Heyman: Yankees will pursue Teixeira hard...as we all expected, I suppose

[Anonymous]

Read this and then tell me he's a clubhouse problem:

We'd be lucky to have a guy like that on the Orioles.

That's a pretty strong counter-argument, JTrea, to other things I've read on this board about Tex. No, I don't have a link. But it would be interesting to see this clubhouse thing laid out more comprehensively, as I personally don't know what to conclude about it.

[JTrea81]

BTW, I think the biggest risk is him coming home and trying too hard.

Considering the pressure he had with the Braves being traded for a ransom and then being traded again for a playoff run, I think he'll do just fine under that pressure situation. Atlanta was somewhat home to him as he played at GT and his wife was from the area.

[geschinger]

BTW, I think the biggest risk is him coming home and trying too hard.

Completely agree... It happens way too often for it not to be at least a small concern.

Considering the pressure he had with the Braves being traded for a ransom and then being traded again for a playoff run, I think he'll do just fine under that pressure situation.

Not the same by any stretch... Franchise savior is a lot more of a burden than additional bat for a playoff run.

[Anonymous]

BTW, I think the biggest risk is him coming home and trying too hard.

That's a good point. But it seems like there's an awful lot of cases in which a FA, even one who's not in the Welcome Back Kotter mode, is a different player after switching teams. Does it mean you should never go after a fairly high-priced FA (let alone a VERY-high-priced one)? Of course not. But that too is an added risk element.

[Sports Guy]

That's a good point. But it seems like there's an awful lot of cases in which a FA, even one who's not in the Welcome Home Kotter mode, is a different player after switching teams. Does it mean you should never go after a fairly high-priced FA (let alone a VERY-high-priced one)? Of course not. But that too is an added risk element.

Tex is probably the least risky big time FA that has come along in a long time.

I can't think of one I was more confident about except maybe Vlad but even Vlad had the back stuff hanging over him.

[JTrea81]

Completely agree... It happens way too often for it not to be at least a small concern.

Not the same by any stretch... Franchise savior is a lot more of a burden than additional bat for a playoff run.

Well it's not like he won't have a supporting cast. Markakis, Wieters, Jones will all be there as well as Huff and Roberts hopefully. If anything I think those guys will take some pressure off Tex and he will in turn take the spotlight off of them. Wieters will have a ton of pressure in his first season to live up to the hype but Tex can help take some of that away. Markakis is already being pitched around considering he's the best hitter on the team, Teixeira can help fix that, as teams would rather pitch to Markakis IMO.

To counter, Carlos Lee has done well in Houston since since signing a huge deal with them.

[geschinger]

Well it's not like he won't have a supporting cast. Markakis, Wieters, Jones will all be there as well as Huff and Roberts hopefully.

Griffey, for example, was "the guy" when he went back to Cincinatti because he didn't have a huge supporting cast. Injuries are really to blame for his problems obviously.

To counter, Carlos Lee has done well in Houston since since signing a huge deal with them.

It's not the pressure of being a big FA signing although there is pressure in that as well... Carlos Lee wasn't going home so it's not comparable in the way that Griffey is.

[geschinger]

Tex is probably the least risky big time FA that has come along in a long time.

I can't think of one I was more confident about except maybe Vlad but even Vlad had the back stuff hanging over him.

I don't know how you can make that statement without knowing how long his contract ends up being. A ten year contract for Teix would be extremly risky and a lot riskier than many recent shorter term big money deals. I agree the risk is somewhat low relative to many other FAs considering his track record staying healthy, position and age over the next couple of years but all that changes if in the extreme we're talking about a 10 year contract. (And I know, it's highly unlikely he gets 10 years, just using that number to illustrate the point).

[Dipper9]

I like it. Only way we'll ever wake up is to keep getting our heads bashed in. I hope they sign all of them, win 150 games. I hope we win the head-to-head with them though. As WC said, tune in around 2012.

