Word is now circulating that an announcement of Mark Teixeira’s fate is “imminent” (ESPN), and that he could make a decision as soon as today (Washington Times). But what if the free-agent first baseman waits to decide on his new East Coast location?

Major League Baseball will close its doors for the holidays after a half-day on Dec. 24. The offices will remain shuttered until Jan. 5.

All the same, league officials can approve deals electronically from out-of-office locations, so there is at least a good chance that the a decision that has hijacked most of baseball’s offseason will get done before the new year. That said, at least one acquaintance of Teixeira said that, while the first baseman prefers to make a decision by Christmas, he wouldn’t be shocked if the 28-year-old allowed the process to continue into the early weeks of January if he and agent Scott Boras believed that it would lead to a better deal.

The countdown continues…