We're waiting on ARod

[Peace21]

At least teams are intersted in Tejada. I find that to be a positive. I wonder why the Cubs are cooling on him though? Is this Mitchell report related BB?

[Sports Guy]

Wonder what Belkast is hearing?

[blueberryale77]

Dissappointing news. I would be very surprised if Arod signs any time soon.

It's highly unlikely that he signs soon, but several teams could get priced out of the market for him pretty quickly or have their little meeting with Boras and decide they don't like what they hear. I don't think this means Tejada can't be traded until ARod actually signs, just that teams are trying to keep the ARod option open for a little while.

[backwardsk]

Why do people think this?

Wouldn't Boras want to claim his chunk of someone's payroll early, before it's committed to other players? Plus, I would think that the 'winner' would want the rest of the offseason to make deals and dump payroll.

Not necessarily. The teams in the hunt for him will have their money ready and available. Yes, ideally a team would want more time to free up payroll after he is signed, but I don't think it will be enough of a deterrent to lower Rodruquez's value. Boras is in the driver's seat here. He has all winter to drive up the price. Now, I don't think he'll get anywhere close to what has been reported (12yr $360mm), but there is no need to sign anywhere quickly.

[El Gordo]

The ride has just begun. It takes time for the rollercaoster to climb the hil before the ride begins. haha

Yes, but just a day or so ago you and Belkast were suggesting something happening as soon as after the GM meetings. What has changed with the Miggi/ARod situation to make this much of a difference?

[TonySoprano]

Rock and Tony, you guys do realize the difference between waiting for the market to "set" to make free agent signings, and waiting to trade a player who we have to get value for (and who doesn't HAVE to be traded, by the way), right?

You do realize that Tejada's value has decreased since 2006 don't you? Having said that, other than Bedard, he's the biggest bargaining chip we have and we shouldn't wait to use it. IMO, he's the keystone in their decisions to rebuild. If you trade Tejada now you take the pieces you then have and start to rebuild your roster. Maybe some of those new pieces could be spun off in other deals. A Tejada trade then has a domino effect on whatever other decisions the team makes. By doing other things first, it could impact who our Tejada trade partners are because our requirements will have changed.

[Mackus]

I think this news is just about equally as disappointing as any previous news was encouraging.

Waiting for ARod to settle sounds way too much like the way things have been done the last 10 years. Who cares if the market isn't settled yet, go out and set the market. Get what you think is a good return for Tejada and be done with it.

These trades don't have to be done immediately, but they definitely should be done by the end of the Winter Meetings. I don't see ARod signing before then, although its likely his "demands" could be concrete enough by then to know who are legit suitors and who will focus on Tejada.

[PoorMike]

So now the whole baseball world stops and breathlessly waits while Borass and AHole decide what team they're going to screw this time...???

I find it difficult to believe that the owners, or Selig, would let this go on very long......although I don't know what, if anything, they can do about it. Hopefully they'll come to the "collusion" that AHole isn't worth $300M, or whatever Borass is asking, and just move on.

You knew this was going to happen. I even posted it several times this past season, and I know nothing.

If ARod opted out, it was going to wreak havoc on the offseason, both because many teams would try to get him and the Yanks would be calling other teams trying to replace him.

http://orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php?p=979710&highlight=opts#post979710

I agree: there is no chance he's coming here.

However, what he does this offseason will have a huge affect on everything else that happens in November. If he opts out, then the Rangers save 9M.....and the yankees save $16M but need a 3B (plus a closer and catcher if they don't get Posada and Rivera back)....then do the Sox bid on ARod knowing that Lowell and Schilling are up? In some way, this will affect us, especially if it changes the Rangers-Teixiara situation.

[blueberryale77]

It won't be miserable if we have to keep Hernandez around this year. Yes he should be traded if we can get something of value, but if we must I see nothing wrong with keeping him next season and dealing him at the deadline or letting him walk as a FA at the end of 2008.

Watching him walk down to first base and stroll after his passed balls makes me miserable. I'm perfectly fine with having a terrible team next year, but I want a terrible team that busts its collective hump every night. Hernandez doesn't fit with that and I don't think his value is going to go up, so I want him gone. He's not one of the players that I think we need to get a great return for, we just need to get him out before his attitude rubs off on any youngsters (and by that I mean ON FIELD attitude, I've never heard anything about him being a trouble maker, but the non-hustle is a serious problem for a team trying to rebuild and remake its losing image).

[Camden_yardbird]

I think its the wrong move. 300 mil plus deals in any industry take awhile to get going...not to mention that Boras will keep this going.

There are plenty of teams that can't afford Arod that can afford Tejada. I know its limiting your trade opportunities but so be it, unless they know that one of the teams bidding on A-rod want Tejada as option #2.

[Peace21]

Yes, but just a day or so ago you and Belkast were suggesting something happening as soon as after the GM meetings. What has changed with the Miggi/ARod situation to make this much of a difference?

The GM meetings arent over yet

[Witchy_Chick]

Rock and Tony, you guys do realize the difference between waiting for the market to "set" to make free agent signings, and waiting to trade a player who we have to get value for (and who doesn't HAVE to be traded, by the way), right?

IMO, Tejada does have to be traded -- and soon. Who knows what could happen in an off-season? Miggy could be carrying venison up some stairs and lose his balance, or have to quickly move household items to escape in impending wildfire. If we're going to move 'im, move 'im now.

I agree with Mackus (and other who have voiced the same opinion). Waiting for A-Rod and Boras to get off their greedy behinds smacks of "waiting for the market to set." I'm friggin' tired of that crap. Let's be pro-active for a change!!

Witchy

[Peace21]

Look I just come here to add my inside info on basically Bedard since thats my guys client. My source is outside the organization. Unlike BB. So my two cents maybe entirely diffrent then anyone elses. But I hear that things will pick up with the club, Things are different this year. Trust me.

[geschinger]

Why does everyone think the ARod negotiations are going to be dragged out? My guess is that he'll be signed, sealed and delivered to his next team by December 6th, 2007. Seems to me that Boras' biggest signings occur at the winter meetings. I can't think of why ARod's situation would be any different.

[erb8472]

This is all just part of the process.