TODAY: Johnson has denied any recent meetings with Harper, leading to a significantly revised Yahoo report. It’s not entirely clear from the current version of the story whether the Dodgers have or will send a contingent to meet with Harper at all.
YESTERDAY: The Dodgers have held a sit-down with free agent superstar Bryce Harper, according to a report from Tim Brown and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. It’s a must-read update on the still-developing market for one of the winter’s marquee free agents.
Of particular note, the Los Angeles behemoth has now made a notable foray into the Harper market — a possibility that was never quite clear but always tantalized. Minority owner and NBA legend Magic Johnson led a delegation to Harper’s home town of Las Vegas, suggesting at a minimum that pursuing Harper is a serious consideration for an organization that has not generally chased top free agents under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
At the outset of the offseason, we did predict that Harper would land with the Dodgers, and score a massive contract in the process. But that was anything but a high-probability prediction, as the outfielder’s market was then and remains difficult to assess in the usual manner. Harper, after all, is a rather unique commodity. Like fellow free agent Manny Machado, he’s an established star who only recently turned 26 years of age. Both players also have their blemishes, to be sure, but the talent ceilings and volume of potentially prime seasons are, in both cases, immense.
Thus it is that, as the Yahoo duo report, “upward of a dozen” organizations across the league have or likely will follow Magic in a Vegas road trip to chat with Harper. The Yankees are among them, despite a litany of reports suggesting they won’t pursue this particular opportunity, while the Phillies are an unsurprising club in the market as well.
We’ve heard plenty about the White Sox to date, of course, but the seriousness of their pursuit has been tough to gauge. According to Yahoo, the South Siders have dispatched Jim Thome and others to help woo Harper to a rebuilding situation. Other possibilities abound, with the Cubs, Padres, Astros, and Cardinals all tabbed as teams with at least speculative potential interest. (That’s all in addition to the incumbent Nats, of course.)
The report cautions that these early visits don’t necessarily signal an all-in commitment to chase the market on Harper. Certainly, it’s worth bearing in mind that the teams are still assessing their respective levels of interest. Still, it seems promising for Harper that he has drawn this much focus from nearly half the teams in baseball — particularly given that they’re all already aware that he reportedly turned down a $300MM offer to stay in DC.
There was never any doubt, of course, that he’d be heavily pursued. But there are relatively few big-spending teams with clear-cut needs in the corner outfield, making it tough to guess at interest based upon team need and even historical spending patterns. It seems, though, that there are at least quite a few teams that are willing to assign significant resources to assess whether Harper is enough of an asset, on and off the field, to warrant not only an enormous outlay but also some roster maneuvering to fit.
Really hope the Astros sit this one out. Want no part of that over inflated contract.
I can’t wait for the Mariners to offer him a contract…oh wait, nevermind.
#rebuild #longestplayoffdroughtjustgotlonger
Hoping mariners sign him..trade to my Phils for B.O.B (bag of balls,same as ya got for Jean Machine AND Pazos( surprised even ME) and ZERO prospects. Man,seriously. Ive considered moving to Oregon..kinda close to yer border but..other than that cool blue astroturf,and the Pacific…i dunno. Plus,i think too many liberals there.. BAD trade,tho. Seriously.JP SUX.
(
You got more annoying and unlikeable the longer your comment went on, impressive.
Agree
Agreed
Don’t move to Oregon, too many people already have and it’s made Oregon suck. Move somewhere with a reasonable cost of living like Cleveland or something, just stay away from Oregon lol
I can’t really say whether or not Oregon sucks, but from what I do know at least the climate there sure sucks. Rain, rain and more rain!
Watch out for ANTIFA. They wear all black with red and wear helmets with body armor. Who does that remind you of?
One of the most annoying posts ever here. Kudos.
JP was in a bad spot in Philly. He was also in a fantastic class coming up. When you are being compared to Francisco Lindor and his star power, that’s a ton of pressure. When you have the Philly press to deal with, that’s pressure. Seattle is much more easy going and pressure free. Change of scenery will do him good.
