Still waiting for the other shoe to drop
Whatever that expression means. Anybody know the origin?
Word out of Boston, from multiple media types, is that the Red Sox aren't out of the Mark Teixeira hunt and they are still believed to have the best offer on the table. Again, it's mostly speculation from sources, reporters, etc. Here's one story.
I mentioned earlier that I thought Boston still could jump back into play, and perhaps it was agent Scott Boras' turn to fidget. For all we know, Boras sat down across from Teixeira and Red Sox owner John Henry and insisted that he had a 10-year offer for something like $25 million annually, which isn't believed to be true. And Henry cracked his knuckles and started crafting his e-mail.
That's one possible scenario.
If Teixeira signs for less than what Boston is offering, and some people have the figures at eight years and around $180 million, we'll know Boras was bluffing.
I left another message for Boras. I was told he's traveling again and in meetings. Hopefully, I'll have more later. And I'll contact team president Andy MacPhail, who will be thrilled to hear from me again. Bet he can't wait for the season to start so he has some peace.
Shameless plug alert: The Hot Stove Show on MASN airs tonight on a delayed basis at 11:30 p.m. We're taping from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. That gives Teixeira and Boras 3 1/2 hours to make what we say completely outdated.
Luke Scott, Ryan Freel and Nationals pitching coach Randy St. Clair will call into the show.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
Thanks for the updates!! This is too nerve-racking!! haha!! Now I know why the Yuengling adds are above this blog. Hmmmm... I'll be watching the Hot Stove show, but I hope Tex is signed by us by then.
Hooked on the Tex-drama
Steve
Most sources I've checked on the web attribute the phrase's origins to this story, or one like it:
A man comes in late at night to a lodging house, rather the worse for wear. He sits on his bed, drags one shoe off and drops it on the floor. Guiltily remembering everyone around him trying to sleep, he takes the other one off much more carefully and quietly puts in on the floor. He then finishes undressing and gets into bed. Just as he is drifting off to sleep, a shout comes from the man in the room below: “Well, drop the other one then! I can’t sleep, waiting for you to drop the other shoe!”. This may come from music hall or vaudeville, though it would seem that nobody has been able to tie it down more precisely.
from worldwidewords.org
Do you think the Nationals are really that desperate to make an outrageous offer? At this point, it wouldn't surprise me.
Roch,
Is it possible that all are traveling to Baltimore?
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Anything's possible. Wish I could give you definitive answer. - Roch
The phrase - waiting for the other shoe to drop referred to people downstairs that waited to go to sleep until the people upstairs dropped the second shoe (cuz otherwise the second shoe would wake them up)
Roch-
It's 'Waiting for the OTHER shoe to drop' ....unless you are a horse or octopus or something.
Merry HotStovemas!
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You're right! I fixed it. Thanks. - Roch
Roch, Source from the warehouse says the O's are preparing for a major annoucement, any word on that??
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They're sure not preparing for it today. - Roch
Discovered by the Germans in 1904, "The other shoe to drop", which of course in German means a whale's vagina.
I'm sorry, I was trying to impress you all. I don't know what it means. I'll be honest, I don't think anyone knows what it means anymore. Scholars maintain that the translation was lost hundreds of years ago.
Roch,
Could you please find out why Cormier was not signed? On a very bad staff, he seemed to be one of the more effective pitchers. He also appears to still be pretty cheap.
If you read all of the reports this morning there’s a lot of speculation about what is real with Tex. Is Boras bluffing? Is John Henry bluffing? Is Tex bluffing?
Perhaps it’s time for AM to meet with Tex, in person, and ask him two questions:
• Do you want to play in Baltimore?
• What will it take to get you here?
If the answer is yes and the number is something the FO can live with then ask the great closing question: If we offer you this contract will you sign it?
AM can explain that the club would like an answer now because it has several holes in its starting staff that NEED to be filled and the club would like to begin working on that after the holidays. If Tex wants to play here he should be willing to cooperate with that process.
John Henry may have called Boras’ bluff last night. Isn’t it time we put our money on the table and see if Tex is bluffing?
What could you possibly have better to do today than wait at BWI to see if you can narrow it down to 2 teams? Just joking but I hope Boras isn't traveling to LA or Boston.
I can't take these rumors much longer. Macphail should give him 8 years for 185 million and call it a day.
Roch - we're hearing PA put up 9/225 with a 3 yr opt out.....any info at all? Do you have even a remote feeling that something is brewing?
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Come on, man, give up your sources! I'll just say that would be a major jump from where the Orioles stood not long ago. They had no intention of going anywhere close to that. I always say things can change quickly. That would be a head-spinner. Who were they competing against that they felt like they needed to go that high? Not the Red Sox, apparently. Not the Nationals. Haven't heard that the Angels were there. But as always, I'm checking around. - Roch
Roch,
Your office is in the warehous. I have some questions
How close to macphails office are you?
