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Teixeira: 'In the back of my mind, the Yankees were always the top'

Posted by Chad Finn, Globe Staff January 6, 2009 12:57 PM

The Yankees officially introduced first baseman Mark Teixeira at a press conference at the old Yankee Stadium this afternoon. Here are few notable comments from the 28-year-old slugger, who agreed to an eight-year, $180 million free agent contract with New York Dec. 23, jilting the Red Sox, who were thought by many to be his first choice:

On whether he planned on signing with the Yankees all along:

"The whole process was confusing. Sometimes I'd tell Scott to stop calling me, then I'd call him five times a day saying, 'Tell me what you know!' Two weeks before Christmas, I talked to [my wife] Leigh about it again, and we kind of decided that, hey, the Yankees are where we want to be. Cash [Brian Cashman] might want to give Leigh a hug, because when I asked her during the process, 'Where should I go, where should I go?,' she'd always say, 'I just want you to be happy.' Finally she said, 'I want you to be a Yankee,' and it was a done deal. Once we got the contract figured out, it was a no-brainer for me."

It's interesting to note that the Red Sox' visit to Teixeira's home in Texas came on Dec. 18, which is just a week before Christmas. If Teixeira's comments can be taken at face value, he made his mind up a week before the Sox' trip.

On the Yankees' sales pitch:

"I was very impressed with Cash when he came out to visit me in Washington. It took about a month to narrow our choices down to five teams. Cash made a nice video of Yankee Stadium and gave me the full college recruiting pitch, and at the end of that week, I talked to [Agent] Scott [Boras], I talked to Leigh, and I decided the Yankees were where I wanted to be. In my mind, the Yankees were always the top."

On coming to the end of the free agent process:

"[It's] a lot of relief [having it over with]. I'd be lying to say it wasn't a stressful position. Scott warned me a few years ago that if I went to free agency it would be be like this . . . [But] once it hit me I was going to be a Yankee, it was a feeling of pure joy, just the excitement of being a Yankee. And [it felt good] to call my family in Baltimore to tell them. I played in Los Angeles, Atlanta, my first few years in Texas, now I'm the closest I've been to them, so now they can see me play. So it's a little relief and a lot of excitement."

On growing up a fan of Yankees great Don Mattingly:

"I think it says a lot that a kid who grew up in Baltimore, whose family had season tickets in Baltimore, would cheer for . . . Mattingly. People would say, 'Why not Eddie [Murray], why not Cal [Ripken]?,' but there was just something about Don Mattingly. My dad would take me to O's games and I'd wear a Yankees hat, which wasn't too safe in Baltimore back in the '80s. But it was worth it. There's something about being a Yankee, no matter where you are there are Yankees fans, and I'm glad to be a Yankee today."

On his goals as a Yankee:

"What I'm trying to accomplish in my career, my goals, are the same goals as the Yankees': to win the World Series. I've been blessed to play . . . with some great players in my career, and now I'm getting to play in the greatest organization in sports history with some of the greatest players in sports history."

* * *

Post-press conference comments


The Globe's Tony Massarotti was in attendance at the Teixeira press conference, and filed this report after speaking with the parties after the formal press conference:

First, we need to provide a little background. Shortly after the formal Mark Teixeira press conference ended, all involved parties broke up to address Teixeira's arrival in New York. If you were watching on TV, you didn't get much beyond the dog and pony show that most press conferences like this have become.

That said, here are some of the highlights from today's post-presser briefings, with the questions that prompted the answers. Keep in mind that, during the main presser, Teixeira indicated that he and his wife decided roughly two weeks before Christmas that the Yankees were the best fit for him. His subsequent meeting with the Red Sox in Dallas took place roughly 10 days after that, raising the obvious question of whether the Sox were needlessly strung along.

Of course, at the same time, there is evidence to suggest that the Red Sox might have ended this earlier in the process with a more aggressive offer, at least based on Teixeira's perspective.

In any case, here goes:

When did the Yankees know they had secured Teixeira?

Brian Cashman, Yankees GM: "When I met with him in Washington [before the winter meetings, which took place in early December], I felt that he wanted to be a Yankee. He didn't say that, but I just got a really good feeling of like, 'You know what, if all things were equal, I think this is where he would prefer to play.' That was my sense. Then again, some players are good at selling that type of [sentiment], but that was my genuine feel.

"But two hours before he made his decision, I remember telling our people I thought he was going to Boston and I did not think he was coming to us, based on the conversations. Maybe an hour before, I was like, `Wow, we actually may have a shot here,' just by the way Scott [Boras] started focusing on some of the more minute details of the contract. When you start focusing on that area, you're trying to get a deal, so that was a turning point. It was probably only about an hour beforehand. But up until two hours before the decision he made, I just though we were actually still behind Boston."

Were the Red Sox and others strung along?

Scott Boras, agent: "I think whenever you represent a free agent player and he signs somewhere, part of the process is one where everyone is going to say they were strung along. Obviously, in my business, you're either called a shopper or a puffer; one of the two, you're going to be labeled with. You do the things you need to do, in good faith, when dealing with teams.

"As far as Boston goes, I think Boston knows they got good faith proposals and they were given proposals, which means, if accepted, the player would have signed the proposal. If teams reject them, they cannot in any way suggest they were strung along."

Was Teixeira always going to New York or did the Red Sox and others truly have a chance?

Teixeira: "Every team did [have a chance]. I told my agent, 'This is the pecking order,' and I gave him my idea of who was going to be near the top. At the same time, I'm not going to lie to you guys. Contract was important. I wasn't going to take half as much money to play in New York. But when a team like New York steps up and is very competitive with their contract, it was an easy decision for me.

"I wasn't stringing the other teams along. At the same time, nobody had really stepped up to make it, 'Hey, now Mark, let's make a decision.' For a long time there, most of the contracts were basically the same."

297 comments so far...
  1. I sure hope this is the LAST we hear of Tex. He's a Yankee and obviously wanted to be a Yankee. Let us now hear about the RED SOX in a Boston newpaper. Enough with the Yankees stories.

    Posted by BC January 6, 09 01:49 PM
  1. I always knew there was a good reason he shouldn't be a Red Sox'er --maybe A-Rod can inspire him on how to take the money and be a choke...

    Posted by Lee from SF January 6, 09 01:49 PM
  1. "There was just something about Don Mattingly."
    I'll have to take his word for it. He owns zero World Series rings and he's not in the Hall of Fame.

    Posted by Chris in Illinois January 6, 09 01:52 PM
  1. So can now, finally, the 126 or so sports writers -- those cadre of wordsmiths who led the breaking news and follow-up analysis stories of Teixera's signing with the yanks saying "The Yankees SWOOPED in" at the "11th hour" to "Steal" him from the Red Sox -- admit the Yanks were in the bidding all along and that the Red Sox actually did mostly bow out after they were told they had bigger offers?
    I thought not, but wouldn't it be nice to see a writer actually lead the way with reporting rather than act like a singing boys choir when it comes to so-called Breaking News Stories. The Sox had little or no chance, the Yanks were always involved, and had the Sox gone to $200 million, the Yanks would have gone $220 million. Just the way it is.
    This is exactly how we had 100 papers printing stories about WMD and Iraq's so-called attacks on the World Trade Center towers. It's not reporting to simply re-report the nonesne of other media outlets.
    Now go sign Youk, Lester and Paplebon to long term deals!

    Posted by Scott from San Fran January 6, 09 01:54 PM
  1. Surprise! It appears the Sox were never in it. That begs the question that if you are paying Theo millions why did he not know this? Why was he pursuing a dead end and in the end wasting his bosses time flying cross country for nothing?

    Posted by JimDaytona January 6, 09 01:57 PM
  1. the power of the P strikes again!

    Posted by Alex January 6, 09 01:58 PM
  1. I hope he pulls a hammy............

    Posted by DRLII January 6, 09 02:01 PM
  1. Good to know he was stringing the Sox along to get a bigger payout from the Yanks.

    Posted by gio January 6, 09 02:01 PM
  1. So if he decided 2 weeks before Christmas that he wanted to be a yankee, the whole borASS / Sox meeting in Texas was a shame perpetrated by a couple of frauds. Their true "stripes" are showing now for the entire world to see.

    Posted by Mama January 6, 09 02:02 PM
  1. gross.

    Posted by Todd January 6, 09 02:02 PM
  1. Well, at least with the Red Sox in it, it drove his price up, making the Yankees pay even more! It will be interesting to see how the Yankees do with their high payroll. I'm also sure this will drive the Red Sox to play even harder than they already do to prove to all Teixeira supporters that they can certainly win a World Series without him, which we all know they can do. They've got the chemistry and drive that the Yankees lack! Go Red Sox!

    Posted by NYRedSoxFan January 6, 09 02:03 PM
  1. Yea...all typical FA signings talk. Do all FA who sign huge contracts read off a script at their press conferences??? screw u teixera...enjoy never winning a WS with Gay-Fraud and the most overpaid SS in baseball history

    Posted by nellie January 6, 09 02:03 PM
  1. What a Brown Nose. I'm glad he's with the yankees and can't wait for them to flop after spending all this money. It will be pure loads of fun!

    Posted by pat January 6, 09 02:04 PM
  1. Tex is another phony the same way A-Rod is. Has no guts to say that he loves the Yankees only because of the money the Yankees tossed at him. Hope they continue to collect these phonies and flop their way down the drain for the next 8 years.

    Posted by Jay Na, Seattle, WA January 6, 09 02:04 PM
  1. This guys is such a tool....What a little kiss a$$..hahahahha...Loser.

    Posted by Erik January 6, 09 02:04 PM
  1. What a complete scumbag he is, not because he signed with NY but he said today:
    "Two weeks before Christmas, I talked to [my wife] Leigh about it again, and we kind of decided that, hey, the Yankees are where we want to be. Cash [Brian Cashman] might want to give Leigh a hug, because when I asked her during the process, 'Where should I go, where should I go?,' she'd always say, 'I just want you to be happy.' Finally she said, 'I want you to be a Yankee,' and it was a done deal. "

    Then why have the Red Sox fly to Texas on December 18th, a week before Christmas when he already decided a week prior that he was going to the Yankees. All he did was use the Red Sox to drive up the price, so it cost the Yankees more money but the Red Sox took a huge PR hit because of his unethical approach. I hope he has a long and miserable career in NY and suffers a lot of injuries in the process.

    Posted by Patrick January 6, 09 02:04 PM
  1. I am sure he would have said the same thing if the Sox got him. Oh well, good for him for getting the $$$. Anyone of us would have done the same. It's a business.

    Posted by Hayo January 6, 09 02:05 PM
  1. Geez Tex it must be real stressful to decide who's gonna pay you hundreds of millions of dollars. My hart goes out to ya buddy!!!

    Posted by Jon January 6, 09 02:07 PM
  1. Blah,Blah,Blah..Hey Teixeira the jerkstore called, they're running out of YOU

    Posted by GStore January 6, 09 02:07 PM
  1. Type your comment here... Surprise....Surprise.....so the Sox didn't have a chance. He played them from the beginning. He mad his mind up 2 weeks before Christmas. The Sox brass was at his house on Dec 18th. No posturing on Henry's part....he was serious when he sadi the Sox were out of it

    Posted by Pfitz1970 January 6, 09 02:08 PM
  1. So...if he knew 2 weeks before Christmas, he and Boras used the Sox and Angels to squeeze even more out of the Yanks?? Good for Henry and Moreno not to be patsies for another Boras client whose contract is so ludicrous he cannot live up to the expections. Not to mention how Jeter and Arod will feel being not being the alphas anymore.

    Now let's offer Andy Pettitte a 2 year deal to twist Yankees Universe, and pray for Mike Lowell's surgeons.

    Posted by LongballLarry January 6, 09 02:11 PM
  1. Sorry, but none of his comments are notable. They were all predictable and scripted. "Once we got the contract figured out?" Yeah, he figured out it was the highest offer and included a no trade. Probably took nearly a full minute to figure out. 2 weeks before Christmas he knew he wanted to be a Yankee? I suspect that's what John Henry was trying to tell us. Look forward to seeing him at Fenway.

    Posted by BobL January 6, 09 02:11 PM
  1. I'm going to love hating this guy.

    Posted by Burny January 6, 09 02:11 PM
  1. I hope all that money makes him happy because he sure won't have any championships!

    Posted by JP January 6, 09 02:12 PM
  1. I'm sure he was impressed with CA$H. No crying Red Sox Nation, we can do without Tex. It was just the Money Money Money....Defense and good pitching will bring us another championship.

    Posted by rocknrun January 6, 09 02:12 PM
  1. Blah blah blah

    Posted by Poon January 6, 09 02:12 PM
  1. God gave us free will, If you sell your soul to the devil then you're going to hell!

    Posted by Gary LaPrade January 6, 09 02:13 PM
  1. I hope he never wins a World Series.

    Posted by wa January 6, 09 02:14 PM
  1. Congratulations, Little Tex. You are now number one on our "most-hated" list. I can't wait for your first trip to Fenway Park.

    Posted by mike lowry January 6, 09 02:14 PM
  1. Good riddance. Typical Bor-ass and Teixeira's another A-Rod. Big numbers but no heart. I can't wait to boo this jerk for the next decade.

    Posted by Dan January 6, 09 02:16 PM
  1. Oh you poor, misguided soul.....

    Posted by john-f January 6, 09 02:16 PM
  1. Why does every player look like an idiot in Stripes?