So is your spelling and grammar Dani. Stay in Philly but dude, lay off the hot peppers in your cheesesteaks. Ask for some “special” mushrooms at Gino’s so you can mellow out.
This is just one of many articles like this to come.
Sometimes, Boras’ clients’ sign December… Right?!!
Some of the big ones in the past have at the winter meetings.
I’ll believe when I see it on the video tape.
That name change shall rear her ugly head in the next Machado article.
I predict they will stall the market and regret undoing so based on last years class.
Someone is going to surpass the Pujols deal in terms of biggest waste of money in baseball history.
“The Yankees are among them, despite a litany of reports suggesting they won’t pursue this particular opportunity…” like I’ve been saying all along. Brace yourself 🙂
The Dodgers have been hesitant to give out lengthy contracts. I’m not convinced they offer Harper the years he will be seeking. The same goes for the Yankees. They really don’t need another outfielder, even the one the caliber as Harper. They have more pressing holes to be filled. The Phillies make a ton of sense. They are looking to add a star. Harper has always hit well in Philly. They now have a corner outfield spot open with Hoskins headed back to first & they have a ton of payroll flexibility.
i can see them doing something like 5 years with a couple of opt outs, like year 2 and 4 or something.
As a HUGE Phillies fan,id offer 5/225. Methinks,tho he turned down nats offer,he goes back or,if he wants to win….something the Nats cannot do,he will come here. Same ought be said 4 Corbin…if its just money. Ive lived here 58 years…tead alot of the blogs,posts. Phillies ARE PREPARED to pay higher on BOTH.Just signed billion dollar (sic) revenue package for tv. WE HAVE ALOT OF MONEY. I dont think its the best idea…id do Madbum trade,Ramod,Brantly signing first but…folk want Bryce
Only time i liked Papelbon. And hes our save leader all time.
alright, xabial…we’re gonna need that downvote option over here STAT
Happy? I gave you the first one!
BWAHAHAHAHA!
What sense does $225M/5 make for the Phillies? They’d be killing their luxury tax implications by giving him $45M/year when that is not necessary. It would make more sense to give him a longer deal with a lower AAV, and if you’re worried about the money, then simply pay more of it upfront/early on so it’s a deal that can be traded down the line.
Why would Harper take 5 years when he can get 10? He’ll have opt-outs either way. Why in the world would he sign a contract that will provide the club with more benefits when he can almost get whatever he wants.
I agree.
He’s looking to sign “the biggest deal ever”. (at least until Trout is a FA in 2 years)…..That might be the Main Goal.
If he takes any short deal, it’ll probably be something like a 2/$90 or a 3/$125M deal. Then he could re-enter FA at 28-29…..and still sign a 10-yr deal (if he’s still producing, and I bet he will be……imho)
I think they don’t give out long contracts because FA’s are usually around 30.
Agreed.
Shocker, who would of thought teams were interested in Harper.
I don’t think this was {1:00 AM ET} breaking mobile app notification worthy.
I predicted he’d sign with the Dodgers so please prove me right. Please?
I still picked the Nationals; I just can’t imagine a way that they don’t bring him back, especially given their relationship with Boras
he will wait out the market to long amd realize the nationals had the best offer…only addition will be am opt out clause
An opt out clause is a huge addition. It could end up almost doubling his earnings (A-Rod got an extra $200M when he opted out).
And unless he gets a 14 year deal that takes him to retirement, yes, he will want an opt out.
Look at the Nats future salary commitments. Look deep. They can’t add a $350 – $400 Million deal to that.
They have to pay Scherzer $105 Million…..AFTER he is a FA, and playing somewhere else. ($15 Mil/year from 2022 – 2028)……..LMAO
Or…..they could restructure Scherzer’s contract to be paid out over the next 30 years….A La Bobby Bonilla……LOL
That $350-$400 is likely going to be over a 8-10 year period. They can absolutely afford Harper at $35 per season.
