Before he can get a new contract, Manny Ramirez may have to wait for Mark Teixeira to sign first.  Photo: Icon SMI

The Manny Market appears to depend on the Teixeira Sweepstakes.

The Yankees are in on the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes but don't appear overly optimistic to outbid the determined Angels or Red Sox. Should the Yankees lose out for Teixeira, who's drawing interest from the perennially also-ran Nationals and Orioles in addition to the three aforementioned clubs, they seem ready to pounce for Manny Ramirez.

There are those suggesting the Yankees are only in the running for Teixeira to either monitor the rival Red Sox or drive up the price for the switch-hitting slugger. But while it's true the Yankees don't appear as eager to sign Teixeira as the Angels and Red Sox, they do appear willing to sign him at the right price. After already signing CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett for $243.5 million combined, the Yankees appear disinclined to offer $200 million for Teixeira, which is what it may take to get him.

That's where Manny may come in.

While the Yankees have a trio of accomplished corner outfielders -- Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Xavier Nady -- they appear to love the idea of Manny and could still utilize Damon in centerfield on occasion.

If Teixeira goes to the Red Sox, Ramirez's market becomes that much better because the Angels become a possibility for his services as well as the Yankees and incumbent Dodgers. If Teixeira stays in Anaheim, Ramirez loses a little leverage since the Red Sox don't want him back. Boston's resolve to win Teixeira is heightened since they don't have a viable fallback option like Ramirez.

Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, has been telling teams he envisions Teixeira closer to Alex Rodriguez ($27.5 million, or $30.5 million annually, depending whether you count the performance bonuses) than Torii Hunter ($18 million), and baseball people believe Teixeira will surely beat the $20-million mark, and perhaps even CC Sabathia's $23-million salary.

All the teams in the bidding for Teixeira are thought to be in for eight years, or more.