Projo Sox Blog

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

LAS VEGAS _ After a quiet couple of days in the desert, baseball's winter meeting began to heat up a little bit yesterday.

Top free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia accepted a seven-year deal worth a reported $161 million from the New York Yankees. Closer Francisco Rodriguez inked a three-year deal for $37 million with the New York Mets. Whispers of trades began to increase throughout the day, including the fact free-agent Mark Teixeira and the Red Sox could be making progress.

Teixeira is no doubt being courted by numerous clubs, including the Nationals, Yankees, Angels and Orioles. The slugging first baseman will eventually get a huge contract when he does finally sign, probably in the range of $20 million per season. According to his agent Scott Boras, Teixeira wants to play for a perennial winner.

"We've received a number of offers and we've gone back and forth with a couple of teams," admitted Boras. "We're moving in a good direction."

Boras would not get specific - neither would Red Sox GM Theo Epstein - but nothing is eminent at this point, said the agent.

"It's not in our best interest to talk about these things as they are going on," Epstein said.

Generally speaking, he said there is a chance the Red Sox will be able to sign a top free-agent player. He also said there is a chance he won't.

"Players we like, and we think can help us, we're going to try to sign to numbers we think are reasonable and help us going forward and help our foundation," he said. "If we get them great. If we don't we'll move on. We're being aggressive - really aggressive - on guys we like."

The Red Sox have made it a priority to sign Teixeira, but other clubs are also in the mix. One of the aforementioned teams reportedly offered him an eight-year deal worth $160 million, while another was in the range of $150 million for seven years.

Teixeira has told Boras he would like a deal completed by Christmas.

"I would imagine most teams like Tex because he's a unique player who has the on-base percentage, OPS and power," explained Boras. "He scores runs. He drives in runs. He hits for a high average. He's a very special talent."

Teixeira hit .308 with 33 homers and 121 RBI in 157 games between the Braves and Angels in 2008. The 28-year-old, and former first-round pick (5th overall by Texas in 2001), is in the prime of his career.

The campaigning continued when Boras made it a point to talk about Teixeira's defense, too.

"Teams comment all the time that he's a Gold Glove player," he said. "He's a plus-defender. A Gold Glove first baseman really adds a very confident element to the team."

If the Red Sox were to sign Teixeira they would then have to get creative. Kevin Youkilis would switch from first base to third, leaving veteran Mike Lowell in question. He had offseason hip surgery and the Red Sox learned this week that he's progressing ahead of schedule in his rehab and could be ready in time for spring training. He has two years remaining on a $37-million deal with Boston.

Epstein was in a very good mood last night. After thinking (and to some extent still believes) that nothing will get done this week, he was working the phones yesterday and said Day 3 was a lot more productive.

"There was a little more activity overall," he said. This was probably the most active day of the three so far."

Whether or not the Red Sox are able to sign Teixeira remains to be seen. Judging by Epstein's body language, he was certainly happy about something.

 Tags  Mark Teixeira Red Sox

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