MacPhail cites Tex offer as proof the Orioles will spend money

[JTrea81]

From Melewski's blog:

MacPhail insists any media or fan skeptics that question whether the club is willing to offer a big contract under the right circumstances, are off base.

"We offered over 140 million dollars to Teixeria, who could have just as easily accepted it and I wish he had. To think we wouldn't go out there or that offer somehow is not genuine is absurd. It's over twice what was offered in the history of the franchise before.

"People should see now why we thought that was a legitimate get. If we could have had a switch-hitting, good defensive first baseman in the middle of a lineup that already had Roberts and Jones with Markakis, Reimold and Wieters, we would have had something special going forward for a while.

"We have to be careful about who those (big dollar) players are. And I have to be responsible. Contracts of that magnitude, unless you are an extroadinarily wealthy club, can sink a franchise. You have to be judicious when you go out there. But we were out there a year ago."

So the Orioles, under the right circumstances, are not against offering a free agent a big-dollar contract?

"We've already done it. Did it last year."

Seems to me Andy still doesn't quite get it. He offered the lowest amount for Tex of the teams that were pursuing him and yet still thinks that's an acceptable offer. Hopefully he doesn't make that same mistake in judgement when pursuing lesser names.

[murrayfan420]

I agree with Trea. It’s hard to get fired up about the franchise offering the least amount of money to a potential home town savior (regardless of the fact that he always was going to the Yanks anyways). All that proves is they weren’t willing to be a serious player.

[Sports Guy]

Blah blah blah.

End of the day, he offered Tex a token offer and stated that they went after him for "geographical" reasons.

Yes, the offer was genuine and yes the Orioles would have paid him that money but they never had a chance at getting him for that so whatever..Its an empty offer.

Now, if AM wants to prove us wrong, let's see him offer those types of deals more often...and actually get the player.

[mcgraw238]

Blah blah blah.

End of the day, he offered Tex a token offer and stated that they went after him for "geographical" reasons.

Yes, the offer was genuine and yes the Orioles would have paid him that money but they never had a chance at getting him for that so whatever..Its an empty offer.

Now, if AM wants to prove us wrong, let's see him offer those types of deals more often...and actually get the player.

Blah blah blah is correct. AM isn't the one who doesn't get it. That person resides here on OH. If that token offer was accepted it would have been one of the richest contracts in baseball.

[Sports Guy]

Blah blah blah is correct. AM isn't the one who doesn't get it. That person resides here on OH. If that token offer was accepted it would have been one of the richest contracts in baseball.

But its an offer that had no chance of being accepted so what good is it?

[Mackus]

I have little doubt the Orioles will spend when the right guys become available.

I have no doubt that Andy will spend every ounce of the payroll flexibility he is given when the right guys are available. I still have some reservations about Angelos opening up the purse strings, but I am more optimistic of that than I have been in the past.

I don't think Andy will ever take the payroll up by huge leaps and bounds in one offseason though. And he won't max it out early, he'll leave some space for us to continue to resign our own talent down the road. But he'll use the resources available to him as best he can.

[Dipper9]

From Melewski's blog:

Seems to me Andy still doesn't quite get it. He offered the lowest amount for Tex of the teams that were pursuing him and yet still thinks that's an acceptable offer. Hopefully he doesn't make that same mistake in judgement when pursuing lesser names.

Blah blah blah is correct. AM isn't the one who doesn't get it. That person resides here on OH. If that token offer was accepted it would have been one of the richest contracts in baseball.

I agree with Tug. I'll take MacPhail's judgement and his 2 World Series rings and his heritage of father and grandfather in the Hall of Fame over the opinion of a guy who wants us to trade FIVE top prospects for 2 years of Gonzo!

[Moose Milligan]

Only El Trea gets it. He's the one that really knows whats going on.

Maybe the money was right but MacPhail didn't take him to Morton's or Ruth's Chris. That would have put it over the top and got the deal done.

[Sports Guy]

I agree with Trea. It’s hard to get fired up about the franchise offering the least amount of money to a potential home town savior (regardless of the fact that he always was going to the Yanks anyways). All that proves is they weren’t willing to be a serious player.

