A comment about signing Tex - I understand a player wants to get paid and wants to be with a winner, but doesn't the idea of a team building around YOU to be the hometown hero that leads the team back to winning intrigue anyone. If I'm the Orioles, I'm offering Tex a 8-10 year deal at $18-20 million a year and telling him he's the cornerstone. He'd be a hero in his hometown if and when the team started winning. Once players (especially pitchers) see the team's committment to winning, they'll sign as well. Any thoughts????

Career .500 pitcher? He'll be expecting 10 million a year, right?

Though I shouldn't be so quick to mock. 12-14 with a 4.16 sounds pretty good right now. A sign of desperate times, perhaps.

Geez, with those numbers in MLB these days, I think he deserves a 7 year $91 million deal.

Good, I'm glad Ramon is gone. Another season of his incompetence behind the plate would have been too much. Izturis will be a substantial defensive improvement over the committee system we had a short this year.
The big need however is pitching. The starting rotation will determine if the O's will be a mid level contender, with a good shot at a .500 season, or just another also-ran. I'm glad to see the other moves, but without pitching they mean nothing. Theres plenty of time yet, I'm not pressing any panic buttons, but until we see some pitchers, all the rest is a sideshow.

Again great job Pete and Jeff in Vegas.

A comment about signing Tex - I understand a player wants to get paid and wants to be with a winner, but doesn't the idea of a team building around YOU to be the hometown hero that leads the team back to winning intrigue anyone. If I'm the Orioles, I'm offering Tex a 8-10 year deal at $18-20 million a year and telling him he's the cornerstone. He'd be a hero in his hometown if and when the team started winning. Once players (especially pitchers) see the team's committment to winning, they'll sign as well. Any thoughts????

Cha-ching!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/12/teixeira-negoti.html

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I'm a bit skeptical.

According to the LA Times The Orioles and Nats are looking at Tex for 9-10 years at 20 mill a year. So it sounds like the Orioles interest is pretty serious--you cannot fault them at all for not pushing hard (if the LA rumor is true)

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Let's not get carried away. That report speculates that the O's might be willing to do that. Like I said, I'm skeptical.

Sportsfan,
An 8-10 year deal at $18M-$20M per year? You must be joking. I know everyone would love to have Teixeira - count me among them - but the guy is not the answer to what ails the O's, especially not at that price. He's a very good 1B, but he's not elite. The O's and MacPhail would be wise to stay the course here, let some guys develop, then spend that money smartly to address needs in a year or two.

LA Times just ran that the Nats are willing to go 10 yrs & 200m for Tex. Then it says the Orioles are willing to go 9 and at LEAST $20m/year.

This is going to be ARod all over again - why must you people be obsessed with a local boy who has never won anything?

Pete, just heard on TV the O's offered Tex 9yr's / 180 & the Nats made it 10yr's / 200. Any truth to that report ???

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: My gut feeling is no, at least not yet.

Nothing yet on the Teixiera front?

105.7 is reporting O's/Nats have enormous offers on the table. O's 9yr/180M, Nats 10yr/200M+. LA Times also reporting the same numbers.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Funny, but the people who are actually here with the Orioles aren't hearing that at all, though I suppose it's possible.

I'm glad to see a resolution to the shortstop situation. I'm wondering about the outfield reserve picture. With Freel and Montanez, do the Orioles have a need for (or room for) Felix Pie? The most recent story I've heard about the Peavy trade says that Philadelphia is the third team involved in that potential deal. What you do hear Peter?

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Nothing hot today. Everybody's talkinga about C.C. and Teixeira.

Orioles caught up in a media bidding war with Boras as the agent. Now where have I seen that before.....

What are the Expos doing? No way they can afford that kind of contract. They can't even afford their new stadium.

baltimoresportsfan -

Tex has no interest in the feel good hometown boy rescues his childhood team story. Sorry to burst your bubble. This is a business with a lot of money at stake. And let's all be honest, this guy hasn't been local since leaving for college 10-11 years ago.

I wouldn't be too quick to give up on the Angels just yet. He may be an East Coast kid, but the Angels have a very good team, pitching depth, (despite losing K-Rod & Garland) and deep farm system. Plus it's SoCal. The Angels have a very loyal fan following, and can build the franchise around him!.