Maybe like Furcal situation - he gets best offer, than O's get a chance to match it - we can dream anyway.

Regardless of whether the O's actually sign Tex, they should be willing to ante up to be competitive with the pact, not this hometown discount offer that is reported. But when "the dust settles", and the "truth" comes out (assuming what get is the actual truth), if it turns out that they were unwilling to increase their match to at least match the Angels offer, then I will not renew the 4 season tickets that I have had since OPACY opened. Okay to get outbid by the Sox but if they won't spend, then why should I?

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Pete's reply: That's your decision and I will respect it either way. It really depends on whether you think Andy knows what he's doing.

getting tired of the speculation, questions and reports on this. what would be funny is if every team would take their offer off the table and tex has to sign a one yr deal..which is what should really happen with everyone.

getting tired of this story. multi yr contracts for baseball players is a joke. players should sign one yr contracts based on performace.

Peter

I thought Henry qualified his comments by saying that Boras doesn't necessarily have Boston's final offer??? Or am I dreaming?

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Pete's reply: He actually said "there are exceptions to every rule," which could mean that.

The Redsox are one of the teams that can play hardball with Boras. The fact is they do not need Tex as much as the Orioles and the Nationals. It is amazing how Boras can handle these types of free agent deals. He does it on a ledge and seems to win with the big name guys creates friction and losses clients. I wish Tex would fire him like Guthrie did. Remember A-Rod negotiating his own deal. Funny how one moment can change the destiny, what would have happened if Shapiro was not late to the meeting with Tex back when he was 18? If that was the determining factor on going with Boras, chances are Mark would be an Oriole by now. The Orioles should start talking to another big name guy that is not represented by Boras and start playing chess, with the bluff master. Gives you guys something different to talk about a least.

The hell with Mark Teixeira.

He'll just be another Boston mercenary.

He's big timing us.

Look at the blogs after every article, there are more people and more strong feelings about acquiring Tex than fans in the stands this past year. O's need (other than pitching):
1) Good gloved first baseman, 2) Power hitter (40+ HR power), 3) Switch hitter or righty (to have a shot against lefties and put between nick the stick & huff)
Tex takes care of all those things. How many FAs have we heard (vlad, konerko, etc.) won't come here no matter if we give them more money?? This guy actually wants to come here and were being stingy AND RETARDED. Look at #s.
O's offer 7/150: annual- 21.42
Nats offer 8/160: ann- 20
Pete's and I like offer 9/192: 21.33
Tex offer 10/200: 20, so were going to pay him the most annual salary. I understand age, but by that time with alarming escalating salaries (moose 10 yrs ago got 6 yr 88.5 in his prime, cc got 7 yr 161.5) so in 10 yrs that 20 mill may not be bad deal. I've supported peter angelos along with a few others now give it back to us PETE.

Other than the Great Depression I've never heard of an economic downturn or recession last longer than 2 or 3 years. I hope the remarks by the Red Sox GM does drive down the cost somewhat.

Pete hearing anymore about what the O's are going to do in the free agent market about pitching? Haven't heard anything recently about those Japanese pitchers.

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Pete's reply: Other than the O's having an offer on the table to Kawakami, I haven't heard much. Tex is pretty much blocking out the sun right now.

Pete-

If Tex needed any more incentive to come home, all he need do is look at how Boston treats its stars. Where do Nomar and Manny play? Where did Babe Ruth achieve lasting fame?

Not Boston!

The Red Sox argument makes no sense. They are willing in the "challenging economic environment" to sign him through 2015 or 2016, but not 2018? What exactly does he expect to change in that time? To make the argument credible, he would question whether to sign him at all. The "challenging economic environment" is going to be a problem next year and maybe the year after that. It should affect your decision to pay a guy $25 million then, not 10 years from now.

The same basic logic could be used to criticize the Orioles' pursuit. What is the real marginal impact of adding an eighth year to the deal? If Teixeira is going to be a bust free agent signing (always a possibility), my guess is that we'll know that well ahead of year 8. The risk in year 8 is only slightly greater than the risk in year 7. Peter seems to think that the Orioles are making a good faith effort to sign him. Maybe he's right. But it makes little sense to me to offer the guy 7 years, when everyone else offers him 8, given only a slight additional risk of adding the 8th year. The same is true for the money. A $25M per year free agent bust isn't really that much worse than a $22M free agent bust. I realize this is a negotiation and both sides are trying to get the most for the least amount possible. But, given the Orioles track record, it does lead you to question their sincerity.

