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Why Rocky, why? Why you be Negative Nancy so much these days?

I knew it sounded too good to be true.....stupid ESPN
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Just passing along what I was told by someone who would know. But like I wrote, I'll look around to make sure. - Roch

Do you think I would do something of such?
I am a man of such integrity and intelligence. I am focused more on making my wallet fatter then trying to build a team that we all can call our hometown heros.

Again, take a look at the Ravens closely today. That is what a perrenial winner looks like!

RAVENS - OUR REAL HOMETOWN TEAM
MR PETER A HAS TURNED BALTIMORE INTO A FOOTBALL TOWN

Roch,
Do you think the Orioles would deny this just to not give opponents like Boston a chance to freek out and up rhe offers?

Roch, isn't that what they said about the Erik Bedard trade also?

lol to good to be true.

Hey Roch,
Where does this stuff come from?

Roch,
What do you think of Orioles hangout souces? Do you consider them reliable?
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They get some right, they get some wrong, like the rest of us. But unlike a newspaper, the message boards can run with what they have without needing confirmation, so you have to be careful what you believe. If nothing else, it's entertaining. - Roch

Me,Tex,Costanza,Cosmo,Jerry and Newman have painted our bellies to spell out Ravens. Look for us on the bigscreen. And I use the swirl not the pinch!

Thanks Debbie Downer. :)

Too bad- it would have been a fantastic idea which should have clued us all in that it was rumor. I was starting to play out the ramifications of this deal which would be enormous. Why wouldn't we wine and dine the guy and show him that Baltimore fans are amazing when they have something remotely decent to cheer for. Don't give me the fair-weather fan crap either. In all of professional sports I think only the Cubs managed to sell tix while losing for a sustained time period. Tex would have to be okay with a couple of rough years but his presence would even attenuate those potential rough times. We'll see. I like that he is in Baltimore if that is the case.

Is the organization expecting to up their offer in light of the Angels' 8-yr, $160MM offer?
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Don't know. They're very tight-lipped about this stuff. - Roch

Man, you are killing the good vibes once again, Roch. Alllll off-season. Tex is a done deal, dude, and you know it.
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I hope he comes here, Dan. I've made that very clear. And if I hear something positive in the negotiations, I'll report it. But I wasn't hired by MASN to be a cheerleader for the Orioles. If the news is bad, I'll report that, too. I'm either too negative or painting rosey pictures all the time. Which is it? - Roch

lulz at the david puddy post.

Yes, but Flanny wasn't even at the Winter Meetings so how can we trust anything he says. ;o)

Seriously though, this whole thing has turned into some sort of covert operation with the FBI, CIA and KGB all throwing around so much inforation that the truth (perhaps by intention) gets lost in all the jumble. I'm going to need spring training just to RECOVER from the offseason and figure out who really is and isn't playing for us in 2009!

Roch, I heard a rumor that Mark Teixiera will be attending my family's Christmas dinner, but my wife will neither confirm nor deny. Do you know anything about this? I hoped to float a rumor to his agent that we'll have a glazed ham and homemade mashed potatoes, but now I hear he won't accept anything less than pheasant under glass and foie gras. Do you know anything about this???

Mark Teixeira will be attending the game as a person guest of Steve Bischotti.
Peter Angelos will be at the game. Whether he is invited or has a meeting scheduled with Teixeira, is yet to be seen

ESPN?

Did this rumor show up on Sportscenter today as well? It seems the posters on Schmuck's blog are reporting it made it's way on to ESPN Sportscenter this morning.

Roch: pretty much every media member in town now gets a paycheck in some roundabout way from Angelos. So keep telling it like it is. And lets hope your sources are as good as they were on the "Bedard isn't close to being traded" story.

Roch,
Was Buster Olney your source?
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No. The denial comes from a high-ranking official. Buster is good, but he's not a high-ranking official. - Roch

Roch,

Has your official ever denied something that turned out to be true? Couldn't this happen for many reasons?

Jason

Hey Roch,

I just wanted to let you know that most people appreciate what you do for this blog. You put alot of time and effort into this blog and provide very good information. You only provide factual inormation or opinions based on what has actually been confirmed to you or by making predictions based on past trends.

I don't know why anybody would want you to just go along with a rumor like it is fact. I also don't know why readers shoot down the confirmations you do have as negative just because they oppose what readers would like to see.

Anyway, thanks for dedicating so much time of your life to update us with Orioles updates!

Roch,

This sounds a lot like the Erik Bedard trade. There were certainly a lot of denying then too.
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Here's the difference: The Orioles don't announce or confirm trades until having the results of the physicals. Some teams do, they don't. In this case, the club is denying that Teixeira will be a guest of Peter Angelos' at the Ravens game. And this isn't one person saying it's not true. We'll see. - Roch

Too negative or painting rosey pictures...hmmmmm

I say painting rosey pictures..LOL
I will admit you were much more "tell it like it is" when you were blogging over at the Sun.

