The Teixeira Watch: Part IV

[RyanAdams420]

But is it relevant when the other offers are at $160M or $180M?

Relevant? No. But $150M is nothing to sneeze at.

[JTrea81]

Yeah, that does sound a little too specific for my liking. I was also told that he still hasn't heard anything about a wow offer, so I'm taking it with a grain of salt. I told him I'd believe it when I saw it.

If anything, what he told me made it seem that if our insiders are correct, we still have an opportunity to swoop in at the last minute.

Tex having an opt out clause at age 35 makes no sense so that right away makes me think this info is false.

If there was an opt out, it would be after 3-4 years so Tex could still be in his prime.

[markpolis]

I also find it interesting that you are hearing nothing from Boras.

Oh, we're hearing from Boras, just not directly. The Puppet-Master is at his best right now.

Who do you think "leaked" the information to Karl Ravech about Tex being really interested in signing with the Orioles? This peaked the interest of the Red Sox, Nationals and Angels and more than likely got them to up their offer.

Who do you think now is leaking the Orioles are out of it? Now it's the Orioles turn. If Tex really, really does want to play for Baltimore, Boras is going to squeeze every last penny out of PA.

These leaks have Boras written all over them. Once again, Boras is playing the market perfectly. Say what you want about the guy, but he knows how to play the game.

IMO, the Puppet-Master is speaking loud and clear.

[Moose Milligan]

Honestly, as Moose said before, I'm tired of the roller coaster ride. This is where I get off the ride and get back to reality. I have been so wrapped up in this, that it has drained me of all the energy I would normally put in to these threads. Having said that, it doesn't matter to me where Tex signs anymore, this has gotten way out of hand with everything. I'm tired of it, my fiancee is tired of it and he just needs to flat out say, "This is the contract I want. Whoever has it to me first with all the things I want included, gets me."

Your fiance sounds like he wants you to sign a pre-nup.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Mackus]

But see the thing is, different people at ESPN HAVE said we upped our offer.

Ravech said it yesterday: "the remarkable thing is, everytime one team ups their offer all of the rest match it."

Olney is the first person in the entire media thus far to say we have NOT upped our offer. He is the first person to say that AT ESPN less than 24 hours after we have "upped it" so its very confusing is all.

Its not like these guys are hearing the same information and then just making up reports based on that.

There are dozens of sources from each team involved in this, plus another handful at least from the Boras/Tex side of things. Its entirely possible, hell, its a damn near certainty IMO, that Ravech heard what he reported from someone he considers a "trusted source" and that Olney also heard exactly what he reported from someone he considers a "trusted source".

These guys, and our insiders, are essentially playing a giant game of Telephone, except there are multiple branches that the word gets passed down, not just one line.

[Dirtyburnie]

Maybe this is what the hold up is....

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/LeIHtegDV1VkXlPH8Uou

[MomoMan316]

Seven years at $20+M a year is not a weak pointless offer. In fact, I'm worried that they'll go over that.

When its less then any other team, it sure is a pointless weak offer. If you plan on making an offer like that, don't even bother making it. Orioles should go over that. Anyone who thinks they shouldn't is a fool. Tex is worth it especialy to this team and this city. Him going to the Nats or Red Sox would be horrible for the Orioles, more so the Red Sox in a competive from and Nats on a PR front. Orioles need to do what is needed to sign Tex, they need to step up with the big boys. They have tons of money coming off the books after this season, this team needs a big bat to build around with all the young talent coming in. He means more to the Orioles then any other team, they need to make an offer that shows that. 7 years for $145 is not that offer!

[BLUEZMAN03]

Am I the only one who KNOWS we're not getting Tex?

No way dude. I'm in the same boat with you.