I'm getting tired of ESPN's speculative coverage, especially since their bias towards the Red Sox has become so blatant. ESPN hasn't bothered to really report on these negotiations. The other day, one of their desk jockeys said the Red Sox might be willing to go five or six years at $25 million. That's not news...and frankly, if the Orioles and Nationals were willing, it wouldn't have been reported. That's why I enjoy reading the local blogs. Thank you for giving us some level-headed coverage. I'm sticking to web and print until Teixeira is locked up, SportsCenter is driving me crazy. Nothing against them, they're great entertainment - but I swear it's not journalism.

Peter its starting to seem like Tex wants to play here but has a agent who can't let him take this deal unless the Orioles up it.

The Orioles should offer 8 years and 170 million and leave it at that. Anything beyond that and Boras will have the Orioles bidding against themselves. That amount of money is what it is going to take to land him. If the Orioles are serious, then they need step up and not low ball him like they did Mussina, Palmero, and Vladimer Guerrero. They have to pay him what he is worth. It looks like the same old Orioles who put in a low offer and then come back to the fans and say "oh well, we tried, but we are a small market team." Enough of that, step and do it for the fans!

I think The O's should go to 8 years and $160,000,000. and tell Mark if he wants to play for the Orioles this is your best opportune time.We will win soon. Show us that your a home town boy.

Boras is using the Orioles fan fear to get Angelos to up the ante. I really think the way this thing is shaking out that he wants to come home but Boras thinks he'll get more money by playing to the fear of him not coming hear.
I keep hearing all these people say we need pitching instead of an overpaid hitter. You give me Tex for 8 and $180 and I will take that anyday over Sabathia or Burnette for a quarter billion. Pitchers are so risky because the wear and tear is much greater, especially on hard throwing pitchers. Nolan Ryan and Roger clemens are exceptions, not the rule. Not to mention Burnette has been hurt several times before and Sabathia needed a 160 mill so he could afford dinner each night. Granted we need pitching, but do Paul Byrd and Braden Looper matchup with Sabathia and Burnette anyway? Get us a true 4th place hitter in place and by midsummer we can have these pitching prospects duking it out for a callup. All I am saying is without Tex and with a few second tier pitchers we are dommed, but get me Tex and those same pitchers knowing we have a few studs on the way and we suddenly have the makings of a winner.

P.s. has anyone even thought how much better he will make guys like Roberts, Huff and Markakis. We truly are not that far away with Tex but we are not getting any closer without him. Make the deal.

Doug

The time is now Andy for your "OFFER THEY CAN"T REFUSE" to Tex. Make the 10 year 200 million dollar deal with a opt out after 6 years. This way Tex can still play for his favorite hometown team, and bail if he doesn't see the improvement toward post-season baseball. He would be 34 and still able to sign another deal with a contender. To protect the Birds make the last 2 years team option years with a 2-3 million buyout. Tex playing for the O's would be the second coming of Cal, with stadium actually drawing some fans again. LET"S GO O's.......sign TEX now and some starting pitching. Let's start competing for the AL East again.

Does anyone else's mouth water at the thought of this lineup?

1. Roberts 2B
2. Markakis RF
3. Teixeria 1B
4. Ramirez LF
5. Huff DH
6. Mora 3B'
7. Weiters C
8. Jones CF
9. Izituris SS

Bench
Gregg Zaun
Luke Scott
Ryan Freels
Lou Montanez/Nolan Reminold
Brandon Fahey

I know that pitching wins games, but with this lineup we could have a set of trained monkeys tossing the ball and would still win more games than last year.

Peter, should Andy MacPhail get other Orioles from the past involved, namely, Cal, to help pursuade Teixeria to come here. I would think if they really want to sign him, you would pull out all the favors that people owe you from the past....

Pete - I listened to Bill Simmons' show over at The Worldwide Leader yesterday, and he posed an interesting conspiracy theory regarding Tex, Boras, and the Sox. He mentioned how the Sox got Dice-K for a relative pittance (3 years, 23 million, not including the exorbitant 50 million dollar posting fee or whatever it was), and that Boras conceivably could keep the price low for the Sox as long as they gave J.D. Drew a big contract (5 years, 70 million).

He mentioned that in regards to Tex, and how Boras would steer Tex towards the Sox for 8/$160 as long as they guaranteed 3/$20 for Jason Varitek, another Boras client who has absolutely nothing left. You think Boras could be that much of a sneak? Because if it meant taking Varitek and Tex as a package deal, I would hope MacPhail would run in the other direction as fast as humanly possible.

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Pete's reply: I don't think the O's have any interest in Varitek.

To me, this is the most telling quote of the day: "If they came back to us and told us what it would take ..." MacPhail said.

