Frankly Scarlett......

Go get him MacPhail! Here's your chance to get him before NY or Boston decide to make another offer.

Thanks for the confirmation Pete.

This VERY interesting. If it comes down to the Nats vs. Orioles, why would he choose the Nats?

To Andy Mac: With the Angels and BoSox backing down, it's really time for us to step up and make a real offer that will land Tex in a bird's outfit this spring.

To Tex: Please do the right thing and come home. We all know Boras will try to squabble for every last million, but the truth is you will already be swimming in more cash then you'll know what to do with.

In Baltimore you will be an instant celebrity, hometown hero, foundation of our team and hope for the future. You know how great O's fans are when they have a good team to root for, and how we will provide unconditional support for you and your family

Also, don't underestimate our ability to win longterm. We already have a top-caliber 2nd baseman, elite defensive shortstop, two up and coming outfield superstars, an outstanding core of minor league pitchers, and the best player to come out of Georgia Tech since... you, set to light it up at the big league level next year.

In Boston and New York, you will just be another high paid ringer, and the fans will turn on you and boo you at the slightest hint of a slump. In Washington, there is no tradition of baseball, the team has little hope, almost no one watches the games and few will care that you grew up 50 miles down the road.

Please come home. For both you and the city it will be a perfect fit and could mark the beginning of a tremendous revival of Baltimore baseball.

If here wanted to be here, HE ALREADY WOULD BE!!!!!!!!!My favorite player now is Guthrie because he fired that ass of an agent.

The Nationals and the Orioles should do the same. The Orioles need to look at fixing their pitching staff and to continue to build up the minor leagues. They have no infielders at the minor league level that are close to MLB talent. A few outfielders and that is it. A lot of decent but not great pitching. They have more to worry about, and the Nat's are in the same boat.

Since the negotiation news on Tex started changing by the hour, what have the O.s done to patch up their pitching staff? Still have not filled their catcher hole and they need to negotiate new contracts for Markakis and Roberts and I think Huff's era in baltimore ends at the close of 2009. Lots of stuff to deal with.

I wonder how disconcerted Scott Boras is right now. I keep looking at how this is all shaking out and I keep coming up with 2 basic scenario's 1: Tex wants to be wearing orange and black next year and this is all to get Angelos to move up on his price. or 2) We're going to be hearing talk of collusion soon. What are the odds guys?

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: It'll be tough to make a collusion case when the economy is tanking and all these teams made $20 million per year offers. I've got to think an arbitrator would ask Scott Boras why he didn't accept one of them.

Hey Mr. McPhail and Angelos...It's time, gentlemen...it's time. This guy will turn the image of the franchise around.

All we (Oriole Fans) want for Christmas is Tex. Do the right thing!!!

it is time now for angelos to step up, increase their offer, do whatever it takes to get tex signed.

My O's fan-dom is riding on the outcome.

LA Times points out the O's are offering the most per year and are considering adding an 8th year. I think if they do that and it becomes 8yrs 175 Tex becomes an Oriole. Shocking.

The door's wide open...Do work, Son!

Here's a question for Peter: Do you know how long it takes to arrange for the type of insurance policy that club's use to insure these big deals. Has the recent financial slump affected this market?

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Not the economy. The Albert Belle fiasco changed the way insurance companies construct those policies, and they aren't as helpful as they used to be.

The time is now for the O's to try and go in for a pre-Christmas kill!! Make a valiant offer NOW because the timing is right....and if Tex and Boras pass I'll be content to say the O's did all they could do

How about a nice Christmas present for the Orioles fan base. Michael Phelps at the Olympics, the Ravens in the playoffs, and Tiexiera in an O's uniform. What a great year that would be!

This little soap opera is getting on my nerves. Scott Boras is one greedy SOB.

Like I said before , they should all drop out of the bidding adn make Boros look like the money grubbing chump that he is , itr is about time that these obscene conrtracts come to an end!

This is getting old...

Sounds like 8 years 185M from someone will do it...

Heard today on Olney report that Nats official doesn't think they will sign him.

So does that leave the O's and the Yanks...?Yanks who are always just added to the interested groups...because well they are the Yanks and they are interested in everyone...