    Posted by BostonSara00 January 6, 09 02:16 PM
  1. What a suck-up. What a sell-out. How can you grow up in a good baseball town like Baltimore and not like your hometown team? What does he refer to Brian Cashman as 'Cash'? Presumably, he just met the guy. Because he's only after cash! I am glad the Sox didn't sign this airhead. He belongs in New York. I can’t wait to see this year’s Yankee crop of free agents tank. Sabathia will hit 350 pounds and Burnett will spend 75% of his career on the DL. Stay tuned….

    Posted by Marcoman January 6, 09 02:17 PM
  1. When do we get to see Nick Green get introduced to the PawSox on ESPN 2.....BAAAAAAAH! Time to give Theo the Ax.

    Posted by Scott January 6, 09 02:19 PM
  1. So there it is......Sox fans can take solace in the fact that Boras used them to get more money out of the Yankees...but I bet that John Henry would like to have the $30k in jet fuel he spent going to Texas for that waste of time.

    From now on, we need to find out what team the free agent cheered for as a kid!

    Posted by dbmedia January 6, 09 02:19 PM
  1. Isn't that sweet? He refers to Brian Cashman, whom he hardly knows, as "Cash", he calls the Yankees the "greatest organization is sports history. " Please excuse all of us while we collectively vomit.

    Posted by Gregg January 6, 09 02:21 PM
  1. Well there we have it, can we now drop the talk of Teixeira? Teixeira made it quite clear that Boston WAS NOT a potential landing spot. His wife bluntly came out and said that she "wanted him to be a Yankee". There, enough said....the Red Sox were played for a higher bid against the Yanks.

    This was signed, sealed, delivered a long time ago. It's over....let's move on.

    Posted by Whofan January 6, 09 02:24 PM
  1. I think it's great it didn't work out for the Sox. If he wanted the Yankees to begin with, then shame on him for causing them to pay so much more in the trade because of playing one against the other. Same old story: money talks,s*** walks.

    Posted by rarobinson17 January 6, 09 02:25 PM
  1. Sox weren't even the picture, ever.

    Posted by Joe January 6, 09 02:27 PM
  1. nausiating!!!!

    Posted by jason January 6, 09 02:28 PM
  1. In the back of my mind, the Pankees are always at the top of the list...
    The list of teams I love...to see lose in the most painful ways...This makes it even better...All these hotrod all-stars...Coming to NY...to lose...I can not wait for the season to start...and for injuries to mount...and Pankee dreams shattered...

    Posted by AJ White January 6, 09 02:28 PM
  1. Hey, congratulations Mark. Now, you had better get to work and turn the Yanks into a championship team pronto, or you and your wife are going to wish you were back in Texas. Talk to A-Rod.

    Posted by Rob January 6, 09 02:28 PM
  1. really-- when they prop these guys up in front of Yankee Stadium- i want to to vomit.
    From Mussina to Giambi to Damon to Texiera- the 'The Yankees were always #1' line is nauseating. Hey Mark-it had nothing to do with the $180 mill- you clown? I love how he and 'scott' narrowed it down to 5 teams. Another good one, like the Marlins and Pirates had a shot. We are all idiots mark- its the same 5 teams for any big free agent. God I hope the Red Sox get Pujols in a few years

    Posted by Johnny January 6, 09 02:29 PM
  1. Okaaaayyyy.....uhhh, the closest you've been to Baltimore? Don't they have a team there, THAT might be closer, huh? Maybe? I think Washington DC is closer to Baltimore too, but I haven't pulled out my Atlas in a while. What a piece of work...this is all the usual crap said at these things, none of it true.
    Please spare us these stories, just trying to rile up us Sox fans. No matter where he signed, he wasn't signing closer to home.

    Posted by Sox4lifebabee January 6, 09 02:30 PM
  1. Well, this simply serves to confirm the "he was never going to end up in Boston" line of thought. Tex says he and his wife decided he was going to go to the Yankees a couple of weeks before xmas. My math puts that around Dec 11. On Dec 18 the Sox brass flew out with the expectation of closing a deal, and instead ended up issuing the famed "don't expect to be a factor" email. A couple days after that the Angels officially pulled out as well, with Moreno stating that they felt Tex would never come back to Cali and that they were simply being utilized to drive up the price. Turns out both Henry and Moreno were right, as by Tex's own statements his mind was made up at least a week prior. All those who have railed against Henry and Theo for the past couple weeks for being too cheap, for having "failed" in this negotiation, etc., the time has come to face the facts; Teixeira was never going to play for the Red Sox, period. He was never going to play for the Nationals, he was never going to play for the Orioles, and he was never going to go back to Anaheim. The sole purpose these teams served in the process was to establish a price for Boras to then take to Cashman and say "okay, here's the number, let's get this done".

    Posted by Rico January 6, 09 02:31 PM
  1. Another CHUMP Yankee. BOOOOOOOOO!

    Posted by docgr8fl` January 6, 09 02:32 PM
  1. Another money grubbing superstar who claims that World Series victories are what is most important. I can name $180 million reasons why this is simply not true. I just wish for once, there would be an honest athlete that would tell the truth and say, "yes, it was totally about the money, and I am now rich beyond my wildest dreams. See ball, hit ball, cash check. It's that simple." Find me an athlete that made this kind of money and never won a World Series and see if they would give it all up on the spot to be placed on a team for the deciding game of a World Series and win a ring. The answer is "NO". It is, was and always has been about the Benjamins!

    Posted by Paytheman January 6, 09 02:33 PM
  1. Another ego in pin stripes to go along with the rest of the loser egos already there. Leigh sounds like another Debbie Clemens. Are steroids that far behind for her????

    Posted by itzmikey January 6, 09 02:38 PM
  1. Who cares, baseball is so lame, worst spectator sport ever. Give me college or pro football anyday of the week.

    I'd rather watch soccer.

    Posted by vmanv January 6, 09 02:39 PM
  1. Why is this getting so much coverage in a Boston media outlet? Is this a sign that Boston-area sportwriters are going to obsess on this for years to come now? He was an attractive free agent, but he decided to go to the Yankees. Can't we all agree to boo him in future games and move on?

    Posted by JimR January 6, 09 02:39 PM
  1. "I'd be lying to say it wasn't a stressful position."
    Ya, it must be terribly stressful to decide between earning $21.5 million a year or $22 million. We better hear a lot of stories about the money that you're donating back to the New York taxpayers that build your new stadium.

    Posted by Melissa January 6, 09 02:42 PM
  1. He lets his wife make his decisions for him...she's probably a hick that thinks that hole is glamorous. Sounds like he belongs in NY.

    Posted by YoYo January 6, 09 02:42 PM
  1. I hope Beckett drills him in the ear hole, fist pitch...

    Posted by WhatWouldPedroDo January 6, 09 02:43 PM
  1. In the back of my mind, all I can think of is elbowing you into the boards hard, then flopping and drawing a penalty on you. Then I shall pop out my upper plate and laugh at you as I skate back to the bench.

    Posted by Claude Lemieux January 6, 09 02:43 PM
  1. I'd respect him if he just got up and said 'The Yankees offered more money, end of story'. Lets face it if in our careers 95% of us are going to the job that offers more money.

    Posted by troop January 6, 09 02:45 PM
  1. strange thing is, in the back of most baseball fans i know of, he was always a yankee as well. good riddance is what i say, now as i have throughout this offseason.
    now if only he could go on charlie rose (giambi like, back in 01), and declare himself the defacto face of the franchise then i'll know for sure, as i've long suspected, that boston did not truly want him or, that at the very least dodged a painful bullet by not acquiring him. i mean if i hear another one of these varsity prom kings mention how it is every child's dream to "wear the pinstripes" when it
    has been obvious for nearly a decade now that the yankees can not convince anybody to come to new york without outbiding all of baseball for them (sabathia must be the most despicable display of, not greed, but self-deceit), or even worse, the "i asked my wife" mythology (does a-rod not wish right about now he'd stayed in low key arlington, and not relocated next to lenny kravitz' crotch?)
    nothing to mourn or sulk over here, they'll beat us a few times, we'll beat them a few times... more.
    in the america i live in THIS is truly every child's dream.

    Posted by keru January 6, 09 02:46 PM
  1. I certain that Sox fans would have feel in love with Tex had he signed with the Sox. He did not. He went to the Yankees and rightfully so---- we now hate him. We do not wish him well and he does not get to pass GO and collect even more $$$$.

    Let's have the Sox stay in the race until 6/15. By then the A's wilt and we take Holliday of ther hands...........or some other soon to be free agent.

    Posted by ira greenberg January 6, 09 02:47 PM
  1. Blah, blah, blah...Scott Boras told me to sign with the Yankees...Blah, blah....

    Posted by Bugaboo January 6, 09 02:47 PM
  1. I'm certain that Sox fans would have feel in love with Tex had he signed with the Sox. He did not. He went to the Yankees and rightfully so---- we now hate him. We do not wish him well and he does not get to pass GO and collect even more $$$$.

    Let's have the Sox stay in the race until 6/15. By then the A's wilt and we take Holliday of ther hands...........or some other soon to be free agent.

    Posted by ira greenberg January 6, 09 02:47 PM
  1. Whatever - this will only make it sweeter when we beat them....

    Posted by A OBrien January 6, 09 02:47 PM
  1. All the Yankees got were Sabathia, Burnett, and now Tex -John Henry and Co. have given all Red Sox fans an opportunity to purchase new hats and jerseys in 2009!!!!!

    We'll take our chances with the Josh Bard, Brad Penny, and the powers of new uni's, right? RIGHT????

    This administration has no interest in winning. They are slowly becoming the Bruins of the late 90's, early 00's...

    Posted by Used to be a Sox fan... January 6, 09 02:48 PM
  1. Man! What's with all the negatives and hates

    Posted by Thanh Hoang January 6, 09 02:50 PM
  1. I don't care how good a player he is, or how nice a guy he is. He should have been straightforward with the Sox. he and his agent used one team against the other to drive up the price. And I dislike Boras too. I know he gets what he wants, but he's not an admirable human being. he doesn't care who he screws as long as he gets his cut. And look at the players he's dealt with - Manny for one. You don't think Boras knew what Manny was doing?
    I think I feel sorriest for Varitek. He deserves to be back with the Sox. But I think Boras is using him too. dump Boras, Tek. And come home.

    Posted by RAD January 6, 09 02:52 PM
  1. Save your venom for Manny, who actually spurned the Sox, faked an injury, all in the middle of a pennant race. You all loved Texeira until he signed with NY, and now he's evil. Keep your tiny park, cling to your dynasty of just a couple of rings in a century, and your frozen ticket prices. Kraft and Celtics ownmership were smart enough to rebuild their old buildings, they won and you forgave them, both continue to find new revenue streams, more seats and better players. Yet the Sox fans mope.

    Posted by Bs Cs Ps January 6, 09 02:53 PM
  1. So now Teixeira's the "scumbug." Oh well he can help the Sox take their minds off of M-a-n-n-y. Let's hear some more about how that other "scumbag" Manny is going to be sorry. Sing it with me Sox fans: "Who's sorry now?" Or just keep rooting for management. It's all you can do when the most televised employee of your baseball team is a "suit" (Jeremy Kapstein).

    Posted by Rocket Scientist January 6, 09 02:53 PM
  1. If he had signed with the Sox or the Orioles, I'm pretty sure you could substitue "Boston" or "Baltimore" everywhere it says "Yankees". No one, not even you homers, would say "well, I really wanted to play somewhere else, but I'm stuck here because they offered me more".

    Posted by jeff January 6, 09 02:54 PM
  1. If he had signed with the Sox or the Orioles, I'm pretty sure you could substitue "Boston" or "Baltimore" everywhere it says "Yankees". No one, not even you homers, would say "well, I really wanted to play somewhere else, but I'm stuck here because they offered me more".

    Posted by jeff January 6, 09 02:55 PM
  1. "I'd be lying to say it wasn't a stressful position. " Choosing between $180 million and $170 million to play major league baseball... sounds real stressful. Good thing he doesn't have any real problems... NY media should have a field day with him at the hint of a slump. Pull a hammy for us!

    Posted by Justin January 6, 09 02:55 PM
  1. Pulled hammy my ass. How about a career ending knee injury! He can sit on his fat ass and the Yankees pay him $170M. He and Boras are a couple of SOBs.

    Posted by Brian Doonan January 6, 09 02:56 PM
  1. Rob said, "Hey, congratulations Mark. Now, you had better get to work and turn the Yanks into a championship team pronto, or you and your wife are going to wish you were back in Texas. Talk to A-Rod."

    Mrs. Teixeira should talk to Mrs. A-Rod...about divorce lawyers. Careful what ya wish for lady!

    Posted by Dano50 January 6, 09 02:56 PM
  1. So what have we learned about Teixeira?

    1. We know he rooted for losers as a kid, as the Mattingly Yankes were one of the worst franchises of the 80s.

    2. We know he's played his professional career for a pathetic Texas Rangers team - another bunch of losers.

    3. We know that the two decent teams that traded for him at the deadline the past two seasons - the winning Braves and winning Angels - became losers once they got him.

    Hopefully, he'll continue his flawless record and guide the Yankees to a 3rd or 4th place finish...

    Posted by horrifying January 6, 09 02:57 PM
  1. The only surprise here is that Theo and J.H. had no clue. Reading your comments today prove what many already know. No class. Small wonder that players want to play for the most prestigious organization in all of sports. Money does not buy class. Accomplishments and reputation buy class and the Yankees have all of that. You are Johnny-come-latelies and you think you are a nation. It takes a long time to become a universe!

    Posted by Nana13 January 6, 09 02:57 PM
  1. Pull a Hammy??? Let's light some candles for a torn rotator

    Posted by KCFROM GG January 6, 09 02:58 PM
  1. There have been, and still are, a huge number of professional athletes who are complete phonies and this clown epitomizes the elite of the group.

