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Here's why Mark Teixeira walked away from $140 million
Published on Sunday, Aug 05, 2007
From Beacon Journal wire services
For the sake of Mark Teixeira and untold future generations of Teixeiras, history had better not repeat itself. The last thing Teixeira needs is to wind up as the second coming of Juan Gonzalez, who is believed to be the last man with enough nerve to turn down a guaranteed $140 million.
That's what the Texas Rangers offered Teixeira before trading him to the Atlanta Braves. It's the exact amount Gonzalez declined when the Detroit Tigers offered it after they acquired him in the winter of 1999-2000, also in the form of an eight-year offer. He earned a mere $46 million in the rest of his star-crossed career.
No one had to hold a tag sale for him, sure, but $94 million is a lot to leave on the table. How can anyone have enough nerve to walk away from that kind of guarantee?
Teixeira wanted to escape Texas badly enough to do exactly that. His decision to reject the huge contract extension from the Rangers was the most remarkable of the deals that did not happen before the deadline for non-waiver trades.
In a standard bit of damage control, after the Rangers had traded Teixeira, 27, to the Braves for Jarrod Saltalamacchia and four other prospects, Texas officials alerted local reporters to their unsuccessful efforts to make the first baseman an extremely rich man. Teixeira confirmed both the offer and the figures, but said he won't dwell on it.
''I'm not talking about any of that,'' said Teixeira, who averaged 38 homers and 119 RBI in the previous three seasons. ''I'm an Atlanta Brave. That's done. I'm very happy. That's it. . . . I want to finish out the season, have a great year and see what happens in the off-season.''
Here's what's going to happen: If the Braves don't re-sign free agent Andruw Jones, they will attempt to sign Teixeira to a long-term contract, although probably not for what he turned down from the Rangers. And if they re-sign Jones, they will try to win in 2008 with Teixeira in his walk year. That means agent Scott Boras puts together another of his War and Peace-style documents, this one attempting to show how Teixeira is better than Lou Gehrig and Willie McCovey combined, and sees if he can find someone to pay more than $140 million.
Brewing up a mess
The Milwaukee Brewers' dream season has turned sour, with a lead of 71/2 games over the Chicago Cubs on June 30 nearly evaporating in barely a month and players having trouble taking the heat.
Second baseman Rickie Weeks, once considered a rising star, got himself shipped to Triple-A Nashville after going 2-for-20 on a 2-6 trip in which the Brewers lost four times in the Cincinnati Reds' and St. Louis Cardinals' last inning to hit. He was hitting .212 with five homers and only 19 RBI in 75 games, hitting .156 after spending time on the disabled list because of recurring problems with his right wrist.
That move wasn't popular in the clubhouse.
''It (stinks),'' first baseman Prince Fielder said. ''I wouldn't have done it.''
On Thursday, manager Ned Yost had to be separated from catcher Johnny Estrada in the dugout, reportedly after Tony Graffanino and Estrada said something to Yost about his bedside manner.
''There's frustration within our ballclub,'' GM Doug Melvin said. ''When we took over this ballclub five years ago, people told me we had players who didn't care. I don't think anybody can say that about this team.''
The Brewers' problems stem from a starting rotation that is eighth in the NL in ERA. The Brewers have lost the past 13 starts by Chris Capuano and have seen Jeff Suppan amass a 4.97 ERA. Ben Sheets is disabled; no return in sight.
The last word
''You can't call him Wilton anymore.'' Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia after Vladimir Guerrero homered twice Thursday, ending a stretch of 30 games and 125 at-bats without hitting a home run. Wilton Guerrero, Vladimir's older brother, hit 11 homers in his eight big-league seasons.
Whispers
Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer didn't hurt himself professionally with his reaction to pitcher Johan Santana's diatribe after the trading deadline. General manager ''Terry Ryan never came down and asked me why I swung at a 3-0 pitch and grounded out to third,'' Cuddyer said. ''It's not my job to make trades or say trades are bad.'' . . . Here's why some of the smartest GMs won't commit more than 15 percent of their team payroll to one player. The Yankees are 4-8 in Roger Clemens' starts this year; the Rangers went 326-358 with Teixeira in the lineup and 39-30 in the games he missed in his five seasons there. . . . If not for Barry Bonds, Commissioner Bud Selig would have been at Miller Park for Tom Glavine's first run at 300 victories and probably at Wrigley Field today. ''I got to know Tommy through labor negotiations,'' Selig said. ''I have enormous respect for him.'' He hasn't said the same about Bonds.
From Beacon Journal wire services
Get the full article here.
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