As much as I’d want Harper, the Astros should most definitely stay away! I’d like to see Nelson Cruz at DH for a year. Package Tyler white and JB Bukakus for Goldy. Sign Eovaldi/Morton, Britton, and, Maldonado and call it a day. If that’s the case, theyll have the best looking lineup on paper and only.increase about 20mil from last year. 1 thru 4 in the rotation would be playoff-worthy while the 5th spot would be an opportunity to develop the next round of pitching prospects. Not to mention, they’d keep all their top100 prospects protected and Cruz + Goldy will provide well timed vacancies for the next wave of young talent to take advantage of.
Nelly was the Cardinals representative in Vegas.
They did meet up although Kris Bryant was there as well. lol
mo nelly?
No some one hit wonder rapper
One hit wonder? Yeesh… dude was prolific.
Was? Yeesh… dude still is!
Rap is not music…sorry.
There’s a reason it rhymes with crap.
Yeah ok. Whatever it is, it’s consistently among the best selling genres in terms of streaming music and box office concert receipts. Stop being an old foggy. Or are you still running around using terms “23 skiddo” and doing the “charleston”.?
He had one good song, the rest of his songs he needed other artists to even appear relevant. I’ll rescind my statement but he still isn’t that great. He was good in The Longest Yard though.
It’s 22 skidoo
Curious, the Giants dont get a mention.
There’s about 12 teams in the mix. They mentioned about half. I don’t know if Harper is worth 350 million. Don’t be surprised if the Giants want nothing to do with it.
Lol why should they
Apparently you haven’t met baseball1600 yet.
I wonder what Pete Rose Jr. is doing nowadays?
I’m so glad the Cubs are broke again because of restaurants and hotels nobody cares about. They don’t need to overpay on another contract
The Cubs aren’t “broke”. They THRIVE in the 3rd largest media market in the nation. They’re also about to launch their own network.
Please, pay attention…
Tell Theo that
Hey cub fans that own network thing is a myth! And the so called dynasty is over.
You only comment to bash the Cubs. Anything you say is irrelevant
Trying not to get my hopes up. But if Magic Johnson can convince Lebron to come to the rebuilding lakers then I think he can convince Bryce to come to the contending Dodgers (assuming the dodgers make a serious offer).
Difference here is mlb doesn’t have max contracts. The only way magic will have as much influence here is if he outbids the field. And in the nba LeBron knew how much the Lakers were allowed to offer before the meeting $ wasn’t even negotiated.
It sure is convenient this year’s winter meetings are in Las Vegas, with Harper being a local and hitting free agency and all. It’s just a coincidence though, I’m sure.
The NFL an the NBA are probably rigged, so why wouldn’t baseball be?
I love jim tome…but only 5 all-star appearances???? he got hosed the years he bit 47 & 51 hrs as he also had great OBP ECT. those stats today would make harper look like a fool.
Harper is overrated to begin with even nowadays.
not overrated just his ego hurts his true value
No thanks!
Not a big Harper fan, but he has had little protection around him. Imagine his numbers in between Judge and Stanton in Yankee Stadium!
Little protection? He was in a lineup this past season with Rendon, Murphy, Soto, Turner and Eaton. Their lineup has been loaded with talent the past 3 years.
Murphy and Eaton were injured for months, Soto was a mid season call up and Turner struggled hitting between the 1-6 spots in batting order. Harper was surrounded by the Defoes, Keiboom, Michael Taylor, weiters of the world.
I did mention “years” 2016 and 2017 don’t count? Those were both high powered offenses. Murphy was borderline MVP. Rendon was Rendon. Zimmerman was unstoppable for the fist half of the season. Bryce has been in a taleneted lineup the last few years.
Don’t forget Harper batting leadoff.
Harper to Padres 10yrs/$362mil
The Padres?
The Team with 72 OF’s on their roster?
The Team that has been trying to trade away some of the plethora of young, talented OF’s?
Padres splurged on Hosmer last winter……..and they are already “holding their head in their hands” over that deal. Ooooops…….
Who’s your team??