    If God were to re-create man today Mark T. would be the perfect prototype for the 'posterior opening of the alimentary canal' - in short the anus.

    Yankee fans may come to love him but I will assure them that he was a cancer in Texas. With his 'no-trade' contract they are stuck with him and they shall all live to regret it. He will choke in crunch time just like the last Ranger sent to the Yankees has done for the past couple of years, His Royal Highness, Alex the Choke.

    Posted by dharper January 6, 09 02:58 PM
  1. You'd think with all that money, he could hire a decent PR person. What a bunch of blah blah blah bs

    "Cash made a nice video of Yankee Stadium and gave me the full college recruiting pitch,"

    Really Mark? Really?? Thats all it took!? Wow, I am truly inspired.

    I almost feel bad for you. Get your giggles in now, because when the yanks fail to make the offs' once again and the fans are eating you alive, you'll be wishing your narcissistic blowhard self wasn't such a complete and utter sell-out.

    Posted by yawnathon January 6, 09 03:03 PM
  1. Sadly, all you Red Sox "fans" would be cheering this dude had he signed in Boston rather NY. You'd think that since the Sox have actually won two titles recently you'd all be over your litte inferiority complex with NY. You all are pathetic. From the Pink Hats to the drunks (and non-drunks) who yell "Yankees S*#K" in front of young children. Grow up, all of you.

    Posted by truthbetold January 6, 09 03:03 PM
  1. Is your precious Theo so gullible that he didn't know this was going on? Not as smart as he should be...again. Stop acting like this is all Teixeira's and Boras's fault. Isn't it Theo's job to know what the hell is going on when he pursues these big free agents? If he's so smart how was he so easily fooled?

    Posted by elccpa24 January 6, 09 03:08 PM
  1. "You do the things you need to do, in good faith, when dealing with teams"

    When is the last time Boras conducted negotiations for his free agent in "good faith?" The guy is a complete snake. Boston should never target his clients again, including Varitek.

    Posted by mike shannon January 6, 09 03:08 PM
  1. Why doesn't he just say it was for the money and only the money? At least he'd get a little, very little, respect. By continuing to talk about the Yankee tradition and the new stadium, he's treating the public like idiots. Just say "I took the damn job because it was for the most money". You gotta respect that a little....very little.

    Posted by takethemoney January 6, 09 03:09 PM
  1. As I suspected, the Red Sox did not have a chance. So be it. He's a big boy and gets to decide where he wants to go. However, he is lying when he says "I wasn't stringing the other teams along. At the same time, nobody had really stepped up to make it, 'Hey, now Mark, let's make a decision.' For a long time there, most of the contracts were basically the same." We know that the Red Sox put time limits on their offers on two separate occasions and Boras asked the Red Sox for more time. Isn't it ironic that just today, the author of Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them became a US Senator.

    Posted by EC January 6, 09 03:09 PM
  1. For those needing a concise mathematical equation as to the nature of Tex's soul, I'm happy to oblige: "Cash + Pinstripes = Orgasm"

    Unfortunately for him, not a winning formula.

    Posted by Alfred E. January 6, 09 03:11 PM
  1. I am glad we didn't pay Tex this kind of money. He doesn't deserve to wear a Red Sox uniform and I hope that the New York Yankees struggle this year with such a high payroll. CC and Tex have combined to win one playoff series. Lets go Red Sox!!!!!!

    Posted by Craig January 6, 09 03:11 PM
  1. You are all losers. If this introduction was hapining in Boston they'd have to hose you all down. Get a real GM.

    Posted by pm January 6, 09 03:12 PM
  1. Full disclosure, I am a huge Sox fan. That said, the Sox blew it, clearly could have had him if they ponied up. Most of these anti-Teixeira comments are just ignorant bitter-grapes type stuff-- the kind of thing that makes Boston sports fans look like idiots.

    Posted by AL5000 January 6, 09 03:12 PM
  1. It makes me laugh to see all you Red Sox fans bitch like little babies.

    Posted by Brian January 6, 09 03:12 PM
  1. Lowell, Youk, Papi, Dusty, Bay, Jacoby and Drew and all right where they belong! and they're all going to have a "Killer" year in 2009.

    And put that up there with Beckett, Dice-K, Lester and Penny and their 20 wins this upcoming year and I smell another Championship!

    Hopefully Teixeira's first few years as a Yankee will mirror A-Rod's: A non factor

    Posted by Mr. Happy red Sox Fan January 6, 09 03:14 PM
  1. Who cares? Now, it's just going to be even more fun beating the Yankees this year!

    Posted by Granite January 6, 09 03:14 PM
  1. Go Yankees!!

    Posted by Mr. Eye H. Boston January 6, 09 03:14 PM
  1. Mazz, you won't give it up, will you bud? You had to through in the dig about the Sox having a 'chance' if they had been more spirited in their pursuit. FRom reading Texeira's, Boras, and Cashman's answsers, there is no way that you can convince me that if the Sox had offerred 180 Million in November, that Boras would have gone right to the Yankees, and their offer would have been 185-190 million. Either you can't admit that you were wrong, which is what I suspect, or you are very naive, which I doubt.

    Posted by Paul Sepe January 6, 09 03:15 PM
  1. Ladies and Gentlemen--your 2002 Texas Rangers now starring as the Yankees!!!! Good luck with that--we saw how A-Rod and Texiera turned that franchise around--from a contender to the cellar! Too many guys making too much $$$$ to work together--ask Daniel Snyder how that works....Texiera and A-Rod will continue to pad their stats in 12-3 romps over Seattle and KC, but in the big games Tex will get a SINGLE or walk, then A-Rod comes up and hits into double play or strikes out. They both combine for 1, maybe 2 RBI's in a series. Good luck to the two most overrated players in recent history. What has either ever won? This has got to be killing Jeter--the only one of them that resembles having any class and having to work his way up thru the minors. I hope Leigh is happy when Mark starts frosting his tips and then going out w/A-Rod to all the strip clubs and hanging w/50 yr old has been skanks like Madonna. Both those guys have always been called "professionals"---we see that now professional buttheads who never care about anyone but themselves. This makes me pray that Jason Bay cranks 30-40 homers and remains a "real ball player" and the Sox go all the way. Can we start a "fine fund" to pay Beckett's fine for drilling this piece of trash in the ribs?

    Posted by rick in VA January 6, 09 03:16 PM
  1. hey number 19...love the Seinfeild joke...AWESOME !!! and so very true...

    Posted by mc January 6, 09 03:17 PM
  1. Money getting idiot. I'm glad the chump loves the yankee's. The Red Sox's are the better team. I Think the league should do something about the money grubbing agents. Boras is the leader of them. I also think the media should stay out of the deals until the deals are finale. They make it worse. The Sox's aren't worried . They'll be set by spring training . They know what to do. Lets move on from this ugly subject.

    Posted by So Done January 6, 09 03:18 PM
  1. While I would never wish injury on any player (I am amazed others do) I look forward to him striking out to Dice-K in the middle of the new Yankee stadium with bases loaded and needing to drive in a run to win the game. and then being bood by his "beloved" Yankee supporters. A-Rod must be somewhat happy that there is now another overpriced player to share the boos with...

    Posted by Aussie Redsox January 6, 09 03:20 PM
  1. its going to be so much fun playing this a-hole 19 times a year.

    Posted by db January 6, 09 03:20 PM
  1. Its time to put this to bed, he is now an official yankee piece of S___. Get over it, he is not the first guy nor will he be the last who thinks ths sun rises in NY. Good riddens, let him wait 20 years without a ring.

    Posted by Mike Perron January 6, 09 03:20 PM
  1. Ewww Teixeira is ugly..

    Posted by haha January 6, 09 03:20 PM
  1. Let the crying begin...... again !!!!!!!!!!!!

    Posted by the nonbrainwashed January 6, 09 03:21 PM
  1. Ain't nothing an inside pitch in on his wrist / hands can't fix.

    Posted by nebema January 6, 09 03:22 PM
  1. All you Red Sox fans are mad just because NOBODY wants to play in Boston. I'm a Yankee season ticket holder and I'll be sitting in my seat come this November watching the Yankees winning the World Series.
    Sucks to be you.

    Posted by Lisa January 6, 09 03:22 PM
  1. Last time I checked--our third baseman and first baseman have 4 more World Series Rings and one World Series MVP vs. their "Never been theres" Lowell and Youk rock the party that rocks the pinata.

    Posted by rick in VA January 6, 09 03:23 PM
  1. What else is he supposed to say? "I wanted to play for the Red Sox, but the Yankees offered money?"

    Posted by chuckz January 6, 09 03:24 PM
  1. who cares about texiera or baseball its boring sorry very boring... there should be a cap in baseball to make the game interesting and give some of the other teams a chance...the yankees s*** and everyone knows it... that will never change

    Posted by jimmiec January 6, 09 03:24 PM
  1. He better not have a slow start like he always does. That won't go over too well in NY. Boris is a piece of work.

    Posted by pas8263 January 6, 09 03:27 PM
  1. Awww, Cash. When you pay me THAT much, I don't feel like a whore.

    Posted by Tex January 6, 09 03:27 PM
  1. No ballplayer in his right mind would chose the Red Sox over the Yankees. Including every player on the Sox. Being a Yankee is the holy grail of baseball for any player.

    Posted by God January 6, 09 03:29 PM
  1. Signing joining Alex Rodriguez (10 years, $275 million), signing Derek Jeter (10 years, $189 million), signing Sabathia (seven years, $161 million) and Signing Teixeira (eight years, $180 million). Knowing you can’t buy a championship PRICELESS. GO RED SOX

    Posted by Ace GoSox January 6, 09 03:33 PM
  1. "Cash made a nice video of Yankee Stadium and gave me the full college recruiting pitch"..... Tex you're full of shite as in your next breath you say, " Contract was important. I wasn't going to take half as much money to play in New York.

    Tex, you have to thank the Sox for getting the price up or you would be a Washingtion National and no one would have heard from you again.....

    Posted by Mike Buss January 6, 09 03:33 PM
  1. Never trust Boras !

    Posted by Captain Roy January 6, 09 03:35 PM
  1. I love this quote:
    "Cash [Brian Cashman] might want to give Leigh a hug, because when I asked her during the process, 'Where should I go, where should I go?,' she'd always say, 'I just want you to be happy.' Finally she said, 'I want you to be a Yankee,"

    The ego of the ballplayers, he just got a $180 mil and then yankees should be slobbering all over his obnoxious wife because she told him he should be a Yankee. No player is worth the money and he just proved it.

    Posted by Pat January 6, 09 03:35 PM
  1. Sounds like Tex used his time with the Rangers to attend the Roger Clemens school of geography! Maybe with all that tank load of cash he can purchase a GPS and locate Camden Yards.

    Posted by fed up with greed January 6, 09 03:36 PM
  1. To RED SOX NATION I offer this for your consideration: "Don't look back, for somebody might be gaining on you," - Satchel Paige. The Yankees did what the Red Sox wanted to, and that is to improve their team. New York has the resources to do it now, but I remember the watershed year 1966 when NY finished dead last and had very little resources/appeal under their former tightwad owners - CBS. Even die-hard Yankee fans such as myself knew the team and ownership sucked. Now it's time for RED SOX NATION to suck up this disappointment, root for their talented team and thank God Manny doesn't also play for the Yankees.

    Posted by Rudolph Purificato January 6, 09 03:37 PM
  1. Mazz,
    Can we get you to stop with the "Red Sox Are Cheap!" articles now? This brainless Boras drone who married the flying nun was never coming here. Why doesn't anyone call out Cashman for his lying when he said after Henry flew down to Texas that the higher bid was not the Yankees. Cashman said today that he thought they had this close before the winter meetings. I hope the Sox swear off Boras and his mercenary players from now on.

    Posted by cfo1975 January 6, 09 03:38 PM
  1. Hey Teixeira you look good in the Yankee uniform. No hard feelings here! I am still pleased the Bosox walked away from the win win negotiating stance of Boras. Henry was clearly decisive not hesitant on that fateful day in December! I am also pleased to know the Red Sox are underdogs again in the world of the media etc. I like it that way. So Go Sox! BTW, I was a Varitek supporter who now rather he play in NYC or elsewhere.

    Posted by islamorada January 6, 09 03:43 PM
  1. Miserable Boston whiners. You got fleeced, admit it.

    Where is your new catcher?

    Posted by damonjeter January 6, 09 03:46 PM
  1. Being a Yankee is like buying a boat, your 2 happiest days are the day you buy it (sign) and the day you sell it (leave). Let the nightmare begin for Mark. How will that smile look a year from now? As sad as Damons, A-Rods, Sheff's, JG, Matsui, Abreu, Randy, Farnsie? The list goes on.

    Posted by Another Flop January 6, 09 03:47 PM
  1. Where is the net gain for the Yankees? Offensive stats essentially the same as Giambi....younger, big deal...Better defense?? All he has to do is catch the ball and scoop some bad throws...so what. Where is the big net gain over last year?

    Not worried...

    Posted by Steve January 6, 09 03:47 PM
  1. this video made me throw up in my mouth a little bit

    Posted by steve January 6, 09 03:48 PM
  1. Ha money grubbing, but if he took the Sox money that would have been ok.

    Try not to at least act like losas and crybabies for once.

    Posted by Tex January 6, 09 03:54 PM
  1. He looks like a geek.

    Posted by Pete January 6, 09 03:56 PM
  1. Mark who?......If his play for the Angels in last years playoffs is any indication of his worth than the Yankees just ponied up the farm for another Jason Giambi. Red Sox nation needs to move on from this fantasy. He had no intention of ever coming here. That's the second time he's disrespected this city and it's people. It's going to be fun ripping him a new one every time he comes to Fenway.

