Schmuck on Tex

[Mike B]

I don't get it Mike ... The Orioles need a SS, 1B , & 2 SP. Regardless of the order in which they address those needs they need to get done this offseason.

I think if you can get Tex first great!

But be sure to sign Burnett & Dempster or something close.

Find a way to get Wood, Donald, or Brignac... Get the one that you can trade for a reasonable offer.

I think we are in agreement. If we can sign Tex and then sign or trade for the pitching and SS then as I have said, that is the perfect world, I do not see the Orioles going deep enough in the FA market to accomplish the majority of their needs. As some of the posters have mentioned we could trade Mora, Roberts, Huff etc. but I am not sure Tex would consider us seriously if that occured. If we can not afford either through trades or cash, then I think pitching and a SS should be the priorities.

[Sports Guy]

I think we are in agreement. If we can sign Tex and then sign or trade for the pitching and SS then as I have said, that is the perfect world, I do not see the Orioles going deep enough in the FA market to accomplish the majority of their needs. As some of the posters have mentioned we could trade Mora, Roberts, Huff etc. but I am not sure Tex would consider us seriously if that occured. If we can not afford either through trades or cash, then I think pitching and a SS should be the priorities.

Why not?

As of right now, BRob, Huff and Mora will be ex O's after 2009 or, in other words, that last 5-7 years of his deal. Do you really think Tex would be broken up with the Orioles dealt their 37 year old third baseman?

Tex likely wouldn't sign here with the anticipation that we will be contending in 2009, so I really doubt he will care if any of those guys are here or not.

The only one he may care about is BRob but even then, BRob being gone or not will not outweigh money.

[Mackus]

Why not?

As of right now, BRob, Huff and Mora will be ex O's after 2009 or, in other words, that last 5-7 years of his deal. Do you really think Tex would be broken up with the Orioles dealt their 37 year old third baseman?

Tex likely wouldn't sign here with the anticipation that we will be contending in 2009, so I really doubt he will care if any of those guys are here or not.

The only one he may care about is BRob but even then, BRob being gone or not will not outweigh money.

I think having those guys around (especially Roberts) will make Baltimore a more attractive destination for Tex.

However, how much more attractive the team is with or without those guys is far down in the noise among reasons Tex would sign here. The biggest reason will be money. If we offer him $1-2M more annually and/or one extra year than anyone else, he signs here. If we don't and we're among several other teams with very similar offers, then its a tossup, I think he probably goes someplace where he'll compete immediately (NY, Anaheim, Boston) rather than someplace close to home (Baltimore) and third will be anyone else (SF). If we're behind by $1-2M annually and/or one fewer year, we have no chance of signing him.

[Mike B]

Why not?

As of right now, BRob, Huff and Mora will be ex O's after 2009 or, in other words, that last 5-7 years of his deal. Do you really think Tex would be broken up with the Orioles dealt their 37 year old third baseman?

Tex likely wouldn't sign here with the anticipation that we will be contending in 2009, so I really doubt he will care if any of those guys are here or not.

The only one he may care about is BRob but even then, BRob being gone or not will not outweigh money.

We have argued this to exhaustion. I think when he gets down to weighing which team is going to make him richer he is going to also look at the supporting cast (MJ's term). I think he will recognize very quickly, that the Orioles are the short straw in that regard. I honestly think that he will want to know what they are doing to improve the horrible pitching and generally guys in AA are not enough. IMO Roberts and Huff on the roster along with quick investment in major league pitching is the only thing that gets Tex here. That would take a pile of Pete's money. Let's hope PA's 401K, is in tact.

[BaltimoreTerp]

We have argued this to exhaustion. I think when he gets down to weighing which team is going to make him richer he is going to also look at the supporting cast (MJ's term). I think he will recognize very quickly, that the Orioles are the short straw in that regard. I honestly think that he will want to know what they are doing to improve the horrible pitching and generally guys in AA are not enough. IMO Roberts and Huff on the roster along with quick investment in major league pitching is the only thing that gets Tex here. That would take a pile of Pete's money. Let's hope PA's 401K, is in tact.

So, you don't think he's willing to look beyond 2009?

[Mike B]

So, you don't think he's willing to look beyond 2009?

I would hope he would, but to quote a wll known football coach, he would have to take a " leap of faith". Honestly I do not see anyway that we can trade Roberts, Huff, Mora etc. and still land Texiera. There is no quarantee that any of the prospects get here in time to stop the losing. In the risk of ticking off more people on the board, I honestly feel we will need to add 2 pitchers to have any shot at Tex. He is smart enough to look at our team and realize that we have a rotation that consists of Jeremy Guthrie.

[Sports Guy]

I would hope he would, but to quote a wll known football coach, he would have to take a " leap of faith". Honestly I do not see anyway that we can trade Roberts, Huff, Mora etc. and still land Texiera. There is no quarantee that any of the prospects get here in time to stop the losing. In the risk of ticking off more people on the board, I honestly feel we will need to add 2 pitchers to have any shot at Tex. He is smart enough to look at our team and realize that we have a rotation that consists of Jeremy Guthrie.

Again, those guys may be gone after 2009...Do you really think Tex is going to say, I won't sign with you unless you extend Huff and Mora?