The Padres??? Man you must be dreaming. That would be the funniest move in the world. The one of the NL’s most prolific HR hitters going to the least HR hitting friendly ball-park??? That would make zero sense. Why would he do that? You couldn’t give him a billion dollar contract and expect him to go there. The Yankees will offer him 10 years and $400 million. The Phillies will offer 10 years $401 million. See where I’m going? The Phillies are going to always be the highest bidding team and the Yankees don’t need him. He’s a luxury they don’t need.
Career numbers at Citizens Bank Park:
.268/.365/.564/.929…5 doubles, 3 triples, `14 HRs, 32 RBIs…the most HRs in any visiting park. I’ll take that. Either 8 years $320; or 10 years $400. Make sure it’s front loaded so if they need to get rid of him late in the contract they can. Also, make sure there is a player opt out somewhere late to be mutually beneficial..
BullShit! Harper to the Cards! 10years/350million!
He’s not signing for less that $40 million/year and the Phillies have it. Phillies will always be the highest bidding team. The Dodgers have other needs, pitching is one. The Yankees don’t need him; he’d be a luxury…they need pitching and a better catcher (someone who can catch the ball actually). The Phillies are the only ones left. He has the best numbers in that park than any other visiting park. He’d be a monster there. Plus with Segura batting in front of him and Hoskins batting behind him, he gets pitches to hit. He’ll have a mammoth shot at MVP provided he stays healthy. If he goes to any other team, he doesn’t do anything like that.
Bryce Harper could put up MVP numbers on either side of Chicago in a trio with Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo OR Eloy Jimenez and Jose Abreu…along with plenty of other potential destinations.
And the Sox have the money, along with a cracker jack box for a park.
Harper wouldn’t come to St. Louis unless the Cards traded for Goldschmidt and Then Trade with Cleveland for their ace.
Or maybe just offered him the most money?
Ugh, I hope not.
Some team is going to sign Harper to a huge contract only to be disappointed with performance and behavior, hope it isn’t the Dodgers.
I also have said from the beginning that Harper will probably b a Yankee. Not just because I’m a fan. But, because dating all the way back to the draft process. He’s stated he wants to wear pinstripes in his career.
And I’ve also explained that a Judge, Stanton, Harper corner OF/DH mix and match is the best way to keep them all healthy and producing for the playoffs. Plus that’s a scary 3-4-5 middle of the lineup.
Yankees get Harper and Corbin. Then find a stop gap middle IFer till DiDi is ready to go.
My guess is they go hard after Machado. They can move either him or Didi to after next year. They need to move Sanchez because he’s awful. Corbin may go to Philly, may go to NYY. I’m guessing NYY. But, they have so many OFs they just don’t need him unless they are going to stay pat on the infield and then use Harper and move Stanton.
Well at least I might get one of these predictions right
Come on Bryce! Come join the Cards!
Let’s win us our 12th World Series Title!
Still saying Cubs.
I get the feeling that last years finish has them primed to reload in a big way. Big market, already in a winning phase, his buddy is on the team…I think they’ll be creative enough with the roster to make room for him in LF.
I dont envy the franchise that gets underneath a 10 yr contract though and I honestly think Harp only gets 5-6 yrs at 30-40 per. Owners dont/wont repeat the Pujols/Miggy/Heyward/Stanton type deals. Teams saw last off season that they can hold out and temper the market.
Not all things are created equal. Pujols and Miggy were both well into 30’s (32-33) when they signed their deals that all go thru into their early 40s. They had to know that was a bad idea from the beginning, especially knowing that aside, from Ortiz, most guys that were all-star level producers into their late 30s were on PEDS. So management has no one to blame but themselves. Heyward, imo, was overpaid because he posted a couple of years of 5+ WAR which were largely based on his defense. His bat was never elite and he never was a guy who deserved $20 mil per.
Any 8-10 year deal has an inherit risk. Signing an elite-ish 26 year old isn’t as risky as PPujols and Cabrera who were already approaching their declining years.