Press conference at Camden on Wednesday...Merry Christmas O's fans!

Hey Schmuck,

Do you think this is just another huge example of Boras being overconfident in himself and negotiating style/ploys that many GM's and Owners are finally catching on to and calling his bluffs?

...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Maybe, but I laugh about people saying that Boras will get his. He sure will, about $7 million in commission even if he "settles" for a $150 million contract.

Oh yea one more thing...

It's so QUIET on the the O's interest in TEX that I'm really starting to smell a deal...seems to be the way McPhail works remember Jones and company/Bedard, Tejada/half the Astros, etc.

We hear more about the Yanks who haven't even made an "official" offer...

Perhaps this has all been to drive up the O's price and TEX has wished to play there from beginning and just wanted to make PA pay up???

Thoughts?????

...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: That's certainly possible. Never would have thought the situation would look like this.

While I eally have no followed baseball since the strike during the WS, this would be a huge boon to Baltimore. I am not saying he is worth it, but from all I ahve gathered from listening to the listeners on WBAL and reading posts, his signing would be a HUGE injection into the fan base. I would hope management is weighing this. And I think they are. Under MacPhail, they went to the cheap, and justifiable untilthey can rebuid the farm system, but signing Tex would be a major coup. Not just someone "coming home" but also as a sign to others, things are changing here, and we will be a winner again

This is our time to step up. I dont think Angelos can see how much the orioles need tex. Cal Ripken should get off his stack of money and go talk to him. If itd really would be a "dream to play for the orioles" then this should not be a hard decision. Do you think so pete?

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Think so or hope so?

Now is the time to go get him, and stop fooling around.I think if you offer him eight years Mark will come home.Please do it .

thanks!!!

i say that we (o's) should pull out as well and let tex play for the nats. who cares? the nats arent going anywhere and from what ive heard, the honeymoon is over in DC anyway...we need pitching pitching pitching! with matt weiters coming up, this would be a great opp to build a pitching staff with a future O's star! F tex. He'd be miserable in DC and you know what, good.

Pete,

Can you recall any free agent bidding that's had this much intrigue and uncertainty, even with a Boras client? I can't.

While I'm counting out neither the Yankees or Red Sox, this is really starting to look like it's coming down to the Orioles and the Nationals. (Question: Any truth to the rumor that the O's have bumped up their offer to eight years, $180M?)

The reason I say this is when it comes to Boston, I think there may be some truth to what Henry emailed the media. No, I'm not discounting the possibility that he's calling Boras' bluff, but by the same token, he travelled over halfway across the country to meet with Teixeira and his agent, so there was an opportunity to seal the deal or come very close to it.

The reality is that Henry didn't fly down to Texas to chat, but to get a signature. Going to back to Boston without his new first baseman in tow was too dangerous, as he'd be gambling that Boras wouldn't go a different direction. Maybe Boras would come back to him, but there'd be no guarantee, especially if another team made an offer Tex couldn't refuse.

No. Going back empty-handed wasn't in the plans. So, it remains to be seen whether the Bosox are still players.

The Yankees? If the rumors are true, signing Teixeira isn't a big priority for them, and they haven't been active during the process, though it could be they've been waiting to see how high the bids are going.

As much money as New York has to spend, the money already shelled out for Burnett and Sabathia is pretty substantial, even for sports' richest franchise.

If what we're reading is accurate, the Yankees only have an interest in Tex if it means keeping him away from Boston. But if the Sox are not in the running, they can turn to a less expensive alternative in Manny.

So maybe the two biggest rivals are out of the picture (maybe, since Boras talked to Cashman on Friday and the Sox may re-enter the fray). If so, I like the O's chances against Washington, though I'm a little concerned about talk that the Nat's owner might make a totally insane offer that Teixeira might jump on, even with the understanding that he'd be going to a horrible team.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: The word out of the warehouse is that nothing has changed, but who really knows?

well, well, well what do we have here? Could it be true? With the Ravens & if the O's get Tex what a wonderful Christmas it would be......

ALRIGHT..no excuses now offer him 160 M for 8 years, put another 120 away for nick and lets go gettum.