    Posted by Jaden January 6, 09 03:56 PM
  1. How old are you people?

    Posted by walkoff January 6, 09 03:59 PM
  1. Bard and Penny.We're on a roll.

    Posted by walkoff January 6, 09 04:03 PM
  1. Too much money for a very good player. Not great, very good. Have fun with LBs Sabathia and D.L Burnett.

    Posted by Chris, Everett MA January 6, 09 04:03 PM
  1. It's really tiresome to get the spin with legal overtones that leads to so much dissaffection with this process. It's baseball!!! It's a game. For owners, it's a different game ($$).
    It's public enough with agents, players and owners. Who cares when Tex made up his mind? It's the same BS that every player makes up before beginning a long term contract with some club. You say what you have to say in front of the cameras. Nobody's got subpoenas in hand.
    Good luck to him and the Yanks. Play ball!

    Posted by Dave Farrell January 6, 09 04:06 PM
  1. His wife picks the team he plays for!! I wonder if she picks out his clothes too??

    Posted by bostonwalt January 6, 09 04:06 PM
  1. What an A-Hole! After watching his totally disingenuous attitude, I'M GLAD HE'S A YANKEE! He's so friggin smug. I'm so glad his wife made up his mind for him. Would someone please tell me, "Why doesn't some one punch Scott Borus in the face?" He knew weeks in advance where this idiot was going. I'm sure the Red Sox are glad to hear all of this.

    Posted by Jozee January 6, 09 04:07 PM
  1. God, he looks silly in pinstripes.

    Posted by MMole January 6, 09 04:09 PM
  1. I don't see why everyone is so upset about all of this. He didn't do anything that other free agents do. A few questions:
    1. Why believe what he is saying in a press conference introducing him to the Yankee fans. It is in his best interest to say that he really wanted the Yankees all along.
    2. Even if true, why be upset that he used the Sox to get more money from the Yankees? It means they have less to spend on other players. So in that small sense, the Red Sox were helped by being in it until the end.
    3. Why be mad at him for getting as much money as possible (if that is what he wanted)? It isn't as if the owners are losing money at the moment, and it isn't as if the owners thow money at the players when they are under the owner's control. I lost all sympathy with feeling players should give a "home-town" discount when I saw what the Sox did with Arroyo. He really wanted to play here, signed a good contract to ensure he would do so, then the Sox used the attractive contract to trade him to Cincy.
    4. Why be mad that the Yankees spend so much? Aren't we always number 2 in payroll?

    I'll admit that the money makes being a fan less fun, but I think Tex just followed the process.

    Posted by Mike January 6, 09 04:09 PM
  1. I hope deep down the Sox did NOT have a chance to sign him, because I think this one is going to bite the Sox in the butt.

    Posted by CHEKARES January 6, 09 04:10 PM
  1. I hope deep down the Sox did NOT have a chance to sign him, because I think this one is going to bite the Sox in the butt.

    Posted by CHEKARES January 6, 09 04:11 PM
  1. he's good.

    Posted by freddy3 January 6, 09 04:12 PM
  1. Why are you covering Trigger? Move on for god's sake. Can we get some Red Sox news, please?

    Posted by tired of it all January 6, 09 04:13 PM
  1. OK, so where are all you John Henry/Theo Epstein/front office bashers now? T-Rod said it himself that he made up his mind TWO weeks before Christmas! If I didn't have anything better to do, then I'd look through all of the threads and call all of you MFers out, but YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!

    Posted by denver_soxfan January 6, 09 04:17 PM
  1. I think we would all be kidding ourselves if we didnt say that he would have been a great addition to the Red Sox line-up, but wow..what a d-bag.."Cash" really...he calls Brian Cashman "Cash"...ugh, and has there ever been a picture of guy smiling that made you want to just slap the grin off his face?

    Posted by jc January 6, 09 04:17 PM
  1. Now really... Three weeks ago there was all this bellyaching about how the red sox blew it. I hope the people who made a zillion posts bitching and moaning are suitably humbled. Tex used the Red Sox - and anyone who could read between the lines knew it.

    Posted by Ben Mona January 6, 09 04:18 PM
  1. lets get back to the old tried and true,,,, Yankees s*ck and so doesn't Tex

    Posted by Mully January 6, 09 04:20 PM
  1. I think the $$ in baseball is absolutely absurd to say the least. They have to get a salary cap soon or you are going to see several teams fold the tent. I want the Sox to win but really want to see the Yankees lose. I'd love to see any team win except those in your face ,rich ,arrogant jerks. Spending $424 MM for 3 free agents in December in this economy is about the most ridiculous thing I have heard of in a long time. I wish the Sox would quit spending so much and quit dealing with BorAss. He's a total moron. I also hope the Sox tell Varitek to go pound sand. He's an automatic out despite what BorAss says about him.

    Posted by Dutch January 6, 09 04:21 PM
  1. If he would have signed for the SOXS for the same money everyone in this forum would be praising him for making a wise choice. You are all hypocrites!
    Get over it… more players are attractive by the mystique of playing for a historical team as the YANKEES (26 World Series) than by playing for the lovable looses, the SOXS!
    Yes money helps but at the end of the day given the choice and for the same money, far more payers will choice the Yanks over the SOXS.
    This is the reality… deal with it!

    Posted by Engel January 6, 09 04:24 PM
  1. New nicknames: T-Rod or T-Bag

    Posted by Sue January 6, 09 04:25 PM
  1. Before we decide to shower ALL of our hate on Teixeira, lets not forget that we have (to take a page out of Shaughesseys book) "Messrs." Rodriguez, Damon, Jeter, Cano, Sabathia, Burnett, Rivera, Girardi and more to cast our hatred on.

    I just want everyone to remember that we hate all those guys. It reminds me of when all the attention was on Damon when he returned to the Fens to the first time. By the time Arod came up, it was almost like we forgot about him...actually it was more like this:

    "Oh, Arod. Thats right, almost forgot about you becuase I was showering Damon with all my negativity. But anyway, F@#$ you too Arod"

    Posted by jermaine January 6, 09 04:29 PM
  1. Tooodayyy, I am the luckiest milllionaaaare on the faaaacccceee of the eeaarthhhhh. Omigawd, this guy makes me sick. Equal measures of arse kissing ("I wore my Yankees cap to Camden Yards," "my wife said: I want you to be a Yankee") and arrogance ("I have yet to realize my potential"). He is certainly a BORN YANKEE. May you strike out 50 times for every million you make.

    Posted by VA SOX January 6, 09 04:31 PM
  1. I saw Angel's manager, Mike Scioscia this morning at my local Starbucks in Oak Park, California. He didn't look the least bit upset that Texeira signed with the Yankees. Good ridance!

    Posted by James Doss January 6, 09 04:35 PM
  1. I can't wait to stomp on those Yanks!

    Posted by Denis January 6, 09 04:37 PM
  1. I think his references to Cashman as "Cash" leads to some interesting and telling Freudian slips.

    Posted by Parker January 6, 09 04:38 PM
  1. well proff positive now, twice in the press conference texeiras statements prove he had already decided to sign with the yankees, . the first when his wife a week before the red sox came out, told him to be a yankee. the second is cashman said he knew before the winter meeting took place. but then tried to backtrack and say boston was in it until two hours before? um the sox last offer was 2 or 3 days before he signed with the yankees so what does two hours have to do withit?
    plain and simple boys. this is collusion on the part of the yankees and scott boras. dont belive me? lok atthe big picture, if the sox are focused on tex, then they cant get involved bidding for other free agents, until its too late. so if the yankees and boras string the sox along, boras gets his cut, tex gets a huge contract the yankees corner the market and the red sox get no big free agents, and that is a triple play by the yankees and boras. well done, well done indeed. the only and i say only way for the red sox to save face now, and take the momentum back from the yankees, is if they get peavey , or if they had pulld of a hanley ramirez, that wouldve worked too. the pressure is on, you cant raise ticket prices again, and lower your payroll by 20+ million and justify losing. it just wont fly. but ou add peavey and no one will say a word. especially borass.

    Posted by Steveh January 6, 09 04:41 PM
  1. I love Sox fans. They Love Arod, when he was flirting with coming to Boston. Then Boston can't pull the deal off and he goes to NY and everyone HATES him. I'm a Yankee fan, and I'm not to fond of Arod, great ball player from April - Sept. but after that he is all down hill. And the guy hits more solo homers than a lead-off hitter. Now Tex, flirts with the Sox, and the Yankees, and picks the Yankees and Sox Nation is mad b/c he had the owners and the GM fly to Florida on their private leer jets. He was doing his due diligence and getting everyone's best offer. Like he said, if the Yankees offered him less money, he wouldn't have taken it just to play in NY. So it's just like everyone else, you want to get paid the most money you can for the services you provide. If normal people had the same type of free agency, and they had agents representing them to get the best deals possible for pay, don't you think you'd do it? I'd have all sorts of companies vying for my services, and I'd go to the highest bidder. That's just human nature.

    So please stop all the hating. Focus on the Boston Team. The owners need to get things in order with their team and stop worrying about the Yankees. That's all Boston and their fans do is worry about the Yankees. Last I checked, you finished in front of them..You're winning championships in this town on a regular basis now and you're still acting like Second Class Sports fans. Boston fans are some of the most passionate fans I know, but they are also some of the most unrealistic people in the world. And have SUPER SHORT memories, about how they love someone when he's about to come here, and then they hate him when their GM/Owners can't get the deal done.

    And I know here comes the argument, when a team can spend $200 Million + on a team.....Then Get a new stadium....get NESN to shell out some real tv money to the Sox for the privilege to show 140 games (or whatever they have vs. local tv). The Yankees a a HUGE revenue producer, and going into a new stadium and having their own television network, is nothing but a money producer, and let's them go get the player's they want. You want to play with the big boys, get yourselves a new stadium, and a television contract. Or spend some of the luxury tax money that the Yankees (and Red Sox two years ago) give each year. Since luxury tax has gone into effect, the Yankees have paid over $500 million...where are the owners in KC, Minn, Pittsburgh, even Boston, putting the money...in the owners pockets.

    Posted by Joe January 6, 09 04:44 PM
  1. You Red Sox fans don't know how to put yur money where your mouth is.
    If Cash wants someone, he goes and gets him. That's why he's the "Cashman". He told Boras months ago to go out and get Tex the best deal and we'll trump it!
    Boras said OK it's a deal. But do me a favor. Go pick up Kevin Cash from Sox so I'll have some leverage with Tek. The Cashman says "It's a deal".
    THE REST IS HISTORY! HERE COMES OUR NEXT CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

    Posted by SOX KILLER!!! January 6, 09 04:46 PM
  1. The Red Sox, under Dan Duquette, screwed Texeira years ago. I would expect him to never want to play here. Let's just hope all this spending works as well for the Yankees as it has the last eight years.

    Posted by Andy January 6, 09 04:49 PM
  1. Hey 54, is that really you, Claude Lemieux? Funny dude... who knew you had any sense of humor, son.

    Posted by Sammy Slicer January 6, 09 04:50 PM
  1. Um, he took less from the Yanks than the Nationals offered. So don't say he's ALL about the money. He did choose the Yanks at least because he cared more about winning than being close to home or the money, as long as the money was close, assuming you're going to simply dismiss that being a Mattingly and Yankee fan had nothing to do with it.

    Also, since the Nationals offered more, it probably wasn't the Red Sox trip to Texas that motivated the Yanks to pony up the $180M. He wouldn't have simply let his desire to play for the Yanks or a winner overshadow his chance to play at home for a lot more money, the Yanks had to at least get close to the Nats offer.

    But, whatever helps you all sleep a night...

    Posted by Top January 6, 09 04:50 PM
  1. who cares? why waste any time on this crap. when the season opens, tune in and check out the team - it's all a bunch of bs.

    Posted by al January 6, 09 04:57 PM
  1. Dear Boston,

    Enough with the Sour Grapes, just like when the Giants beat the Patriots last year. I expect nothing less from Boston Sports fans. Remember how your coach Bellicheat walked off the field early? What poor sports....Have fun with 3rd place this year, as you can see we enjoyed it so much last year...to snatch a player right out from under your nose

    Love,
    New York

    Posted by Hank Steinbrenner January 6, 09 04:59 PM
  1. wow- he said a bunch of crap that equals, "the yanks offered the most money". when when when will someone have the balls to say that? booing him will be an ice cream treat on a hot summer day.

    and the jerk store comment rules!

    Posted by druboats January 6, 09 05:02 PM
  1. While it would've been nice to see him in Boston, I am glad he signed in NY. It will certainly make it more fun when the Yanks miss the playoffs again. Everyone wants to sign there for the money. Once they get there the scrutiny of the media and the pressure the big contracts produce build up to where they can't perform. CC in Cleveland and Milwaukee hasn't seen anything like he will in NYC. Burnett will crumble the first time he is called soft for not pitching his turn because of some hangnail. Tex really hasn't had any pressure to carry a team yet - he was in Texas, Atlanta, and LA where fans just don't care and the media is soft. This should be fun to watch as it plays out. And A-Rod will just be great to watch as all the Madonnasigns come out in every ball park he goes to.

    Posted by EasyE January 6, 09 05:03 PM
  1. With our anemic offense, things don't look very good right now. What the heck is Theo doing? Looking for the next Willy Mo Pena or J.D. Drew? There is no sense in carrying a big payroll to finish 3rd and besides Adam Dunn, I don't see any power left among free agents now that TB snapped up Pat Burrell.

