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Curb your enthusiasm, Angels fans: Teixeira could still join the Red Sox
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News that the Red Sox have cut off negotiations with Mark Teixeira might lead to phantasmal expectations that he’ll return to Anaheim. Angels management and fans, however, should not get their hopes up too high.
Red Sox owner John Henry and general manager Theo Epstein engaged in meetings with Boras and Teixeira in Dallas on Thursday night. Henry released a flaccid response afterward stating that upon hearing the other offers, his team would not be a factor. Nice try, Mr. Henry.
According to si.com, a number of baseball officials insist the Red Sox are calling super agent Scott Boras’ bluff regarding a possible $200-million offer that exists from another club.
It’s doubtful the Angels have gone that high, but it’s conceivable that a bottom-feeder team like the Nationals might make such an offer. In that case, Teixeira would have to choose money -- and a return to his home state of Maryland -- or try to make ends meet on an eight-year, $180-million deal from the Red Sox or Angels.
Even if Teixeira spurns Boston, there has to be real concern among the Angels’ braintrust that Teixeira is dead set on returning to the East Coast. Teixeira, a classic Boras client, has shown in the past that the almighty dollar will be the deciding factor in his decision. (He spurned a $140 million offer from the Rangers before they traded him to the Braves.) This does not make him unique among major leaguers or a bad person. Boras, though, is a master at getting a desperate team to wildly overspend on big names. (See: Tom Hicks’ insane signing of Alex Rodriguez for $252 million.)
Thus, if Teixeira does indeed reject Boston’s money, he likely will sign with the woebegone Nationals for the $200 million-plus Boras is seeking for his client. It’s doubtful that Arte Moreno’s final bid will hit that magic number.
As a result, Moreno and Tony Reagins will likely return to the free agent market for a dangerous bat. Paging Manny Ramirez, paging Manny Ramirez …
