Evan Grant has a piece today on the Mark Teixeira contract extension situation...
According to Grant, Scott Boras's position is that they will discuss either a three year extension (covering Teixeira's arbitration years, but nothing more) or a ten year extension. The thought process is that premium free agents (such as Boras client Carlos Beltran) are getting seven year deals, so if the Rangers want to do an extension, they need to give him the equivalent of a free agent deal after his three years are up.
Grant suggests that, at ten years, the Rangers would likely be looking at having to pony up $150 million to lock Teixeira up.
Then, there is the toxic relationship between Boras and the Highest Paid G.M. In Baseball to deal with...
There is apparently another issue in doing a long-term deal with Teixeira. Hart does not deal with Boras. The agent said he's not spoken with Hart in nine months since a fact-finding call about free agent Magglio Ordonez.
Instead, Boras has dealt with assistant GM Jon Daniels or Hicks on several matters ranging from draft pick Taylor Teagarden to getting Chan Ho Park to waive his no-trade clause.
"I talk to whoever the club wants me to negotiate with," Boras said. "But I do think that's the longest period I've gone without ever talking to a GM."
I'm not sure whether or not I prefer Hart dealing with Boras, or Hicks dealing with Boras, on a potential Teixeira contract. From a fiscal responsibility standpoint, Hart seems the better choice. From a "lock up Teixeira" standpoint, Hicks seems better...