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Signs Angels are serious about Teixeira

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Competing baseball executives are becoming convinced that the Angels mean business when it comes to star free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, and not just because Angels owner Arte Moreno told SI.com at the Winter Meetings, "Teixeira's my guy.'' (Though, clearly, that doesn't hurt.) While some Angels people seemed somewhat pessimistic about their chances in Las Vegas, here are four more reasons the Angels are still seen as huge players here: 1. The Angels recently announced that they'd made an eight-year offer to Teixeira. While the number of years isn't significant -- multiple teams are believed to be offering at least eight years at this point -- high-level baseball executives believe Moreno wouldn't authorize such an announcement if he wasn't intending to win the bidding. 2. The Angels appear to have abandoned their usual quick-deadline strategy. While saying they won't wait forever, they are not setting a near-term deadline that could limit their chances to get him. 3. Except for Manny Ramirez, the Angels' reported backup plans pale in comparison. The Los Angeles Times and other news outlets have listed several possible targets should Teixeira go elsewhere, and they include outfielders Aadm Dunn, Pat Burell and Bobby Abreu (the best of that group), third baseman Adrian Beltre, Mike Lowell and Garrett Atkins (a three-way tossup, with Lowell still having to prove he's healthy) and pitcher Jake Peavy (Peavy hasn't given the go-ahead to be traded to the Angels, or for that matter, any team in the American League; besides, Moreno said he's happy with their starting pitching). 4. While there are at least five teams in the bidding, and like the Angels the other four are all believed to go to $160 million or more, two of those teams are the Nationals and Orioles, who aren't exactly on the verge of changing their recent history of not contending. The Yankees are the third team, and with them having spent $243.5 million already on CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, they might not be anxious for an all-out bidding war. They'd surely take Teixeira if he's insistent on going there and they could keep the price to $160-to-180 million, but it's unclear now whether they're willing to hit the $200-million mark, and at this point, that's probably what it's going take. Manny Ramirez might be a slightly more likely option for the Yankees since they might be able to get him on a three- or four-year deal.

SI.com

Mark Teixeira, Elsa/Getty Images Mark Teixeira, Elsa/Getty Images
December 16, 2008  06:06 AM ET

Good for him.

Comment #2 has been removed
December 16, 2008  06:34 AM ET

and now the Red Sox are in the mix, he is going to get paid.

December 16, 2008  07:36 AM ET

Peter Angelos needs to up that offer and get the hometown boy back in Bmore. With that young lineup and some pitching they can compete again

December 16, 2008  07:48 AM ET

sox will offer him 10 yr 200mil. even tho theo doesnt like giving that kind of contract, he wont have a choice if he wants him.....and he does

December 16, 2008  07:49 AM ET

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!!!!

Christmas morning Boras will announce that the sox have signed Tex to a 10 yr 200 mil and Tek to a 2 year 20 mil contract. He did this with Tek when he signed his contract that made him captain

December 16, 2008  07:56 AM ET

I don't see the Sox going 10 yrs when they have an all star firstbaseman and Lowell at third. Theo doesn't like signing players past the age of 36 I see the Sox going 8-9 years tops. It won't matter though he is going to the Angels, Moreno has the money to get it done and will get it done.

December 16, 2008  08:06 AM ET

Red Sox will sign him for 8 years and $185 million.....

December 16, 2008  08:06 AM ET

i would agree with you but with lowell struggling last year and his healthy in question right now i owuldnt put in out of the relam of possibility.

December 16, 2008  08:21 AM ET

lowell's numbers werent that bad last year (17hrs, 73 rbi, .274 BA) for a guy with a bad hip. He still has a lot left in the tank.

December 16, 2008  08:26 AM ET
QUOTE:

Teixeira will land up with the Red Sox. That is my Christmas wish.

Sorry I already wished for him to go to the Angels, should've asked Santa sooner. Maybe next year.

December 16, 2008  08:34 AM ET

I THINK THE YANKS GET TEX BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE A YANKEE AND WE GET MANNY JUST TO STEAL EVERY FREE AGENT WORTH SOMETHING BUT WHO KNOWS MAYBE THE SOX GET HIM I LIKE TEX GOOD PLAYER

December 16, 2008  08:37 AM ET
QUOTE:

But your wish has not come true yet ... neither has mine. We'll see ... ;)

Fair enough we will see.

December 16, 2008  08:59 AM ET
QUOTE(#13):

I THINK THE YANKS GET TEX BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE A YANKEE AND WE GET MANNY JUST TO STEAL EVERY FREE AGENT WORTH SOMETHING BUT WHO KNOWS MAYBE THE SOX GET HIM I LIKE TEX GOOD PLAYER

He does? Care to clue the rest of us in to where you got your info? Or is it the curb water down on Tremont Avenue that you've been sucking up like a camel at a spring?

December 16, 2008  09:04 AM ET

Tex does not give a crap about where he plays. He will play for the highest bidder. Scott Boras is his Agent.

December 16, 2008  09:07 AM ET
QUOTE(#18):

Tex does not give a crap about where he plays. He will play for the highest bidder. Scott Boras is his Agent.

You think if Washington comes in highest he will actually go play in Washington for the next 8-10 years and be stuck on a losing team that may or may not come around. I think he goes to Boston or LA money plus winning teams.

December 16, 2008  09:08 AM ET

Wouldn't it be nice if he signed somewhere soon so that we could all get on with our lives? I sure would hate to have to be thinking about this issue all day on December 25th.

December 16, 2008  09:11 AM ET

*yawn* Will somebody just sign this prima donna already so we can get the other signings going?

December 16, 2008  09:14 AM ET

I'm telling you, his parents told me they are working on numbers with the Orioles and he will sign there for 8 years in the area of $185mil.

He has been in Baltimore since Saturday and they are working out the fine print. His Mom is extremely happy to have him near home. His Dad told me that he didn't care where his son signed at first but secretly hoped for the Orioles all along. Too bad Boston, New York and Anahiem.

 
December 16, 2008  09:18 AM ET

hahaha kingfish are you stalking him??? hows the weather down in MD today?

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