ESPN's Ravech: Teixeira Has "Enormous Attraction" to Orioles; Decision Near...
(Editor's note—Also, if you haven't seen the additional news, the Red Sox have made an offer believed to be for eight years. There's one report of it being for $175M, but that's probably just Boras whispering into someone's ear, as the Sox are notoriously tight-lipped about dollar amounts...-zk)
about 3 years ago
OEutaw
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Drew from WNST says:
http://wnst.net/wordpress/drewforrester/2008/12/16/im-hearing-os-think-theyre-getting-tex/
Take this for what it is: My "bird on a tree" at The Warehouse says the O’s are comfortably confident that they’re going to land Tex. "This is a highly complicated negotiating session and we have the best negotiator in baseball on our side of the table in Andy MacPhail," said my Warehouse confidant. "We’re feeling good about this whole thing. We think we’re getting him."
All of this confidence is making me worry...
I still don’t trust it. I believe in Andy as a negotiator, but you have to think Mark wants to win now rather that waiting for what we are projecting to be our years of contention. Do I want to sign him, of course. I will remain pessimistic though, as to not be crushed when he signs elsewhere.
I speculate (with no factual basis) that Mark wants to play for his hometown team
while not leaving significant cash on the table. He’s a smart enough guy to know that the O’s are building – it’s gonna be a few years, but they are building.
That gives him to be the chance to be the guy that helps the O’s go over the top, and he can become the next face of the franchise. Economically, he’s got to know what finishing his career with the O’s would mean for his life after baseball – it would be a license to print money in the Mid-Atlantic area. He’d be Frank Robinson with more people skills. He’d be Cal Ripken with hair.
That said, I remain very pessimistic that we will land him.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
How can you not trust
This guy:
The Yankees get Sabathia, the Mets get K-rod, and the Orioles get Ryan Freel.
If we do sign Teixeira
there will be tears of joy.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
I never really thought
that we had a real chance at signing Teixeira, but after seeing Carl Peterson can leave the Chiefs, I truly think anything can happen.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
Show me a game
where Hines Ward of the Steelers doesn’t take at least one cheap shot at a defender, and I’ll believe anything can happen.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
I route for the Ravens in the AFC and all
but Hines Ward is not a dirty player. He plays whistle to whistle.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
Agree to disagree
Ward’s reputation as a great blocker is deserved….but it’s amazing that he gets away with some of the stuff he does.
Stathead, Zack Greinke fan, and Rock Band 2 singer extraordinaire.
At this point
I’d offer 6/140 ($23.3M/yr) or 7/160 ($22.8M/yr)
Actually, I lie. I would kick Boras in the teeth.
The Yankees get Sabathia, the Mets get K-rod, and the Orioles get Ryan Freel.
at this point
you’d not be successful in your attempt to sign Mark Teixeira.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
by Scott Christ on Dec 16, 2008 2:43 PM EST up reply actions
I really think
someone’s going to sign him for $200M. It’s gonna take the 200 that Scott said it would in the summer if it’s the last thing Boras does this winter.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
So at this point...
…ESPN doesn’t know a thing but has certainly changed its tune, Orioles Hangout’s “insiders” (their words) are confident, WNST is confident, Schmuck doesn’t know anything, and Roch is pissing on everyone’s parade.
OH, btw, has crashed. It has been fun watching the manic depression going on over there at every piece of ‘news.’
I am still bracing for the punch to the gut.
"Might as well just win this game." - Adam Jones, 4/17/2008
Adam Jones is the tits.
by KenDixonFanClub on Dec 16, 2008 2:50 PM EST reply actions
Yep
The more I think about this, the more I think Ravech’s “news” is bad news for the Orioles.
The only unknown about Teixeira at this point is which ‘perk’ he weighs more heavily: playing for a sure winner, or playing for his hometown team.
It’s not in Teixeira’s best interests for the suitors to know which he prefers, because then Boras can sell Tex both ways.
Now, this “information” that Teixeira really wants to play near home has leaked out. Maybe Boras, the master manipulator that he is, is just trying to convince the Red Sox and Yankees that they will have to ante up to get him. Tex is willing to take a “hometown” discount, but not a “winner” discount.
