Yankees have "no shot" at Teixeira

[browntown653]

July 26, 2007 -- IN recent years, Brian Cashman waited patiently for Johnny Damon's seven-year demands to fall to four years and for the Phillies to lower their requests from Phil Hughes to essentially four iffy prospects for Bobby Abreu.

The Yankee GM's patience is not going to work in landing Mark Teixeira before Tuesday's trade deadline. A person familiar with the Rangers' thinking said, "The Yanks have zero shot at Teixeira," because Cashman has taken the organization's main pitching prospects - notably Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy - out of play.

The Yanks privately had hoped that enough bad blood had formed between Teixeira and the Rangers that Texas would be motivated to move the switch-hitter even for a lesser package. However, the person familiar with the Rangers' thinking said there is "no chance [the Rangers] settle for a lesser deal," adding the club would retain Teixeira into his walk-year next season rather than accept an inferior package.

But this source insists the Rangers "already have multiple offers good enough to accept." The Angels and Braves are viewed as the front-runners. An AL executive, though, saw another possibility, saying "I wouldn't be surprised if Boston got him and just said, 'We are going for it.' I think Teixeira would move the Red Sox to a super-team level. They instantly become the big favorites to win it all if they got him."

The Angels could include their current young, inexpensive first baseman Casey Kotchman as part of a package. Teixeira immediately would solve the Angels' greatest need, a run producer to protect Vladimir Guerrero. The Braves are working on multiple fronts with eyes on starters and relievers, too. But Teixeira, a Georgia Tech alum, would bolster their lineup now and make the likely free-agent loss of Andruw Jones more tolerable. Also, an AL executive said not to discount the tight relationship between Braves GM John Schuerholz and the Rangers special assistant to the GM, John Hart, in facilitating a deal.

However, one scout said, "I don't see how they make that trade without moving Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and to me I would never do that because Saltalamacchia is more valuable than Teixeira. I wouldn't trade a high-ceiling, switch-hitting catcher who can also play first and who already is succeeding in the majors straight up for a season and half of Teixeira."

An AL executive, though, countered by saying Schuerholz might be nearing the end of his long tenure and might value a shot now, especially since in Brian McCann Atlanta already has a young, talented catcher tied up for a long time, making Saltalamacchia expendable. Either way, this executive said, he thinks either Saltalamacchia or Kotchman might have to be spun for pitching in a three-way deal because arms are what Texas craves to trade Teixeira.

This is actually good news to me. I don't want the Yankees to give up Hughes or Chamberlain who has really come on strong and will possibly be in the bullpen by the end of the year. Teixeira is a great hitter but first base should not be our biggest concern right now, and it's just plain not worth it to give up what Texas wants.

[missionhockey21]

Glad to hear this for the Rangers. No offense to Yankees fans, but seeing deals like the Abreu deal, the Yankees being the power team in a deal so often, is really hard to swallow as a fan of another team and for a player of Teixeria's caliber... the Rangers shouldn't settle as someone will eventually come close enough to their demands.

The Yankees need an influx of young top-tiered pitching talent, which is coincidentally what the Rangers needs, so it makes sense for the Rangers not to budge for anything but that.

[Providence A's]

wait, the Rangers need pitching? no...I refuse to believe that.

I'd rather not see Tex go to the Yanks or the Red Sox...it would just be another case of the rich getting richer IMHO.

[missionhockey21]

I guess the sarcasm of the coincidentally was lost in the translation of the text. I am sure when our children take over our spots on this message board as they wheel us off they'll be talking about the Rangers dire need of pitching. :p

But I totally agree with you, at least in the sense that I don't want to see a cash team getting him because they had the moolah but because they paid with talent like most of the other teams are forced to do.

[Providence A's]

I am sure when our children take over our spots on this message board as they wheel us off they'll be talking about the Rangers dire need of pitching. :p

at least until the Rangers get a stadium with a roof like the Astros...otherwise their pitchers will continue to melt out there.

[nyjunc]

Glad to hear this for the Rangers. No offense to Yankees fans, but seeing deals like the Abreu deal, the Yankees being the power team in a deal so often, is really hard to swallow as a fan of another team and for a player of Teixeria's caliber... the Rangers shouldn't settle as someone will eventually come close enough to their demands.

The Yankees need an influx of young top-tiered pitching talent, which is coincidentally what the Rangers needs, so it makes sense for the Rangers not to budge for anything but that.

The Yanshae a ton of big time pitchng prospects which is whywe won't make a deal which is fine. Thankfully cashman isn't dumb enough to give away such promising young arms for another bat which we don't need.