Looks like the Red Sox will be in play for Teixeira

[JTrea81]

Thought this was hilarious....Both boston and nyy have alreayd sold out next year....

Actually that is my point. Tex helps sell tickets for us. NY and Boston don't need him to sell tickets. We do because we need fans back in the seats however we can get them. Now obviously that's not the main reason you sign Tex, but it's an excellent side effect. Just one of the many that his signing would cause that wouldn't benefit NY or Boston. He's just another hired gun to them, but to the Oriole fans he's the hometown hero.

To some terms from politics, he excites and rallies the fanbase. And we sure could use some excitement coming off this dreadful 11th year of losing.

[Stotle]

Looking at it another way?

Neither NYA or BOS will want to give Teix a huge blockbuster deal. BAL is interested. The solution? BOS and NYA will do what they did with Santana -- bid him up enough so that if the other team lands him it will be prohibitive. Then, allow the third team to make the mistake of grabbing him (note: even though Santana performed well for NYN, they gave up their prospect package for one year of Santana and the right to negotiate an extension...that's overpaying in my opinion).

[davearm]

It's common to hear comments like, "the O's won't be outbid for Teixeira" and "the O's won't let Teixeira go to another AL East team."

Folks realize that this isn't an open auction, right? It'll be a distinctly silent auction.

Scott Boras is going to tell any and all teams that inquire, for 10 years, $250M, he's yours and where do we sign. You're happy to submit a lower offer, although anything less and we'll keep looking/waiting for a better offer.

Boras is not going to reveal what the other clubs are offering, and how close to that 10/$250 they're willing to go. So neither Angelos nor anyone else will know how high the true target is.

Hard to reconcile that with the whole "won't be outbid" mentality.

[JTrea81]

Folks realize that this isn't an open auction, right? It'll be a distinctly silent auction.

This is Hank Steinbrenner we are talking about. The Yankees' offer might as well be put on a banner and flown over the Warehouse...

[TonySoprano]

If this was the first year we heard Angelos was ready to spend then it would be news. Far from it.

Angelos, however, said he believes the Orioles are close to being competitive in the American League East. And he said he plans to improve the club immediately.

"We have every intention of adding the necessary pieces to the nucleus we already have after the season ends," he said. "We will make sure our fans can look forward to a very exciting season."

The Orioles are expected to be active in free agency and Angelos said he does not foresee trouble acquiring attractive free agents. In the past few years, Baltimore has been passed over by premium players for more fruitful contract offers, while others have noted the Orioles' lack of recent success and also the unenviable task of overcoming Boston and New York.

"We appreciate the fans' support [during the tough times]," he said. "And we're going to demonstrate our appreciation by winning. I have never heard of a player who refused to come to Baltimore to play when he's been offered a competitive contract. Baltimore is a great baseball town, with great fans, a beautiful ballpark and a good organization. We will get the players necessary to be successful."

Source - Orioles.com, Sep 28, 2005

The impression that I am getting strongly has us making major headlines at the meetings. Get ready Folks the next couple of weeks should be alot of fun.

Source - OH, Nov. 2005

Transactions after those "immediate plans" by Angelos:

November 25, 2005

Signed Fernando Tatis as a free agent.

December 6, 2005

Traded Steve Kline to the San Francisco Giants. Received LaTroy Hawkins.

December 13, 2005

Signed Napoleon Calzado as a free agent.

Signed Ramon Hernandez as a free agent.

December 20, 2005

Signed Winston Abreu as a free agent.

Signed Howie Clark as a free agent.

Signed Eddy Garabito as a free agent.

December 21, 2005

Eric Byrnes granted Free Agency.

Eddy Rodriguez granted Free Agency.

December 22, 2005

Signed Julio Manon as a free agent.

December 27, 2005

Signed Franklyn Gracesqui as a free agent.

January 6, 2006

Selected Brian Burres off waivers from the San Francisco Giants.

January 9, 2006

Traded Carlos Perez (minors) and Nate Spears (minors) to the Chicago Cubs. Received Corey Patterson.

January 11, 2006

Signed Jeff Conine as a free agent.

January 13, 2006

Signed Kevin Millar as a free agent.

Signed Eddy Rodriguez as a free agent.

January 17, 2006

Signed Tony Alvarez as a free agent.

January 19, 2006

Walter Young selected by the San Diego Padres off waivers.

January 22, 2006

Traded Jorge Julio and John Maine to the New York Mets. Received Kris Benson.

January 24, 2006

Signed Esix Snead as a free agent.

Signed Tyler Yates as a free agent.

January 31, 2006

Signed Jim Brower as a free agent.

February 4, 2006

Signed Ricky Bottalico as a free agent.

February 8, 2006

Signed Vic Darensbourg as a free agent.

Signed John Halama as a free agent.

Signed Ryan Jensen as a free agent.

Signed Desi Relaford as a free agent.

February 18, 2006

Received Andy Tracy from the Cleveland Indians as part of a conditional deal.

