Astros should have waited

Ken Rosenthal has an article out today about the Astros acquisition of Miguel Tejada, who was named in the Mitchell Report less than 24 hours after the Astros sent 5 young minor leaguers to Baltimore for Tejada.

Rosenthal brings up a great point, if the Astros waited even just 1 more day, would they have made the deal? If they did, I think they would have been able to part with much less to make the deal, although Orioles' owner Peter Angelos isn't always the easiest guy to deal with.

Here's what could hit the Astros the hardest. The FBI has opened a preliminary investigation into whether Tejada lied in front of a Congressional Committee in 2005 when asked if he used performance enhancing drugs.

When Tejada was asked, he said it was "B-12", the same B-12 that Roger Clemens says he was injected with by former trainer Brian McNamee....see a pattern here?

Tejada's former teammate in Oakland, Adam Piatt, told the Mitchell's investigators that he had bought steroids for Tejada, and produced canceled checks from Tejada for $3,100 and $3,200 respectively.

Speaking of canceled checks, remember when Fernando Vina, an ESPN Baseball Analyst was asked about checks he had given to former Mets' clubhouse guy Kirk Ridomski, said when asked about those supposed "checks" and what they were for? "I don't know what they were for, maybe for picking up dry cleaning."

So now we have 2 separate, but almost matching, items if you will (B-12, canceled checks) that were produced by Kirk Ridomski and Adam Piatt.

Coincidence? Maybe, but I doubt it....Rosenthal is right, the Astros should have waited and they may pay dearly for it.

Astros land Tejada

The Houston Astros got their man. According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore Orioles traded shortstop Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros for outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate, and third baseman Michael Costanzo.

Astros never close to a deal for Tejada?

12.7.07 7:59pm PST

Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle weighs in on the Astros talks with the Orioles' about Miguel Tejada. He says both sides had serious talks about a deal but were NEVER close to one.

12.6.07 1:55pm PST

According to radio reports from a Houston sports radio station (790 AM), the Astros could be on the verge of a deal for Orioles' shortstop Miguel Tejada. The Astros would send Adam Everett, Chris Burke and a pitcher to Baltimore.

Ken Rosenthal checked in and confirmed the 2 sides had talked, but were not close to a deal before both sides departed Nashville.

Astros close to a deal for Tejada?

According to radio reports from a Houston sports radio station (790 AM), the Astros could be on the verge of a deal for Orioles' shortstop Miguel Tejada. The Astros would send Adam Everett, Chris Burke and a pitcher to Baltimore.

Ken Rosenthal checked in and confirmed the 2 sides had talked, but were not close to a deal before both sides departed Nashville.

Giants, Angels interested in Miguel Tejada

Do any of us remember, in 2003, when Orioles' GM Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan walked up to the podium after just signing then free agent Miguel Tejada? How did that work out for them?

Going into the Winter Meetings this week, the Orioles look to find a trading partner for Tejada and they may find a suiter with the Giants or Angels. The Orioles may wait to see how the negotiations go with the Angels and Marlins regarding Miguel Tejada before approaching the Angels about their interest in the shortstop.

The Giants interest, on the other hand, is curious to me because they already signed Omar Vizquel to an extension, unless they plan on moving Tejada to 3rd.