It comes with the turf. Fans at this point are so disgruntled at PA and Am, they need to blame someone at this point. If the do not bring Tex home, my guess is...you will see a concerted effort to stay away from the games. Most seats are bought by businesses now anyway. Somewhere down the line, this team went from being a Maryland tradition to a covert operation to keep a tight lip and pad the owners pocket. PA has pushed most of the fans over to the Ravens. It is truly a shame to see an organization with such rich history turned into the basement of baseball. I was telling my son this morning over breakfast, it wasn't always like this. To see Cal & Brooks, once staples in every O's fans heart, now so distant from the team says a lot about how PA has destroyed the past.

Everyone hang in there and lets hope he either sells the team or an apple falls from the tree and knocks some sense into his tunnel vision brain!

GO RAVENS - Leaving for the game now! I will be sure to look over at Camden Yards and reminsce what it use to be like ....to be a proud O's fan!

Roch,
I have been on just about every national sports website and there is not a peep about Teixeira anywhere, the silance is deafening. I just read a 3 page artical on MSN about the off season free agent market, and there wasn't a T or an X in the whole thing. What are you hearing if anything and is it mormal. It seems to me that if he was really close to signing with Boston or Anahiem we would be hearing more chatter.

Are you sure you don't press wild flowers?

Roch, First I would like to congratulate you on your percieved authentication source on many sites throughout the world wide web. I do have a question.
Rumor has it on the world wide web that your source is so close to the family that it actually has the last name Angelos, is this true?

Roch: I don't have an 'insider' source at the Yard but I do have a pretty reliable 'insider' friend in Boston and his sources tell him that Tex does not want to play in Boston and it is just a matter of the O's matching Boston's offer (The West Coast and Nats are not on his radar) so I am encouraged! What do you think?

Roch, I know you want Tex to sign, man. It just stinks that you have to hold off on breaking anything until it's "official" because of whatever restrictions you're under. I mean, Tex was eating lunch downtown and yet you still have to come on here and print denials. You do a great job, man, but I mean... I just feel bad for you that MASN has the clamp on you.
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I'm not under any restrictions, and I'm really really tired of having to say so. Maybe the solution is not approving comments that suggest it anymore. It's gotten old real fast. Teixeira was seen eating lunch downtown, so that means he'll be Angelos' guest today? Really? I'm just relaying what the club is saying on the matter. How would I know otherwise? He hasn't invited me along if it's true. We'll find out soon enough. But enough already with the "clamp on you" crap. Nothing could be further from the truth. - Roch

any chance biscotti will have him as a guest? either way if he is there and ends up on the big screen the fans better go nuts just to show how appreciated he would be

I am so excited about this Raven game comming up, my stomach is tingling and I'm about to take a nap just to get the game here sooner. However, I can't stop thinking about Mark/Orioles/Angelos.

I haven't turned off my computer in a week and I won't turn on ESPN anymore. All those guys talk about is BOS & NY. Roch, thanks for the regular blogs.

I wrote to the Wharehouse this week that Bisciotti, Phelps, & Ripken need to call Mark and tell him to come to Baltimore. Sweeten the deal with tickets to M&T or the Aquarium! Mark knows how great Baltimore is, but no other city in the running needs this guy as bad as Baltimore. He automatically makes our starting rotation better. And the free agents we want to sign will give Baltimore a serious look because they want to play here with Mark!

Keep an eye out for us down at the stadium today and fire up your laptop as soon as you see Tex... then let him know that WE NEED HIM!! He'll be a god here; just a notch below Ripken.

And when you poke your head into the MASN suite, get an update for us... and tell PA to up the years and the money. Thanks!

Steve
Baltimore

I'm not saying I'm convinced that Tex is going to show up at the Ravens game today. I wouldn't be shocked, either. But this whole thing is reminding me of last off season. There were reports of Adam Jones saying he was traded to the O's, and the front office continued to deny it. And well, look who's our starting center fielder? If anything, I do think Andy McPhail's motto is 'loose lips sink ships'.

I'm with you on the OH insiders. I wouldn't put all my eggs in their basket, but boy is it fun to follow! That's more entertaining than some of the actual games the Orioles played last year.

I do need to whine for a minute. I also hate that this game is starting at 4:15 and not a 1 pm. I have a Christmas thing at my church tonight and will miss the end... and everyone knows that the world needs to revolve around my schedule, lol.

