Redsox to make big push for Texiera

[BoSox21]

Besides, i don't see Tex signing in a place that would, in theory, have a position logjam when he could sign elsewhere, same years, same or maybe more $$$, and guaranteed playing time.

 

Any team who is gonna sign him for the money it's gonna take is gonna guarantee him playing time

[BSN07]

The other reason not to chase Teixeira is the worst case scenario.

 

Usually with a free agent the WCS is pretty much wherever you started before you pursue the free agent but in this case, Mark Teixeira is not going to come to the team if it already has 2 competent and relatively popular corner infielders. You would almost have to trade Lowell before signing Teixeira is a realistic possibility. After all, I doubt he'll take "oh we're going to trade him before Spring" seriously and no one of Teixeira's caliber wants to volunteer to find themselves in a roster scrum. Not when 4-5 other teams can guarantee him a full-time starting 1Bman gig for the next 6-7 years!.

 

So here, the worst case is that Boras leads you on, you deal Lowell, and Teixeira signs somewhere else. Then what? You're actually weaker for chasing the big name at the expense of sense, that's what.

 

 

You lost me there. This isn't a popularity contest. The FO has shown they don't care about trading a fan favorite. Point is, if they trade Lowell, no ones not gonna watch the team anymore, or give up their season tickets. They will make the move that they believe improves the team now and for the future. And for the most part, the FO has been good at what they do.

 

Pedroia is just about the only untouchable on this team. I don't mean to say that they would trade anyone else on the team easily. But Pedroia is probably top 2B(close to it) in the AL, there's not much room to improve. Every other position has better players somehwere in the league.

[Believe in Boston 7]

You lost me there. This isn't a popularity contest. The FO has shown they don't care about trading a fan favorite. Point is, if they trade Lowell, no ones not gonna watch the team anymore, or give up their season tickets. They will make the move that they believe improves the team now and for the future. And for the most part, the FO has been good at what they do.

 

Pedroia is just about the only untouchable on this team. I don't mean to say that they would trade anyone else on the team easily. But Pedroia is probably top 2B(close to it) in the AL, there's not much room to improve. Every other position has better players somehwere in the league.

 

I agree. If you have the chance and resources to improve your team you have to atleast explore it. The reason the Rays beat this team all year was due to the weak hitting. This team with Texiera will have a team of Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Bay and Mark Texiera for the next 5-10 years.

 

Bay for Manny was brilliant cause there are only so many years these players have. Manny is the best LF in the MLB. But Bay is the second or third and younger so it's a set position.

Lets keep the winning up cause a chance to do what we are doing doesn't come around every day.

[Dipre]

Any team who is gonna sign him for the money it's gonna take is gonna guarantee him playing time

 

 

But that's exactly the point, they'll have to guarantee him playing time, sure, but even if they do, i don't see him even listening to an offer from the Sox unless Mikey has already been dealt, 'cause that could turn into an ugly situation.

 

Don't get me wrong, i'd love to see a 3-4-5 of Ortiz, Tex and Youk *drools*, but i just don't think it's very realistic due to the Lowell situation.

[Dojji]

You lost me there. This isn't a popularity contest. The FO has shown they don't care about trading a fan favorite. Point is' date=' if they trade Lowell, no ones not gonna watch the team anymore, or give up their season tickets. They will make the move that they believe improves the team now and for the future. And for the most part, the FO has been good at what they do.[/quote']

 

Either you didn't read me very well, or I didn't express my point very well.

 

My point is simple and it doesn't have anything to do with whether the FO will or will not trade Mike Lowell in a vacuum. My point is that in order to get Teixeira they have to trade Lowell BEFORE they win the bid for Teixeira, because otherwise he represents a huge disincentive for Teixeira to come here.

 

My other point is: once you've traded Lowell, you're running a risk that you then fail to get Teixeira. And this risk is not small.

 

We're dealing with a Boras client after all, and he'll be muddying the waters for all it's worth and will take the fact that we traded Lowell to every other team in the bidding to see if they'll up the ante now that Boston is officially desperate to win. If just one of those teams bites, we're screwed. That will mean either Bailey as the full-time 1B or Anderson rushed to the majors too soon, both less optimal solutions than just leaving Lowell where he is.

 

I agree that the upside of Youkilis and Teixeira is better in principle than the upside of Youkilis and Lowell, but you need to manage the downside too.

[Paradisecity]

Either you didn't read me very well, or I didn't express my point very well.

 

My point is simple and it doesn't have anything to do with whether the FO will or will not trade Mike Lowell in a vacuum. My point is that in order to get Teixeira they have to trade Lowell BEFORE they win the bid for Teixeira, because otherwise he represents a huge disincentive for Teixeira to come here.