Seems like the O's have learned a thing or two about negotiating with Boras. McPhail doesn't want to start bidding against himself (see A-Rod) by panicking at other teams' unconfirmed offers or raising his bid without a response The question is, will Boras be willing to play, or will another team blink first and overpay?

Since in negotiations Boras is always telling teams how much value a marquee player will bring to a franchise, has anyone communicated to Tex the huge dollars he would reap in Baltimore by being the big fish in a smaller pond? In Boston, he's got to contend with Ortiz, Ellsbury, etc. for advertising dollars. In Baltimore, particularly as the hometown face of the franchise, he would probably bring in more money over the course of his career (even his entire life). I think this has to be factored in to any Oriole's offer. The Orioles should just point to Cal, Jr. to show the economic benefit obtained outside the lines when a hometown superstar plays for the the Orioles. So, for example, in real dollars, the Orioles' $160 million could far exceed the $180 million offered by the Red Sox. Hope the O's properly convey this to Tex and Boras.

Tex is not coming to Baltimore - why would he - to come home? Don't think so, after all A. J. didn't - they want to go to a winning team - that is not the Orioles - they want to make the most money - in other words no hometown discount.

Being a longtime Oriole fan, I predict the next disappointment will be Roberts leaving and in a few years Markakis - look how long it is taking to get that contract done - maybe they should of followed Tampa Bays lead of tying up their young players. Longoria had a long term contract before he played his first game.

And this hotshot rookie, Matt Weiters - don''t forget who his agent is - Mr. Boras - enjoy him why you can - he won't be here long term either - Another decade of suffering as an Oriole fan.

That is how it is going to be.

Pete, I think it's the Red Sox who are bluffing. Tex is not Manny Ramirez, a certifiable flake. The Sox are not going to lump them together.

Manny didn't start being Manny after the Red Sox got him, he's been that way for years.

I’m an Oriole fan, but I just have a brief comment—my perspective on baseball’s bidding wars. In my view, these wars became absurd long ago, yet they continue to escalate. I have a little—emphasize little—understanding of Adam Smith’s laissez faire—although you have to wonder how that plays in today’s economics. So, if Mark Teixeira helps a baseball team win, he might return a bang—even a boom—for the buck. If not, his eventual return might ebb lower than a whimper. The point is, for me, my Baltimore County trash collection team provides far more personal good and service than Teixeira. If the county lowered their tax and cut out trash collection, I’d be forced to haul garbage to the landfill myself or hire a private refuse company for pickup. So hooray for trash guys—sanitations engineers in today’s PC world. Teixeira is probably a nice guy, but it seems to me that the trash guys might merit more appreciation for their services than some guys born with a gift hitting a baseball long and hard and frequently.

It almost seems like (counter to what everyone here seems to think) that the Red Sox are being used as a ploy to drive the Angels' and Orioles' offers up.

The Angels and Orioles are probably the two places he would most WANT to play. They need a 1B worse than any of the other teams, and he's comfortable in both places.

Seems to me the Red Sox are thrown in the mix as a high bidding, big market team to see if Boras can't scare up the offers from the smaller market teams. I could be wrong, or just hopelessly optomistic, but everyone's just guessing at this point right?

If the Orioles are serious about pursuing Teixeira, they should go all the way. It's obvious we are not going to go after any big-name pitchers, so Teixeira would be the best off-season/long-term acquisition we can make.

Forget Boston for now. If Andy MacPhail claims that the Os are interested in Tex, they'll have to meet or exceed the other offers. Otherwise it's the usual Angelos day-late-dollar-short-gee-we-tried routine.

I wonder how different things would be if Teixeira was represented by anyone other than Scott Boras...

To foxfire01: First off, the lineup you posted doesn't make my mouth water. Second, there's absolutely no way the O's could sign Tex AND Manny. Third, there's absolutely no way the O's would even consider signing Tex AND Manny. What makes my mouth water is thinking about Tex, Markakis and Wieters anchoring the lineup three years down the road when Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta are at the top of the rotation.

And "O's Fan in Montana" brings up a good point. Signing with the O's would instantly bring Teixeira a huge deal with Under Armour. If money is the issue that makes or breaks a deal with the O's, Boras should think about how marketable Tex would be in his hometown/homestate.

John Henry also had another reason for not signing someone to 10 years in that interview - "we thought we had someone under contract for 10 years and look how that worked out" (Manny Ramirez)

Bring back the reserve clause!