He’ll sign with the Red Sox.
Now, this "information" that Teixeira really wants to play near home has leaked out. Maybe Boras, the master manipulator that he is, is just trying to convince the Red Sox and Yankees that they will have to ante up to get him.
That’s my feeling as well. No way Boras lets out, formally or informally, Tex’s preference.
Tex is willing to take a "hometown" discount, but not a "winner" discount.
Beltran was willing to take a discount to play for the Yankees over the Mets. I’m hoping Tex will do the same.
"sure winner"
I am a li’l tired of hearing this trope repeated over and over again.
No team is a “sure winner”. Lest we all forget, the Sox did not win the division this year. Nor did they play in the World Series. And 8-10 years is a lifetime in sports. Go back the last decade, the Sox did not even make the postseason 4 times (OMG, for realz?). A scant two years ago, they finished in 3rd place. Heck, ten years ago, the Orioles were one year removed from postseason play!
Everyone knows the Red Sox are built for success NOW, but no one can accurately predict where they will be in five years. Who replaces Wakefield? What happens if Bucholz doesn’t pan out? Will Beckett bounce back from an off year? Sure, their current FO has a proven track record, and ownership seems committed to the GM and to spending when necessary. But you can’t prove to me that Epstein will even be working for the Sox in 2010. Or that they won’t get Yankee fever and start just trying to buy every player and ignore their scouting. Would you have predicted two years ago that the Yankees would finish third this season behind the Rays and Sox? Didn’t think so.
Of course Boston has a better chance to win in the near future. If you’re going to pick the strongest team bidding for Teixeira’s services, they’re definitely it. And of course that should hold some sway over Teixeira’s decision. But project more than two or three years out, and there are way too many variables. Wherever Tex goes, he’ll be there a loooong time. So when people say he should decide this once-in-a-lifetime contract based on the luster of Boston’s “sure” winning, I hope he realizes that there is no such thing as a sure thing.
One other note: No one in Charm City is expecting Tex to lead us to the promised land in the next two years. We all know we’re still putting the pieces in place. But if he goes to NYC or Boston and they haven’t won a title by 2011, he will most certainly take some flack. Some players wouldn’t be bothered by it, but there are guys out there who’d rather be out of the spotlight. Tex strikes me as though he may be one of them.
by zknower on Dec 16, 2008 6:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
How many WS have the Yankees
bought in the last 8 seasons?
As many as the Orioles.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
Not if you never
buy into the hype that our O’s ever had a chance.
It’s hard to think of 7 years at $140M as a low-ball offer, but in this context, it is.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
I suggested a backup board at OH
They blew off my suggestion, so I’m enjoying some nice schadenfreude because of the crash
I can't watch this at work :(
I obviously want Mark to end up an O, but if/when he doesn’t the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments at the OH is gonna be EPIC. I almost look forward to the carnage.
[Guthrie's] president of my heart. ~PhilR8
OEutaw picked out the good part for the fanshot,
but essentially the vid gives the impression that the O’s are just as likely to sign Teixeira than the contenders involved, since the hometown factor is negating the “wants to play for a winner” thingy.
Stathead, Zack Greinke fan, and Rock Band 2 singer extraordinaire.
Am I the only one who doesn't really want to sign him?
I just don’t see how it helps solve the much bigger problems of pitching. Offense was not the reason we sucked last year and it most likely won’t be the reason we suck this year (or the next 2-3 years). I guess the hope is that our young pitchers are ready by the 4th or 5th year of his contract?
As long as it doesn’t handcuff us in terms of spending money on draft picks, scouting, development, etc in the mean time I’m ok with it, but I still don’t think this is going to turn the organization around or really even put us on the path to turning it around.
I’ve liked the other moves to dump overpaid mediocre middle aged players (Razor), fill some holes (SS), and I guess Teixeira is young enough that locking him up long term is a good move, but I still think the major problem is pitching.
Well
does not signing him help our pitching? It would probably hurt it, since they’d have to face him 64 times a year.
spring breeze / the green field / tempts me to play catch
Not to mention
the help he would provide with his defense. If we don’t sign him, you may as well pencil Aubrey in at 1B. He was DH last year for a reason.