I concur on Miggy/Pujols. They were both paid on past performance. And yes there is always risk on long term deals. But I like what I heard a GM say the other day… anytime you can’t see the end of the contract, it’s a risk you must be willing to take. I took that to mean, what is your team going to look like in 3-4 yrs vs 8-10 yrs? It’s easier to predict where/how the big contracts will fit in the big picture. I think he was referring to Donaldsons contract at the time.
I agree. Cubs.
I miss when the comments section was legitimate thoughts on teams actions.. not people crying back and forth cuz of a stupid up or down vote..
This site desperately needs a moderator. And this section is a strong example of why.
The staff on this site need to have the stones to actually permanently ban all of these trolls that have infested this place over the past few years.
I guess they care more about clicks than their community.
Dodgers or Yankees. He has big market mind set.
I am so sick of Magic Johnson.
Why? Because he wants to win?
Really… I thought he was dying of AIDS.
Him and Montel Williams.
You guys are right a long term deal of this magnitude has never worked out. But, ADL of this size has never been offered to someone as young as Harper
For all of you thinking a 10 year deal will work with Harper remember that pujols was given a 10 year deal and still is owed 3/87m
In the case of Harper and Machado you can’t compare them to Pujols who signed his deal at age 32/33 to last all the way into his 40’s. Health is a concern and of course the drop of as they enter their age 33-36 age but that’s not the same as the Pujols and Miggy comps.
Unless he can manage, Harper is not LA bound.
The only thing the Yankees are going to be bidding on, for now, is the YES Network. They won’t sign any star players, while that’s still going on, because it would drive up the value of the tv rights YES owns.
My guess is, that will stall the whole market, this year. So the earliest we’ll see anything big happen is January.
Whoever gets him will be sorry in a few years. 8 years, 10 years? sorry, but a bad deal.
For people who think $300M is way too much money to a single player, reflect on this:
Betts and Trout are going to require a $500M initial offer, just to pull up a chair and sit down to the negotiating table. The price is gonna go up from there.
And a (very realistic) 12 year, $600M contract Trout or Betts would say yes to right now would still be a drop in the bucket for the owners.
If they both signed right now, the $1.2B price tag would add up to less than 1% of the $150B of revenues baseball is set to generate, in the next 12 years.
Mr. Boras, is that you?
There might be a maximum of 1/3 of all teams that could afford 30+ mil for 1 player. Of that, maybe 5-7 would be willing to give that length and AAV. Once a team signs a contract like that, they are less likely to do another… and now your handfull just got a little smaller.
I think you might be underestimating the role analytics are playing in front office decisions. Look at the number of megadeals by players over the age of 30. Contracts are starting to be look at in terms of return on investment… and paying someone 35-40 mil a year in to their late 30’s is usually not a good risk. I get that these guys are elite but the price tag you are quoting is a potential franchise killer.
500m and 600m deals?? Don’t think so. Everyone thought the housing bubble would never pop either. We are staring at major economic issues probably by 2020. Corporate , private and government debt keep spiraling out of control.
The Astros need starting pitching more than it needs harper. His large contract could make it hard to sign some of their young stars to extensions. Correa and Bregman won’t be cheap. Let’s see how Cole performs next year because he could be in for a big extension if he does well. I won’t complain if we sign harper, I just think that we could a lot more with that money.
I read yesterday that the Yankees Cardinals and Phillies are the three finalists for Harper.
Cards aren’t getting Harper.
I hope that’s fake news, I don’t want the Yanks to sign him.
You should put an application at Yahoo, you would fit right in.
Oof!
Fake news!
“Johnson has denied any recent meetings with Harper, leading to a significantly revised Yahoo report”
Exactly how does one screw up this badly?
It was the Russian hackers with ties to Putin. Has all the hallmarks.
Yankees could really use his lefthanded bat and he’s an OBP machine
Hell no! Keep his overrated ass out the Yankees!
Why would they have considered anything credible from Yahoo? Those guys over there are a complete joke. Most of them can’t even compose a proper sentence, much less be the first to break a story.