[Flosman]

Today actually reminds me of the day MW signed. All of the media reports were that the O's did not get it done and that it was offically over. Matt was going back in the next years draft. The O's were simply too cheap. There were threads that said all sorts of horrible things about Matt and the O's FO. Well guess what a deal got done. I think if we were really out AM would say so. There is no PR advantage to letting this drag out if we are not in the game anymore. It maintains fan expectations that are just not going to be fullfilled and adds to the ill will felt towards the management of the O's. This being said I have no idea if this gets done but no one else does either. Look at the Furcal deal/no deal with the braves. Things change misinformation is used people run with the first hint of what they want or expect to hear and act as if it is a fact. This IMO goes for reporters as well us insiders and fans.

[stomperspc]

The best part of the sumamry that was posted a few pages back is that only ONE of the things mentioned ("Tex has signed with the Orioles") originated from the Hangout. The rest are things that have all been said in the national and/or local media and mostly by ESPN. It goes to show that nobody really knows what is going on. I understand Roch's frustration with having to continually shoot down rumors, but these rumors are coming from all over the place, including ESPN.

I'm just going to go witht he thought that nobody knows what is really going on and until we hear Tex has signed, I will assume we have as good of a chance as the other three teams involved.

[winudi]

I agree with you and am very confused as to why they'd spend so much. The last time I talked to my father, he said his source said that Boston wasn't going to go very high for those exact reasons. Now a deal is almost done according to him. Like I said, take it with a grain of salt, because I can't get my father to budge on verifying his source, so I have no idea if it is true. I just thought it was some news to pass along.

Yeah, I appreciate the information and I wasn't trying to call you out. I just find it very interesting that your Dad gave the same numbers Schmuck put on the internet this morning. I know you want Teix to sign here. If I knew anyone or had anything to contribute, I would post it too. Thanks.

[hoosiers]

It sounds like a lot of high-stakes negotations to me and AM/PA are just as good at this as Boras (and to note there are some wise negotiators sitting in Boston and Washington as well). If Tex wants to go where there is the most $, it is difficult to believe we can beat Boston's final $ without putting the franchise in serious financial distress in the last three or four years of the deal.

I find reports that we have not increased our first offer likely to be accurate. I would expect we will come in with a stronger bid from that first offer at the appropriate time. If we are heavily outbid, then there will not be an appropriate time to increase our offer. If we know where the final bar is to sign Tex and we can get there, then we will increase from that first offer.

The first offer was a strong one because it has a higher per season salary than most of the deals we have heard so far. That's a wise way to negotiate, IMO.

[LAOSfan]

I can't keep up with all the posts here, so this may have already been said, but it looks to me like Roch's latest blog entries are calling out Belkast pretty badly.

I love reading this board for all the rumors. I love listening to Belkast and know that he's well intentioned. However, with this whole Tex thing, if we don't sign him, Belkast is going to have to go into hiding with all the mad posters on this board. It'd be one thing if Belkast said that he was just optimistic, but the posts where he's made it sound like it's a done deal and such are going to be his undoing if this doesn't come through.

This is ridiculous. He is just telling us what he is being told and as he and the other insiders have said countless times, "Take it for what it's worth" and "lots of things can change quickly." I don't think anyone should be mad at Belkast or Sonny or any other insider that has posted information.

[KyleBoller4Prez]

Relevant? No. But $150M is nothing to sneeze at.

Absolutely it isn't...but all this money must be taken into context. Are we offering a lot? Sure. But are we offering $20M to $50M less than other teams might be...possibly. If that's the case our offer is not relevant. I love the O's but if Boston paid me an extra $50M I'd probably go play there too.

[bej6789]

If we believed every little nugget, message board post, ESPN report.... all of our heads would explode. It amazes me how up until this point we must have sifted through over potentially 50 reports on where Tex is going, yet when a new negative one pops up I still for some reason beileve it like this is the one. I really doubt that the Red Sox are offer 192 over 8 years, really and truely. If that were the case, he would be a Red Sock. There's just no way the Orioles are going to be able to top that offer. The Orioles would need 10 years most likely just to make it to 200 million.