Braves Report

To pay Teixeira or not to pay Teixeira, that is the question;

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The pains of paying him an outrageous fortune,

Or to take whatever the free agent market or our farm system gives us.

- Hamlet (… well maybe more Frank Wren)

For keeping Teixeira:

He is a (soon-to-be) 28 year-old switch-hitting, power-hitting (170 career HR), and Gold Glove winning (2) first baseman that is a perfect fit for the clean-up spot in the order. A new contract would include his prime years as well as a couple surrounding them. His career batting average/ on-base percentage/ slugging percentage is .286/ .371/ .539, and with his prime coming up, those already high numbers should inflate some more. After the trade, he showed that he can still hit outside of hitter-friendly Ameriquest Field, and he became a fan favorite even getting his own theme song. Over his short career, Tex has been durable as last season was his only below 145 games, and the two previous seasons, he played in 162 each time. As for the alternatives, the free agent market looks bleak with Richie Sexson possibly the best choice, and the farm system doesn’t look any better with Scott Thorman, Cody Johnson, and Kala Kaaihue (maybe Tyler Flowers) being the best options. Yet, they are a few years away.

Against keeping Teixeira:

He will definitely cost $20 million dollars for each year of his contract because the Yankees will have a flexible budget and the market will love Tex. Oh yeah, Scott Boras is his agent. Giving one person over 20% of the budget is not sound business unless you know what you are going to get, and with injury just one misstep away, Tex is not a certainty even with his proven track record and position. Remember, he got hurt last year, and it was a knee problem, which is bad for a guy with his size who needs his legs for power. Also, he will want at least a 6-year extension, and Braves fans know all to well about how long-term contracts can handicap a team and budget. With several quality starting pitchers available in free agency next year, the Braves could use that money to replace Glavine and Hampton.

My take:

I’ll take Teixeira although it is not as obvious as it seems. Tex is a MVP-caliber player for the next few years, but again, one freak accident can kill this deal. For under $20 million, I keep him, but over, I let him walk and try to trade for someone else.

(Stats came from espn.com and 2009 free agents can be found on mlbtraderumors.com)