If the Dodgers are seriously keeping an eye on the Harper sweepstakes it does reveal they maybe willing to get involved. The Dodgers last season wanted Stanton and Stanton was willing to waive to go to them. The Stanton deal as it stands at 24million per, 29yo, 8 more seasons, opt out after next season, will look like a pretty decent deal after Harper signs well above 300 million. Stanton had a down year adjusting to the league change and pinstripes but still put up very solid numbers, be it a down year! If Stanton were willing to waive again to go to the Dodgers and the Dodgers send 2 top 10 prospects to Arizona, then Arizona sends Grienke and Goldy to the Yanks and the Yanks send a few top ten prospects plus Elsbury contract to offset some of Grienke contract back to Arizona a blockbuster 3 way deal can potentially happen. Yanks can sign Harper for the 300 plus million contract and they free up DH and put Harper in Left. Now I will wait for the funny responses on my 3 way trade proposal.
Ultimately Arizona free up Grienke 105 million (35 million per) and now owing 47 million with medical insurance coverage. Arizona also brings back 4 of the Dodgers and Yanks top 10 prospects which no doubt will all be in their top 10. They deal Goldy who is in his last year and probably does not resign on a rebuilding team. Yanks can even add Voit or Bird with the prospects and Elsbury contract if Elsbury waives and goes back home. Fantasy trade but in a way it makes a ton of sense for a rebuilding team to get rid of a contract and rebuild the farm.
If the Dodgers were presented that deal (doubt they would go looking for it), they would be smart to pass. Stanton is a strikeout machine and they already have a full assembly line of those. He whiffed over 200 times with only a handful of intentional walks. That tells you he isn’t getting quality pitches because they (pitchers) know they don’t have to get it in the zone.
I also wouldn’t say this was as much of a “down year’ as much as it was a return to norm. 59hr was an outlier.
I actually disagree whole heartedly. Stanton definitely had a down year and yes the strikeouts were a major concern but the fact he was new to the league and had to make adjustments and still put up very good numbers reveal he is due to have a better season next. I feel Stanton has a ton of monster years left but the fact is he should be in RF and the Yanks have a RF in Judge. Stanton to me is average to slightly below in left in my opinion and having him clog up the DH spot is not wise.
I wouldn’t want my team to sign Harper, I’ll get that out of the way.
But I think there’s a disconnect between the exuberance fans have for their teams tanking for 2-3 years to build up a (hopefully) 3-5 year competitiveness window, and the disdain fans have for contracts that will hurt you 5+ years from now.
If you sign Harper for 10 years and you’re competitive for the first 6-7 years of his contract before it becomes a hindrance, why is that worse than tanking for 3 years now?
I agree. The turn around to rebuild teams and compete seems to be much quicker now, the Yanks did it while contending and actually revealed a new way of rebuilding for big market teams but small market teams can certainly rebuild much quicker. The goal is to get out of bad contracts, Grienke is still pitching very good in the NL but at 35yo and a diminished fastball I can’t say paying him 35 million per is a good contract going forward for a rebuilding team and only contending teams may be willing to take on 75% of that contract as it stands?
The Yankees rebuilt by buying and then trading the best available relievers on the market at the time; Chapman and Miller. Every rebuilding team picks up and flips relievers. NOT every team can afford to do it with the best relievers on the market.
The Yankees didn’t revolutionize rebuilding. The Cubs did though.
How can you say that. They been rebuilding for 100 years and finally won?
Lol stop
So the alleged meeting with “Magic” and Harper probably hasn’t happened and may never occur. At least the bit about the White Sox involvement remains status quo…for now! lol
Harper’s wearing White Sox colors on 2019 MLB The Show cover. Just say’in.
Wouldn’t even consider signing the kid. Far too much money for a .240ish hitter.
The Padres?
I’m sure this is Preller doing his due diligence…..but.
Wow.
Yahoo had to revise the story that they made up.
So that whole story was bogus about the Dodgers meeting up with Harper? How the hell could you spit out fake news like that!! Lol
Probably made up by his agent to drive up the price
Bryce Harper is just a big name free agent who the Cardinals have absolutely no intention of signing!! Their president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak, always associates the Cardinals organization with an assortment of the top free agents available or the top trade candidates. Always settles for second best, oft injured, Low Hanging Fruit players.
