YFSF

Yanks Acquire Eric Hinske

Does this mean the Yanks are a smart franchise? Before this most recent trade, Hinske played three seasons on three different teams run by general managers who went to ivy league schools. Boston is considered by many to be the brainiest of front offices, Tampa's management team is filled with sharp thinkers, and many analysts think Neal Huntington is going to turn things around in Pittsburgh. The Yanks give up a couple of prospects  to add much-needed depth. Hinske can play the corner outfield and infield positions. I like this move given the plan to rest A-Rod regularly and Damon's recent injury issues. Hopefully, Hinske gets back some of the power he had last year.

Around the Horn, Red Sox (and Former Sox) Edition

• The Red Sox announced the signing of John Smoltz and introduced him to the media today.  Smoltz offered up the same platitudes and yadayadayadas that most new acquisitions do, but with some humor, citing his unwavering support of the Detroit Lions as a sign of his loyalty.

• The Sox and Diamondbacks continue to talk shop about Miguel Montero.

• Derek Lowe agreed to a 4/60M contract with the Braves, smartly staying in the National League and dealing a double blow to the Mets, who have now missed out on a chance to bolster their rotation while a division rival improves theirs.

Lowe, Mets playing in Different Ballparks

The Times is reporting that the Mets are earnestly targeting Derek Lowe.  It's looking good: they are only $54M apart.  Boras has the Mets right where he wants them.

Giant Unit

ESPN reports that Randy Johnson has signed a 1 year, $8 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. Add him to Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain and that's a formidable front 3. The rest of the team, however, could use some work. Johnson is five games short of 300, and with the lineup SF will field, it might take him some time to reach the milestone. Maybe they should bring back Barry Bo and Jeff Kent; they could use the bats, and it sure would make for an interesting clubhouse—a little bit of Fallujah by the Bay. 

BREAKING: Yanks Sign Teixeira

Reports indicate the Yankee hot-stove spend-a-thon continues with an eight year, $180 million deal for the slugging first baseman. If true, Bombers clearly looking to break in the new stadium with a splash. Acquisition would almost certainly make them presumptive favorites for the World Series title. The NYT calls it a "blow" to the Red Sox. Yanks swept in to close deal after declaring themselves out of the picture. 

The Road We Travel

Our family is on the way from Brooklyn to suburban Washington DC. The picture below is our GPS, and not, we hope, TPS.

Tex Announcement Soon?

The Washington Times is reporting an imminent announcement about where Teixeira might land, no location specified. The Globe has picked up the story as well.

(I can't link via Typepad's mobile interface, sadly).

Subtext

"We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him," Henry said. "After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor."

By now we have probably all seen John Henry's statement issued last night at 10:45 on the status of his visit to see a certain free agent.  But this hasn't, as far as we've seen, been truly parsed.  Let's take a stab at it.

"We"

We.  Not much to see here.  Maybe. Perhaps Henry is referring to those who travelled with him, but perhaps he is referring to the greater "we", as in "all white men" (the Sox have been accused of getting too white, after all), or "Americans", or "rich guys who own hedge funds, baseball teams, and private planes".  Or, all three.  We (as in "woefully distracted Red Sox bloggers") don't know.  Let's move on.

"met"

Hmmm.  I think this means they sat down with Boras and Teixeira, but part of me thinks it's just another provocation of the Yankees, a sly attempt to focus attention on the Bombers' crosstown rivals.  It might even be a jab at the Wilpon's investments with a fraudulent hedge funder.  Remains unclear.

"with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him". 

Ass-kissing, pretty clearly.  And come on, I know that the New York Times owns part of the Sox but what's with the "Mister" stuff?  He's twenty-eight, not a village elder.  And if you are going with "Mister", how can you have passed up a chance to truncate and reference "Mr. T"? 

"After hearing about his other offers"

No attribution to where he heard about the other offers.  We're supposed to assume it was directly from Boras, but there's no reference to the agent being the one who conveyed the information.  And really, I wouldn't trust Boras to give me the truth about what kind of pizza he had last night, much less expect him to disclose a competing contract offer.  My guess is that Henry "heard" about these offers from Nick Cafardo, who got them from an anonymous assistant to the Assistant GM, who gave him the information in an email typed in pig latin and then encoded in zapf dingbats.

"however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor"

Already having touched on the ambiguity of "we", let's go right for the big two-syllable guy at the end: "factor".  Oh, and "not".  "not a factor".  Hmm.  One would think of the first dictionary definition, which reads "one of the elements contributing to a particular result or situation".  Seems clear enough.  But I believe Henry is after something else.  Reading further, one sees that "factor" can also be defined as "in biochemistry, any of certain substances necessary to a biochemical or physiological process, esp. those whose exact nature and function are unknown".  So, Henry is more likely to be saying that the Sox "are not going to be a certain substance necessary to a biochemical or physiological process".  Much, much more ambiguous than what one takes away at first reading and certainly a statement which leaves the Sox' chances for Teixeira hanging out there, not yet quashed.   Keep hope alive!

So there you have it.  An nod to caucasians, a reference to the Wilpon's financial entanglements with Bernie Madoff, some biochemistry, and a missed opportunity to weave in Clubber Lang.  How did everyone miss this?

Right. Sure.

Two GMs who were involved in the Teixera talks both felt the Red Sox had a leg up.

"They have the highest offer on the table", said one of the GMs.

This Teixeira reporting continues to boggle our minds.  Under what circumstance would a competing GM know another team's actual bid? We're sure Theo Epstein had been in deep, full disclosure discussions with Andy MacPhail and Brian Cashman.  Because Scott Boras told them!?  Or, alternatively, their underlings are spending quality time with each other discussing numbers over instant message.  Or are we back to the days of collusion?  Because to us that's one of the only circumstances under which this kind of information might be freely exchanged between GMs.  And Cafardo has a whistleblower on his hand and doesn't even seem to know it.

Why does Cafardo approach this with zero skepticism?  How can it be taken at face value that a competing GM knows the actual dollar amount of a major free agent contract offer?  

Better question, why are we still reading this stuff?

Worst Negotiator Ever?

"If they came back to us and told us what it would take and we thought that it made sense for us, then yes [the original offer could be altered]," MacPhail said.

(h/t SoSH)