First off, my apologies for the confusion in my last post. Let’s set the record straight about this Astros/White Sox thing.
My source wasn’t referring to the Astros’ interest in Miguel Tejada, but rather Jose Contreras. Baltimore likes the righthander, but Houston covets him as well. The Sox are talking to the Astros currently, but have no interest in Brad Lidge. Their reasoning: they believe in the young, cheap Bobby Jenks. The Sox also have concerns about Lidge’s future health after piling on the innings as well as his impending large salary. That all makes sense; the Sox have no reason to acquire another closer.
Another clarification: the player the Sox are considering for Contreras is Willy Taveras. The additional prospects are unknown. Given the massive salary gap between Jose Contreras and Taveras, this deal would free up cash to be used for reinforcements at the trading deadline. As mentioned before, the White Sox are willing to go up to a $105MM payroll.
Some more quality tidbits on the White Sox’s interest in Miguel Tejada:
Chicago’s offers are non-negotiable. If Tejada is traded, the deal will be completed within the next two weeks. Other interested clubs are still submitting and refining their proposals.
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