By most measures, first baseman Mark Teixeira was everything the Angels could have hoped for when they acquired him from the Atlanta Braves before the trade deadline.
Teixeira hit .358 with 13 home runs, 39 runs and 43 RBIs for the Angels, reaching base in 49 of 54 games.
But by the measure that this trade was really aimed at -- the postseason -- the acquisition of Teixeira did nothing to change the Angels' recent string of playoff disappointments. They were eliminated in the first round for the third time in the past five years, all by the Boston Red Sox.
Teixeira gets none of the blame for that (he went 7-for-15 in his first taste of the playoffs, though all the hits were singles), and he will enter the free agent market this offseason as the most attractive position player available. The Angels figure to make a concerted effort to sign him to a long-term deal. But Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, is expected to seek one of the largest contracts in baseball -- $200 million over eight to 10 years.
Teixeira said he would take some time after the Angels' playoff elimination to clear his head and then would "go to work and get ready to make some decisions." He acknowledged that his time in Anaheim made the Angels a viable candidate for his services long term.
"I really wasn't thinking about Anaheim until I got traded here," he said. "This is an amazing organization. I have great respect for everyone from Arte (Moreno) to Tony (Reagins) and Mike (Scioscia) and everyone.
"This is definitely going to give me something to think about."
--RHP Darren O'Day passed through waivers and was outrighted to Class AAA Salt Lake in a procedural move aimed at freeing up a spot on the Angels' 40-man roster. O'Day, 26, is rehabbing a torn labrum in hopes of avoiding surgery and was not much of a risk to be claimed off waivers. The side-armer went 0-1 with a 4.57 ERA in 30 relief appearances with the Angels this season.
--RHP Rafael Rodriguez was added to the 40-man roster in the spot vacated by Darren O'Day. Rodriguez, 24, split time between Class AA and Class AAA last season, going 2-4 with 11 saves and a 1.86 ERA in 42 Class AA relief appearances and 2-0 with a 6.28 ERA in nine appearances in Class AAA.
--The Angels will be represented by two players on the American Division team in the Rising Stars Game in the Arizona Fall League. RHP David Herndon and OF Chris Pettit were selected for the exhibition game. Herndon, 23, was 3-7 with 17 saves in Class A last season, while Pettit, 24, hit .248 in 61 games at Class AA, where he was limited by injury this season.
--INF Maicer Izturis began working out with the Angels during their brief stay in the postseason. Izturis had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb and is expected to recover fully in time for spring training.
--Six Angels players are expected to play in the Dominican Republic winter league for the Estrellas club, for which Angels coach Alfredo Griffin is a coach: OF Reggie Willits, INF Brandon Wood, Cs Ben Johnson and Bobby Wilson, RHP Shane Loux and OF Brad Coon.