I dont understand, why spend 160 mil on on player when we need pitching and they are unwilling to spend money on pithcing. I dont get it. That is why we are where we are . thanks

he better hurry up

my beer is getting warm :(

If the Orioles don't get him now...they were never really serious about signing him to begin with.

I have been an Oriole fan for over 50 years, but if they pay Teixeira even close to what his greedy agent is asking, I am through with them. This is a sport, err, business where there is no salary cap, no revenue sharing, where it took the threat of our government to clean up the steroids problem while the owner's controlled commissioner pretended there was nothing wrong, where the richest clubs buy the best talent and the rest of the clubs are left with the scraps. Sports is a unique business, in that it relies on competition to stay in business, yet the pure lunacy of the way they spend to outdo the other guy has reached the point where no one will be able to afford to go to a game. The media has a responsibility to the public to speak out in their behalf, but they don't have the guts to do anything, just report the latest progress of the signing of these over paid prima donnas. I hope the fans wake up and boycott baseball and that the Steinbrenners and the rest of the buy them at any price file for chapter 11.

The Red Sox may say they are out of it, but in all actuality, they are still in it. If I were Tex, I would rather play for Boston as they give him the best chance to win. If he wants to be close to home, the Nats and O's are the ticket. I am getting kinda annoyed that it is taking him forever to figure out where he wants to play....

I think the Yankees are going to swoop in and get Tex. They are probably sitting there, thinking that Boston or LA would sign him and that neither Baltimore nor Washington had a chance. Now that Boston and LA have effectively backed out, the Yankees have the rare opportunity (and cash) to go get the top 2 free agents in this year's free agent class, plus arguably the 2nd pitcher in addition to that. The Yankees could look at this as a golden opportunity to gain significant ground on both the Red Sox and Tampa Bay.
I'm still holding out hope that Boras and Angelos can hammer out a deal. It seems to me that teams are starting to figure Boras out, knowing that if you out-wait him, he will come down in his asking price. Now is the time for Angelos to step up and tell Mark how much we want him in Baltimore. Otherwise, he's going to have to fire a lot more gameday help, because no one will come out to watch this team play except for the opposing team's fans.

Screw Boras and Tex, offer a lower price to force therir hand to sign. If all of the teams back out it'll send a message. Quit being used. If he wants to come home bad enough he'll sign.

I know a lot people (understatement) have been on Andy for not upping the offer or not doing enough, but Andy and the O's, may get their man after all and for a price that will not handcuff them in the future like the contracts given out by Flanny and Co.

Pete, do you feel the O's will have to overpay to get some pitching and do you think Garland (seems like the type of pitcher Dave wants here), might fall back to the O's because it seems like he priced himself higher than most MLB teams had him at? I know it's not the policy under Andy (for good reason), but the Birds HAVE to get 2 starting pitchers to pitch behind Jeremy and let the last two spots be up for grabs in Florida.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I think prices are headed down, and I think the O's will sign at least one free agent starter. Don't know if it will be one of the bigger names still out there.

Hey Schmucker,

I'll go one step further than the guy above who said, "Frankly Scarlett". I just wanted to say "My give a damn's busted" But on the other hand, this is really addicting stuff! Almost as good as the recent presidential election. Is there any other drama on the horizon that could entertain us as much as the "Tex" thing has?

Andy! Go get him!!!!

I dont understand how ESPN is counting the Red Sox in it as a favorite still, even thought they announced they will not be in the running, but the Angels are out of it for sure, even though they announced the same thing. I hope Tex goes and signs with the Royals just to make ESPN look like even more garbage.

Could it be? Yes it could. Something's coming, something good...if we can wait!
Come on Mark T, don't be shy, be a guy, pull up Teixeira!

ml

I hope NOBODY takes him for that kind of money and he ends up on the Detriot Tigers making half of what he wanted. This guy is this greedy when so many people are out of work, yet he holds out for an extra 20 million dollars to play a kids game. Sickening really.

i think the o's made a secret offer!

Ok if the Angels are truely out of this and Tex wants to be on a team by Christmas which i dought will happen then he has 2 teams left... with that in mind if i was Mc Phail i'd be calling them like NOW! here it is.. if he doesn't take it move on!
if they wait i'm sure the Yankees will swoop in and secure it!

