Well, it's that time of year again; the Major League Baseball trade deadline is right around the corner. Many of us tune in nightly to hear the likes of Peter Gammons, Tim Kurkjian, and Buster Olney enthrall us with their knowledge of potential blockbuster deals on Baseball Tonight.
A hot topic for this year has been Mark Teixeira. Where will he end up? What will be the best option for the Braves?
Well, I can answer that second question. As a life-long Braves’ fan, I wish to see Tex stay put, and here's why:
1) Maybe the best deal that the Braves could have gotten was one that was already turned down by the Boston Red Sox. Rumors have it that the Braves offered Teixeira for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen. But the Sox turned this one down immediately. Youkilis, along with Jason Varitek, is the heart and soul of the mighty Nation, while Hansen is a young, local prospect that they don't want to give away just yet. The Braves were left searching for another deal.
2) Yes, I know that Teixeira is a free agent after this year, and yes, I know his asking price is going to be HUGE. For the Braves though, who sit 6.5 games back in their packed division, I don't think this necessarily means to get rid of him ASAP. If they trade him now, they are most likely going to get the short end of the deal, just making the team even worse for next season. But if they don't trade him, they can use the money that they'll be getting from Mike (your nickname here) Hampton, another free agent who has stolen over $30 million, to try and lure him back. Teixeira loves the city of Atlanta and may be willing to take a little pay-cut to stay put. And even if he decides to go to a bigger market franchise, the Braves will get a couple of high, high draft picks they can use on players that could become stars in the near future.
3) The Braves are not out of it. There's a reason that many experts picked them to win the division, and even the World Series this year: They are talented. They have a huge series upcoming against the Phillies, and if they can take the series, they would be right in the thick of things. And injuries have KILLED them this year. Smoltz, Glavine, Escobar, Diaz, Soriano, Gonzalez, Moylan, and Kotsay are all names that were expected to play pivotal roles this year and have been, or still are, injured for a significant period of time. Well, over half of those guys are going to be back, and the Braves have six games each against the Phillies and Mets in September. Those guys, along with surprising bolts of energy like Gregor Blanco and Brent Lillibridge, can help the Braves climb back to the top. But they would need Tex's help. And with Chipper and Brian McCann, they pose one of the best 3-4-5 combos in baseball.
Maybe I'm just an idealistic fan, but I really think that the Braves shouldn't be willing to trade Teixeira so easily. Obviously, the best case scenario would be to trade him for a few proven Major Leaguers, but for now, that might not be possible.
I am aching to see those tomahawks chopping come October.
2 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment
Matthew Goodman 11 months ago
Teixeira wants more money than the Braves can afford. He'll probably ask for somewhere around $20-22 million a year for 7-8 years. He could ask for more but that's closer to what he'll actually get. I doubt the Braves will go for that.
Also, the Braves may be hanging around but it's doubtful that they have the pitching to make a run. Getting a couple prospects might be the best they can do; otherwise, they better hope that the compensation picks they get are worth it.
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James Hulka 11 months ago
Let's clarify this a little bit. I think Teixeira himself would be OK with something like Chipper Jones' last major contract extension (6 years, $90M). The one who is looking for the Santana type deal (7 years, $150M) is Scott Boras. Teixeira is still going to get paid wherever he goes. Like Rick Sutcliffe said on an ESPN broadcast earlier this year during a Braves game - Teixeira belongs in Atlanta. The need right now around baseball isn't for a first basemen. I don't see Tex going anywhere this season.
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