Don't Let Tex Ruin Your Christmas
In 1977 I let the Oakland Raiders ruin my Christmas. Of course the Baltimore team had a fair shot to win that Christmas Eve day and, if Ted Marchibroda had not sat on the ball with two minutes left, it would have been a joyous Christmas.
Some wounds still hurt.
Don't let Mark Teixeira ruin your Christmas this time. Baltimore didn't have a fair shot this time. If so, why was there so little serious dialogue between Boras and Andy MacPhail after the winter meetings.
Tex really wanted to play here. Now we all know that was bull. Take all the quotes and articles where he said that over the years and trash them.
He could have taken the challenge to bring his hometown team back to prominence. I certainly have to believe if that's what he really wanted the O's would have made it happen.
Maybe one day he would have been on the Mount Rushmore of all-time Baltimore sports greats with Unitas, Ripken, Robinson and Robinson. Now he'll be remembered in his hometown as another Yankee mercenary.
It's beginning to look like when the O's and New York meet, a Baltimore win would register like the Jets upset of the Colts in Super Bowl three. Like the US hockey team beating the Russians. Like Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson.
When I wrote earlier that the Yankees can't have all the best players, I guess I was wrong. If I hear one ESPN guy say what a brilliant move this is, I'll throw something at the set. It's checkbook baseball and when you can write the biggest check that's not brilliance, it's arrogance.
Time to call them what they are - the Store Bought Yankees. Same number of syllables and it will fit on the road jerseys.
As for the O's, I'm disappointed if they didn't up their offer. They needed to go all out for this player. Did they? One team exec said "we could have done what Washington did and still not get him." Maybe that is true.
Maybe we all should become Tampa Bay fans. If the O's are not positioned to beat the Store Bought Yankees, let Tampa do it.
So now, let's all remember what the next few days are really all about and let Tex and New York begin their marriage. Maybe it will end like every season has the last eight - with the Store Boughts not winning the World Series.
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Categories (click for archive)Steve Melewski |
I remember a Mets team from the 80s or 90s that was a sure bet to win with all the great players they bought. They didn't make the playoffs.
Anything can happen, and it usually does.
Yeah...hopefully it will end with them not in the World Series...
I think the curse from dissing Joe Torre will be haunting them for years, no matter how much they spend.
Blame Tex all you want. This franchise is a joke because of Angelos. When a kid who grew up here doesn't want any part of us that tells you all you need to know. And be honest Steve: if Mark was your son would you REALLY advise him to sign on with this mess?
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Eric:
With a young corp of Markakis, Jones, Roberts, Weiters, Matusz, Tillman, etc. it is far from a mess. I was hopeful he'd want the challenge of helping bring this franchise back to prominence. I feel there would be a lot less pressure here doing that than he will have in NY, ask A-Rod about anytime he goes 0-4. Tex is now in that same group whether he knows it or not.
After over 40 years of rooting for the Orioles, I sure as heck wouldn't recommend my son play for NY, but I'd probably just let him make his own decision.
In any other division the O's would look a lot farther along than they do in the AL East. The Orioles went 46-43 last season vs. teams not from the East. The East is a beast. Now they have to figure out a way to tame it without the hometown talent. So be it. - Steve
Sorry Steve....too late. Tex said he wanted to be here...lie, McFail said the O's would be in the mix...lie. And Tex goes to the most hated team of any Oriole fan. They blew a once in long time opportunity to bring a big-name, home-town boy to the Orioles. Oriole fans cna look to at least 2 more years of losing...and pray the young kids in AA make a difference.
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If he really wanted to be here he could have. That talk was cheap junk. - Steve
Thanks, Steve. You and Roch have done a great job through this mess.
Plenty of blame to go around on this one.
One commenter over at Roch's said "how long before the O's play in Indianapolis?" . If we aren't careful he could be right.
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I'm pretty sure we don't have to worry about that one. - Steve
Steve I agree with you on a few points. I blame several parties for this situation. Boras and his arrogance of course. Tex for not stepping up and telling Boras that he wanted to negotiate more with the O's if he indeed wanted to play here, which I'm not sure. I blame the O's for being so diliberate on the negotiations. There antics of negotiating irritate not only most fans like myself but most agents and other executives in baseball, which includes councilman in Florida for as something as simple as finding a more perminant spring home. I agree also that the franchise does have a good young core and we could only imagine adding a 28 year old power bat and gold glove to that mix that would have also put some butts in the seats! McPhail needs to stop comparing the O's to the Twins. We are not the Twins, the markets are totally different not to mention the climate! Last time I checked the Twins don't play the Yanks, Red Sox, and Rays 54 times a year! I have been a die hard baseball fan for years and a huge O's fan but baseball faces a huge blackeye after this year's free agent signings and it's not performance enhancing drugs, it's the 420 million dollar in 2 weeks evil empire! Salary Cap please! That's the only solution! Neither Tex or the Yanks will ruin my Christmas, however March through October will be threatened!