And, thanks for the update Roch. It's appreciated, even though it's not what most of us want to hear. :)

I was just on the Red Suxx website and read an artical there on there pursuit of Teixeira, Theo Epstien was pointing out that they really haven't been the big spenders that they are thought to be. He pointed out that since he's been there they have only signed two player to contracts of more than $40 million, and that they have been sucessful by building long term from within and devoloping young players thru there system. That is exactly what AM is trying to do here, you can't just go out and throw money at any player and expect to win. Look at the Yankee's, they haven't won for 8 yaers, and are in decline. All these years of big spending are starting to catch up to them.
I would love to see Mark Teixeira in an Orioles uniform, don't get me wrong. He is the type of player you can give this kind of money to and feel relitively comfortible about it. But if he goes somewhere else its not a hugh loss. If you really look at this team there are other areas we need to improve in more than 1st base. I think everyone needs to step back and take a deep breath. Give Andy a little time to do what needs to be done to turn the farm system around. Look at what he has done already. The O's have the 2nd best prospect in the minors, and 4 of the top 50 prospects in baseball. Let him do his thing, and give him some time, he has made all the right moves so far. I for one am very pleased with what I see. I know its been tough going for the past 11 yrs, trust me, I live in So. Cal. And I am constanly hearing it from my Angel fan frieds. But let's give AM a little more time. I think it will payoff in the long run. That's may opinion and I'm stickin' to it!

Roch-

You are one of the best beat writers in MLB. In your opinion, where do you think Teix will land? If you can put it in %

Angels - %
Nats - %
O's - %
Red Sox - %

Thanks.

With all due respect, this rumor makes about as much sense as a velvet painting of a whale and a dolphin getting it on.

Any update Rock ?

Roch -
Thank you for making the statement on not being "clamped" or however you want to say it. I trust you as a journalist. I understand that being a journalist comes with ethical standards and I know that you uphold them in the highest. We are in an awkward but exciting time in journalism as we make a shift from print media to electronic media. As I understand it, blogging was not started by journalists, but we now see a greater number of journalists getting into the blogging world. It is an intriguing change, but I don't think that your training as a journalist will be compromised. I don't care who you are working for, I know you will report based on your sources and at times inject your opinion, which is welcome.

I have many choices when I look for information on my favorite sports team. I have and will continue to look forward to your writing and insight. Thanks for it.

- D. Stack

For the record I'M getting flipping annoyed the persistant comments that Roch is somehow having to go by a script given to him by the Orioles too! Give it a break. This isn't the OH where you can have a "source" that tells you something and you get to hide behind a screenname so if you're wrong all you have to do is say "Sorry guys, my bad."

Everyone is so flipped out about this Teixiera thing that they're looking to rip apart anyone who says anything that they don't want to hear. Roch went to check up on the rumors that have been floating around and he got a "No" so he is telling us that he got a "No", plain and simple. PLEASE leave the conspiracy theories at the door or keep them to the OH.

One other thing - I would also like to say thanks for printing the comments of your detractors and I understand your thought on possibly wanting to stop approving those comments. It distracts from the point of the posts which is Baltimore sports. I do think, however, that kind of transparency adds to credibility. Thanks.

Roch,
Just called the Hilton. I have nothing else to do today until 4:15. Teixeira has not been spotted!! Wish it was true, but it is not. My take for what its worth. Mark is probably home for the holidays. I had a chat with one of his highschool priests when i delivered the banners we printed up for Mt. St. Joe. He told me this Mark would be home for the Holiday." Not sure at that time if he meant Thanksgiving or Christmas. He also told me "Mark is not a big fan of the way The Oriole organization goes about business". The last thing he said is that he believed Gavin Floyed wanted to come home much more than Mr. Teixeira.
That being said here are the facts after sifting through all the B.S.

1) IN 2007 mark Teixeira in an interview said " To play for The orioles would be a dream come true"

2)Scott Boras would rather his clients sign in New york or Los Angeles to maximize his exposure. Yes even more than Boston.

3) Mark Teixeiras' wife is from Atlanta. Atlanta is seemingly out of the picture.

4) Ravens rumor started by caller on Scmucks WBAL show. This has not been validated but has been denied by insiders. The rumor just Got out of hand.

5) Andy Mcphail does not conduct business in the spotlight. Scott Boras has to plays Mcphails game as much as Mcphail has to play the Boras game.

6) National Media will blow off Baltimore no matter what. Baltimore is not as far as a story reads considered a "Sexxy town"

7) The television markets of the contenders are rated this way. Newyork is number 1, Los Angeles is 2, Boston comes in at 5, Washington D.C. at 8 and Baltimore a non contender at number 24!! This is not great for Boras. On a side note looking over Boras client list he also loves to deal with Atlanta market number 9.

8)Above being said, hometown hero angle has plenty of opportunities to overlook poor market size.

My Take:
Boras is taking time to explore other money making opportunities for his client outside of the baseball contract. Whichever seems to be the most fruitfull teamed with the contract is where Mark Teixeira will go. This one takes a little longer than most. I have a feeling that Cal Ripken has probably been consulted and studied as a business model. THis is as sad as it sounds just business!!