Peter Wouldnt stand to reason if the red sox were after texiera as vigoursily as were led to believe there would be some rumors out there regarding Mike Lowell.Theo Epstein must know he needs to be moved first.Also why no interest in Ben Sheets seem to me given the oriloes pitching situation hed be as good as anyone to take a flier on?

cb coach. That's a good point about Boras not having the same amount of leverage re: the RedSox. As you stated, they don't really need Texiera as much as the other supposed 'suitors'. The more I think about this, the more it appears that Boras is merely using teams to drive up the price.
From the outset, Tex stated that one of his main priorities was to play for a winner. Many of those teams already have a solid 1b (Dodgers/Yanks/Rays,etc) so that reduces the field. He may be using the home town card to create the illusion that the Nats and O's are serious players. In reality, only the Angels seem to meet the crtieria of a winner and having $$$. I would have liked to see them offer a 4 yr/80 mill deal and force Boras'hand. If they really did offer 8 yrs-160 mill, then all things considered, Tex should have already taken it.
I still don't see how the O's offer of 7 yrs-150 can be considered 'lowball'-That's a very fair offer and if Tex gets a better one so be it. In the long run, we may be better off-tying up that much in one player ties our hands. We have more than one hole to fill and besides, how about the $$$ needed to extend other key players-such as Jones, Markakis, Guthire? If you pay one guy 20 mill then that automatically drives their salaries up.

I think I speak for all of us when I say "Just let it be over!!! Either way!!!"

Pete - any fun Xmas plans?

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Pete's reply: Well, I was hoping to be at a Christmas Eve press conference at the warehouse, but I'll adjust if I have to.

i first agree that the price of these salaries are absurd and they should not be paid...that being said adding a proven hitter will improve the offense to a point where a proven starter may want to sign with the O's somewhere down the road...no #1 starter is coming to a team with the lineup we put on the field last year....show we can give the starters the run support amd the pitching will improve....BUT REALLY is anybody worth 20 million per year in ANY field

This whole continuous dialogue over Tex's decision is becoming uninteresting: sorta like watching scrooge wading through all those visits from those ghosts all night long only to find out that there are other important things going on and needing attention!
A few starting pitchers, an experienced catcher on the roster and a DH to match Huff from the right side are wishes on my Xmas list. When the Boras clock strikes , will there be players to make a competitive TEAM or another bad dream?

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Pete's reply: You must have watched the Patrick Stewart version of "A Christmas Carol" last night.

A couple of comments:

First, if a player wants to play somewhere, agents typically make that happen (even Boras). Jason Varitek has been a Boras client for a long time, and he's been in Boston his whole career. So while Wieters MAY only be here 6 years, if he wants to stay he will. Simple as that.

Secondly, I think that MacPhail is playing this one pretty smart. He's not jumping the gun and pulling a "Tom Hicks" by putting a gargantuan offer on the table. Remember, MacPhail is the one who got Wieters to sign for $6m instead of the $11m that Boras had targeted.

Thirdly, I think that Teixeira is absolutely conflicted about where he wants to play ball. I don't think it's all about the money. I think that if Baltimore were a little more competitive, he would have signed with us already. Since we're not, and Boston is in the mix, it's a very tough decision. Put yourself in his shoes. If money wasn't an issue, and winning and family was, which team would you pick?

The one thing I would tell Mark is that if he does come here, he will attract a lof other players to come here too. A team with a foundation of Brian Roberts, Mark Teixeira, Matt Wieters, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Cesar Izturis (he is a gold glove and all-star SS), Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta, Jeremy Guthrie, Troy Patton, Jim Johnson, George Sherrill and Chris Ray is pretty darned good (we all hope).

I'd also like to throw my vote in the hat to get Manny. I know he's old and that he's "Manny", but I can't help but wish we had him. All we'd have to do is figure out how to get him excited about playing here. (Possible ideas: high five from Manny night where every fan gets a free hot dog if Manny makes an out and high fives a fan on the same play, crab cakes, orange is his color, ???)

Give him a huge two year incentive laden contract with 2 extra option years if he doesn't punch anyone.

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Pete's reply: Doesn't make any sense to me. Why not wait the two years until you're more competitive and trade for him when he gets tired of his next team.

Hey Pete,
Any word on how hard the players union is pushing Tex to take the larger contract? I know that has been a problem for some players in the past that were going to give the home team a discount until the union started pushing for more money.

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Pete's reply: I think that's overblown. If Tex as going to sign for $80 million with the O's instead of $160 million with the Red Sox, he might get a call, but not when we're talking about the relatively subtle difference in these offers, or what we think these offers might be.

