While addressing the media, Scott
Boras painted a fairly bleak picture for future power prospects on the
free agent market once Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez have settled
their contracts this winter: “This free agent market is a pretty unique
time for teams because when you look at the number of offensive players
available — other than maybe Matt Holliday next year and the year after
that I can’t think of a guy that's a consistent 30 home run, 120 RBI
guy that’s available. You have to go all the way to 2011 to get to
Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols in the big bat free agent
market place. For a franchise-type bat, it’s time to move on one that’s
available.”
With the momentum of a slow-building locomotive, the
Mark Teixeira train kept on gaining speed amidst the end of baseball’s
winter meetings Thursday in Las Vegas.
Sox GM Theo Epstein confirmed the team extended three contract offers
to free agents during the meetings, and it’s believed that Teixeira may
have been one of the three.
Before fleeing the Vegas strip, Epstein admitted being in the middle of
negotiations with several players and being “aggressive … really
aggressive” in pursuing their targets. But he was also practicing caution right along with some good old-fashioned aggression.
“I know there’s the position that we’re a superpower — we probably are,
in some ways, financially — but it seems like every $100 million player
that comes around always has the Red Sox in the mix,” Epstein said. “We
often are in the mix.
“But besides [Drew and Matsuzaka], we haven’t given out those free
agent contracts. That’s been partly responsible for our success. We
focus more on long-term building and more on building from within. That
doesn’t mean we won’t do it for the right player, and in that
circumstance, we will.”
It’s a nice sentiment by Epstein, but he already had a lineup
centerpiece named Manny Ramirez when he inherited the team. A
replacement bat in the middle of Boston’s lineup means shelling out
nine figures, and it could also mean Epstein potentially making the
proverbial deal with the baseball devil.
“I would imagine most modern teams like Tex because he’s the unique
player that has on-base percentage, a great OPS and he has power,” said
super agent Scott Boras of a player that has averaged a .290 batting
average, 36 home runs and 121 RBIs over his six-year career. “He scores
runs, he drives in runs, he hits for a high average, so he’s a very
special talent.
“And the real thing that teams comment on all the time with Tex is that
he’s a Gold Glove player. He’s a plus defender,” added Boras, who said
he has “concrete offers” from all teams interested.
