The Odds Tilt Again

The longer the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes go on, the better the Washington Nationals chances are becoming. More than a week since making their bold contract proposal to Teixeira, baseball's top offensive free agent, the Nationals have moved from a presumed long-shot to perhaps one of the most likely contenders -- particularly given the backdrop of frantic developments tonight. All along, the Boston Red Sox were considered the biggest players for the first baseman's services. But that notion, widely presumed throughout the industry, became cloudy tonight after the Boston's top management traveled to Texas to meet with Teixeira's agent. This attempt to finalize a deal, though, ended with Boston owner John Henry suggesting that his team could no longer compete in the bidding war. "We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him," Henry said in an e-mail. "After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear (link)