Buzz: Mets and Yankees and Teixeira
By Matthew Cerrone - May 8, 2008 11:35 am

Braves 1B Mark Teixeira is able to be a free agent after this season.

According to Jon Heyman on SI.com, citing ‘sources,’ the 28–year-old Teixeira and his agent, Scott Boras, could be seeking a ten-year, $200 million deal.

Teixeira, who has 174 career home runs in 779 games, is hitting .254 this season following a 5–for-32 start.

In the report, Heyman writes, “Jeff Wilpon is said to have been a Teixeira admirer for years,” while listing the Mets at 4 to 1 odds of signing the first baseman.

Ultimately, Heyman believes that the Yankees are most likely to sign Teixeira, with the Mets next in line, followed by the Orioles, Mariners, Braves, Red Sox and Giants.

…well, i am sure it will make Scott Boras more than happy to wrangle in both new york teams

Speaking of first baseman, according to Jamey Newberg of the Newberg Report, Rangers 1B Jason Botts has cleared waivers and will return to the team’s farm system.

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68 Comments »

Comment by NickA33
2008-05-08 11:40:53

Personally, I’d LOVE to have Tex on our team. He’s young, hits for power, a great fielder and is a switch hitter. I’m not sure 10 yrs at $200 million is worth it though, that’s a lot to invest in one player. And, would the Yankees be so eager to sign a deal like that, considering they just signed a 10 yr contact for ARod? Not so sure…

6 yrs, 120 million…(maybe 7….maybe)

Comment by giuseppe franco_procede
2008-05-08 11:57:42

Ten years is way too much. I don’t care who you are! And ultimately, Boras will use the Mets to get to the Yankees. It’s happened before, it sure as hell will happen again.

 
 
Comment by DK
2008-05-08 11:41:22

We are not getting this guy… Yanks or O’s going to throw ton of money at him. We need to focus on Pitching… Sheets… Garland.. CC

Comment by NickA33
2008-05-08 11:45:47

We’re not getting CC, that’s for sure. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have him, I just think he’ll either resign wih Cleveland or go to the Yankees. Sheets, is too often injured and will command a much higher contact than he’s worth. Garland is solid though and could make a impact on our team…

 
Comment by Dirtysanchez
2008-05-08 11:55:27

i doubt we will get cc or sheets…garland may be reasonable though

 
Comment by MudvilleNine
2008-05-08 13:55:16

DK I dont agree with you on somethings but here I am with you 100%. Pitching, pitching, pitching. I think we can get CC if we put our total effort into him and forget about Tex who we definetly wont be able to sign. If we show CC he’s our one and only prioity, his opinion toward the Mets might be higher. The chance to join Santana on a pitching staff, to not have to be “The Guy “, in the NL without a DH, could end up being factors in our favor. Pitching has never hurt the Braves all those years, not hurting AZ right now either.

Comment by bonatom
2008-05-08 19:23:07

Has anyone been watching baseball this year- besides Mets Game? CC is NO Santana.. he is built like Ray King.. he is injury prone and has looked like garbage this year. And yet ..He is still going to get a boatload of money.. I would bet the Rangers or Giants sign him… just on their track record of horrendous FA signings

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Comment by MudvilleNine
2008-05-08 22:06:59

Funny, I’ve been watching more than just this year. Your injury prone pitcher averages 31 starts a year, and 201 innings per year. True he’s not having a good year so far but he’s not anywhere close to looking like garbage. Over-exaggerating a little arent we? The man is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and every pitcher is allowed one bad season, and really it has only been one month. But your right, we shouldnt even think of signing a 28 year old left-handed pitcher with very good lifetime numbers, because he’s 1-5 one month in. What were we thinking about?

 
 
 
 
Comment by Free Aaron Heilman
2008-05-08 11:43:05

I hope the Yankees do get Teixiera and overpay for him. I’m afraid that their need to put Posada at first base may interfere with that.

I would rather the Mets gamble that one of Murphy,. Evans or Carp can hold down the fort at first base at least temporarily, if not permanently. They need to spend most of their money next year on pitching.

Teixeira may have had his best years already. 10 years is way too long to sing him. Just pass.

 
Comment by jws366
2008-05-08 11:46:07

I don’t know if we’re going to be happy down the line when Tex is 35,36,37, and 38….putting up Delgado numbers for $20 mill a year…

Comment by ravi3
2008-05-08 12:29:47

The think is Tex seems to be different type of player than Carlos, who certainly aged a bit faster playing on the SkyDome turf - Delgado has a much longer, upper cut swing, whereas Tex is a line drive hitter with power—That type of swing doesn’t deteriorate as quickly. In addition, he is also a quality defender, which Delgado never was.

I’m all for 7/120-140 with a few option years or something…

 
 
Comment by krumbledkookie
2008-05-08 11:47:39

I’ll pass as well. Too much $$$, and pitching will be the priority.

Plus, he looks like a damn bird.

 
Comment by dr jones
2008-05-08 11:49:14

I’m tired of overpaying for guys that are past their prime. we need to worry about our pitching staff next season. If we get absolutely no production from second base for the next four seasons then its probably a big deal that we get decent production from first base but lets see if we can make a trade or something. I really don’t think overpaying for theses superstars makes much sense anymore. Look at all the teams contending with young players.

