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

[Frobby]

I, for one, don't understand Olney's apparent bias against the Orioles... did he not, early on in his "journalism" career, work in Baltimore?

Three things are in play here:

1. The average fan cares more about what happens with the Yankees and Sox than what happens with the Orioles. If the Sox or Yanks get Tex that has significant effect on the balance of power at the top of the AL East. If the O's get Tex maybe they have a shot at .500 this year. And even though getting Tex might be part of a long-term plan for the O's, ESPN isn't spending a lot of time worrying about the long term. Their viewers want to know what's going to happen in 2009, not what might happen in 2011.

2. From his years in Baltimore, Olney is very skeptical of Peter Angelos' ability to do anything right. Can you blame him? Olney has spoken well of the Orioles' fans, but he has the opinion that the guy at the top of the food chain is a clown.

3. Olney doesn't think it makes sense for the O's to mortgage their future to go after Tex. That's a legitimate opinion to hold and doesn't require an anti-Oriole bias. Many posters on this board believe that.

[zff4]

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.

Oh I'm not questioning their motives, I applaud going after the most generous employer.

I'm just arguing that how much they are renumerated is, and should be, closely related to MLB's profitability and that players should share proportionately. Players aren't elected officials or work on the public payroll after all, and how much they make should reflect the scarcity of their skills. Given the unprecendented money flowing into MLB coffers, when someone (especially owners) complain about players seeking out the most generous employer, it feels like niggardly complaining that Bob Cratchet is overpaid.

[davearm]

Just fired off an e-mail to Buster with the Sun article link which MacPhail said the Orioles offer could go up...

I've had enough of this hometown discount crap...

Where did he say that?

I thought the term MacPhail used was "flexible".

For all we know, the flexibility MacPhail's referring to is in non-monetary elements of the contract (NTC, opt out, perks, etc). Or he could be referring to flexible ways of allocating salaries to years while still coming to the same total value.

Flexible and higher are definitely not the same thing.

[geschinger]

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.

I must of missed that, how are they in better shape than NY who could pay Teix 30m if they so choose and still succeed and cutting payroll?

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:

If it were to leak that the Orioles upped their offer they almost certainly would be talked about more. Until they do on what basis would any of these media members conclude that Baltimore is a player in the Teix sweepstakes? Try to look at things from the other perspective and the view changes dramatically.

[LookinUp]

The implication on ESPN's front page is that Boras is bluffing, and that the Sox have caught him. Like many have said, ESPN reports what they're being told. I wonder if this story has a Sox origin?

[MarylandTerp08]

This is literally never going to end.

[Todd-O]

I think all of this talk about Mark Teixeira has gone completely NUTTY.

Okay, so he's a nice player... but come on. This guy is no D. Jeter. He might have a better personality and be a better teammate than A-Rod, but he certainly isn't as "skilled." He doesn't have the absolute game changing ability of, say Manny... and if he does, I simply haven't seen it. And, it's funny, I have a ton of friends -- including one die-hard Braves fan -- make very similar comments.

And I have to agree ---

So why are people talking about $180 million for this Teixeira guy??? Why are Oriole fans so desperate - despite the fact that our team is far away from needing to dole out the cash for a player like this -- for this guy? This is almost like the phenomena car shoppers or ebayers have. They get attached to an item and start over bidding or over-valuing. They covet.

I look at these absolutely ABSURD offerings to Mark Teixeira and simply roll my eyes. They are completely ABSURD. All of this $$$ for a player that hasn't carried a team... or proven to be an invaluable Captain... that hasn't come up big in the playoff crunch or the W.S.

A week ago, I wrote that I would be really frustrated if the Red Sox get this guy on his team. But, after having watched this LAME draw-out process drag-on... I'm actually sick of Mark Teixeira. I hope he does go to Boston. I hope they absolutely OVERPAY for his services... and I hope he plays his days out there in a Mike Greenwell-esqu form. And I further hope that Tampa Rays take their young stud - Longoria... who, I might add actually did step up the playoffs and put on a Mega-SHOW... and their other talented players to Boston to stop the Red Sox inside and out. Crush them.

Please, Orioles, don't give this Teixeira guy the cash. When the time is right there will be others like him... or better... waiting.

[pmurray34]

The implication on ESPN's front page is that Boras is bluffing, and that the Sox have caught him. Like many have said, ESPN reports what they're being told. I wonder if this story has a Sox origin?

I think its pretty obvious he was bluffing, every team involved denied raising their offer.

[pmurray34]

I think all of this talk about Mark Teixeira has gone completely NUTTY.

Okay, so he's a nice player... but come on. This guy is no D. Jeter. He might have a better personality and be a better teammate than A-Rod, but he certainly isn't as "skilled." He doesn't have the absolute game changing ability of, say Manny... and if he does, I simply haven't seen it. And, it's funny, I have a ton of friends -- including one die-hard Braves fan -- make very similar comments.

