I chided the Brewers and Yankees for letting the proposed "Mike Cameron for Melky Cabrera" swap die simply for lack of a phone call. Apparently, though, that's how people do business in the big leagues.
According to an unnamed source cited in the LA Times, Angels owner Arte Moreno pulled his eight-year, $160 million offer off the table only after Scott Boras let it sit there for two weeks without countering.
Moreno sensed by the lack of communication that Boras and Teixeira were holding out for more, but without knowing what exactly they wanted, Moreno opted against bidding against himself. In the end, I don't doubt at all that Teixeira will get paid, but the whole process of annoying prospective teams seems counterproductive.
Has Boras lost his edge? Let's not forget, a year ago he was public humiliated when Alex Rodriguez essentially forced him to quit posturing with the Yankees and get a deal done.
ESPN's Buster Olney suggested yesterday that Boras might be stalling in an effort to top $190 million he got Derek Jeter before the 2001 season. But is is in Teixeira's best interest to hold out so that Boras can top personal milestones? Is his lifestyle going to change one iota whether he signs for $175 million versus $190 million? I don't see it. If more teams like the Angels and Red Sox step back from the bargaining table, don't be surprised if Teixeira forces Boras to re-engage with lower demands and more open lines of communication.
Scott Boras Ignored the Angels' Offer for Mark Teixeira for 2 Weeks originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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