MLB hot stove/ Free agency

[SportsChick]

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/12/reports_teixeir.html

Sure about that Maine? Globe's reporting Yanks have him

[Brian Fein]

here we go again....

i hate the Yankees

[SCFinfan]

I kinda like em!



 


This is pretty friggin' ridiculous though.

[MaineDolFan]

Thank GOD!  When my buddy called me I had this sick feeling in my stomach.  I like this guy (Tex) but I don't think any players is worth strapping yourself to him for that long.  And the one thing that kept going through my mind was "they are now going to trade Lars Anderson.  They are now going to trade Lars Anderson."  The more I thought about Anderson never wearing a Sox uniform and patrolling 1B made me even more sick.

People used to ask me all the time "why don't you give us the rumors you hear while you're out there?"  And this is exactly why.  The guy that called me is one of the best writers in D.C. and really has his thumb on things that are going on.  And he was duped. 

I think the Yankees got a great player and will be a great player into his 30's.  But I also know that he isn't worth almost 30 million a year.  When Lars Anderson is hitting 35 / 110 every year and playing gold glove defense at a fraction of the cost, and Boston is able to put that money back into the farm system and develop more guys like Anderson, I am going to be very happy.

Viva La Lars!

[Fau Teixeira]

this makes me kinda sad .. i woulda worn a Teixeira jersey .. ..

now i won't ever wear a yankees jersey .. booo

i wonder if i can still get away with wearing my Teixeira hat i got when he was with texas

[MaineDolFan]

I think you should get a Marlins Teixeira jersey for yourself!  It's your name!

[jtex316]

Sweet! Teixeira signs with the Yankees for $180 M. It's really a 10-year old boy's dream to read that headline (not that I like the Yankees but it sounds freaking so cool to me)...so I live vicariously through him.

Go Tex! (I may have to like the Yankees now, like I liked the Braves and the Rangers before that b/c of him)

[Dphins4me]

  Easiest job in the world has to be is Yankees GM.  No scouting ability, no payroll,  nothing is required. 

Just be capable to sign a contract.

This is why MLB baseball is no longer Americas favorite sport to watch.   

[EDGECRUSHER]

The Yankees still have to develop talent and make trades, not to mention knowing which free agents to go after. Oh, and dealing with the Steinbrenners who like to do 10 year/$300 Million contracts behind your back.

Having a blank check DOES make it easier, but it doesn't solve everything.

Damon
Jeter
Tex
A-Rod
Matsui
Posada
Nady
Cano
Swisher

Still some question marks in terms of rebound performances and declines, but it's much improved now.

[Dphins4me]

The Yankees still have to develop talent and make trades, not to mention knowing which free agents to go after. Oh, and dealing with the Steinbrenners who like to do 10 year/$300 Million contracts behind your back.

Having a blank check DOES make it easier, but it doesn't solve everything.

Damon
Jeter
Tex
A-Rod
Matsui
Posada
Nady
Cano
Swisher

Still some question marks in terms of rebound performances and declines, but it's much improved now.

Its simple to know which FA to go after.  The best players available.

Who needs to develop talent, when you can simply let other teams be your farm system?

If the Steinbrenners are doing deals behind your back.  Great for you.  If the player bombs, its not your screw up. 

Like I said.  Easiest job.

BTW who gets the Yanks 1st Rd. pick this year?  The Angles, Brewers or Marlins?

[EDGECRUSHER]

Why would the Marlins get a pick? I think the Brewers get our first rounder and the Jays our 2nd rounder. I honestly don't know what the Angels will get, could be nothing. We have first and 2nd round picks from last year because we didn't sign our picks, but those are protected.

Man, that would suck for the Angels if they didn't even get one of our picks.

[EDGECRUSHER]

This is a mistake. The Angels are obviously a very good team, but not on the level of the Red Sox who represent the upper tier, even though they lost to the Rays.

So, they lose their best hitter, lost their overrated but reliable closer, lose their top free agent starter and now say they won't even bother with Manny. This is probably due to him being a Boras client and Arte Moreno doesn't want to deal with him anymore. Can't say that I blame him, but you hurt your own team by eliminating Boras clients. The man is scum and pure evil, but he represents some of the best talent in the game.

The Angels need offense badly. I hope they don't get it and not really talking to Boras over his childish negotiating tactics is a way of accomplishing that goal.

[EDGECRUSHER]

The New York Post has learned that Boston's final bid for Mark Teixeira was $168 million over eight years.
$12 million less than what the Yankees paid. Boston might also have been held back by its refusal to give out no-trade clauses. The Red Sox surely would have rather seen Teixeira go to Washington than to the Yankees, but the current regime doesn't worry about what New York is doing as much as the older ones did. It's believed the Nationals were at $180 million for nine years for Teixeira. The Orioles probably never budged from seven years and $140 million-$150 million.
Source: New York Post

If the no-trade clause was legit, then I can understand to a degree. However, if it was just $12 Million over 8 years, then he is a true Boras client and probably made a mistake. The Yankees improved tremendously, but it's probably better to be with the Red Sox now than the Yanks in terms of winning.

[MaineDolFan]

If the no-trade clause was legit, then I can understand to a degree. However, if it was just $12 Million over 8 years, then he is a true Boras client and probably made a mistake. The Yankees improved tremendously, but it's probably better to be with the Red Sox now than the Yanks in terms of winning.

Let's clear some things up first about picks.  Teixeira was a type A FA and the Angels had him last, therefore the Angels get two picks as compensation for losing him.

Secondly, it's not "only" 12 million over eight years, the contract back builds as do most long / huge contracts.  The final seasons of the deal are worth more than the original.  12 million dollars buys you a lot of things.  It locks up Ellsbury, Youkilis and Papelbon long term.  That is huge. 

Finally, Boston signing Teixeira sends ripples through the organization that simply wasn't worth it.  The first step is that you would have to trade Mike Lowell, a widely popular and stable force in the clubhouse.  That wouldn't go over well.  Anyone that tells you chemistry in baseball doesn't matter has never played organized baseball.  The second step is that Lars Anderson is starting '09 in AA and will be in AAA before the end of the season.  He is Boston's top prospect and is a switch hitting (primary left, but can hit both sides), power hitting, amazingly good defensive 1B.  Sound familiar?  I have waived over the Teixeira for a long time.  Do I want his type of thunder in the lineup?  Sure.  Does Boston NEED it?

No.  Check Boston's stats before and after Manny left.  They improved.  Boston has five guys that can easily hit 30/110, two that can hit .290/20/80 and two question marks.  That is a ton of offense behind a starting rotation that is scary good.

I said in an earlier post, Teixeira is a very good ball player.  He is not worth this contract.  This rings loudly like the Giambi deal a handful of years ago.  Yes, the numbers will be there.  And how many guys in the league are going to hit 30/110 over the course of the next eight years that won't cost $25 million a season?  A ton of them.  The Yankees had to make a move.  Boston didn't. 

I am just praying that they trade Nady.  Let NY bulk up on the Teixeira and Burnett's of the world...I don't want Nady anywhere near this division.

[Dphins4me]

Why would the Marlins get a pick? I think the Brewers get our first rounder and the Jays our 2nd rounder. I honestly don't know what the Angels will get, could be nothing. We have first and 2nd round picks from last year because we didn't sign our picks, but those are protected.

Man, that would suck for the Angels if they didn't even get one of our picks.

  Sorry, Jays.   Mental burp while typing.