Showboat rocks Tex's boat.

Things continue to simmer for free agents this off-season. Mark Teixeira, shown here on card number 70 of the 2005 Upper Deck All-Star Classics set, has yet to find a home. Manny Ramirez, Randy Johnson, and Ivan Rodriguez are also still looking as well.

I find it somewhat amusing to watch. When he wanted to leave Texas, Mark said that he wanted to play for a winner and that the Rangers were far from it. That resulted in a trade to Atlanta and then to Anaheim. The Angels made the post-season but apparently that didn't make them a winner in Mark's eyes. Or maybe he changed his criteria. Talks with the Nationals and Orioles began. Perhaps he now wanted to play for the love of the game with a hometown team? Perhaps not. Anaheim tossed a deal at him and the Red Sox followed suit. Talks with the Yankees have been rumored. Most likely Mark now just wants to play for the money. Period.

Things now appear to have narrowed down to the Angels and Red Sox with the Nats still a distant possibility. It seems that what Mark wants is a ten year deal. The Angels have offered eight. They don't seem too worried, if they don't get Tex they'll probably try for Manny Ramirez. The Sox won't go ten either. Apparently their principle owner wasn't impressed with the last player they "effectively had a 10-year deal with" and who was "determined not to live up to his contract." Wonder who that would be? You mean Manny had an eight year contract with a two year option when he played for Boston? Now Boston is gun shy? Really?

Now here's the amusing part. Both Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira employ Scott Boras as their agent. Boras played his own role with Manny and the BoSox. Might he have rained on Tex's parade in the process? At least one thing's for sure, Scott Boras is making a mint out of these deals. I guess that means that Mark got to play with a winner after all.