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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3151849Orioles send shortstop Tejada to Houston for 5 players
ESPN.com news services
Updated: December 12, 2007, 2:33 PM ET
The Baltimore Orioles traded shortstop Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros on Wednesday, ending a turbulent chapter with a player who two years ago wanted to be traded, went into the 2006 season with hugs and apologies for his offseason remarks, and in 2007 saw his production drop dramatically.
The blockbuster trade, first reported by The Baltimore Sun, sends five players to the Orioles -- outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate, and third-base prospect Michael Costanzo.
"It's true," Patton told the Houston Chronicle. "It's kind of really disappointing, honestly."
Tejada, who signed a six-year, $72 million deal with the Orioles in December 2003 and promised the franchise would no longer be a losing one, saw his home run total decline the past three consecutive seasons, and recently, even his defensive range had come into question. Orioles third base and infield coach Juan Samuel acknowledged to The Sun in September that Tejada "doesn't move real well."
The 2002 AL MVP with Oakland is owed $13 million in each of the next two years.
Tejada told ESPNdeportes.com, "I'll be eternally grateful to the Orioles organization and the city of Baltimore because they took me as one of their own. The fans, [owner] Peter Angelos, all supported me in good times and bad times ... Despite the fact that the team wasn't winning as we wanted, the fans were always there."
Tejada received a phone call Wednesday from new Astros general manager, Ed Wade, who immediately welcomed him to his new home. "I talked with Mr. Wade, and immediately I tried to make sure in the conversation that we both were on the same page. We both want to win," Tejada told ESPNdeportes.com.
Tejada praised Houston, saying, "There I won the Home Run Derby in 2004. It's a great city."
There was speculation the Orioles would try to move Tejada to third base; Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail met with Tejada at the end of the 2007 season to discuss a possible move, but Tejada told him he wanted to remain at shortstop. Any chance of the Orioles trading Tejada before the 2007 trade deadline essentially ended when he broke his wrist. He returned to the Orioles' lineup just days before the deadline.
In four seasons with Tejada at shortstop and in the middle of their lineup, the Orioles went 291-357, finishing fourth in the American League East three times and third once.
Tejada played in 619 of the 648 games in four seasons, missing 29 games during the 2007 season. His consecutive games played streak of 1,152, the fifth longest in baseball history, ended June 22 when he went on the disabled list with a fractured left wrist after getting hit by a pitch from San Diego Padres reliever Doug Brocail.
Tejada finished this past season with a .296 average, 18 home runs and 81 RBIs. All were lows as an Oriole. The shortstop's home run and RBI totals were also the lowest since 1999, his first full season in the major leagues.
In 2005, Tejada came under scrutiny after teammate Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for steroids. Palmeiro said Tejada gave him vitamin B-12 that might have been tainted with performance-enhancing drugs. Tejada denied any wrongdoing and his name has not been linked to any wrongdoing.
The Associated Press and ESPN.com's Keith Law contributed to this report.
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