I kind of agree with what you're saying...
If anyone thinks signing Tex will instantly make the Orioles competitive long-term, they are fooling themselves. The Orioles are a mid-market team in a big-market division, and they only way they will compete with an $80MM payroll is to build a core of cheap young talent.
On the other hand, I don’t see how signing Tex to a long-term deal is a bad move that hinders the rebuilding process in any way. The Orioles can earmark $40-50MM of their $80MM payroll towards free agents, and spending half of that it on a healthy hitter in his prime isn’t a bad investment. Especially given the organizationl weakness at 1B, and the postive externalities of signing a hometown star.
In reality, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Signing Tex is a fun, positive move for the fans, but it doesn’t really improve the talent level of the team long-term – it’s just a choice to allocate a portion on the free agent budget on one star player rather than several average players.
In the end, it’s all going to come down to the development of the young pitching.
Agreed.
I also agree that he’ll solidify the infield defense a bit.
I just hope they don’t use this signing (assuming it happens) as an excuse to be cheap with player development, scouting, and future signings of draft picks or free agents. Also hope it doesn’t get them off track at all on the positive steps they’re making to get younger and stock the farm system.
yes, pitching is a big problem.
But so is our gaping hole at 1st with no internal options to fill it. But, beyond that, it’s largely a (really fucking expensive) symoblic gesture, and a pretty significant one.
Not only is Tex the fanbase’s binky, but having a big name on the roster could help land us better players down the line. Pretty hard to convince people you’re serious about improving yourself when apart from a couple of B List guys, you’ve got a team full of nobodies.
It’s a big bullet to bite, but I think we’ve got to do it.
"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again."
I agree about Tejada
but Adam Jones was Corey Patterson and Matt Wieters was a washed up Javy Lopez. I’m drawing a blank on the time frame with Nick but he had to be in his first year right?
Always trust your cape. -Guy Clark
Dammit
If the Sox only threw down 8/175, then Tex is ours. Easily.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
I can understand people who don't want us to sign Teixeira
but I don’t want to hear about us spending that money instead on free agent starters. Free agent starters are as uncertain as anything in this world. Its almost always better to be spending money on position players.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
Huh?
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
Spending money
is ok when its on legitimate stars. The easiest way to improve (as obvious as this may seem), is to replace a really bad player, with a really good player. This has been the main problem with the Blue Jays, who are basically above average everywhere, but with no stars. When this is the case, when your best player(s) are 5 guys producing 5-6 WARP, it is very hard to get great, because you have to make improvements all over by 2 win increments.
A team like the Orioles is in, potentially, a better position, because we have star level talent at center, right, 2nd, and catcher. If we miss out on Tex, we are going to end up with some mid level mid 30s retread at first, someone not bad enough to jettison, not good enough to help us overcome the Sox and the Yankees. You always go for the reliable superstar, its in ridiculous contracts to Mora and the like that hamstring a team’s chances.
Also, I notice that everyone looks to the Rays as an example- they got Carlos Pena for nothing! This is true, it is also an anomaly. While there is (relative to other positions) a surplus of adequate 1st base talent, it is not so easy to pick up a Pena. Look at the A’s, or even the Yankees, for teams who have surprising difficulty finding a bat for 1st.
I think you absolutely shell out for Tex. You are then in a position where you have top level talent on the right side of the infield, behind the plate, and in 2/3 of the outfield.
Obviously pitching must be a priority, but, lets face it, if at least two of our big guns don’t pan out, we have no chance of competing anyway. So in a sense, we can rely on our minor league arms, because we have to.
Also, this is a partial list of the starters available next offseason:
Lackey, Bedard, Harden, Escobar – also Hudson, Lee, Webb and Beckett (although those last four have club or player options).