Would Boras and him meet there, or of location?
Could you take a laptop and sit on 3rd floor lobby and watch all movement?
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I don't really have an office there. I can work out of the Web studio on the 5th floor, and I pop in from time to time. But I'm not there every day. That's why God invented lap tops. I could imagine Boras and MacPhail meeting at the Camden Club, though they might want to get away from the rubber-neckers and bond at Mothers. - Roch
i hate this time of year.
I don't think anyone really has any idea at all if its a bluff or not. Frankly, thought I'm sick of how it seems like the national/Boston media is clinging onto any hope they can get that Tex will be a member of the Sox. If this were the Orioles, and they declared themselves out of it, no one would be giving them ANY afterthought that it may be a bluff.
People are saying that Teixiera may make their decision by today or Monday. Which do you think is most likely to happen? And if it were by today, when would he have to make his decision?
Does business hours end at 5pm? Or, can Tex tell his decision to MacPhail at like 11pm?
Of course, I rather the decision to be made earlier than 11pm but you know what I mean.
Thanks as always for the updates.
How can it take this long? The painnnnnnnnnnnn
Roch,
Why is it that the Red Sox are always so proactive with meeting the agents and free agents and the O's just sit back and watch?
Why havent we flew out to see Tex and Boras?
If you get a chance, can you give me some insight on why you think this is?
Serious players in a game step up when the cards are on the table. Then you have the players that fold
Where are the O's If they fold it is because of being cheap. This franchise is desparately seeking and indentity. Markakis and Jones is not the answer. Maybe Weiters is....but we know Tex would be
If I'm Andy I announce that the O's are moving on without Tex, as they have been outbid too. Then let Boras and Tex choose between the Angels & Nats.
Seriously folks, if Tex wanted to play here at home, this would have been done already! I think Andy needs to move this in another direction. I am not one of the Kool-Aid drinkers that believe for one moment he wants be here.
What would be the ultimate Christmas gift? Tex left with the Nats after everyone else has bowed out. Merry Christmas Tex & Scott!! Not going to happen, but one can wish!!!
have you tried finding out what kind of traveling he is doing?
Do you think again all sepculation that he could just be on his way back from Texas? Or did you get the idea he was hitting another destination.
I also thought Teixeira lived in Atlanta now. I did not realize he still resides in Texas.
When are you calling Andy!!
All I can say is this: I don't have a warehouse insider, but I do have one somewhere else. In a nice neighboorhood in Severna Park.
A highly reliable source said Peter the Great has offered 21 million a year for eight years with an extra million each year if he plays in 150 games or more. Tex and Boras are looking hard because the offer comes off the table at midnight tonight........
Tell AM to just suck down another martini & get over it.... then offer him Bor@ss' cell number....
Eric in PA... 9/225????!!!! You are just throwing hollow numbers around to keep up the fervor and tease all of us! You know no one in Severna Park. Unless you know Tex's Mom & Dad, you are as clueless as Peter Gammons right now.
Your attempt to stir the pot has failed. If you write back, give up your source to Roch.
P.S. I hope you're right, though. :-]
R: There is an old Washington saying that really does come into play in the who Tex issue. "Those who know aren't saying...Those who are talking don't know." We will know when we see. I still think that the Red Sox, O's, Nats and Angels are in the race and we will soon find out who wins. I do think that John Henry did everyone a service by calling Scott Boras bluff and now we will see who the who are are playing and who are sitting this one out.
Hey Roch!
So you're doing quite a good job keeping up with all of this Teixeira mumbo jumbo. Thanks for all you do, it's much appreciated. I've caught rumors now that we are the team who upped the ante and did give him a 10 year 200 mil offer. I know you're report everything as you find it, so I'm not going to waste my time or yours asking you what you think, but I just figured I'd give you a little extra rumor hunting to do (just in case you get bored, you know?). Have a good one!
Roch, tell Andy that you'll be calling him a lot less if he can put an end to this Teixeira Madness.
Have a nice weekend everyone.
Come on Andy If Tex really wants to play for the O,s he would have moved by now,I,ts time to move on.I ask you this. Is better to have one big fish or several smaller fish/
Rock, this is wearing me out. I work on a computer all day. I'm reloading your blog every 15 minutes.I know you get a ton of unique hits, but your hits counting reloads must be through the roof!
Anyway, Im outta here for now.I'll dream that we will get the good news on Hot Stove tonight.There, a free shameless plug for ya.