And I have to agree ---

So why are people talking about $180 million for this Teixeira guy??? Why are Oriole fans so desperate - despite the fact that our team is far away from needing to dole out the cash for a player like this -- for this guy? This is almost like the phenomena car shoppers or ebayers have. They get attached to an item and start over bidding or over-valuing. They covet.

I look at these absolutely ABSURD offerings to Mark Teixeira and simply roll my eyes. They are completely ABSURD. All of this $$$ for a player that hasn't carried a team... or proven to be an invaluable Captain... that hasn't come up big in the playoff crunch or the W.S.

A week ago, I wrote that I would be really frustrated if the Red Sox get this guy on his team. But, after having watched this LAME draw-out process drag-on... I'm actually sick of Mark Teixeira. I hope he does go to Boston. I hope they absolutely OVERPAY for his services... and I hope he plays his days out there in a Mike Greenwell-esqu form. And I further hope that Tampa Rays take their young stud - Longoria... who, I might add actually did step up the playoffs and put on a Mega-SHOW... and their other talented players to Boston to stop the Red Sox inside and out. Crush them.

Please, Orioles, don't give this Teixeira guy the cash. When the time is right there will be others like him... or better... waiting.

I would take Tex any day of the week over Jeter.

[hihop07]

This is a great blog by Roy Johnson from Yahoo Sports.

"Mark Teixeira is losing friends" - http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/Mark-Teixeira-is-losing-friends;_ylt=AlpV4XKP_2vlZeckkFqRTnMRvLYF?urn=top,130612

"In fact, you're both beginning to bore a lot of people, from coast-to-coast. Already two teams -- the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles/Anaheim Angels -- have grown weary of you. Both have said they're done with the game, done with your apparent need for a contract worth more than $160 million over eight years."

[ejf1025]

You all give way too much importance to these reports and who/why they were leaked plus their use as negotiation/leverage tools.

None of these teams are going to run and panic because Olney, Kubatko, Gammons, Rosenthal or anybody else has a "source."

[Hank Scorpio]

I think all of this talk about Mark Teixeira has gone completely NUTTY.

Okay, so he's a nice player... but come on. This guy is no D. Jeter. He might have a better personality and be a better teammate than A-Rod, but he certainly isn't as "skilled." He doesn't have the absolute game changing ability of, say Manny... and if he does, I simply haven't seen it. And, it's funny, I have a ton of friends -- including one die-hard Braves fan -- make very similar comments.

And I have to agree ---

So why are people talking about $180 million for this Teixeira guy??? Why are Oriole fans so desperate - despite the fact that our team is far away from needing to dole out the cash for a player like this -- for this guy? This is almost like the phenomena car shoppers or ebayers have. They get attached to an item and start over bidding or over-valuing. They covet.

I look at these absolutely ABSURD offerings to Mark Teixeira and simply roll my eyes. They are completely ABSURD. All of this $$$ for a player that hasn't carried a team... or proven to be an invaluable Captain... that hasn't come up big in the playoff crunch or the W.S.

A week ago, I wrote that I would be really frustrated if the Red Sox get this guy on his team. But, after having watched this LAME draw-out process drag-on... I'm actually sick of Mark Teixeira. I hope he does go to Boston. I hope they absolutely OVERPAY for his services... and I hope he plays his days out there in a Mike Greenwell-esqu form. And I further hope that Tampa Rays take their young stud - Longoria... who, I might add actually did step up the playoffs and put on a Mega-SHOW... and their other talented players to Boston to stop the Red Sox inside and out. Crush them.

Please, Orioles, don't give this Teixeira guy the cash. When the time is right there will be others like him... or better... waiting.

This is a fun post.

Opposing viewpoints are healthy.

[tennOsfan]

I've come to the conclusion that if we really wanted Tex, or if he really wanted us, we'd be trying to get this done while the Red Sox and Boras pout at each other.

[geschinger]

I think its pretty obvious he was bluffing, every team involved denied raising their offer.

You can never be sure... I bet you could find similar thoughts from Seattle, Atlanta and NY during the ARod negotiations when they were told their big offers were insufficient before finding out that Hicks was certifiably insane.

[Fan4Life]

I must of missed that, how are they in better shape than NY who could pay Teix 30m if they so choose and still succeed and cutting payroll?

If it were to leak that the Orioles upped their offer they almost certainly would be talked about more. Until they do on what basis would any of these media members conclude that Baltimore is a player in the Teix sweepstakes? Try to look at things from the other perspective and the view changes dramatically.

Well, for me, considering the whooplah around the Orioles wanting to bring Teix home, I can't understand their conclusions here. Especially when there's little credible information floating about...