Load up on premium talent, hope desperately that out of Arrieta, Erbe, Mastutz, and Tillman TWO are able to slot in as above average MLB starters, sign one of the above 8 pitchers next offseason, and upgrade one of the two zeros on the left side of our infield, and that’s looking like a real good team, in only a couple of (huge) moves.
by ItsBenFeldman on Dec 16, 2008 4:07 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Say we start contending in 2011
Tex is 31. Are you happy that he’ll be going on 33 after our second strong season?
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
As a hiting 1B?
Sure. I’m good with that.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
most similar batters to Tex through age 28
courtesy of baseball reference
1. Carlos Delgado (935)
2. Kent Hrbek (925)
3. Fred McGriff (913)
4. Jim Thome (911)
5. Will Clark (910)
6. Jeff Bagwell (909)
7. Willie McCovey (906) *
8. Richie Sexson (904)
9. Shawn Green (901)
10. Paul Konerko (899)
Hrbek, Sexson, and Konerko fell off cliffs- Shawn Green playing mostly OF isn’t really a good comp.
The rest all maintained value.
Obviously he isn’t going to be an elite first baseman at age 37. But you don’t need that. You need him to be elite at ages…30-34 which I think seems more likely than not.
by ItsBenFeldman on Dec 16, 2008 5:41 PM EST up reply actions
also
Delgado had his 2nd, 3rd and 4th best seasons all after 29
Thome had his best years at 31 and 30
Bagwell was worth over 10 wins at 29, 30 and 31 and had 9 WARP at 32 and 33.
Mccovey’s best 3 year run was from 30-32
by ItsBenFeldman on Dec 16, 2008 5:45 PM EST up reply actions
The last time I checked
None of those players were eating $25 million on a team that doesn’t have a steady cash flow.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
not 25...
but Bagwell was making btwn 16 and 20 million during his last few years with the Astros when they had payrolls from 71-74 million.
Thome is currently getting 16 million for the White Sox (out of 121 million total)
Delgado got 19.5 million for the Blue Jays out of only 50 total!
Fred McGriff was making 6 mil for the Rays when they had basically no payroll
…not so far off.
by ItsBenFeldman on Dec 16, 2008 7:41 PM EST up reply actions
Since when
don’t the O’s have a steady cash flow?
Sure, ticket sales are down. But PGA owns around 60% of the TV rights to ANOTHER TEAM’S television package, and owns the cable channel showing his and the Nats’ games. Sure, they aren’t the ratings juggernauts he’d hope, but what are his sunk costs for those expenditures? He’s making coin off MASN, and he’s making coin off the Nat’s rights, which he’s basically getting paid to show those games by MLB.
So how is MASN faring as its fourth season comes to a close? It depends whom you ask.
To the Orioles, who hold majority control of MASN, the network is fulfilling its goals of televising both teams’ games while providing the franchises predictable revenue in good economic times and bad. The Nationals have a minority MASN stake that can grow to as much as 33percent over the next several decades.
This year’s MASN payment to the teams is $26million each. The annual rights fees are locked into an agreement that Orioles owner Peter Angelos negotiated with Major League Baseball before the Nationals arrived in Washington for the 2005 season. Angelos said winning TV rights to both the Orioles and Nationals was critical to ensuring the long-term viability of his club.
Andy MacPhail, Orioles president of baseball operations, said: “It’s important to have a steady stream of revenue that you can count on going into the future that’s substantial. It’s unlike other revenues that rise and fall.”
PGA is making a mint off the O’s – he’s guaranteed that MLB will buy the team for $350M if he ever sells, and is guaranteed.
From BP.com (behind their subby content, I’m taking less than a paragraph, so I think we’re safe)
…a guarantee that if Angelos sells the team for less than $360 million—a nifty $200 million profit on what he paid for the Orioles back in 1993—MLB will cut a check to make up the difference; and a promise of annual MLB payments if the O’s revenues fall short of $130 million a year, which is more than 21 of 30 MLB teams took in last year (ed. note – meaning 2004).
Even last year, 25,000 tickets a night were counted as attendance at OPACY. Almost two million fans paid to see a team that couldn’t win 70 games in a stadium that costs the O’s less than $7 million a year.