I get it … since they have a surplus of outfielders already, the Dodgers sign Harper and move him back to his original position (Catcher) and fill a position of need.
The Cardinals, if the past 4 seasons are any indication, Will Not sign ANY top quality players for 2019. Mozeliak and DeWitt do this every year to give the Cardinal Fans BIG DREAMS so they will buy up 3 million season tickets in January. After their season ticket sales hit their peak, Mozeliak will tell the public that they tried real hard. No one was a fit. So…. Mozeliak says he will just fill from within and patch other areas with low hanging fruit. Making suckers every year out of the Cardinal Nation of loyal Fans.
Jesus. This again.
Hey, Johnny One Note, can you pick up your soapbox when you’re done with your irrelevant rants, I dang near tripped over it walking through here.
Cards Management living rent free in your head, since aaaaaages ago.
You have an illness – get help.
Yahoo is a joke
A delegation from a mystery team met with Harper at an undisclosed location.
It’s gonna be Yanks or Cubbies, Philly in 3rd place. Nobody is going to Louie if the money is the same , and they will not overpay it for 10 yrs. Last team Dodgers, well they are losers, LA have their chance, no way they will go in WS 3x in a row, and to go through Brew Cubs Braves Nats or Rockies again, nope.
So there you go.
It will go down not just because of money, because everybody will be throwing. The main thing will be how contract is constructed, opt-outs and years wise.
CWS need to ink two quality starters as a bridge to their young talent before BH would even consider us. Good thing he’s not in a hurry to sign.
Reddit is posting that Magic Johnson has a flight scheduled for Las Vegas today on his personal plane.
Mr. MacPhisto;
Excellent reply, with keen insights and erudite perception.
I hope Harp reads it and sees that most CWS fans are fans of the game first, and their beloved White Sox a close second.
Could tip the balance in the event of a tie. I do believe CWS will be among the highest bidders. (Though not to the point of ‘stupidity’.)
Is Harper a .250 hitter or a .330 hitter? He’s prone to slumps that last weeks because of all the moving parts. He’s also missed 120 games over 5 years. He’s knocked in 100 one time in his career. He’s had an ops over .900 twice in his 7 season’s. Yes, he plays hard all the time. He’s had over 150 hits one time in his career. He is a ‘winning is all that matters’ player, which is great and he’s only 26. But I’m sorry, I don’t see how he’s worth 10/300million. Who ever signs him will struggle with payroll for the next decade. That’s just greed. I’d love to see a team guarantee him less then offer 40 million a year in incentives based on team wins and post season appearances.
If Harper didn’t look the way he did, he wouldn’t get nearly as much hype. Is he a good ball player? Of course. Is he worth anywhere near the money he’s going to get? Absolutely not. This is the end result of good aesthetics.
To me, Harper is worth every bit of 10/$300. The question everyone’s asking is will he get $400+ million.
Look at his OBP.. as so many if not everyone in this comment section has conveniently looked past in order to label him overrated. Whether he’s .250 or .330 hitter doesn’t really matter if he’s hitting 2nd. That’s a .390 or .460 OBP. If he has hitters around him, he’s going to be a monster.
The Phillies should trade with the Yankees for Stanton. Then the Yankees can go after Harper. How much fun would that be.
How could the Padres be a listed team! Even though I would LOVE to have a guy like that, and he would bring a ton of fans in.. Which the Pads do desperately need! That contract would kill us!?
signing anybody to expensive, 10 year contracts never has worked……ever
Ok, but how many people have signed a 10-year deal at age 26? The ones that come to mind have taken players into their 40’s or, in A-Rod’s case, was A-Rod: a cheater who disappeared in the playoffs year after year. Harper and Machado won’t be worth their money at the end of the deal, but if you use WAR * $8M, they might be worth it over the lifetime of their deals. They only need to average 3.75 WAR/yr to do it.