Pete -

You gotta love Andy MacPhail. Never tips his hand. He may very well lose out, but he wears you down emotionally. And the last time I checked this sport is as much emotion as it is mental.

Pete, just wanted to get in the first best wish of a Merry Christmas to you and your family! Many thanks for your fine work!! As I've mentioned before, I've enjoyed your work since your days with the OC Register and my days in SoCal!!! Cheers my friend!!!

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Thanks very much. Happy holidays to you and your family. Sure would be a better holiday season if the O's made a significant acquisition.

Tex and his agent are both looking like fools to me. Three serious offers left on the table, two from franchises with rich recent histories of losing. Tex would look great on several teams with good young pitching if he wasn't seeking such astronomical money.

Seriously Tex, is there anything you can do on $140 million that you can't do on, say, $60 or $80 million?

Damn near every team in the majors would want you for reasonable money, but now you're left with a choice between The Evil Empire #2 and two losers. Gotta have that money, dontcha Tex? Can't be happy with just filthy stinking rich, you just have to be unbelievably uber-rich, because well, I guess that's somehow better.

Have fun with your money-limited choices while seeking unlimited money.

I'd love to see Tex in those new Orioles' unis, but I have to admit that part of me would get a huge kick if every team pulled their offer off the table and left Boras high and dry for once. Seeing as how that will never happen, I hope MacPhail will step up and see if he can take advantage of this unexpected turn of events.

What a Christmas present to the city it would be that Mark Texiera signs with the O's. He hoped to have made his decision by Christmas. If this is possible, that would be awesome, and then all we need is for the Ravens to finish the job. Happy days could be here again. All of this is speculation, of course *knocking on wood*.

Originally posted by cb coach: "The Orioles need to look at fixing their pitching staff and to continue to build up the minor leagues. They have no infielders at the minor league level that are close to MLB talent. A few outfielders and that is it. A lot of decent but not great pitching."

Baseball America recently ranked Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman in their top 25 prospects for 2009. Jake Arrieta's ranked in the top 50. I don't think any other team in the game has three pitchers in the top 50. And then they've got Brad Bergesen, Brandon Erbe, Zach Britton, Troy Patton, Pedro Beato, David Hernandez, Chorye Spoone, Kam Mickolio and Tony Butler, among others.

You can say a lot of things about the O's farm system, but you can't say that their pitching prospects are "decent but not great".

On Tex: Let's see an 8 year, $175M deal from the O's before Christmas. Maybe that could get it done...

Oh PULEEZE!!! already...

If you think Texiera is even REMOTELY considering coming to the Angleos nightmare, you're
B-R-A-I-N-D-E-A-D and living in a true LaLaLand...

The Yanks would be a lot better off spending the money on Manny if they decide to spend on hitting.I still think Tex will wind up in Boston because that's where Boras wants him...It's strange that all of a sudden the Red Sox and Angels have discovered financial restraint.

Peter- I dont want to comment on Tex. I'm out of things to say about it. However, lets get this team in shape....What is the story with Ben Sheets? Looks like he might come relatively cheap. It would be pretty nice for the young guys coming un over the next 2 seasons if we had a solid 1-2 punch like Sheets-Guts.
Long losing streaks will not be a concern as much. Thats the key to 500. No Long losing streaks and try to win 4 out of 7. Playoff teams avoid losing streaks and have winning streaks. I'd rather just concentrate on the 4 outa 7. Or 5 outa 9 might be more realistic.
Anyway.... Sheets, what do you know or hear?

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I am yet to hear his name mentioned by anyone connected with the O's. Maybe they are just good at keeping secrets, but I think they're shying away because it's a big injury gamble.

Part of the notion of wanting Tex to play for the Os was an unfounded belief that here was a guy who wished he had played for the Os all along but because of the baseball draft he was unable to do that. Once he became a free agent he would get to "come home".
Well no matter how it turns out now that feeling is shot. If he really wanted to win our hearts and become Ripkenesque, he would have taken the offer of 7 years $150, or whatever it was and come home. No matter how it turns out now he's just another ball player milking us for everything he can get so that his great grandchildren's friends will have enough $$ too. Thanks Tex

We're all caught up in this Tex thing. Maybe it's a Christmas thing. Isn't all this contrary to the direction the O's are (or were) taking to blow up a team full of stars to get more of a team concept type thing going?

