It seems to me, if the Yanks want NJ, they should get him early. The Nationals may decide they would rather have Nick instead of Dmitri. Of course, there is the deal that Young signed last year.

I don't think the Yankees will be in any hurry to get a first baseman. Mark Teixeira is a free agent next year. He's young, durable, good defensively and in the prime of his career. He'd be perfect for them.

In addition to Teixeira, Dunn and Burrell could both be free agents next seasons.

So, Russlan, what you're saying is the Yankees just need a mildly productive stopgap before they sign their new #3 hitter next offseason?

I don't think the Yankees will be in any hurry to get a first baseman. Mark Teixeira is a free agent next year. He's young, durable, good defensively and in the prime of his career. He'd be perfect for them.

In addition to Teixeira, Dunn and Burrell could both be free agents next seasons.

Well, I don't think you can count on a specific player being a free agent in a year (given the possibility that he might be signed to a k before then), but out of three potential free agents, sure -- it's likely one or two of them will be.

I don't think Burrell's offense is ideal for 1B, though. He seems a cut below the other two, and he's older also.

So, Russlan, what you're saying is the Yankees just need a mildly productive stopgap before they sign their new #3 hitter next offseason?

Obviously, there's no guarantee that Teixeira will sign with the Yankees as he'd be perfect for a lot of teams (including my Mets) but he is a Boras client so he will in all likelihood become a free agent.

Boras clients tend to sign with the team that offers the biggest contract.

I don't think Burrell's offense is ideal for 1B, though. He seems a cut below the other two, and he's older also.

I agree although Burrell does walk an incredible amount considering he never gets intentionally walked. Burrell is a nice fit for the patient, long plate appearance approach that New York and Boston have liked in recent years.

I just included Burrell to show that even if the Yanks can't get Tex or Dunn, they'll have another good option.

Any specific reason why you don't seem to think the Yankees will offer the biggest deal?

Any specific reason why you don't seem to think the Yankees will offer the biggest deal?

Oh, I definitely think the Yanks will offer the biggest deal because I think he fits their needs nicely. That said, they haven't always signed guys that fit that profile. Beltran would have been perfect for them after the 2004 season and they let him go. I thought they'd win the Matsuzaka bidding and they didn't really come close.

With Dmitri Young at first, the Nationals don’t much need Johnson.

Jay Mariotti was right about the blogosphere, these sexual innuendos are getting out of hand.

Hey, every team can use a big Johnson - though it's difficult to watch when your team's Johnson suffers a fracture.

By the way - you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay...

Dan Johnson is very available.

A platoon involving any of those hitters will require one of them to hit from the left side. Wilson Betemit would be a perfect fit if he can breakthough in his age 27 season. 13 of his 14 HRs last year were from the left-side of the plate

Assumption: Giambi is not viable as an everyday fielder.

Wonder how Bonds would fare at 1st/LF/DH?

Any specific reason why you don't seem to think the Yankees will offer the biggest deal?

The Yankees seem reluctant to set the market on deals. Deals like Beltran's and Pedro's and Santana's extension indicate that the Mets will not be overbid for a player they really want, even if they have to pay a little more. I can see the Mets, dropping $16M (I doubt they factor in the buyouts for their own payroll calculations) in Delgado, making a very big offer for Texiera.

Like Santana for "ace pitcher," it's been quite some time since the Mets had a real force at 1B. I think it's going to be a pretty serious bidding war for a guy that good entering his age 29 season. And the drop-off from Tex to Dunn to Burrell is pretty steep; he's the premiere FA if he ends up being a FA.

I wouldn't be completely ruling out the Braves keeping him either. With Chipper on the way out, Glavine probably retiring, Andruw Jones gone, etc. this is a team in pretty desperate need for a franchise player to represent them over the next five years. It's asking a lot of Kelly Johnson or Brian McCann to become that sort of superstar and box office draw.

I think Hank would be willing to offer Texeira huge money, but it increasingly seems that Hal, who appears to have aligned himself with Cashman, will likely put a brake on intemperate expenditures.

Johnson's ZIPS projections are unbelievable. If the cost isn't too high, in terms of prospects, the Yanks should take a chance. They have plenty of other options already if he can't stay healthy. It would be a perfect situation.

And the drop-off from Tex to Dunn to Burrell is pretty steep; he's the premiere FA if he ends up being a FA.

I think Dunn is pretty close to Teixeira but I expect the latter to play somewhere in Texas in 2009. I am not sure he's even a real option for other teams.

I think Dunn is pretty close to Teixeira but I expect the latter to play somewhere in Texas in 2009.

Texas, huh? I don't see either of those teams ponying up the $18-20M per he's going to demand.

I think Dunn is close to Tex offensively, but defense makes it not even close.

You have to consider defense as well - the drop off is really that steep. They are the same age and are probably interchangeable offensively, in terms of production. It's unclear exactly how bad Dunn would be at 1B. He is currently one of worst defensive LF in the game, while Teixeira is above average defensively. I would think the gap would be around 15 or 16 runs or so, which is about one and a half wins. That's very significant.

Why would Teixeira be bent on playing in Texas? That's not where he's from. Dunn is from Texas, though.

I think Dunn is pretty close to Teixeira but I expect the latter to play somewhere in Texas in 2009. I am not sure he's even a real option for other teams.

I made a mistake. I meant that I thought Dunn would end up in Texas. He's from there and I remember reading that he wanted to play close to home.

BTW, how well does Delgado have to hit for the Mets to pick what is effectively a 12 million dollar option for 2009? .270/.350/.500? I think the Mets should do all they can to sign Dunn or Teixiera even if Delgado has a good year because those guys are younger and would add to the Mets good young core. I think the Mets could get something in return for Delgado as teams might be willing to gamble on him on a one year deal for short money.

Take our Jay Gibbons. Please. Aubrey Huff, if you want. Kevin Millar, too. (Three for the price of one!)

As for Teixeira, he's from Maryland, and I suppose there's a faint hope he ends up in Baltimore.

The Orioles are certainly an option. They don't have signed for 2010 which means they have more than enough money to sign anyone. I think the Orioles are going to have to eventually significantly overpay a premier free agent in the next couple of years to show everyone that they are ready to compete like the big market team they are.