Hey Rochet Man. Are you plugged in enough to the inner workings that you'll know immediately when pen is put to paper or will you be scurrying about trying to be the first to break the story like everyone else? In other words, are you nervous that someone else will break it first?
Hey roch how come guillermo rodriguez is listed as a non roster invitee for the o's but not chad moeller here is the link .http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/team/roster_nri.jsp?c_id=bal
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Might need updated. Why would the Orioles sign him and not invite him to spring training? And why would he sign with them? The Orioles usually announce these moves in bulk. I bet he shows up soon. - Roch
Hoping the O's get Tex but knowing that the Sox are not done, this was in Rosenthal's column:
"Japanese right-hander Kenshin Kawakami remains a possibility, though some teams fear that he wants the same deal that the Dodgers gave Hiroki Kuroda last season — three years, $35.3 million."
If this is true, you can forget Kawakami for the O's, esp. if they do get Tex. Even if they don't, that is too expensive for an unknown in MLB. The O's will have to look elsewhere to fill the gapping hole in the rotation, though Albers and Johnson could cover 2 spots if they ver diecded to move JJ out of the 'pen. Better than retreads like Redding or Looper getting contracts.
Don't know if anyone saw this one, apparently it says the Angels "blew him away with an offer"
http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-teixeira19-2008dec19,0,2549148.story?track=rss
sure would like info on some other deals the orioles are working on. how about roberts? if nothing in the works-------MAKE SOMETHING UP
Where are you guys getting this "insider info"???? Where???? You're throwing around numbers and terms like it's nothing. Nobody has the info that Eric or Josh has.
I just heard that Mark signed with the Orioles: 12/325 with an opt out after 1 year. His Dad told me that.
Do you see the Orioles giving a big offer in the next two days? And, since the Red sox are reportedly out of the race, can't the Orioles beat out the Nats and Angels since he would probably want to be in Baltimore more than D.C and the Angels are not in the East?
Roch, Is it true that Boras hasn't even spoken to the O's since they made the 7yr offer during the meetings. How can anyone think that Tex wants to come home if he can't even get his agent to make a counter offer to the O's?
Steve -
Attempting to stir the pot is exactly what I'm NOT trying to do.
Just be patient. We will know something soon.
Hey Rock, I have a comment to make about the Hot Stove show.First, I love it! Second, how come we have to share it with the Nationals ? Why don't they just get their own show ? That way their 37 fans can have a whole hour of Nats talk.
The Hot Stove show is only an hour ,minus commercials.There is no need to waste air time talking about the Nats. I for one,couldn't care less.
It's bad enough during the season when you have to channel surf to find the O's game because it's on a different channel every night.You would think,since the O's own the station(MASN),that the Orioles product would get better treatment.
Rock:
I have never been a big fan of yours, in the past. I always figured you were just another know it all blogger with aspirations of being a real reporter some day.
I must say that over the last few weeks you have drastically changed my opinion of you. Your site is now my one stop for Orioles rumors and news, outside the official site of course. I appreciate the way you have reported the news as you come by it, and like the way you refuse to pass on garbage rumors and try as best as you can to stick to confirmed facts. Additionally, I like the way you don't let the "homer" in you show in your reporting, that is to say you don't skew the news you come by with your own desires to see the Os get better. You state your opinions as your opinions and don't try to pass it along as fact.
Facts just the facts.
Good job sir!! you have gained one reader.
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Thanks Pat. Glad to have you aboard. Just for background purposes, I was a reporter at the Baltimore Sun for 21 years - covering the Orioles for the last 12. This blogging gig started a few years ago, before I shifted over to MASN full-time. Again, thanks for the kind words. Hope to have good news for you one of these days. - Roch
I don't know that quote. I know of one where instead of Shoe they use Ball. But I think it has a different meaning.
So I have a Teixeira question.
Which number would Teixeira wear? He wore 23 in Texas, 24 in Atl and then 25 in LA.
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Can't answer your question, but man, that was funny! - Roch
Eric in PA...
I am trying to be patient, but there are a lot of rumors out there. I feel they are merely preying on all of us sitting here pushing the "refresh" button at a fervent pace.
Yeah, we're all dying to hear the good news that he's signing here. If you know people in SP, ask them what he's waiting for. And give us regular updates because the Wharehouse is eerily silent.
Also: ESPN won't give up on Boston. They're not naming any front runners now. Right now, ESPNews is reporting this:
"Agent Scott Boras says he's looking for salary in the range of $195M for 1b Mark Teixeira, ESPN's Peter Gammons and Buster Olney report."
Was there any truth to the 10/200 numbers that John speculated? Or the 9/225. Not likely. I'd find a new friend in Severna Park.