February 26, 2006

Signed Richard Hidalgo as a free agent.

March 4, 2006

Signed Brian Bowles as a free agent.

March 5, 2006

Released Ryan Jensen.

March 22, 2006

Released Ricky Bottalico.

March 29, 2006

Released Geronimo Gil.

March 31, 2006

Selected Raul Chavez off waivers from the Houston Astros.

Released Desi Relaford.

Released Tyler Yates.

Source - Baseballreference.com

[Elbren]

It's a combination of things. Why haven't we been serious or gone in on any FA? Notice we didn't tie up more money in Vlad, Delgado, Lee or Konerko. That's four years of not landing a top FA. The Orioles have been saving money, and I bet it was for Tex.

Second, as I've pointed out and Belkast has pointed out, Angelos wants a winner ASAP because he's not getting any younger. He has nothing to gain from watching a rebuilding process. Tex is a huge step in getting a competitive team built. The Orioles already have the foundation with a strong bullpen and strong young offensive core and three top pitchers in the minors only a year away.

Teixeira is a player just about every Oriole fan wants and every Oriole fan knows, his draw and effect would be unique to the area. Tex won't sell more tickets in Boston or NY. But he sure will in Baltimore. He can be the spark to get people to watch MASN, and signing him would be a statement that the Orioles are serious about competing to the fans and to the players like Markakis and Roberts who have had to tolerate years of losing. He'd be the equivalent of when the Red Sox signed Manny Ramirez. That was a statement to he rest of the league that they were going for it. It was looked at as ridiculous money then, but lauded soon after.

We haven't "been serious or gone in on any FA" because Angelos has shown very little interest in paying out big contracts and very few (if any) top FA's have shown interest in playing for a team that has lost for over a decade. As for the four names you mentioned, tieing them in with the phrase, "didn't tie up more money" seems a bit laughable.

1. V. Guerrero - had absolutely no interest in coming here from day 1. The guy didn't even want to visit the city or stadium when we were the only team bidding. That alone should have been a good sign to show that, "Maybe he doesn't like us."

2. Delgado - Kept hearing his name pop up but the team just didn't seem to show any real interest in him. I'm guessing they liked him but didn't want to pay the going rate for a top FA first baseman. (which sucked for us)

3. Lee - Showed interest, but the team/Angelos just wasn't willing to overpay as much as Houston (which was a good thing IMO).

4. Konerko - Another guy that had absolutely no interest in playing here. Not sure how his comment of "I wanna stay in Chicago or go to the West Coast" translates to , "Hey, that sounds like Baltimore .. we should bid on him.". My favorite thing about the Konerko 'negotiations' was how there were people who thought we really had a chance at him when his agent wouldn't even bother sending counter-offers back to the Orioles.

IMO, the only guy we really 'lost out' on was Delgado, but to say that we didn't land any of these guys because we were 'waiting' on Teixeira is just crazy.

[scOtt]

Giving Teix 25 million or more would absolutely cripple the O's. Teams like Boston, New York, LA & Chicago can get away with paying one or more players salaries like that because they can afford 200 million dollar payrolls.

The Orioles are a 2nd-tier market like Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta, etc. We can afford $100 million dollar payroll, but not alot more than that, IMO. I highly doubt we will ever see the O's spending $120+ million on the payroll.

To give one player 1/4th of your projected max payroll would be beyond stupid.

I'd love to have Teix, but not if it takes a "blank check" to get him here. Much rather spend half as much and half the years on Dunn.

I agree with your whole post for the most part, and what I bolded, wholeheartedly

...except in this case. Tex would be a stupid fraction of our payroll next year, even IF we could get him for under $20 mill for X number of years. Even at 20. But in 3 years I don't expect that fraction to be near as much. I could easily see us in 3 years with a payroll of $150. Tex would then just be our premiere player, not an inordinate percentage. His availability this year just doesn't exactly match our time frame... but it could shortly.

That being said, I don't think we stand a snowball's chance of signing him...

[Satyr3206]

Regardless of what the Red Sox or Yankees do the Orioles can handle this on their terms. The first day of Free Agency give him an offer of 8/160 with 2 one year options and tell them they have until the end of the winter meetings to decide. Or whatever date is most feasible. He signs, great. He declines we move in a different direction. I think signing him would benefit the Franchise in numerous ways but there is no way I would let Boras string things along at the expense of improving the team in other ways.

[24fps]

Regardless of what the Red Sox or Yankees do the Orioles can handle this on their terms. The first day of Free Agency give him an offer of 8/160 with 2 one year options and tell them they have until the end of the winter meetings to decide. Or whatever date is most feasible. He signs, great. He declines we move in a different direction. I think signing him would benefit the Franchise in numerous ways but there is no way I would let Boras string things along at the expense of improving the team in other ways.

