Mark Teixeira- Jerk? Part 2 and who is the real blame for the Rangers problems?

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post on Mark Teixiera being a big whiner because he was unhappy with Ron Washington after being one of the main players complaining about Buck Showalter. Well, just after getting off the disabled list, Teixiera is at it again. He basically said that he wants to play for a winner, with five years of non-contending is weighing on him.

Of course, this brought out the old school baseball writers complaining about Teixeira's complaints. Jean Jacques Taylor called him a chronic complainer. Gil Lebreton said it was contemptible.

Let me give a few disclaimers. Teixeira is not ever gonna be my favorite player. He comes across as a guy who is getting ready for his next big payday when he gets to decide where he goes. His being a toady to Scott Boras bully doesn't make things any easier. He just doesn't seem like one of those guys who will tell Boras what to do rather than the other way around. He's a mercenary. If he signs with the Orioles after next year, we'll all know that his "I want to play for a winner" is a bunch of garbage.

However, Mark is not the problem. I honestly don't think I can blame him that much for his complaints. Why because I agree with him. The Rangers have acted like a small market team for too many years. The real problem with this team is Tom Hicks. In 2001, he decided to play with the big boys and signed A-Rod. Seduced into wanting the "win now" he signed and traded for a bunch of spares that turned "win now" into "win never"- Andres Gallaraga, Ken Caminiti, Todd Van Poppel, Randy Velarde, etc. Then he put a ridiculous amount of money on who was possibily the worst free agent ever, Chan Ho Park. After these stupid signings that made Hicks synonmous with idiot owners like Peter Angelos and brought the Rangers three straight last place finishes, he decided that he's had enough, trades A-Rod and gives the Yankees $9 million a year for him to hit homeruns at Yankee stadium. The problem with this team is Tom Hicks.

I want to root for winner. I am trying to believe that the future is bright, but trading Mark Tiexiera is a step backwards. At the same time, if he's leaving and I think he is, you gotta get the best deal you can. Good luck, Mark in Atlanta or New York or Boston or where ever you end up.