Last season the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were the favorite topic of just about every baseball commentator out there. They had a pitching staff that went six deep and they followed through and easily won the American League West. They then went out and flat disappointed going down in five games in the best-of-seven first round series with the Boston Red Sox.
This season the team is still the favorite in the West, but they no longer are expected to be one of baseball’s best teams with Francisco Rodriguez, who broke the single-season saves record last year, signing with the New York Mets. Scott Shields looks like the early odds on favorite to replace 62-save man KRod. Shields has spent most of his career as a middle reliever.
Now, to avoid falling farther from the top, the Angels are making a desperate and expensive plea to Mark Teixeira to stay in town after being traded to them by the Braves. Without any question, Mark Teixeira is the best free agent out there. He is young and is a great hitter.
Manny Ramirez may have better numbers in the next couple of years, but he will tear the locker room into halves and thirds by the end of those seasons. The Los Angeles Dodgers will soon find that out when they finally reach the astronomical figure the 36-year-old left fielder desires.
Still, is Teixeira worth $160 million over eight seasons? Is he that much of a force at the plate, or is just the best free agent in an underwhelming year?
I mean, look, the Cleveland Indians signed Kerry Wood to a two year $20.5 million deal. This is a closer that the Cubs were willing let go after he struggled down the stretch. Yet he is set to make seven figures in the next two seasons.
Teixeira may by a solid .300, 30 HR, 100 RBI guy, but the league has not quite returned to the first half of the 20th century when those numbers would have been god-like.