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I gotta believe the O's would have been more aggressive and upped the offer if only they had gotten some indication, any indication, Tex really wanted to be here. I can only suppose that didn't happen. All the talk of Tex loving it here was just talk. Can't believe a Baltimore kid didn't show more interest in his hometown team, losing seasons or not. Come on Tex, buck up for a challenge, don't take the easy way out! Don't ever strike out with the bases loaded in NY or those 180 milion bucks will feel like 180 pounds on your back. - Steve
Unfortunately Steve, Roberts is probably not gonna extend and will probably end up being traded. That creates two holes on this team, one at 2b and a huge one at the top of the lineup. Not only that, but after the 09 season Mora and Huff's contracts are up. So they pretty much have to find a whole new infield next offseason.
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Good points. But if they trade B-Rob, they'll be getting something meaningful back to fill a hole or holes somewhere. Plus I'm not going to start worrying about after 2010 before we even play 2009. But you are right some contracts are up then.
Steve
The problem goes way beyond Tex. The Orioles NEVER got after a high value player. The Orioles won't even resign Roberts!! He must be worth 3/4 of Dustin Pedroia isn't he? Nick looks like he will be in pin stripes in what 3 years? It is time to NOT go to the ballpark until Angelos sells the team or puts his money into it. Beyond Matt and a few pitchers there is an inept farm system. So that won't help either. We should put Baltimore on the home jerseys too because those in attendance shouldn't be from around here.
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Bill:
Come off the ledge. Don't panic man. The farm system is far from inept. Roberts will get a new contract IF he wants to be here. - Steve
Steve- The 180lb thing on Tex's back is a guy named Francois. I mean, look at him, is their any doubt what "team" he really plays for?
Plenty of blame to go around. I think there is no reason the O's could not have matched any top offer plus 5 million and then let the chips fall as they may. Not upping the offer makes me wonder how serious from the start this was. Now with Macphails comments, I really wonder.
Like Roch said, if you grow up rooting for the O's, and are a O's fan, you don't sign with the Yankees. That tells us right there what kind of person he is. Fair Weather Fans/Players are the worst. Followers, sheep, no backbone. I guess we see what wins between Money and Family. Think about that for a minute.
I am really concerned now about the reports from the Boras camp that Macphail was called the morning of the signing and given his final opportunity to match or raise their offer and he declined. Macphail thinks he is running the Twins.
MLB has the O's payroll after 2009 at 22 million. Foxsports and The BaseballCube have it at 23.6. You mean to tell me there wasn't 25 million in there? Not for Tex...but for the Fans?
Bottom Line, the yanks are not as good as it may seem. They are aging rapidly and Burnett and CC are not gauranteed. Burnetts arm could fall off 2morrow and CC might eat a Turkey and a Sibling for christmas dinner. Look at the last couple long free agent pitching contracts.
On the O's side, we can develop all the pitching we want. But, we do not have a ton of depth in position players on the Farm. It scares me that they are not willing to Spend money on decent Free Agents.
If you give the O's a break on this one, then we better watch how negotiations go for the next several years. Remember, they had 150 million there. There is no excuse not to sign draft picks, or lock up Nick, Jones, Guts, etc.
I still see this kind of thing happen it seems every time we try to negotiate with players. Nicks extension has been postponed 2 times. We couldn't extend Moose, Ryan, Bedard. We almost lost Weiters. Could you imagine? Matusz was supposed to be easy and it went to the last day. Something is wrong with the way the O's negotiate or something.
Bottom line, I am no longer a Tex fan. I will boo the S out of him. But, he wanted to play for a winner, and, this organization has been mislead and turned into a laughing stock over the past decade. Sure, its getting better but, ultimately, it still has its faults.
I just hope our pitchers are the next group of superaces!!! Great article, from both you and Roch!!
Merry Xmas
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Merry Xmas to you too, Mike - Steve
We can all hope that the same thing happens w/Teixeira that happened w/Mussina...no World Series ring. I see the Orioles going in the right direction, but they need to take care of their own and get Markakis signed and do all they can to retain any of the great pitching prospects, etc. we bring up and give them a reason to want to play for the Orioles.
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Agreed. - Steve
You can't blame AM for not going harder after Tex. If Tex wasn't interested, why pursue him? If he wanted to play for the O's (in the least bit), his agent would've negotiated with them. If there was any remote interest from Tex, AM would've received a phone call. Regardless, it is ridiculous to even expect Tex to come play on a team with no pitching staff....none. We haven't been able to draw any decent free agents in years. Do you really think Tex would come play for a team with only 1 starting pitcher on its pitching staff? You'd have to be a fool to even consider it. Blame Angelos, Flanagan, Syd Thrift, etc. for poor drafts and free agent signings over the past 10 years that has led us to this point. Now we have a glaring hole at 1B and 4 vacancies in the starting rotation. Let's focus on filling those with Dunn and any pitchers who are willing to get shelled at Camden for the next year or two until our studs are ready.
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The Orioles had two pitchers voted best in their respective leagues in the Minors this year. Plus they will sign pitchers shortly to fill holes until the wave of Matusz, Tillman, Arrieta are ready. I won't let him off the hook because of the pitching.
Steve
Good post, Steve!
As things panned out it would appear that we need to focus on getting more Jeremy Guthrie types than Mark Teixeira types on this team. And when the Yankees throw him away on the last couple years of his contract (ala Giambi) I sure hope Tex doesn't entertain any thoughts on "coming home" then. He's effectively dead to this city now.
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I agree Tracy. Once he made his choice for pinstripes he should stay with the Store Bought Yankees. - Steve