4 game winning streak snapped last night, as the bats went silent and Jamey Wright's stuff was less than electric...so much for getting to single-digits under .500.
Of course, the Mark Teixeira situation is still the main story right now, as we continue to wait and see where he'll end up.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution discusses the potential Braves trade again today, with Chipper Jones talking about how nice it would be to add Teixeira to the lineup. According to the J-C, Brent Lillibridge, a stathead favorite acquired in the Adam LaRoche trade who has struggled this year, could be part of the deal instead of Elvis Andrus. The J-C also says that the Rangers may end up waiting until the last minute to pull the trigger on a deal...
Joel Sherman also talks about the Braves offer, quoting one A.L. exec as saying that Saltalamacchia, Andrus and Harrison are the Braves' two best positional prospects and their best pitching prospect, and quotes another exec with a team pursuing Teixeira as saying that he thinks the Braves deal is already done, with the delay coming from the teams waiting for the Commissioner's office to approve the trade (because the Rangers would be picking up a big chunk of Teixeira's contract).
Sherman also mentions the possibility of Gerald Laird going to Chicago in a deal for Felix Pie if this goes through. Everyone knows I'm a Laird fan, but if you could Pie for Laird and a middling relief arm, you have to do that.
The L.A. Times reports that a Teixeira trade looks unlikely:
According to baseball sources, the Rangers wanted three players from the Angels for Teixeira, and the teams apparently agreed on the first two, first baseman Casey Kotchman and left-handed pitcher Joe Saunders.
Texas spent a day or two scouring the Angels' farm system this week, and the Angels were hoping the third request would be for a mid-level prospect or major league reserve such as Terry Evans and Nathan Haynes, both outfielders.
The Rangers gave the Angels a list of four names to choose from Friday. On that list were infielder Brandon Wood, the organization's top position-playing prospect, double-A right-hander Nick Adenhart, the organization's top pitching prospect, starting second baseman Howie Kendrick, who is on the disabled list because of a broken finger, and recently demoted right-hander Ervin Santana.
The Angels' response: No way.
A source indicated there is a slim chance of trade talks being rekindled, but only if Texas lowered its demands or were willing to take only Kotchman and Saunders for Teixeira, who wouldn't become a free agent until after 2008.
The L.A. Daily News is more optimistic, however:
Angels first baseman Casey Kotchman will have to be included in any package for Teixeira, but that's where the certainty ends. The Rangers would like starting pitching, but Ervin Santana's struggles and Bartolo Colon's elbow injury have depleted a surplus in that department.
The Angels might be willing to include Reggie Willits and their top pitching prospect, Nick Adenhart, to go along with Kotchman. Willits would give the Rangers outfield coverage after they traded Kenny Lofton to the Cleveland Indians on Friday.
I'd be very surprised if the Rangers did a deal with Anaheim without getting Adenhart back.
New York Newsday says the Yankees are still in on Teixeira, but it sounds like they are more focused on Eric Gagne, with the Rangers apparently interested in Ian Kennedy, Jeffrey Marquez, and Melky Cabrera if a Gagne deal happens with New York.
Jamey Wright isn't sure who he'll make his next start for, although yesterday's shaky outing certainly doesn't help make him more marketable.
According to the DMN, Daniels said that the arrival of Max Ramirez may result in Taylor Teagarden heading up to Frisco. The DMN also talks about Luis Mendoza's recent run of success as stemming from a delivery "refinement." Mendoza, remember, was acquired last year from the BoSox for Bryan Corey, another one of the little moves Daniels made that is looking pretty nice right now...
And Kevin Sherrington says it is the little deals that have worked out well for Daniels, while the big deals -- Soriano, San Diego, and Milwaukee -- have backfired.