ESPN's Ravech: Teixeira has "enormous attraction to the Orioles" Close to signing

[TJ Wrangler]

We have Scott as a decent DH and we need SP, it doesn't make sense to spend $200 mm + for one more player.

Well until we sign that 200 mil player, what good pitcher is going to want to come here?

Also, if Scott is our DH, who plays left field?

In this scenario, I'd take...

DH: Anderson

LF: Scott/Reimold platoon

1B: Teixeira

With Huff traded for pitching or sent packing for draft picks over...

DH: Scott

1B: Anderson

LF: Reimold?

Don't get me wrong, Anderson is a great prospect and will probably be the next Boston star, but our team can afford both. Teixeira will help rejuvenate our organization, and we can afford the costs.

[Big Mac]

I think its 6's. I think the O's have a better prospects from 1-5, but I really think the Nats are deeper, especially with the upcoming draft having 2 first round picks.

I think the top of the O's system is much, much better. I also think our system is deeper.

[Hank Scorpio]

My question is why wouldn't you??? Would you sign Tex to a 4 year $80 million deal???? I would. If he opts out after 4 years the 9 year $180 million deal becomes a 4 year $80 million one.

We would have to be horrid for him to opt out of that deal, IMO.

[DiehardO's]

Baseball America says so. I'll take their opinion over yours.

Depends how you look at it, we have the best minor league player period tho.

[Migrant Redbird]

Just a random thought:

How many people would go out any by Holiday 4-packs or 13 game plans or other ticket plans based SOLELY on the O's signing Tex? I have friends that said they would go the next day.

Has anyone besides Scott Boras run the numbers to figure out whether or not signing Teixeira would bring in enough ticket and advertising revenue to pay for that obscene contract?

I can honestly say that I'm pulling for the O's, but it probably wouldn't cause me to buy a single ticket. Now if the O's would host the Cardinals in interleague play....

[twoBshorty]

Mammoth contract plus no-trade plus opt-out clause? So we will get Tex because Epstein is not a flaming moron? Boy, that gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

I hate opt-out clauses. They give the player all the flexibility and the team all the downside. So you get the player for 3-4 years, at which point you are guaranteed (because Boras clients have always done this, without fail) that he will opt out and extort you for more money or else leave a big hole in the middle of your lineup right when you are starting to need him the most. That "hometown discount" better exist outside the theoretical realm if he's getting all that.

Apologies for the crabbiness, my dinner stunk.

[Big Mac]

Baseball America says so. I'll take their opinion over yours.

Link?

The general consensus is that the O's system is much better.

[Sports Guy]

My question is why wouldn't you??? Would you sign Tex to a 4 year $80 million deal???? I would. If he opts out after 4 years the 9 year $180 million deal becomes a 4 year $80 million one.

I don't disagree....It just depends on what year he wants the opt out...If he wants it after year 3, then i can see why the Orioles don't want to do it...But any year after that, they should be happy with it.

[PapaRick]

Um the Nationals probably have a better system then us.

Your first post - welcome to the OH.

However, I don't think their system is close to ours. Here is John Sickels summary posted in November:

The Nationals system is not as bad as you think it is, but it isn’t very good, either. They have a lot of depth in C+ style prospects, but lack impact talents beyond the top few, and even guys like Marrero and Detwiler have big question marks. Health has been a big issue for a lot of their players. They need to continue being aggressive in the draft, and further investments in Latin America would likely help.

Source: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/11/21/667552/washington-nationals-top-2

And, in comparison, his take on the O's system, posted the day before:

This organization has rapidly improved over the last couple of years. Drafting early has helped that, but willingness to actually spend money on good players (Wieters, Arrrieta, Matusz) is a key factor that some other early-drafting teams have missed. Trades have helped bring additional depth, and they’ve shown some ability to develop sleeper types. High school bats such as Snyder and Rowell have brought mixed results, but overall the level of talent in the farm system is something that Baltimore fans should be happy about.

Source: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/11/18/665005/baltimore-orioles-top-20-p

[Birds08]

Does anyone else feel that if we had any of our previous GMs of the last 7-8 years, and did not have a guy as bright and respected as MacPhail, that we would have absolutely no chance at Tex? I do.

[The Rick]

My question is why wouldn't you??? Would you sign Tex to a 4 year $80 million deal???? I would. If he opts out after 4 years the 9 year $180 million deal becomes a 4 year $80 million one.

This is a good way to look at it, and I think ultimately the opt-out clause is designed for more money, not necessarily a contingency on rather or not the O's are contenders then or not. In fact, I'd bet he'd opt-out and try to get more per year even if we were competitive.

[markpolis]

I really hope your guy is wrong here. That's enough to kill a deal.

Not that I'd be surprised.

I disagree. If it's gotten this far, there is no way AM and PA lose the deal because of an opt out or no trade clause.

[TinCup]

MY sense is there are a lot of people hitting the F5 key on the key board again and again and again and again...a lot of times.......

[wickedwitch]

We have four prospects in the Top 50 of all minor league baseball. The Gnats have zero.

What does that tell you?

Jordan Zimmermann is one of the top 50 prospects by most other rankings.

[Duke2010]

Um the Nationals probably have a better system then us.

Our system is better and it's not even that close in my opinion. I'd take our group of pitching over their's any day of the week, although they do have some decent looking depth to their credit. Marrero and Burgess are solid positional players, but I'd take our top two positional guys over them everytime as well (say Wieters/Reimold or Wieters/Snyder.) Like I said, they have some depth, but I'd put our pitching depth as being close to the A's and Rays.