You greatly overrate those players if you actually believe that.

[Mackus]

I would hope he would, but to quote a wll known football coach, he would have to take a " leap of faith". Honestly I do not see anyway that we can trade Roberts, Huff, Mora etc. and still land Texiera. There is no quarantee that any of the prospects get here in time to stop the losing. In the risk of ticking off more people on the board, I honestly feel we will need to add 2 pitchers to have any shot at Tex. He is smart enough to look at our team and realize that we have a rotation that consists of Jeremy Guthrie.

If one team overwhelms all the other offers, I guarantee he ends up there. So we could trade Wieters, Roberts, and Markakis for Bob Hamelin and I still think we'd sign him if we offer an extra year or two and $3M more annually.

If we don't move anybody I don't think we need to outbid by that much to land him, just need to be the biggest offer. I do agree who is here will have some impact on his decision, but only in determining how much more, if any, we need to offer to get him, not if he will or won't come here for whatever he decides is the right price. And it'll only impact the "overpay" rate by maybe $1-2M per year. Not a huge factor, IMO.

[Fan4Life]

I think having those guys around (especially Roberts) will make Baltimore a more attractive destination for Tex.

However, how much more attractive the team is with or without those guys is far down in the noise among reasons Tex would sign here. The biggest reason will be money. If we offer him $1-2M more annually and/or one extra year than anyone else, he signs here. If we don't and we're among several other teams with very similar offers, then its a tossup, I think he probably goes someplace where he'll compete immediately (NY, Anaheim, Boston) rather than someplace close to home (Baltimore) and third will be anyone else (SF). If we're behind by $1-2M annually and/or one fewer year, we have no chance of signing him.

We're only about a couple $Mil and a year apart in our thinking here... I almost feel validated.

If you're not aware, I have been expressing it'll take 2 more years if the money is about the same, and closer to $5mil per season if the years are the same. I base this on his public sentiments that playing for a contender is high on his priority list, which could be just propaganda.

I would amend my comments to say that they are based on no notable moves being made previous to the offer to Tex.

[Sports Guy]

We're only about a couple $Mil and a year apart in our thinking here... I almost feel validated.

If you're not aware, I have been expressing it'll take 2 more years if the money is about the same, and closer to $5mil per season if the years are the same. I base this on his public sentiments that playing for a contender is high on his priority list, which could be just propaganda.

I would amend my comments to say that they are based on no notable moves being made previous to the offer to Tex.

But the public comments that he wants to play for Baltimore mean nothing?

[Mike B]

Again, those guys may be gone after 2009...Do you really think Tex is going to say, I won't sign with you unless you extend Huff and Mora?

You greatly overrate those players if you actually believe that.

No, but what I think he will do is look at the Orioles as a hole and see horrible pitching, rookies or young players at 2B, SS, 3B, CF, C and say No thanks and good luck. I Have heard him say that the Orioles were his favorite team and as a kid he always dreamed of playing for them, but I also have heard him say he wants to play for a contender. Under your scenario he would have to forfeit 2009 and 2010. That is asking a lot. PA will have to spend more in years and $$$ to overcome that and not by a little. Sign 2 pitchers and trade for a young SS and he comes into the picture quickly.

[24fps]

I think having those guys around (especially Roberts) will make Baltimore a more attractive destination for Tex.

However, how much more attractive the team is with or without those guys is far down in the noise among reasons Tex would sign here. The biggest reason will be money. If we offer him $1-2M more annually and/or one extra year than anyone else, he signs here. If we don't and we're among several other teams with very similar offers, then its a tossup, I think he probably goes someplace where he'll compete immediately (NY, Anaheim, Boston) rather than someplace close to home (Baltimore) and third will be anyone else (SF). If we're behind by $1-2M annually and/or one fewer year, we have no chance of signing him.

I agree with all of this, except I think it will take more like $3-$5 million a year over NY, Boston or Anaheim. I think a lot of people (this is not directed at you) underestimate the allure of playing for a winner.

You bring up the Giants as potential suitors. If the money was equal, a good case could be made that SF is a far more attractive destination than Baltimore because of their great young pitching staff, and the overall weakness of the NL West. SF could be competing long before the Orioles are, even factoring in the Giant's current dearth of on-field talent.

[BaltimoreTerp]

I agree with all of this, except I think it will take more like $3-$5 million a year over NY, Boston or Anaheim. I think a lot of people (this is not directed at you) underestimate the allure of playing for a winner.

What about the allure of being part of the turn-around of the team you loved growing up?

[JTrea81]

The one think I'm shocked by is that the Angels haven't even attempted to offer Tex anything yet. They've got only 10 more days to be the only team to talk numbers and nothing.

What happened to them being aggressive in signing Tex? For a team that supposedly has re-signing him as a #1 priority, they sure are wasting time...

[Mackus]

The one think I'm shocked by is that the Angels haven't even attempted to offer Tex anything yet. They've got only 10 more days to be the only team to talk numbers and nothing.

What happened to them being aggressive in signing Tex? For a team that supposedly has re-signing him as a #1 priority, they sure are wasting time...

I think they know that offering him anything right now is a waste of time. Theres an equal chance of him retiring as there is of him signing a deal before hitting the open market.