Signing Tex to $180+ money is crazy. It will blow up when his 30, 100, .300 season dosen't bring the pennant back to Charm City. Tajada was supposed to be the awnser. He made a great effort for a couple of years and we stayed in a fourth place funk.

Message to Andy Mac: Get out of the Tex Derby and continue the path you started.

Maybe these teams are slowly coming to their senses and realize that with the downturn in the economy, maybe Tiexiera isn't such a good investment after all. I recommend the O's stick to their original offer and if he turns it down, so be it. We still might be better off in the long run as that's a lot of money to be tied up in one player-who's good but not great. Judging from many of the comments, may too much emphasis is being placed on his home town roots and the supposed jump in attendance.

Schmuck,

The O's need to get Tex now! The iron is hot right now, get 'er done. And don't look back.

There is revenue sharing in baseball, that's the #1 reason there isn't a salary cap. The player's union is a very close, almost tied #2.

You people that are complaining about the pitching, did you stop to think that maybe if Tex signs here that the pitching will follow in close suit? There are two pitchers on the market that are probably waiting for this deal to go down in Ben Sheets and Derek Lowe. If we get Tex, I can see one or both signing here, and Tim Redding apparently wants to play here (probably because of the familiar geography). Even just getting two of these guys sets the rotation up for a fantastic pitching staff in 2010.

Has anyone been in touch with Jim Miller? He is the key to Tex signing. Would Miller be willing to give up his #25? I'm thinking Miller's decision and nine years and $190 million are the only things in the way.

Merry XMas O's fans!

Several questions come to mind:
1. When are teams going to stop negotiating with Boras? The Braves just dropped Furcal's group. Let his clients sit for a season - it would be worth it in the long run.
2. Tex - you're beginning to look like an overly greedy young man led around by the Anti-Christ agent you hired. You'll have more money than you can spend in 1 lifetime, regardless of which offer you take.
3. I was as excited as everybody else at the beginning of the Tex saga, but not so much anymore. (See #2). I could have some respect for Andy McPhail at the end of this if he doesn't play the the Boras game.

Let's hope that the Nats getting Cabrera is a plus in more ways than 1.

Last Friday as I was pondering the Texiera situation, I had the following thought:

If I was Boras, I would encourage Tex to take either the Orioles or the Nationals offer.

My thinking was based on the fact that there are a limited number of teams willing and able to spend big money, and a limited number of teams that a premium free agent would be willing to go to.

Baltimore and Washington will not offer this type of money to any other player, and no other premium would really want to play in either location at this time. Therefore, to broaden the total amount of money to premium players, Tex needs to go to one of those two teams, and I would try to get those teams into a bidding war with one another.

This leaves the potential to create a 3 way bidding war between the Yankees, Angels, and Dodgers over Manny.

The losers of that war, especially if the Dodgers win, might get into a bidding war, along with the Red Sox, for a lesser bat.

If the Red Sox have been completely shut out, you might even get them in a bidding war over a pitcher like Lowe.

But the key would be delivering Tex to either Baltimore or Washington.

Deja vu all over again. This feels like the Vlad fiasco revisited. Things are dragging along and BAM! another team swoops in and grabs the O's man.

http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2008/12/sunday_morning_teixeira_though.html

There's talk out of NY that if Tex is "only" gonna cost 160 mil, maybe they should get in on this too. Time waits for no man. If the O's want Tex its time to hop to and make a commitment to winning---for once

This IS Baltimore right!? We're the "Second Rate City"... "Not a Major League Town"... I'm really feeling this "Second Rate City" is about to reel in a "First Rate" First Baseman and the Ravens are about to make a "Major League" Play-off Run! Let's go Bmore! Go Andy! Go O's. Go RAVENS!!!!!! Give us an extra special "FESTIVUS"!!!! (In both cases looks like we're, "in charge of our own destiny"!)