The Maryland Stadium Authority owns the park and is responsible for maintenance of the facility. Under the terms of their 30-year lease, the Orioles are responsible only for field main-tenance. The team pays an annual rent based on a variety of factors tied to team income. This includes 7% of all ticket and concession revenue, 50% of all parking revenue, and 25% of all revenue from advertising inside the stadium. These revenue sources have typically provided $5 or $6 million per year
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
The Gnats averaged like 6 viewers per game last year
MASN pulls in a miniscule fraction of what YES and NESN do.
I’m not saying PGA is broke, but I’m tired of hearing about all of his supposed MASN revenue. OTOH, he could afford Roch when the Sun couldn’t.
The Yankees get Sabathia, the Mets get K-rod, and the Orioles get Ryan Freel.
Don't forget
about the guaranteed revenue levels by MLB – he’s guaranteed $130 million a year in revenue, no matter what.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
Although YES was recently valued in the billions, and the O’s are worth $398M, and brought in $166M last year, so those guarantees are kinda worthless.
The Yankees get Sabathia, the Mets get K-rod, and the Orioles get Ryan Freel.
by CoachOfEarl on Dec 16, 2008 11:26 PM EST up reply actions
No, they guarantee a floor on revenue - very important
Just because the O’s met the floor doesn’t mean it’s not important to have. Might come in handy next year.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
When people get sick of
the O’s being outpitched by the Rangers and outhit by the BJs.
The Yankees get Sabathia, the Mets get K-rod, and the Orioles get Ryan Freel.
by CoachOfEarl on Dec 17, 2008 11:59 AM EST up reply actions
Remember, regardless of MASN money
PGA is guaranteed $130 million a year. He is one owner who can not, under any circumstances, cry “poor.”
"Might as well just win this game." - Adam Jones, 4/17/2008
Adam Jones is the tits.
by KenDixonFanClub on Dec 16, 2008 9:24 PM EST up reply actions
I'm guessing
He’s paid in primarily in beer, donuts and an occasional night out on Peter at the Hustler Club.
"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again."
8, actually
And to be certain, Peter Angelos isn’t going to be losing money, but with the current state of the Union, and of the Orioles, MASN’s guaranteed revenue is all PGA has going for him. 20,000 – 25,000 fans a night does not yield a net profit as the FO cannot raise ticket prices anymore.
Even when discussing his network, the O’s/Nats had under 30,000 viewers combined on any given night, while team like the Yankees had something like 300,000. MASN barely has enough sponsors to fill its airtime, and the channel resorts to plugging itself with poorly made commercials all too often out of necessity.
Although the franchise could probably afford a contract worth $200 million, there will not be much, if any, wiggling room left when everything is said and done. I should have said that Baltimore doesn’t have the kind of cash flow to mess around with these kinds of deals. Bringing in Tex is a once in a decade type thing, and now is not the right time.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
Exactly
If we sign Tex for the numbers that Boras keeps injecting into the media, we won’t be able to afford Nick, Adam, or even the next crop of talent through their arb years, guarantee or no.
The Yankees get Sabathia, the Mets get K-rod, and the Orioles get Ryan Freel.
Free agent pitching
looks a lot thinner then this year
Lackey reportedly has an extension in hand, and every one else is a question mark other then Webb.
Which means we better get some internal help going or make some deals.
I am quite reticent about this
No analysis here
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
Isn't that a line from "Genie in a Bottle"?
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
Here's a thought
I honestly think the talk of Tex completely taking up all of PA’s spending money are ridiculous. He showed in 96, 97 and 98 that he was willing to spend the big bucks when the team had a real chance. We were 2nd, 2nd and 1st in MLB in payroll in those seasons, and once the ‘98 team went south the O’s steadily fell down the ladder of payroll rankings. Yeah we’re talking total payrolls in the $70Ms being the highest in baseball, but our buddy PA’s got loads of cash and he’s clearly willing to throw it down on what he deems is a worthy investment. The problem, IMO, has been that we’ve had the wrong people (Syd Thrift, Flanabeattiquette, etc.) prioritizing where that money went. That’s how you end up with David Segui, Marty Cordova, Deivi Cruz, Chris Singleton, Omar Daal, Rick Helling, Javy Lopez, Sammy Sosa, Raffy Palmeiro the 2nd time around, Sidney Ponson the 2nd time around, Mike DeJean, Steve Kline, Steve Reed, Aubrey Huff (yeah he was good last year, but still), Kevin Millar, Jay Payton, Jamie Walker, Danys Baez and huge, long-term contracts to Jay Gibbons and Melvin Mora…
Game Over T-shirts: http://www.cafepress.com/beltwaysports
So I'm watching the boards over at OH
those dudes really live in a world of unicorns farting rainbows and spitting gold, don’t they? If that board is to be believed, the deal is imminent, simply being touched up tonight and announced any minute now. Does anyone who knows the place better than me know if their “insiders” actually know squat?
