Tex and the Nats...

[MrMadison]

Where did our insiders go? 

I don't think we really had any.

I mean, we had Erica, but she didn't really pass along the juicy insider info, to my knowledge.

we've got players that lurk here on occasion(they never post though, who would post with this rough crowd? lmao), but that's about it.

[cmdterps44]

freak we need to increase our price!

[MrMadison]

freak we need to increase our price!

read something new?

[BerkeleyNat]

read something new?

Probably reading OH. They're probably up to 30 years, $40 Billion now over there.

[cmdterps44]

Nah i havent just in panic mode lol

[hammondsnats]

you'd be surprised who posts/reads on here who is in on the inside or has connections.  i'm not kidding.

[MrMadison]

you'd be surprised who posts/reads on here who is in on the inside or has connections.  i'm not kidding.

well if they do, then they need to start sharing the wealth.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

well supposedly the OH "insiders" seem to have a very good track record. good enough that basically what they say is considered gospel.

These are the same guys saying Baltimore is on the verge of winning and have been saying that for 12 straight seasons. They might be serving up the pills, but I ain't swallowing.

[sportsfan882]

you'd be surprised who posts/reads on here who is in on the inside or has connections.  i'm not kidding.

Tomterp?

[BerkeleyNat]

you'd be surprised who posts/reads on here who is in on the inside or has connections.  i'm not kidding.

Well then....bring them forth and have them kneel before ZOD!

[wpa2629]

the only thing any team's insiders would be privy to at this point - is their own offers -- they have no idea what other teams are offering, what boras is saying/negotiating with other teams, what tex ultimately wants -- it's just a lot of smoke and noise -- in the end -- tex is going to where he wants to go and where boras can get him the most money --

[hammondsnats]

Well then....bring them forth and have them kneel before ZOD!

haha well some can't. 

and p.s. staying on superman, this was the scariest thing from my childhood:

[MrMadison]

the Mets just acquired JJ Putz.  their bullpen is officially DANGEROUS AS HELL.

[BerkeleyNat]

ESPN is reporting a three player trade between the Mets, Mariners, and Indians involving J.J. Putz.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

the Mets just acquired JJ Putz.  their bullpen is officially DANGEROUS AS HELL.

....yet they'll still find a way to blow it.

[wpa2629]

the Mets just acquired JJ Putz.  their bullpen is officially DANGEROUS AS HELL.

Dangerous? You mean to the fans dodging all the balls going over the fence?

[hammondsnats]

but they lost joe smith who was arguably their best relief pitcher.

[sportsfan882]

Minaya is a moron. Both relievers he acquired are older and have shown like they are going to go on the decline. I hope both moves backfire.

Heck, the Mets might not have many wins to save because their starting pitching isn't that good at all after the 1 and 2 pitchers.

[MrMadison]

ESPN is reporting a three player trade between the Mets, Mariners, and Indians involving J.J. Putz.

Mets get: JJ Putz, Jeremy Reed(of), Sean Green(RP)
Seattle gets: Heilman(P), Endy Chavez(OF), Mike Carp(1B), Franklin Gutierrez(OF) + Minor Leaguers
Indians get: Joe Smith (RP), Luis Valbuena (IF)

what the hell was Seattle thinking? they traded Putz for a bunch of crap.

I can't believe the mets got something of value for Aaron Heilman.

Kearns HAS to be tradeable somewhere. he just has to be.

[MrMadison]

Minaya is a moron. Both relievers he acquired are older and have shown like they are going to go on the decline. I hope both moves backfire.

he got something of value for Aaron Heilman.

lemme repeat that:

he got. something. of value.  for AARON HEILMAN!

*is confuzzled*

[sportsfan882]

he got something of value for Aaron Heilman.

lemme repeat that:

he got. something. of value.  for AARON HEILMAN!

*is confuzzled*

Heilman had been a great reliever for the Mets for years prior to last season. They dealt him because he wanted to be a starter and badly needed a change of scenery since the fans had really turned on him. I see no reason he can't go back to his old self in a low-pressure situation in Seattle.

The Mets also lost young, budding reliever Joe Smith and power-hitting prospect Mike Carp.

[MrMadison]

more Tex stuff:

LAS VEGAS -- The market for Mark Teixeira is taking shape, according to agent Scott Boras, and while still fluid, it is described as having reached the stage where the slugger could make a decision "in a short period of time."

"He's received offers from numerous clubs," Boras said Wednesday at the winter meetings. "We've been on the phone all day. Now we'll have meetings to go through the economic process."

At least five clubs are seriously in on Teixeira, and sources familiar with the talks say those five all have offers of at least eight years in to him: Boston, the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Angels, Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles.

It is believed that at least one of the offers ranges up to $176 million, or an average annual value of $22 million per season. However it plays out, one person with knowledge of the talks said he expects Teixeira to command a larger deal that the seven-year, $161 million package pitcher CC Sabathia has agreed to with the New York Yankees.

Boras declined to discuss specific teams or contract terms -- he wouldn't even confirm the number of clubs seriously speaking with the free agent -- but said Teixeira is weighing several factors, including family and economic considerations, team strength, ownership and commitment to winning.

"It's not something that is imminent," Boras said. "We're going back and forth with the teams. It's moving in the right direction. I can't tell you a time frame."

The five teams fit various parameters of Teixeira's expectations. It is believed by some that Teixeira, who is a Maryland native, prefers to play in the east. However, Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who has spoken with Teixeira, said this week that he thinks Teixeiria's experience in Anaheim last season would make him amenable to returning.

Boras said Teixeira has met with all of the teams with whom he's currently speaking, and they've addressed his desires.

As for the winning part of the equation -- in a comment that seemed to describe the travails of the Nationals and Orioles -- Boras said, "If a team's building and can't immediately win, then they have a lot of answers as to why that will be a short (window) until they do."

Boras has evidence of that in his fleet of clients with Ivan Rodriguez, the catcher who signed with Detroit before the 2004 season. The Tigers were wretched, and three years later they were playing in the World Series.

Among the things Teixeira is asking for is a no-trade clause. After bouncing from Texas to Atlanta to the Angels over the past two seasons, and now empowered to protect himself via his first trip to free agency, Teixeira is said to be insistent on that.

http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270335/12218102

[UMDNats]

i would give Tex a no-trade clause

[saltydad]

From BP

—Mark Teixeira has offers from the Orioles, Red Sox, Angels, and Nationals on the free-agent market. There are indications that the Nationals may be offering eight years and $180 million, which could blow even the Red Sox out of the water. The Angels are leaning toward offering free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez a two-year contract worth $50 million if they lose out on Teixeira.

[wpa2629]

yankees? wtf ... that makes me sick