    Posted by Vic January 6, 09 05:03 PM
  1. hey 'truthbetold' concentrate on hoping your 200 hundred million dollar team can make the playoffs this year never mind win anything...........the angels did last year with 'tex' but we took care of them in the div. sooooooo don't pin your hopes on him.........you might try c.c. but we beat his fat ass every time when he was with cleveland, so forget him..........well you still got the greatest baseball player ever................except when he's in the playoffs............on second thought your still gonna suck...........just with different people to complain about and blame.....

    Posted by Hilton K. January 6, 09 05:03 PM
  1. Another one that goes for the bright lights, big city. Meaning it's all about me and show me the money.

    Posted by Chris January 6, 09 05:09 PM
  1. Know this Mark as the rest of major Leauge Basebal was on their knees,we walked away rom you, why because we don't need you! Ask Giambi how that big fat contract worked for him? or ask Randy Johnson or ask Gary Seffield or ask Mike Mussina....get my point!

    Posted by CyekiM January 6, 09 05:11 PM
  1. Now Ortiz may have to get on the juice

    Posted by Joe Pepitone January 6, 09 05:14 PM
  1. Why does everyone keep saying $180MM? They Yankees are paying him $185MM, which is ludicrous. $5MM "signing bonus"

    Posted by JD January 6, 09 05:15 PM
  1. Hey Hank Steinbrenner...how do Boston/New England's 6 championships since January 02 taste?? Just wondering.

    Love,

    Go spend another 200 mill and not win a playoff series

    Posted by jermaine January 6, 09 05:15 PM
  1. Foolish people !!! the Red Sox never intended to sign Teixeira !! and they told you so on November 12th. On that day they announced they would not be raising tickets prices for 2009. If you think for one minute the red sox organization would sign a player to a $170-$180 million dollar deal and NOT have the fans pay for it you are crazy !!!!! The whole thing was a dog & pony show to appease fans & sponsors. Now they can say "look we tried" but he wanted to be a Yankee !!

    Posted by Disgruntled January 6, 09 05:17 PM
  1. To be honest, I was not looking forward to following the career of anybody paid that kind of money. I'm happy the Sox walked away and refused to play the bidding game any further. Life goes on from here -- and, from the first announcement of this contract, I'm happy it goes on without Tex for boo-coo buks...

    Count me among those that believe the Sox can still spank the Yankees and the Rays. Will be just that much more satisfying when they do...

    Posted by gapwedge January 6, 09 05:18 PM
  1. Who cares. He signed with them and that is that. Hopefully the Red Sox do a better job getting over it than the media or the fans. Sox are better off for the future now that they saved themselves a boatload of money. The Yankees have themselves an overweight pitcher, a fragile pitcher, and a above average 1B who was not worth the contract the Yankees gave out. The Sox have 3 legit starters, an above average 1B, and one of the best farm systems in the game. I like their chances.

    Posted by Eric January 6, 09 05:18 PM
  1. AWWW how sweet.
    He consulted his wife.
    What he really meant is that he consulted his wallet and bargained in good faith with the Devil.
    I am definitely rooting for everyone else who beats the evil empire of greed and sloth.

    Posted by gcwnsw January 6, 09 05:20 PM
  1. Y'all forgot the Bosox shafted Tex when he got out of high school....payback to the "Nation"

    Posted by Joe Pepitone January 6, 09 05:23 PM
  1. I am looking forward to hating him next year. Way to have a sack and have your wife make your decisions you puffy faced bastard even though you are your families bread winner.

    Posted by Texhater January 6, 09 05:27 PM
  1. I'm not a fan, but I can't find much to complain about with his comments. To be honest, they seemed like the standard quotes you get from any player joining a new team, and nothing more.

    Posted by T.J. January 6, 09 05:27 PM
  1. Hey Jaden. Maybe you should check out the numbers before making a comment on how Tex did in the playoffs. He was the only Angel to do jack as his
    467 .550 .467 line tells you. So your argument seems to have no merit.

    Posted by Eric January 6, 09 05:29 PM
  1. Career ending knee injury would be awesome!!!

    Posted by Teixeira Sucks January 6, 09 05:29 PM
  1. Would the Red Sox been the team in the back of his mind if the Sox offer was 210 million? The problem I have is if he wanted the Yanks from the beginning stop letting Boras run a dog and pony show and give other teams and their fans the run around. I understand it is part of the business to get the top $$$ but when you are talking between 150 and 200 million just go and negotiate with the team you want to be in bed with and be done with it. Just another clown for Sox Nation to hate now. And it sounded like the wife made the final decision......way to go Mark congrats on letting Mrs Teixeira determine the rest of your baseball career. She just wants to shop and spend your money in Soho. Just hope A-Rod doesn't "interfere" in your lovely life.

    Posted by David January 6, 09 05:31 PM
  1. I'm not surprised, but I def lost all respect for Texeira. I wasn't sold on him, and now I see exactly why. Who would opt to be a Yankee. Sure they have history of being an amazing club. But try looking at their history from the last 5 years. Umm... good pick Tex. Moron. I have a feeling that all of the yankees overpaid free agents will be sub-par (to put it lightly) next season.

    Posted by Shammyshooo January 6, 09 05:40 PM
  1. Honestly, who cares about this money-grubbing weenie. The good news is that the Yankees have committed (with A-Fraud) $700 million to four players for the better part of a decade. If a couple of them fail (and they will), maybe even the mighty Yankees will feel the pinch of this economy.

    In the meantime, I don't know why the Red Sox talk to Scott Boras. They should announce to the league that any clients of Scott Boras will not receive contract offers from the Sox. That might give Tek the hint to dump that jerk and hurry up and sign or end up playing some backwater for a 4th place team

    Posted by John January 6, 09 05:41 PM
  1. I hope Penny clobbers Texeira in the head with a 97+mph fastball!!!!!!!!!

    Posted by John January 6, 09 05:41 PM
  1. The real issue here is that MLB is not on a balanced field like other pro sports that I enjoy for real front office and atheletic competition. Buying players does not guarantee championships, but it's a smacks at small market teams that have passionate, paying fans. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Angels, Dodgers, etc. are bad for the game until the MLB has the guts to even the competitive field with real salary caps. This is not a sport but an auction to the highest bidder. Maybe MLB should be aired on Ebay?

    Posted by A real sports fan where competion, not $ rules January 6, 09 05:42 PM
  1. The real issue here is that MLB is not on a balanced field like other pro sports that I enjoy for real front office and atheletic competition. Buying players does not guarantee championships, but it's a smacks at small market teams that have passionate, paying fans. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Angels, Dodgers, etc. are bad for the game until the MLB has the guts to even the competitive field with real salary caps. This is not a sport but an auction to the highest bidder. Maybe MLB should be aired on Ebay?

    Posted by A real sports fan where competion, not $ rules January 6, 09 05:46 PM
  1. I am tired of players talking about how stressful contract negotiations are for 160-180 million dollars. What a jerk.

    Posted by srube32 January 6, 09 05:50 PM
  1. What a bunch of Horse@%*&#! Agents like Boras should be embarrassed how they portrait their players and Tex for basically toying with the lives of true baseball fans and values of the game. They both are greedy, selfish and should not be using the system to destroy the nation's true past time.

    What has he accomplished so far in his career that all the great players before him (Yankee, Red Sox or any other proud franchise) that gives them the right to rape the true supporters of the game? I hope the "reverse curse of the Babe" continues for the next 8 years in New York and both he and A-Rod get shut out of World Series ringd in their careers.

    Posted by Berkshirerick January 6, 09 05:51 PM
  1. I hope the Yankees win every game they play this year. I hope the league sees that for what it is, institutes a slary cap and I can FINALLY start watching the sport again.

    Posted by Matt January 6, 09 05:55 PM
  1. I love how Yankee fans come here and talk out thier @$$ about how superior their team is (like it took a genius to throw their money around) while simultaneously ignoring the fact that TRod made up his mind BEFORE the Sox went down to Texas.

    If I hear about the genius of Cashman one more time, I just might puke.

    Posted by denver_soxfan January 6, 09 05:55 PM
  1. Well be glad you don't live in New York City. Those fans not only get to pay higher prices to see their team play but now the Yankees and Mets want the people of NYC to help foot the bill for their fancy new stadiums. Just another BAILOUT but this time moneymaking billionaires are getting welfare. You just have to love the American way...

    Posted by Brad Potter January 6, 09 05:55 PM
  1. Yeah, go figure, a free agent trying to get the most money for their talents. That's not how free agency works, is it (well, in boston anyway)? Who woulda thunk it? Taking the most money you can get? That's just unheard of in this day and age. No one who plays for the sox would ever consider taking the owner's money now would they? They all play for the love of the sox!!!! Never for money.

    Posted by jarro January 6, 09 05:55 PM
  1. Theo has done nothing to improve this team from last year. No catcher, nobody to protect Big Papi. If Mr. Henry can no longer afford to put a winner out there due to losses on the market maybe it its time to find someone else who will.

    Posted by puck76 January 6, 09 05:59 PM
  1. Seems like there is a lot of venom here. 1) Teixeira is an excellent player -- had he signed with the Sox, it would have been a great fit (although likely making Lowell expendable). Teixeira seems a lot like Eddie Murray -- doesnt wow you but puts up great numbers year after year. Great defender, huge run producer. 2) why begrudge him the money? He is doing what he feels is best for himself and his family. 3) the Sox have proven they can win w/o Arod; they can win without Teixeira. 4) not signing him leaves a fair amount of payroll flexiblity to sign solid players at a fraction of the cost, and/or acquire another front line player.

    Posted by TB January 6, 09 06:01 PM
  1. What the hell do you expect him to stay in his Pinstriped debut?
    "well, I really wanted to play for the Red Sox, but'? gimme a break. I hate hate hate the yankees, but they gave up the goods to get him... so be it. Get over it

    Posted by bo January 6, 09 06:05 PM
  1. Can't wait until he plays in FENWAY, and the faithfull boo the #$*& out of him!
    Another money grubber....he should wear the number 24!

    Posted by ESPN town Sox FAN January 6, 09 06:06 PM
  1. Texiera could never carry a big market team. His enormous contract was destined to be an albatross to whoever LOST the ballyhooed "Texiera Stakes" by having the misfortune of having to pay for him. The sportswriters missed the boat on this one.

    Posted by Kevin January 6, 09 06:06 PM
  1. People in Boston are nothing but haters! Teix will be the man while you clowns are stuck with what could of been. Like he really was going to come to lame Boston. Only people in Boston believe it's a cool place to be!

    Posted by caubrey January 6, 09 06:09 PM
  1. There's a reason why many in the inner circles in MLB use the word "corporate" to describe Teixeira. I don't think they mean it as a compliment, either, as Tex is still busy using Kleenex to wipe the brown stuff off his nose. Heck, if Washington had offered $.01 more, he would be telling us today about how he wanted to return home and sign with the Nationals b/c they were always the top...

    Posted by Teixeira the Brownnoser January 6, 09 06:13 PM
  1. With great expectations come great demands. I'm wondering what ARod, Damon, Abreu, Giambi, et al will tell Tex about how taking that Yankme money better be a huge consolation for the misery you put yourself through being a Yankme loser. Your Yankmes suck, always will, and there's nothing you can do about it, so your own Yankme fans taunt and abuse you, you're hated and abused by every other fan in the baseball universe too, and because you've got the highest profile the New York media beats up on you incessantly, win or lose. So you had better enjoy that money, and remember one thing: you coulda been a Red Sox. For about the same money you could've been with a team that actually wins and enjoyed yourself and your career. Oh well, one more shortsighted Yankme loser to dump on.

    Posted by danalogue January 6, 09 06:16 PM
  1. Mark is a very smart man.

    Sign with the the coolest team in history while snubbing the most pathetic team.

    Welcome aboard, Tex!

    GO YANKEES 2009!!

    Posted by BigAppleDude January 6, 09 06:25 PM
  1. So Teixeira - that stuff about wanting to be close to your family and roots was just a big fat lie, right? So much for Baltimore or the offer from the Nationals (which was very similar to the Yankee's offer). That could have REALLY had you playing close to home. What a bunch of BS about NYC being so close to home. What a liar.

    Posted by JP January 6, 09 06:29 PM
  1. You Chowds are are idiots. Check your posts from a month ago and you were kissing this guys butt. Tex was the savior and it helped you forget Manny. He went elsewhere and you call him the biggest piece of crap that ever lived. Just let them play the freaking game.

    Posted by JustPlayTheGame January 6, 09 06:32 PM
  1. boreass, texeria (whatever his name is), the thieving steinnbrenners and yankee fans all deserve each other. actually, the more i look at this kid i'm surprised he's married. he looks a little light in his loafers to me. no? i like how he says he closer to his home in Baltimore. Oriole fans gotta love that quote.

    Posted by jingle ballz January 6, 09 06:36 PM
  1. What the heck is wrong with fans today? The guy did what he wanted to do ... he's playing for Yanks, he's making big bucks. If he ended up with the Sox 1/2 of you would be praising him for being the decent guy he probably is. Because he signed with the Yanks after stringing us along for a few weeks ... he's a jerk and you hope he chokes? Get real ... understand the game and the people for what it is and what they are. It's modern-day baseball and it's far from perfect. I for one will enjoy the sox - yanks games even more ... esp when good solid competitive game is played ... and we win! Go Sox

    Posted by Dan H January 6, 09 06:45 PM
  1. Going back to Henry's cryptic email after the meeting in Texas, they quickly realized they were being used. I'd like to hear more from JH or Theo on this.

    That said, Teixeira is not alone. There are a lot of players who don't want to come to Boston. That's why I have never understood all the angst towards A-Rod and Damon. They wanted to come to/stay with Boston before the Yankees even pursued them.