"Might as well just win this game." - Adam Jones, 4/17/2008
Adam Jones is the tits.
by KenDixonFanClub on Dec 16, 2008 9:27 PM EST reply actions
I think some of those guys have real contacts
But I’m not sure the info they get is all that useful. Until the deal is done, Teixeira and Boras are the only two people who have any idea where he will sign. And even those two may change their mind if a dark horse offer comes rolling in.
I wouldn’t put much stock in it.
I wouldn't put ANY stock in it.
Lest we forget, last offseason, OH reported the Brian Roberts trade as “final”, saying he’d go to the cubs for Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, and Ronny Cedeno.
As the trade failed to materialize, they put this lame disclaimer on their website:
Although our sources were solid, there is certainly a possibility the players in return could be different or that the deal was not as “final” as we were told.
There is a lot of traction to this story, but Andy MacPhail is playing his cards very closely on this one. I still believe the basis of the story, but the players reported in the trade coming back may be different.
Yes, the players coming back may, in fact, be non-existent. Oops.
So take that for what it’s worth. I have no doubt they have some highly placed guys, but don’t bet the farm on anything you read over there as “breaking.”
OH is a joke
It’s like the Special Olympics over there
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
One of their "insiders"
Just announced that Tex is an Oriole. I don’t believe he is certified by the big shots, but people are now getting ready to preorder the uniforms.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
Ha!
I really enjoy reading those threads. They are so funny! There are actually normal discussions over there that aren’t so bad but once a rumor gets going over there it spreads like crazy. It’s like the people get infected with it.
[Guthrie's] president of my heart. ~PhilR8
Last offseason
I was getting bombarded with IMs from an ex-classmate who frequents OH. At one time, he assured me that the buzz over there was that Bedard to the Dodgers for Kershaw, etc. was a done deal. Heh.
lol
yeah I just read that thread. Basically some guy who claimed in the past that hes friends with Brandon Synder and maybe some FO guy got a text message that Teixeira has signed. Color me skeptical, but that thread is sure as hell going to explode within the next few hours.
OH serves its purpose
but crap like this shows CC has its purpose, too – it’s where reality-based O’s fans hang out.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
by duck on Dec 17, 2008 8:49 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I reject your reality!
And replace it with my own.
Stathead, Zack Greinke fan, and Rock Band 2 singer extraordinaire.
by NHZ on Dec 17, 2008 9:25 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Some would say we're cynical
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
You act like
being a cynic isn’t realistic with this team… I see them as the same approach.
Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
2 cents....
As some have noted, the leaking of “enormous attraction” to the Orioles, in the middle of a bidding war, with two Rich, Winning ballclubs (Sox & Angels) involved stinks to high heaven. This looks to me like we’re being used as an ante upper again with the story being spun that Tex wants to play for his hometown team. I hope I’m wrong, but this just seems too fishy and too well timed. Like Carlos Lee a few years back and a plenty of other FAs over the past decade.
I honestly don't know what to believe
So I’m sticking with the belief that there is no way in hell Teixeira ends up in Baltimore. There is just too much working against it. If he does end up an O, I’ll be happy as can be. But until then all this news is just static. I mean, I read it, but I don’t put much stock in either side of the story.
[Guthrie's] president of my heart. ~PhilR8
Texiera to Orioles Unlikely
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3775042
“Unless Mark Teixeira is willing to give the Orioles a major hometown discount, it does not appear he will be playing in Baltimore.”
