wrathofhahn

I'm hearing from my sources it may take longer. Don't take it to the bank but I heard from someone who knows somebody who knows somebody who drove Kenny Williams secretary that she heard from Hahns secretary that Boras wants to drag this out.

I think he had a no movement clause which is why he was straight released. I find it hard to believe someone wouldn't have traded for him otherwise.

The problem is his defense. If he already sucks at 25 can we realistically expect his to continue to play the field into his 30's? I mean people are like just throw him at DH do we really want a 40 million dollar DH for the last 4-5 years of his deal? People are acting like signing Harper isn't a win now move but in alot of ways it is. Actually while I don't want Machado either the fit is better because he plays a position we don't have a lot of minor league depth and he more importantly actually plays it well. The issue with him is his bat is more questionable that and he has some character concerns. But I think given the choice I'd choose Machado.

According to fangraphs Harper was the 34th best position player in baseball over the last three years. https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2018&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=21,d&page=1_50 400 million seems like a lot for a guy ranked just ahead of Daniel Murphy.

Boras slow plays his top guys you guys are going to drive yourselves insane hanging on every word some nobody on twitter says for the next 3 months.

That only works if you throw in a sinker like McCutchen did in 2016. You take the average of the last two years and normalize it to 650 PA you end up with 3 WAR. In any case there will be even more extreme examples as FA goes along

I'm sorry but that post above yours is fake news. I feel for anyone dumb enough to fall such stupidity. Take a small paycut to pay for Machado and Harpers salaries I mean I spit out my coffee just reading it

That number is complete bullshit as it relates to cost opportunity and FA. I don't know even why it's used. McCutchen was worth around 3 WAR last year he is not getting paid 27 million.

Sure I prefer DRS and use BR. They also make it much easier carve up the data but regardless of which method you use both say Harper is a bad defender and neither WAR totals justify the kind of contract is looking for. He is looking for perennial MVP type money 7-10 WAR. Even fangraphs which is less hard on his defense has him worth 3 WAR, 4.8 WAR, 3.5 WAR the last three years. None of those years justify 40 million AAV

That is fine it would be a pretty boring existence if everyone agreed with each other. But I'll at least add some facts to the discussion Harper was worth 1.3 WAR last season. Harper has had three seasons where he been worth 1.5 WAR or less. He has averaged 2.5 WAR, 3.2 WAR/650 PA the last three years. His defense has been awful and he plays a non premium position. He's valuable hitter but so was JD Martinez. One got 5/110 the other is looking for 10/400. Since 2014 JD Martinez has averaged 5.5 WAR/650, Harper since he was called up 5.0 WAR/650. Sure Harper is younger but he also wants to get paid 40 million until he is 36 and if he is averaging 40 million count me as skeptical he builds much if any surplus value to offset those later years. . JD Martinez will get paid 48 million in first two and if he doesn't opt out around 63 million over his next 3 or 21 AAV taking him through ages 32,33,34.

Boras is playing everyone for fools he does this everyyear putting interest in the media trying to draw up a bidding war for his client. We know what the barometer is The Nationals have said they won't go more then 300 million. The Yankees have said the same via Machado. Boras was ten years 400 million. With a bunch of opt out closes because why not. We'd be a fool to give it to him. Hell we'd be a fool to give him 300 million but that is what he'll likely get. The thing is Harper is coming off two down seasons. This beyond stupid neither of these players are Arod. Or Trout. They are capable of putting that kind of season together but if it's 10 years 30-40 million you have to consistently be a 6-10 WAR player. Neither guy is that. I'd be running away from both guys or Machado case jogging.

They have Pederson-Bellinger-Puig there really is no spot for him in the OF. Plus they have to get Kemp at bats and Enrique. LAD stadium is sort of the perfect place for him to pitch as Kluber gets older. I get it. I wouldn't be surprised if they move Puig as well in the deal. He'll be expensive probably 12-13 million in arb.

Why would you trade Thor if you are trading for Realmuto? Seems both would fit in similar windows.

Fits in well with this group. He can hit a fastball the problem is he's never seen a ball he thinks he can't hit. He has zero plate discipline and I mean none.

And my suggestion is to receive basically half of what was being offered back for Goldie. Insane is the expectation that he is worthless. If he were teams wouldn't keep calling about him

They could be then again maybe not. We don't know what is being offered. The Astros reportedly offered two top 100 prospects for Goldie plus some other mystery players and instead settled for two MLB ready former top 50 prospects and a comp B pick,

He maybe I like Solis too. He'd work as a 2nd guy as well.

Nova would work fine as the 2nd or 3rd guy in a trade. I often don't understand after these deals we hear a GM is presented with two options a 25 year old 4A player and a young highly regarded guy like Nova how many pick the 4A guy.

SB Nation is usually good if you want to read up on other teams stuff.

I also think the time to move him even coming off a down season is now. We've seen teams willing to overpay in trades rather then bend to FA demands.

Astros Alvarez.

I mean it depends on the demand and how he is viewed as a hitter by those clubs. I hope we could get one top 50 prospect like Alvarez and two interesting C guys with upside. At this point I would consider that an extremely good haul.

Agreed he'd be a good buy low candidate. Has some control too.

This is why Harper and Machado A) Won't come B) Shouldn't be looked at if they set artificial deadlines. The Orioles were the one of the worst teams in baseball with Machado the Nationals missed the playoffs and were a .500 team with Harper. This isn't basketball where you can just sign Lebron and all of sudden you go from the 2nd overall pick to a playoff team. This team lost 100 games with Abreu. It will lose 80-90 games with Machado/Harper and Abreu if they sign one of them. Go through the projected starting rotation and the rest of the lineup then tell me how you get playoffs from that roster with out trading away top prospects. The fact we even look at Abreu as our best hitter and selling point should tell you just how lacking the roster is from a talent standpoint right now. He had 1.2 WAR last season. In a good year he's a 3-4 WAR 1B. We didn't go through this rebuild process watching the Whitesox lose for three years so we could sign Harper or Machado then raid the farm for a 2-3 year window. At least I didn't.

Their rumored offer for Goldie included both Perez and Bukauskas. If they add Alvarez they can keep Perez and Bukauskas. Olney is reporting that that the Astros are down on Bukauskas and are trying to move him in their trade offers.