Yea...This is a guy that AM is stating would have been very important to us..im many ways...And the best he could was put the worst offer on the table and that is supposed to make us believe that the Orioles are going to be serious players for big time FAs?

I will believe it when AM starts offering these types of deals to guys without "geographical advantages"...and not just offering it but improving the offer and getting the player.

I have always said that if a Vlad or Tejada "bargain contract" is out there, I have a lot of confidence that AM can get that player...But outside of that, I don't see him reeling in the big time FAs..which for the most part if a good thing but not always.

[Dipper9]

But its an offer that had no chance of being accepted so what good is it?

Its an offer that wasn't going to be accepted because Tex had NO intentions of coming here, period. It was not because the offer was a "token" one or because it was low.

Had Tex really wanted to come to Baltimore, and had he gone to MacPhail and said, "I really want to play in Baltimore, but the Yanks just offered me $180 million. Can you EQUAL that?" I think MacPhail and Angelos would indeed have equalled that. MacPhail has said many times that the $140-$150 offer was the FIRST offer, and that he was not going to enter a bidding war or let the agent USE the Orioles to drive up the price. He stood pat at the original offer because he KNEW Tex did not want to play in Baltimore.

[Moose Milligan]

"We have to be careful about who those (big dollar) players are. And I have to be responsible. Contracts of that magnitude, unless you are an extroadinarily wealthy club, can sink a franchise. You have to be judicious when you go out there."

Trea, what does this mean to you? Can you summarize this please?

[Sports Guy]

Its an offer that wasn't going to be accepted because Tex had NO intentions of coming here, period. It was not because the offer was a "token" one or because it was low.

Had Tex really wanted to come to Baltimore, and had he gone to MacPhail and said, "I really want to play in Baltimore, but the Yanks just offered me $180 million. Can you EQUAL that?" I think MacPhail and Angelos would indeed have equalled that. MacPhail has said many times that the $140-$150 offer was the FIRST offer, and that he was not going to enter a bidding war or let the agent USE the Orioles to drive up the price. He stood pat at the original offer because he KNEW Tex did not want to play in Baltimore.

Tex was going where the money was...plain and simple..Anyone who believes differently is fooling themselves.

[Lucky Jim]

Trea, what does this mean to you? Can you summarize this please?

From the dictionary of Trea:

Main Entry: ju·di·cious

Pronunciation: \jü-ˈdi-shəs\

Function: adjective

Date: 1591

: having, exercising, or characterized by

— ju·di·cious·ly adverb

— ju·di·cious·ness noun

[Mackus]

Tex was going where the money was...plain and simple..Anyone who believes differently is fooling themselves.

I agree with that, and while I would have been comfortable making a bigger offer than the Yanks did, I understand why MacPhail was not his logic is certainly reasonable.

I also don't think its a waste of time to meet with him and try and sell him on the idea of coming home and being a hero to this city. It was a very long shot, but its not like we missed out on anything else because we were chasing after Tex. If Andy thought that 8/$160M or so was the highest he could risk for Tex given the realities of the rest of the organization, and he knew that it was less than others would go, selling him on the idea of being a hero and coming home to take the discount was his only real option for getting the job done.

I don't think the actual offer he made was the highest he would have been willing to go. But if you never hear a counter from Tex/Boras, there isn't a ton you can do. He made it known that was just an opening offer and he was willing to go higher, but obviously Tex just wasn't interested in taking less than top dollar, which Andy just felt he couldn't match and remain responsible.

[mcgraw238]

But its an offer that had no chance of being accepted so what good is it?

I see what your saying but I don't think its that cut and dry. If the player had a legitimate interest in playing for the hometown team, it is an offer that is big time and worthy of consideration (It is $140 million afterall). AM indicated the ability to improve the offer as well. I always got the impression that the O's offer was in the first round of offers and that the club wasn't really solicited for involvement in the later rounds. That's not to say that the club couldn't have upped the ante into the $200 million plus range and forced the issue. However, I think there is at least some room for debate whether we are the type of franchise that should be paying that type of money to a single player. I just don't agree that any offer to any player in the 7/140 range is token. The amounts are so staggering that the player is free to choose where they want to go without making a sacrifice. End of day, the player got the result he wanted.