Teixeira watch part IX....The final stages?

[Mackus]

Can we cut it out with the accusations of bias towards Olney, Rosenthal, Gammons, and Roch? I think they are pretty weak. These guys just present the information they are given. They aren't ignoring things or focusing only on one team over another out of any sort of prejudice or agenda.

[RShack]

I find it very strange that there is such a strong discrepancy between the press reports and what ALL THREE of our insiders were saying a week ago. Bigbird, Belkast and Sonny76 all reported that the O's were willing to go as far as 10/$200 mm, and maybe a little higher than that on the money. I realize bigbird's source has been the most pessimistic, but nevertheless we heard 10/$200 mm from him. So how is it that Olney now says we offered 7/$140 mm and haven't budged and won't budge?

Either all three insiders got wrong information, Olney has wrong information, or the O's are playing a very strange game of chicken.

I don't know why anybody would think Olney could know whether the O's will or won't budge. You think AM confides in Olney?

Other than that, I don't see what's so strange.

Perhaps what the O's are "willing to go" is different than what is necessary.

I would not expect AM to spend more than is necessary.

[emmett16]

If he worked in Baltimore and they've been terrible (and still are), wouldn't you be pretty peeved? It's not as if the Orioles have given him much to be positive about over the years.

He worked in Bmore in 95 and 96...we were good then, I'm guessing he was asked to leave...who knows?!?!

[isestrex]

I am starting to think Roch is right...Unless Tex instructs Boras to get this done in the next 24 hours, I doubt it gets done before Christmas...And Tex will do what Boras says IMO.

The question is, what are they waiting for?

Boras is bewildered why he's not getting the big bucks from Boston and New York and is trying his best to sqeeze out the very max he can before making the decision final.

[tywright]

He worked in Bmore in 95 and 96...we were good then, I'm guessing he was asked to leave...who knows?!?!

He was offered a job with the NY Times

[El Gordo]

Well the industry source is most likely Boras or someone close to him so you can at least ascertain that it is fact based on comments by AM (or lack there of) and the media in the past 10 days. As for AM not acknowledging his negotiations in public, this is no different from any other GM. It's all about perception and keeping other teams as uninformed as possible. IMO, it's a good sign that our offer isn't public knowledge.

I don't know why anyone would take anything emanating from Boras' camp as fact. Just because the media keeps repeating something doesn't make it so. Especially sports media. For all we know our initial offer may be higher than 7/150.

[Shopay]

I am starting to think Roch is right...Unless Tex instructs Boras to get this done in the next 24 hours, I doubt it gets done before Christmas...And Tex will do what Boras says IMO.

The question is, what are they waiting for?

IMO, they're trying to create that purported (perhaps imaginary) offer that Boras used in the Boston meeting. If the media reports are correct, after Boras met with the Boston contingency on Thursday, he called the Yanks the next day. I suspect it was to try to drum up that big offer he had pitched to the Sox. Two GMs (Sox and Angels) have now called Boras' bluff. If he doesn't have the big offer in hand, he's "painted himself into a box" somewhat, similiar to the ARod mess last year. At some point he would have to go back to the Sox, if they still have the high offer. But how and when would you do it? You would certainly have to let a little time pass in hopes of creating that big offer, and to save some face. Personally, I think all the GMs are now waiting Boras out.

[geschinger]

I get tired of reading posts that refer to players as "money-hungry" or "money-grubbing" as though they weren't the professionals they are; as though there weren't so incredibly few men with skills like this; with no consideration regarding the astronomical profitability of MLB; and as if there was something immoral or unethical in players both sharing in MLB's profits and working for the most money an employer will give them; or as if the criteria a player uses to determine if he has enough to provide for himself and his family is a public issue upon which your opinion has weight.

Baseball players are public figures. Their salaries are published in the newspapers. Fans have every right to make judgements about players and to question their motives when it comes to selecting their employers. I honestly do not understand why anyone would have a problem w/that any moreso than those who complain about greedy owners pocketing their profits.

[Fan4Life]

MacPhail is keeping quiet with an offer that seemingly is less than the others. Teix ending up in NY or BOS makes the most sense if we beleive the Angels are out and therefore the ones that will be speculated about. There is nothing unexpected or even wrong w/the coverage.

I suppose... but it's lazy reporting to me. Bluedog has posted how the Orioles are in a better financial position at this point in time than NY or Boston to bid on any specific player. Olny and the media gang are simply looking at how the Orioles have operated in the past and not only assuming nothing has changed, but that it shouldn't. That we shouldn't even be in this conversation. Which, now that I think about it... so do you.... :clap3:

[PaulBako]

Tex's father was a Red Sox fan. I wonder if he is still alive? Maybe he would want Tex to go to Boston? :scratchchinhmm:

[NewMarketSean]

Tex's father was a Red Sox fan. I wonder if he is still alive? Maybe he would want Tex to go to Boston? :scratchchinhmm:

The Red Sox also told baseball that Tex was unsignable. There may still be some resentment there, but I am sure $$$ can make him forget.

[El Gordo]

I don't think it's strange that what we're hearing from insiders on how far the Orioles will go is so different from what's out there in the media on where they will go. That just seems like a good bargaining strategy. Why would they want the world to know that they're willing to go that high? Of course, if there is any credibility whatsoever to what the insiders say, Boras would be a fool to not check on here for inside tips on what the Orioles limit is.

I have no doubt he has underlings doing just that for all the message boards of involve teams.

[javadawg44]

Let's see. Boston....

Perennial winners? Check

Boatloads of cash to throw around? Check

Relative closeness to his family in MD? Check

Boston are the frontrunners for a reason. Just because Olney isn't going out of his way to say the O's are still in it when they haven't even hinted about upping their offer doesnt mean that Olney hates Baltimore or the O's. Most people are saying that signing Tex doesnt make sense for the O's when their ERA was close to 5.00 last year.

It is what it is.

Agreed. Five years from now, after a few more good draft hauls and some time for the kids to mature, this will be a different conversation. But for now, there's a reason the spotlight is shining somewhere else. Keep building the way that the FO is going though, and this has some good potential. The Rays, Rockies, etc have shown that it can work.

[OsandRavens787]

The Red Sox also told baseball that Tex was unsignable. There may still be some resentment there, but I am sure $$$ can make him forget.

Has Tex shown anyone that he isn't "unsignable" thus far? This whole process is getting REAAAAAAAALY old...

[hihop07]

Whatever happened to the optimism on this board? Seems like when Belkast left, the board crashed to doom/gloom, and straying from topic to topic.

Let's just hope for the best and try to have a good week and holidays.