Teixeira coming back home?

Count Baltimore in on the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes. According to The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have reached out to Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras.

"We have had discussions with his representative," Orioles President Andy MacPhail was quoted as saying in The Sun. According to the publication, the Orioles contacted Boras on Friday -- the first day teams were allowed to go after free agents. The super agent simply told them he'd get back to them when he was ready to talk specifics, according to The Sun.

Other teams that are linked to Teixeira include: the Angels (whose top priority is to resign him this offseason), Nationals, Yankees and Red Sox.

Now, the real question is whether Baltimore would be willing to pay the amount of money Teixeira -- born in nearby Severna Park, Md. -- will make in the free-agent market. With Boras representing him, that figure will likely be in the $20 million range somewhere between five and 10 years.

But the Orioles obviously aren't like the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox, which spend thriftly every offseason. So, if a deal is reached with Teixeira -- although that still seems very far away -- that would likely be it in terms of big-splash free agents this year. That would mean the Orioles likely wouldn't get the caliber starting pitching they desperately need (bye bye, A.J. Burnett), or probably won't get the everyday shorstop they want. Instead, they'll be addressing a position they can fill with Aubrey Huff and -- if they choose to bring him back -- Kevin Millar.

The other wrinkle, of course, is Teixeira is pretty darn good. The switch-hitting 28-year-old has hit over .300 the last two years and, over his past five seasons, has belted at least 30 homers and knocked in more than 100 runs.

Is it worth it?

-- Alden Gonzalez