 

My other point is: once you've traded Lowell, you're running a risk that you then fail to get Teixeira. And this risk is not small.

 

We're dealing with a Boras client after all, and he'll be muddying the waters for all it's worth and will take the fact that we traded Lowell to every other team in the bidding to see if they'll up the ante now that Boston is officially desperate to win. If just one of those teams bites, we're screwed. That will mean either Bailey as the full-time 1B or Anderson rushed to the majors too soon, both less optimal solutions than just leaving Lowell where he is.

 

I agree that the upside of Youkilis and Teixeira is better in principle than the upside of Youkilis and Lowell, but you need to manage the downside too.

 

Why do you need to trade Lowell first?

 

Who says Lowell will even be the odd man out? If you havent noticed, our designated hitter couldn't hit a ball to save his life the last 2 months of the season.

 

What Tex provides is flexibility- not just flexibility with the lineup and order and positions, but flexibility in the necessity of production. What if Ortiz's fall from grace is real? No problem. What if Lowell doesn't heal the way they need him to. No problem. What if both occur? Much less of a problem than it would be.

 

I don't think they necessarily NEED to trade Lowell at ALL, much less trade him first.

[Dipre]

ESPN's Buster Olney gives his take on the Mark Teixeira situation in his blog this morning. Olney believes the Yankees will "bid heavily" on Tex, perhaps $120MM over six years. Teixeira turned down $140MM from the Rangers last year, though that was for eight years. Ken Davidoff of Newsday believes that since the Yanks are prioritizing pitching, they'll probably go with cheaper options like Casey Blake or Kevin Millar.

 

Olney says there's debate about Boston's level of interest in Teixeira - do they truly want him, or are they trying to drive up the price for the Yankees? He suggests a scenario where the Sox sign Teixeira and keep Mike Lowell - Kevin Youkilis goes to left field, Jason Bay to right, and J.D. Drew to center (pushing Jacoby Ellsbury to a utility role and leaving Coco Crisp out of a job).

 

 

Well that is another solution if we were to keep Lowell and get Tex.

 

Even though IMHO Youk in left= LOL.

[Cocos Disciples]

That would be a lot of guys playing pretty unfamiliar positions. I'll pass.

[Dojji]

Why do you need to trade Lowell first?

 

Because otherwise Teixeira won't come here unless he's guaranteed a job as the starting first baseman, for all 162 games less injuries and unforseen circumstances, period, end of sentence.

 

Who says Lowell will even be the odd man out?

 

You would rather bench Youkilis?

 

If you havent noticed, our designated hitter couldn't hit a ball to save his life the last 2 months of the season.

 

So? Even if that's true, this team is committed to Ortiz' spot on the roster and in the lineup. Even if he sucks next year this team will still have no alternative but to go into the season with Ortiz as the starting DH. I don't think I can make myself any clearer here. Once the season is started you can talk about the adjustments made then but that won't include Teixeira.

 

Besides, Teixeira knows his best value has to include his defense. Since he's still fairly young he might have another contract to look forward after this one so I suspect he and Boras will be putting him in a position to show his ability as much as possible. Which means Teixeira as the starting 1B for someone and no alternative schemes need apply.

 

What Tex provides is flexibility- not just flexibility with the lineup and order and positions, but flexibility in the necessity of production. What if Ortiz's fall from grace is real? No problem. What if Lowell doesn't heal the way they need him to. No problem. What if both occur? Much less of a problem than it would be.

 

Except that you're using a premiere big name free agent bat for a flexibility signing. That's more of a job for Casey Blake or Eric Hinske. It's not unlike signing Sabathia to be your long man. Sure, he'd do the job and do one hell of a job at it -- if you could convince him that he should stoop to that. And once again, you're overlooking the need to sell this situation to Teixeira, which I do not believe would be an easy sell.

 

I don't think they necessarily NEED to trade Lowell at ALL, much less trade him first.

 

And Teixeira's ego is going to allow him to enter into an uncertain playing time situation when he could play every day for 4-5 other teams? These are baseball players, and there's things more important to them than money. Their role and being given a chance to play are the two most classical examples and without trading Lowell, you can't offer Teixeira either.

[TheKilo]

Theo:

 

“In baseball, if you convince yourself you need a certain player, you’ve already lost. One player doesn’t have that much impact. It’s about building organizations. It’s not about adding players. There’s no player you can have to make up for an inherent weakness in the organization—a foundational weakness. You need to build the foundation up where you don’t need that one player. Yeah, you can pursue that player. He may be a great fit. But if it doesn’t work out or if the money gets ridiculous, you can turn to another player.”

[BSN07]

Theo:

 

Also a fair point.

[BoSox21]

thats why the Sox dont NEED anyone, theyre good to great in every facet of the game