After three Red Sox executives met with Boras and Teixeira in Texas and failed to reach a contract agreement, John Henry, the club’s owner, sent an e-mail message to members of the news media that might have been more of a message to Boras.
“We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him,” Henry said. “After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor.”
The Red Sox were believed to be offering Teixeira, a switch-hitting first baseman, an eight-year contract for slightly more than $20 million a year. But with one late-night e-mail, the Red Sox shifted from being the favorites to sign Teixeira to saying they were out of the negotiations. Or did they?