"The only chance the Orioles have to be seriously considered now, sources say, would be if Teixeira, a Maryland native, were to take Baltimore’s offer.
‘The Orioles are out of it, unless Teixeira really, really wants to play there,’ said one source."
Not surprised at all. Disapointed? Yes. Surprised? No.
OH response will be...
Man, MacPhail sure is crafty, isn’t he? He obviously leaked this information to throw the national media off the scent so he can plan some ridiculously complicated way of announcing the fact that he signed Teixeira weeks ago.
My cousin’s bartender (who also cuts Andy MacPhail’s hair) said that he overheard MacPhail talking on his cell phone about a New Year’s Eve announcment. Apparently Teixeira will be placed inside the ball in Times Square and the ball will crack open just as the clock strikes 12 to reveal Tex in his O’s uniform.
Orange and black confetti will rain down on Times Square and all of the Yankees fans will cry their eyes out!
by dkdc on Dec 17, 2008 10:23 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
This is the worst bullshit reporting. Olney is a hack.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not drinking the kool-aid and thinking we’re favorites or anything. But Olney either has some axe to grind, or else he is a mouthpiece for Boras and is taking a cut.
Let’s look at what’s new about this piece? Answer, nothing.
There is basically one piece of news stated in this article; and it’s not even news:
The Orioles have stood by their initial offer and have not upgraded it, and sources say that the other teams involved in the bidding — the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals — have gone beyond Baltimore’s proposal for the slugging first baseman.
Nothing new there whatsoever. All previous reports had already indicated that the Orioles had the lowest offer on the table. Is it supposed to be news that the Orioles haven’t sweetened the pot yet? Well, guess what? Neither has any other team. No quote about the Orioles saying they’re sticking. Just a note that they haven’t raised their offer as of yet. This paragraph would be more accurately reported as this:
Nothing has changed in the last 24 hours.
I also love this nugget:
The only chance the Orioles can be considered a serious player for Teixeira now, sources say, would be if the Maryland native were to take Baltimore’s offer.
Seriously? Read that sentence. Try to parse it. It looks like it was written by a third grader. In essence that sentence says this:
The only way the Orioles are going to get Teixieira is if he decides to sign with them.
Can I have a cushy job being a “senior writer” for ESPN? It appears you can take a non-news day, write whatever you want to fill space, and get paid for it. Sign me up!
Can I have a cushy job being a "senior writer" for ESPN? It appears you can take a non-news day, write whatever you want to fill space, and get paid for it. Sign me up!
Well yeah that’s online coverage.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
by Scott Christ on Dec 17, 2008 11:55 AM EST up reply actions
This is just Boras working it
The leak yesterday that he really wants to play for us was designed to increase the offers from the other teams. This one was designed to increase our offer. Is it too much to read into it that this means Tex has made his decision to sign with us and Boras is trying one last tactic to get more $ out of PA?
by silverstadium on Dec 17, 2008 12:20 PM EST up reply actions
I get the impression that Olney is posting team PR, not Boras PR. The writers who are posting that the bidding is “fast and furious” seems more like Boras PR in order to create the false impression to teams that they’re falling behind in the bidding and need to step it up. Olney’s story seems like an acknowledge from the O’s (probably MacPhail) that they know they’ve fallen behind and are comfortable with that. It’s a BS story in sense that the O’s have NOT made their final offer. I don’t buy that for a second. That’s PR from MacPhail. He’s telling Boras that I’m not blinking.
And I'm not the only one who questions the man's reporting skills
I now see a thread by daveh873 is up regarding this very topic. Sorry, dave, didn’t see it before.
oh no.. please don't go..
Can the state of MD step in and give some sort of tax incentive to bridge the gap?? has MacPhail laid out a cost of living analysis?? Money goes a lot farther in baltimore than in boston, and especially in NY.
I’m all about being wise about signing big name players, but I think if the O’s don’t sign Tex, it will haunt them for many years to come.
Tax dollars going towards Tex is a tough sell
but I’d do it.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
Hey if they dont get him
they should be able to do something with that 20 million or more every year to mitigate the loss….
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