    Posted by soxfann44 January 6, 09 06:49 PM
  1. Fellow Sox fans, Please, please stop. Tex is a good man, in his prime and quite remarkable in his ability to set priorities. I had the opportunity to watch his "unveiling" at 1:00 p.m. today (recently RIFed) and I see no reason to dislike him. He is, after all, a Boras client. His wife is lovely, and family is very important to him. NY puts him a fairly short drive to extended family, they have status, and at that money, this young family can offer themselves and their family the best. There's nothing not to like about him. I wish we would have acquired him, as the Sox do, but his priority is family, and I can understand why he chose NY.

    Let's not forget the gems we have on our team (and maybe a couple of gems to come). We will be competitive and quite frankly, I like the role of underdog. That's when our boys become men!

    It's good baseball, and I like it.. Happy New Year!

    Posted by Claudette January 6, 09 06:51 PM
  1. Um...Top (#150)...your post included an oxymoron:
    you said "he cared more about winning" and followed with "being a Mattingly and Yankee fan" in the same sentence.

    And as far as what might keep YOU awake at night, aren't you concerned that T-Bag let his wife decide for him? What a man's man.

    Posted by HatingontheT-Bag January 6, 09 07:08 PM
  1. Good for you Leigh...more money to grab when you divorce him. Need to know what is wrong with America? Read the article...

    Posted by Kelly January 6, 09 07:14 PM
  1. Truly pathetic! I don't think the New York press has ever attended a Red Sox press conference! Besides Theo got his man! Now playing SS Nick Green! Sprinkle in Bard at starting catcher and that is a devastating combo for your 8 &9.

    Enjoy those new (old) logos!

    Posted by keesler40 January 6, 09 07:21 PM
  1. Now we know what John Henry was talking about when he said the Sox were not going to be a player given the other offers on the table.

    Posted by David January 6, 09 07:33 PM
  1. i know who could play tex in a movie about him. kevin james. with that cheesy smile of his. leigh looks like she dressed like an accountant. "start counting up how she can spend his dough".

    Posted by jr russo January 6, 09 07:46 PM
  1. Hey keesler40! Is your period key broken! It must be to end all of your lame statements with an exclamation! We will enjoy Nick Green at Pawtucket, thanks! And you be sure to enjoy watching your gold glove 1B get relatively few throws, as the swiss-cheese defense employed in the left side of your infield just can't get to many grounders!

    BTW - Your enthusiasm is about as genuine as seeing T-Bag in his shiny new NYY hat!

    Posted by HatingontheT-Bag January 6, 09 07:51 PM
  1. All those who earlier wrote that the Red Sox could have gotten Tex if they just weren't that cheap were totally WRONG! Those of you who thought that way should reflect on the facts of the matter. He was going to New York No MATTER WHAT. There was Nothing the Red Sox could do. GOT IT YET?

    Let me try again---$1.00 Million to $3.00 Million more per year was NOT going to get TEX to play for Boston because New York would just have gone another $1 or $2 million higher. GOT IT YET!

    Posted by Larry17 January 6, 09 07:53 PM
  1. who really cares where he signed, the bottom line is money talked and shit walked. Good luck to him and the yankees, the game is played on the field not in the comment section.

    Posted by RRSM53 January 6, 09 07:53 PM
  1. This guy is now the most hated Yankee! I can't wait to boo him!

    Posted by Nick January 6, 09 07:55 PM
  1. I find it really upsetting (though not surprising) that Red Sox fans wish injuries upon Yankee players. That's pretty low. I guess the self-proclaimed idiots have come home to roost. What's very clear is that you do not trust your team to beat a healthy Yankee lineup. I guess you feel more secure facing an injured team. I don't blame you.

    Also, stop complaining about players wanting to play in NY. If you want to run with the big dogs, get some class and a decent stadium. Until then....stay on the porch!

    Posted by Nana B. January 6, 09 07:59 PM
  1. The last guy who went to the Yankees at his wife's insistence was Carl Pavano. He sure worked out well.

    Posted by ralph January 6, 09 08:02 PM
  1. In the back of my mind, all I can think of is elbowing you into the boards hard, then flopping and drawing a penalty on you. Then I shall pop out my upper plate and laugh at you as I skate back to the bench.

    Posted by Claude Lemieux January 6, 09 02:43 PM

    FANTASTIC!!!!!!

    Posted by MHA January 6, 09 08:02 PM
  1. A former teammate once said of Tex, that while he has good stats, he is not a difference maker. His notoriously slow starts will not endear himself to the Yankee fans.

    Posted by Paula January 6, 09 08:05 PM
  1. For what it's worth: I wouldn't want Boris as my boss.
    I wouldn't want to be related to Boris.
    I don't want to do business with Boris.
    But I have to admit I would'nt mind if he was my agent.
    Can anyone say salary cap? That's the only way to save basball and get rid of all this foolishness.
    It's ludicrous!

    Posted by Larry Luchino January 6, 09 08:06 PM
  1. In the back of his brain, the Yankees were on top????? Who the heck is he kidding. In the back of his pants where his wallet is kept is what put the Yankees on top. He went with the most money.....that's his prerogative. But at least be honest about the reasons you went with New York. Who the heck would want somebody who grew up in Baltimore and rooted for the team from New York. If he doesn't play well, New Yorkers will make him wish he stayed in Anaheim.

    Posted by Jim January 6, 09 08:17 PM
  1. No, it was pretty obvious he wanted to be a Yankee from the moment he requested a meeting with Cashman before the Winter meetings. Besides Youk will have another Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and WS Ring and maybe even a league MVP before Mr. Tex even makes a half descent run at team MVP.
    However I do wonder why such coverage on a Yankee is being trumped here? Who cares? I guess its the same logic that makes the Yankees a favorite simply because they had to spend 500 Mil to become competitive in the division. Why don't you see if any of their new toys can even compete in the Al East before a awarding a team who hasn't even proven their a team that can win together the WS.

    Posted by Johnny January 6, 09 08:26 PM
  1. I hate this guy with the same passion that I hate A-Rod. I hope he fails miserably!

    Posted by Larry33 January 6, 09 08:34 PM
  1. He and Johnny will be best buds in no time

    Posted by Tekfan January 6, 09 08:37 PM
  1. Maybe he will go out and get a piece of ass in new york and his wife will be real happy they picked being a yankee-Arods was! ! And maybe he can get his teeth fixed in the process! He is as fake as they come -What goes around comes around just ask roger clemens!

    Posted by KT January 6, 09 08:50 PM
  1. One more Pinstriped Pansy to add to the Yankees pantry. He didn't want to come to Boston and grind it out with the dirt dogs. Lets move on and find something better elsewhere. Hopefully he and ARod can play for another 10 years break lots of records and still have no rings!

    Posted by SnowyVT January 6, 09 08:53 PM
  1. He is a great player............... The question is can he handle it in NY .............
    Go Red Sox !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Posted by JFH January 6, 09 08:59 PM
  1. Well, it's very lucky for Tex that the team his wife wanted him to play for just coincidentally happened to offer $14 million dollars more than the next highest bidder.

    Posted by Sam January 6, 09 09:19 PM
  1. Let's stop with the spin already, please. All things equal, Teixeira NEVER had any intention of signing with the Red Sox. My sister-in-law is friends with Teixs' sister who lives in New Jersey and she told her back in November that neither he nor his wife cared much for the Sox organization or Boston. On top of it all, they are both life long Yankee fans. Come on people - especially you Mazzo - you didn't see this coming? How blind can we be? The Sox were used like a cheap prostitute...ENOUGH!

    Posted by H. S. Avis January 6, 09 09:19 PM
  1. All of this is true however, you do not have to use a second letter 'S' in SOXS. Just spell it like this-SOX. >>>>> If he would have signed for the SOXS for the same money everyone in this forum would be praising him for making a wise choice. You are all hypocrites!
    Get over it… more players are attractive by the mystique of playing for a historical team as the YANKEES (26 World Series) than by playing for the lovable looses, the SOXS!
    Yes money helps but at the end of the day given the choice and for the same money, far more payers will choice the Yanks over the SOXS.
    This is the reality… deal with it!
    Posted by Engel January 6, 09 04:24 PM

    Posted by Engel January 6, 09 04:24 PM

    Posted by MHA January 6, 09 09:20 PM
  1. Post #191: "Mark is a very smart man. Sign with the the coolest team in history while snubbing the most pathetic team. Welcome aboard, Tex! GO YANKEES 2009!!"

    I didn't know the Cubs were trying to sign him.

    Posted by agentpinckney January 6, 09 09:20 PM
  1. Don't wait for Pujols coming to Boston. He does not like how Boston is treating Dominicans that brought championships to the RedSox.

    Posted by DRJoe January 6, 09 09:21 PM
  1. Post #146: "I love Sox fans. They Love Arod, when he was flirting with coming to Boston. Then Boston can't pull the deal off and he goes to NY and everyone HATES him."

    Hypocritical statement. Geez, just a couple of years ago Yankees fans were booing The Mariano Rivera. And he only helped New York win four World Series titles. And Sox fans actually love A-Rod because he helped them win a championship with his disappearing act the last four games of othe 2004 ALCS.

    Posted by agentpinckney January 6, 09 09:28 PM
  1. uummm... shut up Claudette (post197)

    Tex, take your 180 million, buy the statue of liberty and shove it up your A%$

    Posted by See you in th playoffs January 6, 09 09:48 PM
  1. To the person ("John") who wishes for Brad Penny to hit Teix with a 97 mile an hour fast ball: For your information, with all his arm problems, Penny's maximum speed is probably more like mid-to-high 80s now. Stop the hate already!

    Posted by T. J. Coimbra January 6, 09 09:50 PM
  1. To the person ("John") who wishes for Brad Penny to hit Teix with a 97 mile an hour fast ball: For your information, with all his arm problems, Penny's maximum speed is probably more like mid-to-high 80s now. Stop the hate already!

    Posted by T. J. Coimbra January 6, 09 09:50 PM
  1. How many times we have the hear all these Yankees's newest first year players that signed with the Yankees saying " I am going to the Yankees to win World Series title or titles" Did we heard that before from Giambi, Damon, Mussina, etc???

    So it is just the same old stupid song over and over again!!

    Sox will finish higher than the Yankees!!

    Posted by gouconn13 January 6, 09 09:52 PM
  1. It's bad enough that he rooted against his hometown team as kid, but he rooted against the team his dad rooted for. How can a son root against his dad's team?

    Posted by Floyd January 6, 09 09:53 PM
  1. STOP......nobody cares.

    Posted by NellsBells January 6, 09 09:54 PM
  1. The only thing funnier than the Yankees missing the playoffs with a 200 mil+ payroll last season, will be seeing them not win the World Series this year with their over payed assemblage of mercenaries. At times, I did feel bad for how they booed A-Rod. I will never feel bad for Texeira when they boo him (and they will). I think Texeira, during these negotiations and much of his career, has made clear money is his sole motivation. He's a hired gun and will offer his services to the highest bidder. Any Yankee fan that thinks if the Sox didn't offer him more money that he wouldn't be saying the same things about the Sox is suffering from a delusion brought on by their supreme arrogance. So, congratulations Yankees, and now go ahead, you can officially change your name to the New York Mercenaries.

    Posted by pete22 January 6, 09 10:00 PM
  1. Sox are in trouble. No offense. Mediocre pitching= 3rd place. Defense not enough to win in this race. Sorry.

    Posted by Freddy3 January 6, 09 10:10 PM
  1. Once again Red Sux fans crying. It wasn't about the money ($12 mil?). It's because everyone wants to play for the best team in ALL sports. Stop ur crying and tell ur owners to spend some money. They gave that bum in right field a boatload of money and he can't carry Tex's jockstrap. What about the wonderful contract they gave Coca. Stop whining, The Evil Empire lives on:)

    Posted by Yanks26RedSux7 January 6, 09 10:12 PM
  1. The real story here is that Boras and Teixeira played the Sox card!! Kinda like the race card Johnny Cochran used in the Simpson trial!! They kept telling the Yanks the price was rising!! The Yanks bit!!! So they are the proud owners of a good fielding .290 hitter who never hits the Sox for power!!!! He'll be in a division with solid pitching from 3 of 4 teams,unlike the Halos and Braves from last year where he only faced tough pitching 2-3 times a week.The Target is squarely on Mark Teixeira !!!!!! I can't even begin to think of a reason for CC to come back to the AL?
    He was getting pounded when he left for the NL......

    Posted by Sportsbozo1 January 6, 09 10:28 PM
  1. Tex shouldn't have went there. We needed him here! Now we're gong to lose to the Yankees again!!!!! I'm done!

    Posted by Petey January 6, 09 10:31 PM
  1. Boras is an idiot for not trying harder to make it work out with the Sox. He got the biggest possible contract for Teixeira, yes, but in the process he screwed his other biggest client (and himself), Manny. Not that I'm sad about it, but if Boras was smart he would have made sure to close the deal with Boston because that would have forced the Yankees' hand into signing Manny to a long term deal for big money, and Boras would have come out of the offseason with two big contracts instead of one. Now Manny will be lucky to get the Dodgers' original offer.