Comment by beltran the warrior
2008-05-08 13:12:09

how’s he past his prime? he’s 28 and is entering his prime.

 
 
Comment by Felonious Monk
2008-05-08 11:49:14

ENOUGH ALREADY! Let’s try building on some young talent rather than looking for the next high-priced FA. We have two good young 1B prospects in Mike Carp and Michel Abreu.

Look around the league. The successful teams are teams like Arizona, Colorado, and Milwaukee. These are not veteran clubs. I don’t care if we don’t win in 2009 if it means winning from 2010 every year through 2015.

Comment by I_Need_More_Cowbell_Please
2008-05-08 11:52:16

Michel Abreu is anything but young… is he like 31 or 33?

Comment by Another Matt
2008-05-08 13:41:52

Abreu’s officially 29, but being a Cuban defector you gotta add a few to that.

Point remains, however, that we have a bunch of talent at 1B in the minors - Carp, Evans, Lucas Duda.

They might not be ready for next year though, but Abreu or Pascucci could be serviceable stopgaps until 2010.

We need to have cash available to address pitching this offseason, I think Tex is a luxury we can’t afford, especially with the Yankees likely to make a huge offer.

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Comment by therealsince86
2008-05-08 13:48:04

No it came out long ago that he was much older. I guess the Mets want to still list him at that to make him more attractive. Type it in on google and you will find the actual age.

 
Comment by wallybackman'sfire
2008-05-08 18:25:23

I think maybe we need to add a few years to Luis Castillo’s listed age too?

 
 
 
Comment by Deadpanwalking
2008-05-08 12:31:08

Good point. If there’s one position where the league is flush with good players, it’s first base. 10 years/200 million is too much in a buyers market. If he was a second baseman I could maybe see it.

 
Comment by krumbledkookie
2008-05-08 12:31:35

I agree with what you’re saying, but tell me exactly what success Milwaukee has had. Almost winning the division last year counts as success? In that case, the Mets were successful last year too.

And by the way, Abreu is not young… he’s like 34 years old.

Comment by altru426
2008-05-08 13:32:41

Our two young prospects are Carp and Evans, not Abreu. But I agree, let’s go with our OWN young talent.

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Comment by shea_guevara
2008-05-08 11:49:32

10 years is a lot of years for a position player whose name isn’t A-Rod. The Yanks would gladly pay big bucks for him, but they’re not gonna give him a 10 year deal. Nor will the Mets, or practically any other team in baseball. Except maybe the rock-stupid Baltimore front office.

 
Comment by Chan Ho Parking Lot
2008-05-08 11:49:53

Not sure Teixeira strikes me as one of those guys who will age well. I can see him declining sooner than we think. 10 years should be out of the question.

 
Comment by the Straw
2008-05-08 11:52:20

Pass…focus needs to be filling at least two voids in the rotation, possibly three if Pelfrey doesnt get it together.

 
Comment by Dirtysanchez
2008-05-08 11:52:22

I would love to have tex but i just dont see that happening. The yanks are gonna snatch him up for 10 years. Way to long of a contract for the mets to commit to. Id say let em go and focus on pitching. As far as first base we could look for trade because the 1b class of 2009 is not that inspiring
per mlbtraderumors.com
First basemen
Ben Broussard (32)
Sean Casey (34)
Tony Clark (37)
Carlos Delgado (37) - $16MM mutual option for ‘09 with a $4MM buyout
Nomar Garciaparra (35)
Jason Giambi (38) - $22MM club option for ‘09 with a $5MM buyout
Scott Hatteberg (39)
Eric Hinske (31)
Doug Mientkiewicz (35)
Kevin Millar (37)
Richie Sexson (34)
Mark Teixeira (29)

………..

Comment by jws366
2008-05-08 12:43:25

I wouldn’t mind giving Eric Hinske a look as a temporary replacement for a year or two until Carp is ready. He was always a big prospect and he’s clearly got something left in the tank…

Comment by cape mets
2008-05-08 16:45:04

If Delgado should turn out to be done, and it gets late in the season and the Mets are in the race for a playoff spot…. and if the Dodgers should fall out of the race I could see Nomar or Kent being trade options for the Mets to play IB…

By the way - I had Philly sportstalk on the radio today, and Phillie fans are really down on Ryan Howard. Some callers want him demoted to the AAA team to get his swing together, some were talking about putting him on the DL with a fake injury so he can clear his head. Crazy huh?

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Comment by tfc3rid
2008-05-08 11:56:47

Of course he will be a Yankee…

He and Sabathia…

Comment by mackey_sassers_arm
2008-05-08 12:04:10

Just like Johan, right?

 
 
Comment by MacD81
2008-05-08 11:57:39

I agree with the popular sentiment here. However, I would love to drive the price up for the Yanks.

Put the money into pitching. Sign a stop-gap 1B until a Carp or Evans is ready (if they aren’t by then). Possibly let F-Mart try out in LF?

Comment by DK
2008-05-08 12:03:22

Ha you beat me to it… cant wait to drive up the price for the Yanks to over pay…