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Are we getting Harper Like for yes Laugh for no

No disrespect to anyone but I don’t think there are many people waiting anymore for inside info. Right now most of us are just waiting for the report that Harper has signed somewhere so we can all get some closure and move on from this nightmare of an off season.

To those getting excited over @iamshack ‘s fairly vague post, please don’t come in here to openly shit on him if the Sox don’t sign Harper.

I’m alarmed at how little I give a shit at this point.

Why are we mad that Nolan signed the extension? I think it’s pretty cool.

This seems to have become a mantra, with you. The logic is faulty. I'm surprised that this not apparent. We are talking about two different players and two separate negotiations. We don't know what is transpiring, behind the scenes, however it is a little perplexing that anyone would think that what took place with Machado, precludes any serious pursuit, by the Sox, of Harper.

Not to beat a dead horse, but again, that's why signing one of the 2 whales this offseason was crucial. Create a bit of prospect surplus and trade for more pitching. Of course the Sox think all the prospects are going to hit so no need for any of that..

Caulfield will be sure to remind us daily.

If the plan going into this offseason was not "We NEED to be the highest bidder for either Machado or Harper and ink one" then what the hell was the plan? Free agency is a simple concept, offer the largest pile of guaranteed money and you will sign the player. This is not the time for bargain bin shopping if you are serious about contention.

Many of the rainbow sunshiners tried to use him as a reason it was okay to not get Manny.

Oh look JR and Hahn waited around too long and now Machado at $30mm looks like a good deal & the price on Harper just went up to $36mm per year instead of maybe being able to get him at 10/320. Clowns. We're mired in mediocrity.

Since the Sox love including incentives in contracts, I would offer Harper the following deal. 10 years at 325 million guaranteed with an opt out after 5 years (gets him higher than Machado) 100K bonus for every home game that is a sell out while he is under contract. 25 million dollar bonus if the Sox win one World Series while he is under contract. 50 million bonus if they win two or more. 100 million if they win 3 or more.

Exactly why I said that its probably best to wait to post something like that. I won't shit on him but hes opening the door for it.

Everything I've seen says they've moved on and are focusing on the upcoming season. Everything has been tainted by this offseason. Every positive article about this team just leaves an unnerving feeling that it's pablum designed to enthrall the less initiated. I'm a huge fan of this team and organization but I can't deny that I've been sent to levels I never thought I'd get to as a Sox fan. Much has come to light in regards to ownership and front office operations that just stinks this offseason.

That money will be spent so relax. We will sign 5 players with WARS of 1 to 40 million dollar deals and other trash.

Since you're trying to compare Arenado to Harper, it might be useful to look at Bryce's career stats, at Coors' Field: In 75 plate appearances (admittedly too small of a sample size): AVG .387 OBP .489 SLG .627 Interesting, I just checked and Arenado has very similar numbers, hitting at Washington's Park.

Forearm is code for UCL

Honestly I know ptatc is going to tell me I'm wrong but whenever we get the "oh its just a forearm strain, they'll rest and rehab through it" I get annoyed because it just delays the inevitable tjs and turns a 12 month recovery into a 18 month episode.

NFL free agency starts soon. Maybe the Bears sign a running back who complements Cohen?

If they ask "Is Pepsi okay?" in a restaurant, you say yes begrudgingly and forget about it 2 sips later.

I think the Sox chances here are way better than people want to admit and all the evidence is there for those willing to see it. Lots seem happy to just mire themselves in sadness and dread when it comes to the team even though this Harper situation seems very favorable to the Sox. Favorable enough that it adds a lot of context to letting Machado walk.

Anyone getting their hopes up for Harper better be ready for the heartbreak again.. JR won't pony up for him.

Are we doing the Adam Engel could figure it out thing again?

First, after the way people with info have been treated, there is no way I would share if I was in their position. Second, my guess is that post was as far as he could go...

This offseason has been a total failure. If they miss on Bryce, there needs to be calls for Hahn to be fired.

Smash mouth to zaidi: Hey now, he’s an all star.

Y'all ain't ready.

No. Just, no.

Can't wait to see Machado and Arenado raking on the South Side in 2028.

Send them Abreu and Rodon for Welker + Pint + something. Lets burn this MF'er to the ground.

Hahn has seen War Games a few too many times and treats free agency like Thermonuclear Warfare. The only winning move is not to play.

Not in their own lil worlds they didn't

Those people already had zero ammo.