    Posted by Brian January 6, 09 10:35 PM
  1. The sad thing is in 1923 the new Yankee Stadium was built and the Yanks won the WS, in 1976 they re-modeled Yankee Stadium and they went to the WS and lost, so as Yankee fans love to say that history repeats itself (only when it's positive to them) then they will win the WS in 2009 having built a new stadium. They have all the pieces in place. Look at the comparison of Bilecheck & Cashman. Bilecheck wins the SB and loses key players to the salary cap so goes out and trades and gets great draft choices and wins it again. Cashman just goes out and writes blank checks every year, taking the easy way out like a spoiled kid that gets what he wants because mommy & daddy are rich. But the Pats work hard with limited resourses. This is why baseball neeeds a salary cap.
    FarirfieldCounty is NE

    Posted by FairfieldCounty is NE January 6, 09 10:39 PM
  1. what a soft, pretty-boy weasel.........Arod just got even more insecure........I'll take youk, pedroia, pap, papi, lowell, beckett anyday.........they represent what the yankmees used to be.........the silver- spooned ,fat -load hank steinbrenner wouldn't know what heart was if it came with pin stripes.

    Posted by doug January 6, 09 10:55 PM
  1. What a joke. Here's a guy who grew up in Baltimore and went to Orioles games and wore a Yankee hat. No doubt a crappy son! My kid would never have gone to a Red Sox game and wore anything but a Sox cap. And we don't even live in Boston and he roots for his fathers team. AND, whileMattingly was a fine ball player, he was NO Eddy Murray nor Cal Ripken. How come nobody, even the Orioles or Nationals owners where aware that he was a Yankee fan. Couldn't wait to brag about it at the announcement. What a jerk and lsoer and we are all better not to have him on the Sox.

    Posted by Mark January 6, 09 11:07 PM
  1. I guess Boras just called your team a bunch of puffers.

    Posted by Chris January 6, 09 11:10 PM
  1. I wonder what it's going to be like mortgaging your house just to watch the Yankees play baseball. I find it very hard to believe that it wasnt just a put the carrot just far enough in front of the Sox's mouth scam from the beginning. It just blows my mind that these guys don't see the economy and take one for the team sort of speak and play for the love of the game and 160 million instead of that elusive extra 20 million to sit around the clubhouse and see whose C@CK is bigger. Maybe Leigh Teixera will handle the circle jerk with hundred dollar bills stuffed in her skirt... Cuz she basically whored her own husband out...

    Posted by john smith January 6, 09 11:11 PM
  1. Competitive balance? I think not. Salary cap anybody? Yes, yes I get it that we in Sox Nation root for a "have", however forget any major free agents signing as the Yanks will just trump at every chance and no matter what spin Yankme fans put on this latest "courtship ", it IS NOT good for the game.
    Good Luck to all in Yankee Universe, I hope you enjoy watching your new acquisitions on television as your ticket prices to "support" your new stadium have just $warmed down on you like a bunch of Lake Erie Midge$.
    Enjoy the NFL playoff's everyone. Wow! a league that enjoys true competitive spirit.

    Posted by -SOXED January 6, 09 11:28 PM
  1. The Indians signed Carl Pavano at about the same time this press conference was given. Think about it.

    Posted by Mister Snitch January 7, 09 12:03 AM
  1. So, so, so much hate from the Rad Sawx Nayyyshun!

    Posted by TJSizzle January 7, 09 12:30 AM
  1. I was never very impressed or urgent that the Red Sox sign this guy. It would be fine to have him on the team, but I didn't see what the big deal was and I still don't. Once the Sox lost Manny's bat, they lost their line up. They can throw the PR to everyone all they want to but they will NEVER EVER recover that production (and when I say that, I am including the production they automatically lost by unprotecting Ortiz).

    Tex says it was always the Yankees in his mind because EVERY free agent knows that the Yankees will in all likelihood be the ones to offer them the most money. It's all about the money, money, money. Especially with Boras clients. When you see "Boras client" just know it. By the way, the last guy that said he chose the Yankees because his wife wanted him to was, I believe, Carl Pavano.
    How'd that work out??? LOL. Relax people. It doesn't matter where he signed to anyone but him and his wife.

    KarenHow'd that work out?? LOL.

    Posted by Karen January 7, 09 01:15 AM
  1. Maybe now Theo Epstein will finally get down to business and get us the help we need to beat the Yankees, and you sure as hell can't do that with the likes of Nick Green, Josh Bard and Brad Penny.

    As for Teixeira, I hope he takes one in the balls and goes sterile while his wife divorces him and takes him to the cleaners.

    Posted by SeaBeachFred January 7, 09 01:31 AM
  1. who cares about Teixera anymore -- i'd rather focus on a replacement to Masarotti and this Chad Finn excuse for columnists than these endless articles about a tired subject. enough already. why not focus more on red sox players?

    the Globe is losing it's touch for quality reporting.... that's what's really sad. These columnists are more WEEI than Pulitzer.

    Posted by Cynthia Bechet January 7, 09 01:53 AM
  1. I certainly hope this is the last we hear about this. I don't care why he chose the yankees. He did so lets talk about anything else. Unless this is turning into a New York paper.

    Posted by Bob Allen January 7, 09 02:10 AM
  1. Typical sox fans, you loved this guy when you thought he'd play for you. Now he's the devil. Get over it and stop wishing injury on people. As far as him not winning a world series here, we have 26 of them I'm sure you are all aware of that, and you keep saying we havent won since 2000...that 8 yr drought is nothing compared to 86 yrs is it? I don't care either way, I've already seen my Yankeees win 4 of them in my lifetime and I'm positive I'll see a few more, you guys can't say the same..so wahhh wahh keep crying its what you do best.

    Posted by 27onitsway January 7, 09 02:30 AM
  1. I hope the Redsox pitchers are angered by what he said. Hopefully the Redsox fans give him the Fenway welcome when the Yankee Allstars go into Boston to play. I'd love to see 1 of the Redsox pitchers clock him with a fastball

    Posted by Brad January 7, 09 02:40 AM
  1. Who cares about Tex!!! Go to the Yankees and go away already. I still can't believe my team (the Angels) traded our 1st baseman (Kotchman) for this douche bag FOR 2 MONTHS. When a player is just looking for a long-term contract and a big bag of money it can only spell out one thing in New York..... CHOKER!! ha ha

    Posted by Kim Spiezio January 7, 09 03:32 AM
  1. Great the STANKEES are tied down for years. Great job Theo & Co.

    Posted by bill lane January 7, 09 03:47 AM
  1. Hey Chris great point you make:

    ""There was just something about Don Mattingly."
    I'll have to take his word for it. He owns zero World Series rings and he's not in the Hall of Fame." - Chris from Illinois

    Mattingly has just as many rings as Yaz, Williams, Pesky, Nomar, Rice and the list goes on and on. Wait those Red Sox greats never won a ring. Hmmm. I wouldn't want to be like them then - right?

    Posted by Michael January 7, 09 06:51 AM
  1. And ther was crying in the wilderness of Sux land - wawawawawawa - hahahaha what a bunch of low calss weeinies you Suxers are - pathetic mess of loosers - well you have Big Pupi, Pap Smear, Peeedroia and the ugliest man in the wourl YouKill ass and then there is FranCOMA - hahaahaah

    Posted by Joe Sly January 7, 09 07:11 AM
  1. What's the problem?

    Red Sox can't win every year. Time to give someone else a chance. Time to root for the Yankees, the team we've loved all along.

    Posted by Oilguzzler January 7, 09 07:14 AM
  1. Its all about the MONEY ...and the Yanks have all ... I personally dont give a crap where he goes.

    Go Red Sox !!

    Posted by john January 7, 09 07:15 AM
  1. Even IF Boras used the Red Sox to drive up the price to the Yankees, so what? I'm sure the Red Sox would be happy to oblige, even if the best possible outcome is making NY pay "full price". A major market like NY is full of distractions. Many things can happen that would diminish Tex's value. Very few things can happen to increase it. I view Tex's contract as I would the stock of a fine company. At a high enough price, it can be overvalued to the point where you have to sell (or even short) it, regardless of the underlying asset. Is $180M unreasonable? Time will tell. Bear in mind, we have already received better value at 3B from Lowell (WS MVP) vs. A-Rod (post season choker). I would rather bet on the recovery of Lowell and Ortiz than 8 years of Tex.

    Posted by DC January 7, 09 07:25 AM
  1. Why is he front page news?
    He signed with the Yankees not the Red Sox.........get over and on with it.

    Posted by Peter January 7, 09 08:04 AM
  1. Unfortunately, this will not be the last you hear of Tex. Your team will have to get him out about a hundred times a year, say for the next 10 years. Good luck with that.

    Posted by Michael Beane January 7, 09 08:07 AM
  1. At least we have new uniforms, this ownership is a joke. Once they decided not to raise ticket prices they knew that they weren't going to sign anyone. What a joke...

    Posted by topeka destroyer January 7, 09 08:49 AM
  1. this proves you cannot beat boris

    Posted by newjersey fan January 7, 09 08:58 AM
  1. Why is so much space being devoted to Teixeira on this page? After all, it is abundantly clear he never had intentions of signing with the Red Sox. It seems the inferiority complex Sox fans have vis-a-vis the Yankees is growing by the day.

    I agree with "Joe Sly" (post 254), Youk is likely the ugliest man in all of baseball (but a very good player). Actually Youkmiester should audition for one of those GIECO cave man commercials. He just needs a ratty long haired wig and a few patches of fur on his back, shoulders, brow and hands...NICE!!

    Posted by Intertext January 7, 09 09:10 AM
  1. please red sox management do not deal with bore ass anymore [especially for washed up tek] unless he represents GOD and he would ask GOD to use the red sox to drive up the price. But GOD being GOD would say nothing doing i want to be part of THE NATION. now idiot go back to dealing with the devil !!!!!!

    Posted by jim c. January 7, 09 09:14 AM
  1. HatingontheT-Bag,

    Previous posters implied Tex's statements about Mattingly, wearing a Yankee cap to Oriole games, and always wanting to be a Yankee were just BS brown nosing after the fact. So my point was he did take less money from a team farther from home, so if you don't believe he had an affinity for simply being a Yankee, then it had to be the fact the Yanks have a much better chance of winning than the Nats.

    No oxymoron involved and even if you were correct that I was somehow confused, it would have been a contradiction, not an oxymoron. An oxymoron is "jumbo shrimp" or "World Champion Red Sox". ;-)

    Posted by Top January 7, 09 09:17 AM
  1. The Yankee fans that post here remind me of the comment made about George W. Bush. They were born standing on third base and thought they hit a triple. Uber-rich plutocrat megalomaniacs do not a class organization make. You made need to get a thesaurus if you know what that is.

    Posted by Brian D January 7, 09 09:37 AM
  1. he was probably so sick of losing to the Red Sox that he wanted to be on a team that might actually be able to beat them...

    Posted by chillout66 January 7, 09 09:39 AM
  1. he was probably so sick of losing to the Red Sox that he wanted to be on a team that might actually be able to beat them...

    Posted by chillout66 January 7, 09 10:11 AM
  1. You guys were negotiating with this guy until the very end - so you obviously wanted him. You lost him by a mere 10mm so dont blame the yankees for stepping up for someone they really wanted. Stop whining - its a professional sport with professionals negotiating on all sides. So grow up and stop wishing that someone's career should end just because he is not on your team - at least be a good sport.

    Posted by just another yankee fan January 7, 09 10:18 AM
  1. First of all, as many have mentioned, "why are we still discussing Mark Texiera"? These blogs can be great, but when you have to read ignorant comments from "so called baseball fans", it kind of takes the fun out of it. It's guys like "joe sly" with his 5 year old comedy skit (Big Pupy; Pap Smear; etc) Wow... That is some funny S#*t! I bet you have been working on that the entire off-season - Moron! Oh, for 27onitsway... the 86 years? you're right. But the Sox have won two in four years. Who cares what "has been" accomplished. It's that old saying, "what have you done for me lately?" As you said, you have seen four in your lifetime, pretty good. I have seen two Red Sox Championships within a four year span. All fans ever hear is how great the Yankee Organazation is! Well, they should be, they basically put an All-Star Team on the field every year. But... To me, they are the biggest failures in sports every year! They should be winning World Series Titles year after year. So not winning since 2000, is a pretty long drought. In fact, the Yankees since 1962 (46 years) have won (6) Titles in the modern day baseball era. All those great players, all those great teams... Only (6) Titles in (46) years. That to me is a disgrace! The other (20) Titles came between 1923 and 1962, in which there were only (8) teams in each league and they were playing for Beer and Popcorn. The Yankee organazation and Legacy is overrated! In February of 2004 when the Yankees "swooped" in and traded for A-Rod, every Sox fan out there was in disbelief. The guy we were trying to trade for him (Love him or Hate him) ended up winning World Series MVP. The Yankees supposedly "Swooped" in again and signed Mark Texiera in 2008. It will be the same outcome! A-Rod and Texiera do have something in common... "Zero Championships". It will be very satisfying to see them lose again.

    Posted by reags January 7, 09 10:26 AM
  1. Angry...no. He was going to be rich no matter where he signed so I'm not sure money was ever the issue. John Henry says Boras told him the Sox were low bidders...JH called his bluff and as always suspected Boras went back to the Yankees. That's business....Brian Cashman's zeal to "develop" players may still be a goal but its on the back burner once again... the "Evil Empire" is back because they have the resources to do so... they are capable of always sweeping in and trumping the best offer. Mr. Texiera tries to sell the "Golly gee" Gomer Pyle attitude but he's the ultimate Scott Boras client.... so let's move on.

    Posted by OV January 7, 09 10:40 AM
  1. Is this the Boston Globe or the New York Post?

    Posted by Chaiah January 7, 09 10:40 AM
  1. I was tired of MT before this all started and am more tired of him now. His hat was too small? Maybe his head is too big. He'll fit right in. Watch for his first error and the first boos from the stands. More money just buys you more expectation. When he fails like so many others before him they will throw him under the bus. Go Sox!