Pete - Thanks for answering my question about where the Orioles are at concerning free agent pitching and in particular the Japanese pitchers. What I don't understand and I realize the Orioles aren't the only team that seems to do this during the off-season, but why can't they multi-task and sign other free agents? I know about the "dominoe" effect and the top free agents set the salaries for lower ones, but you'd think there would be a general idea and salary boundry, that they could sign lower free agents before the upper ones. I don't know, maybe my thinking is askew, but the way free agency signings in baseball has never made any sense to me. Glad all these people are only in charge of running baseball operations and not something more important.

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Pete's reply: I think the agents may be waiting because some of the big money teams are focused on Teixeira and Manny. The O's aren't a team that can force that action, unless they want to make a ridiculous bid for somebody who might not make that much of a difference.

We need to remember that Boras works for Teixeira and not the other way around. I don't think Tex is the type to be steered to a place he doesn't want to go. If he truely wants to come back to Baltimore and our bid is in the ballpark he will sign. Boras may posture and prance but the decision is Tex's and he will make it.

The O's need pitching I get that but who is left out there to get that would make that much of a difference? A couple of inning eaters which we do need badly but enough to miss out on an opportunity like this. A hometown superstar that actually wants to play for the O's!!! I hope the O's dont let this slip by because it will be an awful long time before this kind of opportunity would fall in our laps again. Have Cal talk to him like Jackson did for the Yankees for CC or Michael Phelps, the Ravens defense anyone. Lets get him here. Pitching and defense wins games....We would have the defense..maybe not the pitching but its a good start! 1 out of 2 isn't bad.

ok let me put this the best way i can, if anyone thinks Tex is going to the O's or believe the sox are a throw in is completly naive and dreaming, with lowell coming out of surgery and ortiz on the decline why in the hell wouldnt the sox want tex? and knowin Boras Tex will end up with the Sox because then Manny can "possibly" go to the Angels or Yanks, so the O's and Nats have no chance of getting Tex because all thought Boston wont offer 10yrs dont be suprised if they come with a 8yr 175/180mill offer which will blow away other offers and if you watch espn and listen to buster and peter gammons they say the sox are the favs, go on mlb.com and gm involved in the discussions said soxs are in the lead, and if you forget the yanks made two big moves so do you think the sox want to stay the same team? i doubt it and im not a redsox fan im a baseball fan so im sorry to burst the o's fans bubble but dont be surprised in a day or two Tex is a sox

Pete-

To answer your Manny suggestion. You don't wait two years because he probably won't be the same player in two years. It would be like when the O's got Sammy Sosa a few years back, except quirkier.

I'm not saying they should aggresively pursue him, but if interest in him remains low, I don't know that it would be a bad idea to sign him for a few years to boost the offense. He'd provide some protection in the lineup for Markakis now and Wieters while he develops, and he'd be a better option in LF than platooning two guys to end up with a batting line of .274/18/73. Like I said, if he's still available, it wouldn't be a bad idea. Sure he can be a prima donna and a general space cadet sometimes, but when he's on, I STILL don't think there's a better pure hitter in baseball.

Because how could he feed his family with 8 years/$150M?

Trained monkeys can do a better job pitching, BUT THEY ALSO CAN DO A BETTER JOB RUNNING THE FRONT OFFICE!!!

I think that some of the people posting here are out of their minds. Comon, the people saying that the O's should offer him a 10-year, $200 mil contract need to get a reality check. How do you expect the O's to give big extensions to Nick, Jones, Guthrie, B-Rob, Wieters, and our 3 young guns (Arrieta, Matusz, and Tillman) with us paying Tex $20 mil a year. How about we just drop out and look for another option, a Ryan Garko or Hank Blalock for example. They are both young, can hit for power, and won't cost half as much as Tex. Listen, I want Tex as badly as anyone, but not for too big of a price. Maybe it's time that we thought with a little logic for a change.

I can barely afford a pair of shoes and these yo-yo's are willing to offer a baseball ( ? ) PLAYER 180 -200 MILLION DOLLARS. How many meals can we put on someones table for this.

Get real people.

Can you afford the ticket prices ?

Oriole fans, please wake up. Listen, one thing the ownership at the Red Sox do, is make sound financial decisions. No way in this economy is Mark Texiera worth 160 million over 8 years. Your crazy. 30 homeruns, 100 RBI's are not Manny Ramirez or Alex Rodriguez numbers. He is not worth that kind of money. I'm a lifelong Sox fan, and I'm not at all afraid to let Tex go. Unlike the spend drunk Yankees, the Red Sox are set up for the long haul. Pitching...pitching...pitching...and defense. Yes, the O's need his numbers, the Sox dont. Be realistic, and scream at your owner to find pitching.....hellooooooo. Ya sure, a lineup that scores over 1000 runs with a pitching staff with an ERA over 4, wins you what, 20 more games? By my math, you still fall WAY short of the playoffs.