Of all the things Scott Boras might be, stupid is not one of them if history is any indication. I agree that Boras shouldn't be allowed to set the agenda for resolving the many problems facing the Orioles this off season, but to think that this team is in any position to control the tempo of negotiations for the premier available free agent is completely unrealistic IMO.

Cumulatively, I think the whole of the needs for this team outweigh the Tex issue by itself. If there's the opportunity for adding him to the team in addition to upgrading elsewhere, sign me up for that, but this off season focus should not be on Teixiera.

I've never found that handing out take-it-or-leave offers at the beginning of negotiations to be constructive. If any strategy beyond the give-and-take of normal negotiations is to be employed, then waiting on the sidelines until the last minute strikes me as more sensible for a team that is at a clear and sizable monetary disadvantage relative to the main players. The Yankees, Red Sox and Angels will set the market for Teixiera whether the Orioles are involved in the initial process or not.

[Enjoy Terror]

I dunno, Boras has made some interesting blunders to get the top dollar for some of his players. Matt Harrington, for instance.

[Dipper9]

That sounds a lot more like MacPhail's MO too. I want Tex as much as we all do, but the more rumors we hear, and the more bidders, I just don't see AM biting, even if PA pushes him to.

Every business has a President, or somebody responsible for day to day decisions. But in the end, if the owner tells you to do something, than you do it! If Angelos wants Tex, like JTrea keeps insisting that he does, then MacPhail will go after him. The question is...why is JTrea so insistent that Angelos will do anything to sign Tex? I hope to God he's right, because I want Tex badly, (more as a sign that times are changing around here) but I am curious why JTrea is so confident in this information?

[scOtt]

Every business has a President, or somebody responsible for day to day decisions. But in the end, if the owner tells you to do something, than you do it! If Angelos wants Tex, like JTrea keeps insisting that he does, then MacPhail will go after him. The question is...why is JTrea so insistent that Angelos will do anything to sign Tex? I hope to God he's right, because I want Tex badly, (more as a sign that times are changing around here) but I am curious why JTrea is so confident in this information?

I agree, I just meant that AM has Peter's ear and confidence. Judging by Davearm's remembrances of AM in Chicago, he is conservative on the BIG contracts, to say the least. I just think that if AM is dead set against making the move, then Big Pete can be talked out of it (talked down off the ledge...) I also think Big Pete is a smart enough businessman to listen to reason rather than his heart.

Or if he isn't... we get Tex for 8+ years. It's win-win for us fans.

[geschinger]

Of all the things Scott Boras might be, stupid is not one of them if history is any indication. I agree that Boras shouldn't be allowed to set the agenda for resolving the many problems facing the Orioles this off season, but to think that this team is in any position to control the tempo of negotiations for the premier available free agent is completely unrealistic IMO.

Cumulatively, I think the whole of the needs for this team outweigh the Tex issue by itself. If there's the opportunity for adding him to the team in addition to upgrading elsewhere, sign me up for that, but this off season focus should not be on Teixiera.

I've never found that handing out take-it-or-leave offers at the beginning of negotiations to be constructive. If any strategy beyond the give-and-take of normal negotiations is to be employed, then waiting on the sidelines until the last minute strikes me as more sensible for a team that is at a clear and sizable monetary disadvantage relative to the main players. The Yankees, Red Sox and Angels will set the market for Teixiera whether the Orioles are involved in the initial process or not.

While I agree that a take it or leave it offer at the begining doesn't make sense one can't allow Boras to have complete control over negotiations. He thrives on convincing others that he has offers that in many cases he does not such as when he got Hicks to bid against himself for ARod). You do have to set a deadline somewhat early in the process and be willing to go to plan B if he balks. But in this case I don't see it dragging out... I expect Boras to be on the podium at the winter meetings getting gasps from the media when he announces that X team signed Teix to a ridiculous contract.

[geschinger]

Every business has a President, or somebody responsible for day to day decisions. But in the end, if the owner tells you to do something, than you do it!

I think there has to be some convincing done... MacPhail needs to convince Angelos to allow him to do the job he was hired to do and if that means passing on Tex at the price it would cost to sign him, so be it. Or Angelos needs to convince MacPhail that Tex is worth whatever it takes and that it's a good use of finite payroll resources. I can't see Angelos telling MacPhail to do something he doesn't think is a good idea...

If he did, then the question would be does MacPhail stick around. He either has complete control of baseball operations or he doesn't. Ownership dictating which players to acquire is not complete control of baseball operations by any definition.

[davearm]

Of all the things Scott Boras might be, stupid is not one of them if history is any indication. I agree that Boras shouldn't be allowed to set the agenda for resolving the many problems facing the Orioles this off season, but to think that this team is in any position to control the tempo of negotiations for the premier available free agent is completely unrealistic IMO.

Agreed.

If the O's want to control the timeline here, their option is to give Tex/Boras whatever pie-in-the-sky contract it is they'll be asking for out of the gate.

That'll get the situation resolved very expediently.

Short of that, though, Tex/Boras will have all the leverage.