Mexico will pay for it.

So based on Shack’s tweet, I’m assuming we hear he’s agreed to a contract with the Sox by tomorrow and a press conference takes place this Friday.

Exactly. And as far as position, hey, if Madrigal is anything like they hope, Moncada was going to wind up at 1B or the OF eventually if they signed Manny. Let Harper have that roll. This is such a no brainer once in a decade, if not more rare, opportunity. Letting it pass and selling what they are trying to sell, is going to be a very difficult sell.

Money is all that matters, let’s not pretend Harper cares about anything else at the moment.

100% agree.

Hahn is getting blasted because of his over confidence with things. Telling the fans you've planned for this free agency for two years and this is the year to strike, then failing, is on him. Asking the fans for trust again during this free agency and failing is on him. He knew Jerry wouldn't go to 300, so he should have kept his mouth shut.

The Machado thing is irritating not because they didn't want to go to 10/$300. The issue is over paying and helping the Indians for Alonso and bringing in Jay. Neither guy does anything for the future of this franchise. Also if Tatis hits the common fan will now be able to see the epic failure in the White Sox giving the Padres the left side of their infield. If Harper is more than 10/$340 fine let him go...I personally think 10/$350M is my ceiling Losing both is not the worst thing it is the idea that we were told they were in on getting them but then we find out they are only in if they get them on the cheap. We as fans were given the impression that this was what the White Sox were going to do and it is obvious that it is certainly not the case.

May be me, I think it's worse to act like they bowed out. Especially if he signs for only 300 or 310. It adds to the "what did you think they were going to go for?" cluelessness and fuel to the fire that they did have an upper limit. But, it's a tortured fan base at this point so I know it will be tough to take people up and down. To be quite honest, as much as I know I will love harper if he were to sign, this machado thing was bungled so much it still wouldn't be as much of a celebration for me as if they had closed deal on machado.

This is absolutely fair. We keep talking about Rick and Kenny, but this number is going to come directly from Jerry and the board, as they know what is means for the franchise going forward. This doesn't happen without Jerry authorizing it.

Heyman got his overnight email from Boras. His tweets confirm it. Everyone is in. Everyone is bidding huge.

The following are some of the differences in the Machado and Harper "sweepstakes"; 1) At the time the Sox were negotiating with Machado, there were two "whales" available. Now, there is one. 2) One plays third, the other is an outfielder. I understand that this actually favored the pursuit of Machado. 3) One bats right handed, the other left handed, How long has Hahn been trying to acquire a middle of the order LH bat? 4) One has questionable character and fan appeal, the other is a true "marquee" attraction, much better suited to become the face of the franchise 5) Machado's career on base % is .335. Harper's is .388 (more than .50 points higher) 6) The Machado negotiations took place with a considerable amount of transparency, which ultimately proved to have disastrous consequences. It there are currently negotiations with Harper, they are being conducted with secrecy, which would be the more prudent approach, given the circumstances. 7) We have no idea how Mr. Reinsdorf views the two players, or human beings. I suspect that he would be more comfortable with Harper, than baseball's "bad boy". I'm sure that there are many more, but that list should be sufficient to dispel any notion that the two situations are comparable, and that one can equate what happened in the case of Machado, with what should be expected, with Harper. And finally, to reiterate something that I suggested some time ago, Manny's friends may have been brought in, as much to help keep him on the right path, as they were to lure him to the organization.

But look at all the attention they get.

I’m going to have a kinder interpretation that means the same thing: they care about what the money represents. Harper has been one of the games biggest stars since he arrived as a 19 year old. He wants to be the money amount that represents that, that’s why tax rates etc I don’t see as a big play though they will work around it where possible. Manny wanted to be a 300 mill player. Harper wants the biggest contract. You hit there you’ll get him.

Shameless. You'll get nothing from me and like it!!! But we are totally getting him.

The reasonable person inside me is being murdered by the insatiable optimist.

Slowly walking towards the door...

Bravo. The thing I can't stand is the fans lining up to defend them. This isn't just about Machado, it's about their systematic approach to FA and how broken and flawed it is. It feels hopeless that they will ever be able to convert on any of their targets moving forward. I keep seeing people clamor about the prospects but these people are "la la laing" the fact that they will be extraordinarily lucky if even 3 or 4 of these guys work out. They'll have to play in free agency if they hope to supplement these guys and they failed miserably and sounds like they didn't learn a damn thing through the process.