    Posted by lk January 7, 09 11:09 AM
  1. 2 things about these comments:
    1) Fenway Park is a very shrewd marketing device. It combines tradition and history, two things associated with baseball and Boston. Out of towners, especially Westerners, love this, as they have little of either. A Camden Yards, they can see at home. TD BankNorth Garden was empty not too long ago. Nobody is going to pay $ 175 for field seats when the Pats are an average 9 -7 team. Gillette depends on a Super Bowl contender to justify those prices.
    2) Yanks continue to neglect their Farm System. Tex may be a tactical victory , but the continue their stategic blunders.

    Posted by Dixfield January 7, 09 11:11 AM
  1. For Red Sox fans I think the best thing would be to put this episode behind us and move on. Teixeira played the Red Sox like a fiddle but we have to keep in mind the Yankees schooled us with A-Rod and later with Damon and what did it get them? It got them Bumpkiss. Tex has never won anywhere he's been and the Yankees still have defense and age problems and now more potential injury problems than the Red Sox do. And just listen to the Yankee fans in some of these comments. They act like they won the World Series, just like all that they've won this century. Oh, I forgot----they haven't really won anything, have they? It just goes to show that talk is very very cheap.

    Posted by SeaBeachFred January 7, 09 11:12 AM
  1. Yankee fans, please go read and comment in your own newspapers. This is a Boston paper and can take care of the commenting ourselves. Yes, we will complain for a while but eventually we will have a team on the field that competes with the Yankees and Rays and the fun will really begin.

    On another note, I think it is insane that players are making $180 millon to play a game while we are cutting police and firefighters. Schools are closing down and teachers have to work with overcrowded classrooms and no school supplies. I would bet that money could be used much more effectively in a community rather then with one person playing a game.
    Lets have the Red Sox and Yankees adopt a school district with the money they spend on one player, think of all the positive press for that.

    Posted by PAD January 7, 09 11:13 AM
  1. Seems silly to wish Tex. ill will. He signed elsewhere. Why be vindicative? Seriously????? Give me a good reason why you feel slighted?

    I wish him nothing but good lucK.

    Posted by David January 7, 09 11:14 AM
  1. it's sad a lot of you have to resort to childish smears, because he didn't sign with the Sox. i'm not saying this as a Yankee fan(though i am)..i'm just speaking in general..i have no problem with those of you who truly wanted the Sox to get him, at the time the thinking was the issue of Lowell's health going forward possibly having to move Youk to 3B...personally i think you guys still have a very capable team..how many of you are truly just lashing out due to maybe the Sox FO being a bit less active than some of you would have liked?...be honest..

    Posted by Brian January 7, 09 11:19 AM
  1. "All the Yankees got were Sabathia, Burnett, and now Tex -John Henry and Co. have given all Red Sox fans an opportunity to purchase new hats and jerseys in 2009!!!!! "

    wow, you are really clueless, aren't you? I'll break this down for you-

    Sabathia replaces Mussina
    Burnett (if he stays healthy) replaces Pettite
    Texiera hit 1 more home run and drove in 16 more runs then Giambi last year. He's a better defensive player, but has a lower OBP

    now...

    Jeter is going to be 35 and looks to be on the downslope of his career
    they let Abreu walk (outstanding defensive outfielder, 20 SB/100 RBI, high OBP guy) and replaced him with Nady
    they STILL don't know who is going to be playing LF or CF (Damon and Matsui are a couple of injuries waiting to happen)
    Posada will be 38 and is coming off of shoulder suregery, no idea what they're getting from him
    Cano lost it last year and may or may not get it back
    Wang is coming off of a major foot injury
    No telling how well, or even if, Joba's shoulder will hold up for a full season
    the rest of the Yankee bullpen is putrid

    so, in summary, what the Yankees did was replace the prodcution lost from a team that finished 3rd last year with similar production, they didn't imrpove. NOTHING makes me angrier then a Sox fan who looks at things with an unrealistic and unjustified fear of the Yankees. Even if both the Sox and the Yankees are healthy going in and remain healthy throughout the year, the Sox are the better team. End of story.

    Posted by Sox fan in MD January 7, 09 11:23 AM
  1. "Unfortunately, this will not be the last you hear of Tex. Your team will have to get him out about a hundred times a year, say for the next 10 years. Good luck with that."

    ...at least they won't have to worry about seeing him once they get to the postseason.

    Posted by Sox fan in MD January 7, 09 11:39 AM
  1. Havent the yanks yet learned that you cant buy a championship? Why do all these yanks fans think that because they signed this guy it is a forgone conclusion that they can win the championship? Wasnt it about this time last year that all the media was proclaiming the Tigers the beasts of the AL cause of their free agent signings??? I remember back to '04 when they got Arod instead of the Sox. Who won the WS that year? nuff said.

    Posted by theharv27 January 7, 09 11:47 AM
  1. So, the Yankee$ go and spend $400+ million on 3 free agents. There is nothing new about their spending like this. But what about the citizens of New York who are being asked for PUBLIC FINANCING for the new Yankee Stadium. It's one thing to compete against a larger city with larger revenues and a huge cable contract, but another when the public is involved in underwriting the expenses of the team. If this doesn't violate the rules of MLB, it should. Public financing of stadiums should be such a low priority for voters in this economy, that Mayor Bloomberg should be fighting this.

    We

    We gre

    Posted by Ron1951 January 7, 09 11:54 AM
  1. Dear Red Sox Nation,
    Why so much hate on Tex? Didn't you win 2 WS in 4 years? Have you not seen that the Yankees spending tons of money has not equated into any championships? But for all the hate on Mark, this was YOUR GUY. No matter what you say now, you all drooled over him, fawning over the idea of jettisoning Mike Lowell (a WS MVP) and supplementing him with Bill James' favorite player. You lost out on Mark for a measly 1.5 mill extra a year. So sad. Be mad at your owner, who has 3x the personal wealth of Steinbrenner, but refuses to put his profit back in the team. If Mark would have signed with the Sox, you ALL WOULD have been licking your chops, dreaming of more WS wins. But Henry tightened his wallet, and the Sox have just as many question marks as the yanks.
    1. Will Beckett return to Cy Young form after injury?
    2. Can Papi stop getting fatter and stay healthy, without Manny batting 4?
    3. Was Jason Bay a fluke?
    4. JD Drew is as injury prone as AJ Burnett.

    Youk and Pedroia are the only definites, and as much as you hate to admit it, you should have shelled out the extra bucks for Mark.

    Best,
    Yankee Universe

    Posted by Yankee Universe January 7, 09 12:24 PM
  1. Dear Red Sox Nation,
    Why so much hate on Tex? Didn't you win 2 WS in 4 years? Have you not seen that the Yankees spending tons of money has not equated into any championships? But for all the hate on Mark, this was YOUR GUY. No matter what you say now, you all drooled over him, fawning over the idea of jettisoning Mike Lowell (a WS MVP) and supplementing him with Bill James' favorite player. You lost out on Mark for a measly 1.5 mill extra a year. So sad. Be mad at your owner, who has 3x the personal wealth of Steinbrenner, but refuses to put his profit back in the team. If Mark would have signed with the Sox, you ALL WOULD have been licking your chops, dreaming of more WS wins. But Henry tightened his wallet, and the Sox have just as many question marks as the yanks.
    1. Will Beckett return to Cy Young form after injury?
    2. Can Papi stop getting fatter and stay healthy, without Manny batting 4?
    3. Was Jason Bay a fluke?
    4. JD Drew is as injury prone as AJ Burnett.

    Youk and Pedroia are the only definites, and as much as you hate to admit it, you should have shelled out the extra bucks for Mark.

    Best,
    Yankee Universe

    Posted by Yankee Universe January 7, 09 12:24 PM
  1. Dear Red Sox Nation,
    Why so much hate on Tex? Didn't you win 2 WS in 4 years? Have you not seen that the Yankees spending tons of money has not equated into any championships? But for all the hate on Mark, this was YOUR GUY. No matter what you say now, you all drooled over him, fawning over the idea of jettisoning Mike Lowell (a WS MVP) and supplementing him with Bill James' favorite player. You lost out on Mark for a measly 1.5 mill extra a year. So sad. Be mad at your owner, who has 3x the personal wealth of Steinbrenner, but refuses to put his profit back in the team. If Mark would have signed with the Sox, you ALL WOULD have been licking your chops, dreaming of more WS wins. But Henry tightened his wallet, and the Sox have just as many question marks as the yanks.
    1. Will Beckett return to Cy Young form after injury?
    2. Can Papi stop getting fatter and stay healthy, without Manny batting 4?
    3. Was Jason Bay a fluke?
    4. JD Drew is as injury prone as AJ Burnett.

    Youk and Pedroia are the only definites, and as much as you hate to admit it, you should have shelled out the extra bucks for Mark.

    Best,
    Yankee Universe

    Posted by Yankee Universe January 7, 09 12:24 PM
  1. Oh man i hope he and the Yanks can shove that money really, and i mean reallllllllllllllllllly deeeeeep and as far as it can go. This is the main reason why i would definitely get the mlb extra innings just to watch mainly the red sox and other teams beat the blaad claat out of the yankees.. Ohh i can't wait.

    Posted by Nyakeh Konneh January 7, 09 12:31 PM
  1. Don’t forget, this is the second time Tex turned down the Sox. Sox drafted Tex out of High School but opted to college. I am glad Sox drove up the price tag for the Yankees and the“Cash Man” to sign Tex. I was never in favor of going after Tex because it would leave Mike Lowell in limbo. Let’s not forget Mike Lowell gave the Sox a hometown discount to sign a much lesser contract than the Phillies offered two years ago.
    Mike Lowell is a “CLASS ACT” and is a team player with tremendous presence in the clubhouse. We should have more Mike Lowells in baseball and less Tex and Boras type people.
    Now that I have mentioned Boras, how many times did he use or burn the Sox.
    Tex, Damon, Ramirez….Wow, maybe the Sox are not so keen in dealing with this not so ethical agent is the reason Varitek has yet to sign with the Sox. I’d love to have Tek back with the Sox.

    Posted by JMCG January 7, 09 12:39 PM
  1. Tex also said that he didn't want his wife and kids going to a ballpark that looked like a section 8 HUD project.

    Posted by Bill January 7, 09 12:45 PM
  1. Sour Grapes are sweet when others are eating them. Wanted A-Rod.... too cheap. Wanted Tex....too cheap. You want to be angry? Blame your owner... I love how this "Boston" paper loves talking about the Yankees. You've won 2 rings in 5 years and you're still obsessed....You're all pathetic....

    Posted by yankman64 January 7, 09 02:32 PM
  1. Now I know why they don't produce any decent wines in Boston, MA---the grapes are way too sour...

    Posted by Ralph January 7, 09 02:55 PM
  1. Now I know why they can't make any wines in Boston, MA---the grapes are way too sour....

    Posted by Ralph January 7, 09 02:58 PM
  1. Let's get on with the Sox. We didn't get Tex. It is over. It was over the second he signed with the Yankees. Move on, move forward, move ahead. This has been beaten to death. The next time I see anything written about Tex I am clicking it off and going to another site. Just let it go, already.....

    Posted by Joe Harrington January 7, 09 03:26 PM
  1. If any bloggers here honestly think the Yankees haven't improved their roster significantly over 2008 you are, I'm sorry to say, living in an alternate universe. Face reality BoSox fans, the overall QUALITY of the Yankee team is considerably superior compared to last season, and you should expect them to add a couple more complimentary pieces before spring training ends.

    Posted by Intertext January 7, 09 04:15 PM
  1. Teixera's an overrated prick. Let him go join choker A-Rod and Two Faced Damon. I live in Washington, DC (transplant). The Redskins for the last decade have bought "great" players, but they never have had the chemistry needed to win. So they have sucked. This is what I believe will happen to the Yanks, in their tradition-less new ballpark. Screw the Evil Empire!!

    Posted by Rooster Rules 1975 January 7, 09 05:26 PM
  1. Yankman comments that we have won two WS in five years and are still obsessed. Right, we are. The Yankees haven't won squat this century and they are desperate. I'll take obsessed over desperate any time.

    OK, you have Teixeira, no doubt a solid hitter with power and a good first baseman but with all the charisma of a wall clock. Let's see him get off to one of his usual slow starts and see how he handles the New York Press, and that goes double for messrs CC and AJ.

    Just remember Yankee fans, your team hasn't won nothing yet.

    Posted by SeaBeachFred January 7, 09 08:06 PM
  1. Im gonna tell u exactly what the yankees are doing..BUYING A TEAM!!Exactly what people have accused of them since what giambi?they tried the team thing with cano melky hughes joba and kennedy but 2/5 worked out! this is the yankees saying u think we bought a team all along didnt ya?well...FUCK YOU NOW WE ARE!!

    Posted by Matt January 7, 09 10:23 PM
  1. Top -

    Apparently reading comprehension isn't one of your strengths. The oxymoron that you missed when you posted is by using "winning" and "Mattingly" in the same sentence. (...and then you were so gracious to include the bonus of "Yankee fan" to it... )

    Your 'World Champion Red Sox' thus wouldn' t qualify as an oxymoron, since you know - it has come true. Twice lately. Perhaps you missed that, or perhaps the pain of '04 is just too much for you...and you've chosen to simply block it out?? There, there now. They say time heals all wounds...

    Unfortunately, Donnie B. never won jack squat... Some say HIS curse now haunts the NYY...(or is it the Curse of McSlappy - the Purple Lipped ARod?? I forget.)

    Posted by HatingontheT-Bag January 8, 09 05:45 PM
  1. I can't believe I now have to hate a guy that was, for the past few years, one of my favorite players to watch in all of baseball. Ugh! Go Sox!

    Posted by Berg January 11, 09 01:20 AM
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