[外電] Mailbag: Do O's have shot at Teixeira?
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Mailbag: Do O's have shot at Teixeira?
Orioles beat reporter Spencer Fordin answers fans' questions
By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
Which big-name free agent do you think would help the Orioles get better the
quickest? And which big-name free agent do you think would most likely sign
with Baltimore?
-- Matthew E., Baltimore
This year, there's a one-part answer to that two-part question. The Orioles,
who have sat out of the big-time free-agent market since signing Miguel
Tejada a few winters ago, appear poised to make a run at local product Mark
Teixeira. Teixeira, a native of Severna Park, Md., has been high on the local
fans' wish list for several years.
And that's only one reason why he'd immediately make the Orioles better.
Baltimore hasn't had an All-Star-caliber first baseman in several years, and
Teixeira would give them one in the prime of his career. Plus, he'd keep
Aubrey Huff anchored to designated hitter, giving the Orioles two feared
sluggers in the heart of their order.
Teixeira, a two-time Gold Glove winner, will be just 29 years old next season
and should be productive for many years to come. The Orioles could sign him
without much element of risk, and as a switch-hitter, he'd help Baltimore
tilt away from its left-handed-hitting axis. Also, he'd allow Brandon Snyder
and Billy Rowell time to develop in the Minors.
Local fans have spoken on Teixeira, flooding the inbox of several Baltimore
sportswriters in their zeal to bring him home. And Teixeira has noticed that
demand, saying in the past that he'd love to play for his favorite team from
his childhood. But as the prime position player in a strong market, he'll
have several intriguing choices heaped on his plate.
Teixeira will likely have several big-money offers, and he'll have his chance
to sign with a contending team if he wants. If he opts to come home, he'll
have the chance to help the Orioles find their path after a tough decade. It
seems to be the dominant story of the offseason for Baltimore, and much of
the winter planning hinges on its outcome.
Any chance the O's will enter the CC Sabathia sweepstakes or are we going to
just plug in two "inning-eaters" and hope our young arms will develop?
-- Mike W., Alexandria, Va.
Unlike Teixeira, Sabathia doesn't have a local tie to the region and doesn't
appear likely to forgo a chance to sign with an immediate World Series
contender. The burly southpaw does appear to have his own geographical
considerations, though, with many rumblings indicating that he'd like to
pitch closer to home on the West Coast.
Sabathia may also want to stay in the National League, a circuit he dominated
in a half-season with the Brewers. Like Teixeira, Sabathia is sure to draw a
lot of interest on the open market. Unlike Teixeira, he comes with a major
element of injury risk, as he's piled up nearly 500 innings in the past two
years and almost 900 in the last four.
The Orioles are likely to go a little more modest on the free-agent front,
but they may hope for a little more geographical favor. A.J. Burnett, who is
expected to opt out of his deal with the Blue Jays, makes his offseason home
in Baltimore and may be swayed to help front the rotation. Burnett, along
with Teixeira, would represent a major makeover.
If the Orioles can't sign Burnett -- a major injury risk in his own right --
they may set their sights on right-hander Derek Lowe. Baltimore needs an arm
or two that can plausibly fill out the rotation behind Jeremy Guthrie and
can't find them in-house. Look for the Orioles to sign at least one veteran,
and perhaps two or three if they come at the right price.
Is it possible that manager Dave Trembley's "no facial hair" rule is
preventing players from wanting to play for the Orioles? I know that if a
potential employer had that policy, I would look elsewhere.
-- Todd P., Virginia Beach, Va.
Don't shoot the messenger. The facial-hair policy -- which prohibits players
from growing beards or goatees beneath the lip -- is handed down from
ownership and only enforced by the team's manager. And while it may be an
annoyance to some of the players, it's not anything that keeps them from
wanting to play with the Orioles.
Let's face it: When you have a chance to play Major League Baseball, growing
a beard is low on your list of priorities. There are several players who
might even shave their eyebrows for a chance to latch on with a given team.
For example, despite all the grousing Kevin Millar did about the policy, he
still wants to sign up for another season.
Baltimore's main hurdle in attracting talent is its record, which has been
below .500 for the past 11 seasons. But the Orioles also have several selling
points, chief among them Camden Yards and the chance to compete in the
American League East. If they miss on a player by virtue of his shaving
habits, there are plenty more to choose from.
Can the Orioles move catcher Ramon Hernandez? He has not hit consistently,
cannot throw out runners and cannot handle the pitching staff.
-- Tom R., Schenectady, N.Y.
With that scouting report, who would want him? Tom is being a little harsh,
as Hernandez has been moderately successful at the plate throughout his
Baltimore tenure. It's true that the veteran's defense has begun to slip,
though, and the Orioles do have monster prospect Matt Wieters waiting to take
over the full-time catching job.
Having Hernandez on hand would help ease the rookie's transition, though, and
would allow Wieters to slot in as the DH from time to time during his first
season. Whether that consideration will be enough to keep him around remains
to be seen, but Hernandez will indeed figure in as one of Baltimore's trade
chips this offseason.
Hernandez, just 32 years old, may have another big offensive season or two
left in his bat. And given the right circumstances, he could help the Orioles
as a backup catcher, first baseman and DH. Guillermo Quiroz, last season's
backup, has many of the same flaws without many of the same benefits.
The question, of course, is what the Orioles can expect in return. If they're
only offered a mid-grade prospect, it might not make sense to deal Hernandez
in the final year of his contract. Catcher is still one of the hardest
positions to fill in the big leagues, and Baltimore would be well-served not
to heap too much pressure on Wieters immediately.
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