Joe Posnanski is freaking awesome

[houston-nat]

From his blog, a major announcement!
http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/12/22/an-announcement/

We are in New York City this week — it’s the daughters first time to the city and they are dutifully awed — so this could be a slow blog week. But even as the week begins, I do feel it’s important that I make this very personal announcement.

You have to understand this wasn’t an easy decision. This wasn’t just something that I decided off the cuff, without deep consideration. Of course, I consulted with my family. I leaned on my faith — I guess you could say I “prayed on it.” I talked it over with my closest friends, the people who know me best and will tell me straight if I am making a mistake. I can’t say that my choice was unanimously agreed upon, but in the end this is my decision to make and I have made it and I must live with it now.

I’m pulling out of the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes.

Yes, it’s hard. I want to say right up front that I think Mark is one heck of a guy. This is not something that should reflect at all on him as either a person or as a player. He’s a great player, but even a better person. I have the greatest respect for him. And I was willing to go to 100 million for five years, bring him on to help the company softball team, help me write a few columns and move a few boxes around the house, and just be around as a friend because he’s such a wonderful guy.

But after discussing this at length, I believe that Mark will have better offers elsewhere and I feel like it’s time to move on. I mean, I felt like 100 million for five years was a competitive offer, but I have been told this will not be enough and at this point I have to say anything beyond five years, $100 million would be ludicrous. I might have been willing to go to five years $105 million. Or six years $118 million. Perhaps four years at $93 million. But I think anything more than these numbers that I have just made up off the top of my head would be irresponsible, especially in times like these. Maybe seven years at $138 million.

Like I say, and I do think it’s important to say this, I think Mark is a wonderful person, really one of the finer human beings on planet earth in addition to an excellent defensive first baseman and a talented chef, I am told, and I know he would be a fine addition to any team or family or corporation. He would make a fine cleanup hitter or a good friend or an excellent host for any of the reality TV shows. But at this time, I feel like I just have to pull out and move on. I do wish Mark the very best, though I will miss him terribly and will always cherish the time spent together.

Maybe four years 88 million. I might be able to swing that.