Teixeira: Our Hero On A White Horse?

We'd all be nieve to think that Mark Teixiera will not be headed for a serious payday once the season ends, but the question that has come up in the minds of Oriole fans is will he come to the Yard and back to Baltimore? (he grew up in Anne Arundel County)

In Paul Heyman's Daily Scoop on the CNNsi.com website, the slugger chats about possibly returning to Maryland -- this time -- perhaps as an Oriole.

I'm still not convinced he'll come to Baltimore as our first baseman, but what he told Heyman is promising -- with a grain of salt.

"These are things to talk about at the end of the season,'' Teixeira says. "I'm not going to make any predictions. I'm enjoying playing in Atlanta ... and there's no doubt this organization is a winning organization. When I become a free agent, Atlanta's definitely in the mix.''

How about his hometown Orioles?

"The Orioles are close to my heart,'' Teixeira admitted.

"I have family in Baltimore,'' he continued. "But I have family in Georgia. And I have family in New York.'' (Teixeira's sister Elizabeth Durastanti and her husband Nick live in Hoboken, N.J. and work in New York City.)

Teixeira excels at the free-agent game, partly because he is that rare player who can stick to the script. It's a good one for him. "I love it. I love coming here,'' Teixeira said on a recent trip to New York. "I grew up in a big city. I went to college in a big city [Georgia Tech, in Atlanta]. I like having a lot of things to do.''

It's nice to ponder the slugger coming back to Maryland and being the cowboy on a white horse to save the down-trodden Baltimore Orioles. However, he's looking at his options and working in tandem with his agent, Scott Boras, for a huge pay -- a nine digit contract.

I do think he comes to Baltimore -- maybe if Angelos backs up the Brinks truck in front of palacious estate (assuming he's got one), but as I see it, there's a lot more besides more that comes into play.

Having a chance to win.

He'll give Baltimore a chance, but there are several other teams with the financial wherewithal to compete for him, and as well -- win. I don't see with us just because it will go against the method of operation and the goals of Andy MacPhail, but everything is negotiable.

I'm still not holding my breath, but ask me in September.