Everybody Take a Deep Breath

Aw geez, do we have to? Well, okay then. Thanks for the updates and "yes" for Tracee on the cute headlines.

Oh, and thanks for the chat.

Dave, you are more of a buzzkill than Buzz Killington.

(family guy reference)

Read between the lines, kids. If 90% is fabricated, that means 10% might be true!

What number do you think Tex will wear in DC?

I'm on the no way in hell bandwagon. Tex looks to be one of the first none-pitchers to decide. All the major players still have plenty of money. He'd be crazy to let all that go for the Nats.

You have moxie, JiM. I like that!

How about 23 as with the Rangers (seeing as how our original #23 is gone)?

Did you hear? Tex is going to BUY the team from the Lerners!! Also, he has inauguration tickets that he's giving away.

Does anybody know who the nats are looking at in the rule 5 draft?

NEW GAME:

When Mark Teixeira comes to Washington, he will....

When Mark Teixeira comes to Washington, he will even bring toys for the bad little boys and girls.

Boom-Boom and Tracee, you are the greatest. Greatest.

two times!

I'm worried that my F5 key is loose from me hitting it too many times.

PS Yes on Cute Headlines
Yes on Tex
Yes on 23

My optimistic side thought the same thing as JohninMpls, "So you're telling me there's a chance..."

My pessimistic side thinks that Lerner is EXTREMELY wary of NOT being used to get more money out of another team and actually spending his own money.

When Mark Teixeira comes to town, he will buy all of us ice cream after every game (as the Blogfather once did).

I meant "formerly did," because, of course, Barry did do it after every game (are you listening Tracee and Dave?).

Ladson reporting the Nats have offered 8yr/$180 to Tex @ 22.5/yr.... Time to get going again after you take your deep breath!

hey Dave -

Ladson at MLB.com just posted that we offered 8/180.

any thoughts as to the legitimacy of this report.

oh, and he didn't say "willing to offer".

he said "OFFERED".

"As one Nationals executive told me a few minutes ago, "Ninety percent of this stuff is pure fabrication.""

Why can't that be sourced? Is something so benign really something that has to be off the record?

Ladson & Rosenthal seem to have been taking turns sniffing Boras's bum since they got to Vegas. I hope Scott doesn't stop suddenly at the Blackjack tables - the result would clearly be NSFW.

We have a SOLID source within the Nationals organization who was on the conference call to clarify the teams position on losing draft picks and the state of the prospects if lost. The source stated 99% DONE DEAL!

www.thecmsb.com

When Teixeira goes to Washington, he will attempt to pass legislation creating a national boys camp by Willets Creek. When other senators - who were planning to use the Willets Creek site for graft - falsely accuse him of skimming money from the boys group, he will triumphantly filibuster in the Senate until the crooked legislators confess.

According to a source from a team who is involved in negotiations, the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles "are coming in hot" on Teixeira, with the Nationals apparently willing to offer the slugger a 10-year deal for more than $20 million a year and the Orioles willing to go nine years for at least $20 million a year.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/12/teixeira-negoti.html

When Mark Teixeira comes to Washington, he will... enter the field via the 3rd-base dugout, as he always has (I hope I'm wrong).

I know I always get my breaking Nats news from the Central Maine Sports Blog.

Especially when they quote sources who don't understand how draft pick compensation works.

Posted to prior string (with updates):
Let's discuss the rumoured offers, & player benefits/drawbacks to signing -
Angels: 6/7 years, $140-150M?; Solid team in a weak division, has $$$ available to spend.
Nationals: 8/10 years, $190-210M?; Bottom-feeding franchise, looking for cornerstone player to elevate status in an open division.
Orioles: 9 years, $180/200M?; Bottom-feeding franchise in stacked division; Looking to become respectible over next five years.
Red Sox: 7/8 years, $150-175M?; Perennial contender in stacked division, well-financed, will make room for additional salary.
Does that look about right so far?

Nice to see that we celebrated not wanting to be the team driving up the price by naming a high price for the big boys to beat.

When Mark Teixeria comes to Washington he will be wearing a Sox/Angels uniform and we will all cry bitter bitter tears.

Where are you Dave? Nationals.com:

LAS VEGAS -- The Nationals are showing how serious they are when it comes to bringing Mark Teixeira to Washington, D.C.
According to a Major League source, the club has offered the switch-hitting first baseman an eight-year, $160 million contract that would pay Teixeira an average of $22.5 million per season.

A critical point on Teixiera could come down to details like opt-out opportunities (which Boras likes, and can benefit either side) or limited / no-trade periods (which Boras also likes, but Kasten detests).

"(which Boras likes, and can benefit either side)"

How does an opt-out EVER help a team?

@LarryBraverman: see comment at 6:45pm - Ladson isn't even checking his math. 8-yr/$160M = $20M a year last time I looked.

BinM - Ladson said 8 years, 180 mill. not 160.

that makes his Math correct.

erm..he originally said 180m in his first report (at the MLBlog Hot Stove page). then in this article he says 160.

i'm confuzzled.

Uncle_Teddy: It can, if (or when) player A "opts-out" for a bigger or longer contract and there is player B pressing for playing time from either the minors or at the ML level. Has it ever worked? - that would require more complex research than I'm capable of right now.

One says $160, the other says $180, but they both say $22.5.

Madison - You're not, Ladson is (or the mlb.com fact-checkers, if they exist).

For the fun of it, the message board on sons of sam horn is all over the 8/180 rumor.

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?showtopic=39876&pid=2030932&st=0&#entry2030932

my vote for post of the day. Still laughing (and agreeing)
*********************

"Read between the lines, kids. If 90% is fabricated, that means 10% might be true!

What number do you think Tex will wear in DC?"

Posted by: JohninMpls | December 10, 2008 5:50 PM

Interesting - SoSH at the very least has 'snoop-bots' plugged into NJ to see where the mindset is. If the 8/$180 offer is more than just a "let's get something ramped up" rumour, maybe we've got something to chew on for the next couple of weeks.

"in about 90 minutes" was 7:00. Sheinin, where ARE you???

@natsNut: Easy - Boros is a show unto himself (was probably late), and can be long-winded to boot. I'd expect Dave to be able to process the bluster & post by sometime after 10:00pm, if Boros even made the meeting.

new post!