Is Teixeira On His Way Out Of Atlanta?
Sports Illustrated is taking a stab here at the future of Mark Teixeira in Atlanta. The writer, using unnamed sources, makes a few points that should alarm Braves fans:
- The source claims the Braves will not re-sign Teixeira because he can find a team willing to pay him 10 years, $200 million.
- Those teams could be the Yankees, Mariners, Orioles and Mets.
Braves GM Frank Wren doesn’t provide much optimism that Tex will stay in Atlanta. He also does not provide much support for the idea. He sounds like Alan Greenspan instead of a general manager who wants to win a pennant.
“I think we’ll have a better sense of that when the season’s over,” Braves GM Frank Wren said. “We’ll see what the market looks like, and we’ll see what it will take to sign Mark.” Wren added that the Braves want to avoid spending too high a percentage on any one player.
One baseball executive who knows Teixeira well predicted, “No chance he stays. He’s waited his whole life for this moment.”
For what exactly has Tex waited his whole life? To cash in? Or to be signed to a long-term contract? I guess both.
Right now–and I am well aware that Tex has consistently started slow only to warm up for a big second half of the season–I am not sure he is worth such a sumptuous contract. People fail to recognize that these early games can turn into the most important games of any year if you lose your division by 3 games. Just stay tuned and remember what I just said.
But the bigger problem is that without him, the Braves are left with a gaping hole at first base. There’s not anyone in the farm system who is ready to take that position by storm, which is exactly why he is here. And if Tex heads out, the Braves lose a clean-up hitter who levels fear into opposing pitchers. In fact, it seems clear that he is heading out:
“The Orioles are close to my heart,” Teixeira admitted.
“I have family in Baltimore,” he continued. “But I have family in Georgia. And I have family in New York.”
That’s great Tex. We’re glad your heart is in it here. We hope Peter Angelos treats you right.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Atlanta Braves, Mark Teixeira, Peter Angelos
I think Tex knows that going to Baltimore for 10 years pretty much wipes out any chance he would have at seeing the postseason during the prime of his career. He’ll be in New York next year, one way or the other.