I know you guys are talking tongue in cheek, but I have suffered enough, and will not "wait until 2012" for a winning team! That's complete BS! MacPhail better get on his horse and make some splashes this year with a stacked FA class, or he should be canned. That's right, I said it. Burnett and Tex have all but said that if they are paid they will come here. All MacPhail has to do is make them an offer they can't refuse. Not too difficult.

[Dipper9]

Possible. I think we'll have to offer more years and considerably more money. If any playoff caliber team is close on the offer, they'll win.

What is a playoff caliber team?

The Rays are in the World Series, and they were NOT a playoff caliber team last offseason.

The Astros and Mariners traded the farm for Bedard and Tejada because they "thought" they were a playoff team. No playoffs.

The Tigers were supposed to be the best offensive team we had ever seen. No playoffs.

The Rockies represented the National League in the WS last year. No playoffs.

The two New York teams spend like mad to win the whole damn thing every year. No playoffs for either of them.

My point is, there is a fine line between a playoff caliber team and a pretender. If the Orioles were to sign Tex, Burnett, a Mussina type, get a starting ss, and a backup catcher, there would be a whole lot less "IFs" to worry about for the forseable future, and we could easly become what the Rays were this year.

So while some say Tex will sign with a "playoff contender" I still stand by my reasoning that he'll sign with the team that gives him the best offer.

[Tx Oriole]

I am not too worried if Tex goes to the Yankees. Imean if they want to fork out that kind of dough then by all means let them. The Orioles can be a very good team without Tex. IMO

[geschinger]

I am not too worried if Tex goes to the Yankees. Imean if they want to fork out that kind of dough then by all means let them. The Orioles can be a very good team without Tex. IMO

Good perspective. It would be nice if we landed him w/a contract that made sense for the Orioles franchise. However, one player will not make or break this franchise.

[JTrea81]

I am not too worried if Tex goes to the Yankees. Imean if they want to fork out that kind of dough then by all means let them. The Orioles can be a very good team without Tex. IMO

They can but if you are talking about Dunn he's like Will Clark to Tex being Palmeiro. If the Orioles don't get Tex, they should just blow the whole team up including trading Guthrie and Markakis. I just don't see MacPhail trading young pitching to get the hitting and position players that we need.

Given the way MacPhail's philosophy is, Tex is must have this offseason, not a luxury, if we want to compete in the next four years.

[geschinger]

They can but if you are talking about Dunn he's like Will Clark to Tex being Palmeiro. If the Orioles don't get Tex, they should just blow the whole team up including trading Guthrie and Markakis. I just don't see MacPhail trading young pitching to get the hitting and position players that we need.

Given the way MacPhail's philosophy is, Tex is must have this offseason, not a luxury, if we want to compete in the next four years.

Explain your thinking in a bit more detail... If we don't land Tex why do you believe it's hopeless for MacPhail to address 1b like the AL Champions addressed their 1b situation? Why do you think MacPhail would be incapable of addressing the need for a 1b like his previous organization did? I understand the desire to make a splash and have the O's on the front page for something positive but I really do not understand the thought process that the organization is doomed if Boras picks somewhere other than Baltimore of Tex.

[Old#5fan]

Explain your thinking in a bit more detail... If we don't land Tex why do you believe it's hopeless for MacPhail to address 1b like the AL Champions addressed their 1b situation? Why do you think MacPhail would be incapable of addressing the need for a 1b like his previous organization did? I understand the desire to make a splash and have the O's on the front page for something positive but I really do not understand the thought process that the organization is doomed if Boras picks somewhere other than Baltimore of Tex.

I agree. The rampant alarmist thinking that the world will come to an end if the Orioles don't land Mark Texeira is downright humorous. If Tex was all that how come he didn't propel the Angels ( a much better and stacked team all the way around than the Orioles) straight to the WS? The Orioles are so pitching poor that worrying over any position player is like, so far down on the list it isn't even on the list of worries.