod, I think he can handle third for a pretty long while. He keeps himself in great shape and should be able to hold his own over there for a while. If he can stay at third for at least 3-4 years - which he should be able to - he could end up DHing, there will be a hole at the DH spot once Jorge retires.
I'd pass on Ramirez. The guy is a colossal flake and a quitter who repeatedly bailed on the Red Sox, even as they catered to his every whim while he screwed them. No way would I be interested in Manjaya and his nonsense, great bat notwithstanding. plus, he's a joke in the outfield.
I'd much prefer Teixeira, who actually plays defense and fills a bigger gap at first.
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I know I keep harping on my anti-Manny stance. But seriously think about this. Opening night at that brand new beautiful stadium (a moment that signifies the beginning of a new era) and Manny is standing in left wearing a Yankee uniform. What's wrong with this picture? I've said it before. I want a team that doesn't just win, but one that I can be proud of. Manny's bat doesn't make me forget Manny the person.
Damnit I need Tex. And a youngster as the 5th.
I don't want Manny!
Could you imagine the bleacher creatures chanting Manny's name? Ugh....By the way, I'd be fine with Dunn instead of Tex. Dunn at DH gives you the power you need with a high OBP. And more importantly wouldn't block first base for 8 years.
Could you imagine the bleacher creatures chanting Manny's name? Ugh....By the way, I'd be fine with Dunn instead of Tex. Dunn at DH gives you the power you need with a high OBP. And more importantly wouldn't block first base for 8 years.
Dunn is a very solid offensive player, but he's awful on the other side of the ball. He would create some of the same problems as Manny. At least with Tex you know you're not only getting a great hitter, but a great fielder too.
There is also a difference between playing first base and blocking first base. There is nobody in the system that is close to being ready for first base. And even if there was there is no guarantee with them being successful in the majors. Teixeira is a known commodity, and is one of the best 1st baseman in the game, there is nothing wrong with having one of the best at the position for the next 7-8 years.
I think a lot of people take BOS side without looking at the whole picture here, yes Manny likes to act up and I'm not going to sit here and defend him but they did allow him to behave this way for many years and didn't have a problem with or try to stop his behavior.
Think about it for a moment, we know that the red sox are not the Yankees and don’t treat their players like we do. Even those HOF players with a lot left in the tank get the boot from BOS whenever they feel they’re about to pay a lot for them (Clemens, Boggs come to mind). We just don’t do that, look the way we treated A-Rod, Jorge, Mo and Pettitte. Do you think that if it was BOS they would’ve re-sign A-Rod after his agent screwed him over and the team, or made Jorge a lucrative offer even on his last leg, or Mo getting a record setting closer deal when you have a younger and talented player (Joba) that could’ve taken his place or after all the steroids and a below average year still give Pettitte a pretty good contract offer, the answer is no.
We never run into those types of problems because we take care of our players especially the HOF type players. BOS will never take care of their own players, for instance Cano plays well 2 consecutive years and get a good deal, in the other hand Pedroia plays great 2 consecutive years even win MVP and gets robbed, yes he was the one that sign it but he wasn’t going to get more money from them unless he continues to perform at an MVP level.
They try to low ball Manny, not wanting to guarantee his future with the team, and after seen the way one of his best friends (A-Rod) was treated here I think he decided to go nuts on them and I really don’t blame him for that. Look at it right now they supposed want Teixeira knowing that if they get him they’re gonna have to get rid of Lowell, Yuk or Ortiz to make room for them after all those players have done for them its rare for something like that to happen here.
I wish we could land Teix instead of Manny but regardless who we sign I’m going to be proud of this team and this organization, and if we end up and sign Manny I just hope that every time we play the red sox he destroys them. GO YANKEES!!!
You have a good point Eliezer, I'm just not debating in my own head which organization has the better approach. For example I think the ten-year $300 MM to A-Rod was embarrassing and stupid. That contract will be a pain in our asses in a few years.
I totally agree with you that regardless of which of these two they get I'll be happy.
I obviously like Tex heads and shoulders above the other two. But Dunn gives you the bat without the baggage. And would cost less money and fewer years. It just makes sense to me.
I know what you're saying I just think this team has forgotten how important team defense is. Creating runs is important but so is saving them.
Now as far as Manny or Dunn is concerned that might be another story. While Manny is the better hitter, they both are terrible defensively, and like you said Dunn doesn't bring the baggage Manny does.
Seriously though, I'm going to say it until I'm blue in the face; Mark Teixeira is a perfect fit.
The other side of Dunn is that he can play first. Again, he's not great at it but he could fill in. Really I'm just arguing against Manny.
I for one am not necessarily taking the Boston side in the Ramirez flap, Eliezer, for they enabled Ramirez's behavior as I've blogged extensively. I also don't discount their role in playing up their side of events, using other players to buttress their case against Ramirez--all of which indicates that the organization and team of players either enabled him or failed to curtail his behavior from within. Their bad, for certain.
But on the contract front, while I definitely agree with your assessment of the organization's pattern of parting ways with organizational icons badly in Boston, that wasn't the case with Ramirez. Might he have considered this with last year's antics, that he'd experience tough negotiations or worse in choosing to force the team's hand in trading him in July? Maybe. That said, he quit on the Red Sox and not just last year, but in 2006 down the stretch as well, opting out of key games with phantom injuries when they needed him most. He sat out most of the games after Boston Massacre III. He's not adequately refuted those charges of being a quitter last year, either. Nor was he strong-armed into signing that 8-year, $160 million deal with Boston with the last two years as opt-out years. That was a trade-off his agent negotiated, and he accepted, to get $20 million on average for nearly a decade. That he chose to force the organization to deal or discipline him for outright quitting on the team mid-contract--after a whole string of incidents including assaulting a 64-year-old staffer for not getting game tickets, skipping a team flight, and not doing so at the end of a contract which other icons have faced, rightly or wrongly--indicates his thoroughgoing selfishness. I don't think that's debatable.
That's not something that would work well with the Yankees, who rightly recoiled from Kennedy's shrugging at his being blasted in Anaheim last year. Manjaya's act would wear thin all too quickly. No to Ramirez on the Yankees.
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