Manny-for-Miggy back on?
More conflicting reports on whether there really is potential for a swap of the Sox' and Orioles top run producers. According to the Boston Herald the O's are rethinking their decision to deal Tejada. “There is absolutely no deal we find acceptable to trade this very special player to another team,” an Orioles official said yesterday. Calling this a change of direction may be an overstatement; in reality they never wanted to deal him and they only listened to offers (never sought them) after Tejada's infamous "change of scenary" interview. Across the newstand, the Boston Globe suggests that the O's may be calling for final bids on Tejada this week in an attempt to resolve whether to keep him or trade him.
If the Cubs, Angels, and Red Sox are the leading suitors for Tejada then things may be breaking the Sox way for the first time this offseason. The Angels do not appear to be a match for what Baltimore needs in the short term and the Cubs may not be willing to deal.
My brother-in-law lives in the shadows of Camden Yards. He says that he will not renew his ticket package if the Orioles deal Tejada, especially if Bedard is part of the deal. Whether or not he carries through with that statement it certainly makes clear that the Orioles need to return a bona fide All Star in a deal for Tejada so a package of prospects from the Angels seems very unlikely.
It appears that the Cubs and Orioles are both backing away from rumored deals that featured Tejada and Mark Prior (either in a two team deal or a three team deal that included Oakland's Zito). There is considerable backlash (scroll down) against this deal in Chicago and Hendry may back off because of that alone. Similarly, dealing Bedard along with Tejada would go against the BAL organization's public statements that the future glory of the franchise lies on the shoulders of their young pitchers.
With the Tejada's most agressive suitor backing away, the rumor mill has cranked up a notch on a Sox-Orioles swap. The latest believable iteration has Manny and Clement headed down I-95 for Tejada. The problem with this deal is the $22M salary difference in what is owed to the Boston duo. The Sox could help bridge the gap by agreeing to take on Manny's deferred money ($11M due after his two option years). Another alternative would be to deal Arroyo, who will probably earn less than half of Clement's $9.75M in arbitration, instead of Clement.
If the Cubs, Angels, and Red Sox are the leading suitors for Tejada then things may be breaking the Sox way for the first time this offseason. The Angels do not appear to be a match for what Baltimore needs in the short term and the Cubs may not be willing to deal.
My brother-in-law lives in the shadows of Camden Yards. He says that he will not renew his ticket package if the Orioles deal Tejada, especially if Bedard is part of the deal. Whether or not he carries through with that statement it certainly makes clear that the Orioles need to return a bona fide All Star in a deal for Tejada so a package of prospects from the Angels seems very unlikely.
It appears that the Cubs and Orioles are both backing away from rumored deals that featured Tejada and Mark Prior (either in a two team deal or a three team deal that included Oakland's Zito). There is considerable backlash (scroll down) against this deal in Chicago and Hendry may back off because of that alone. Similarly, dealing Bedard along with Tejada would go against the BAL organization's public statements that the future glory of the franchise lies on the shoulders of their young pitchers.
With the Tejada's most agressive suitor backing away, the rumor mill has cranked up a notch on a Sox-Orioles swap. The latest believable iteration has Manny and Clement headed down I-95 for Tejada. The problem with this deal is the $22M salary difference in what is owed to the Boston duo. The Sox could help bridge the gap by agreeing to take on Manny's deferred money ($11M due after his two option years). Another alternative would be to deal Arroyo, who will probably earn less than half of Clement's $9.75M in arbitration, instead of Clement.
posted by Andy Vanasse at 5:21 AM
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