Stealth G.O.A.T.

I think teams place a value off the field too. A team like the White Sox definitely would. I think Manny has been this more consistently productive players. I think Harper has a much higher ceiling. Harper also has more branding and marketing power behind him. But I full understand what you're saying.

Well said.

This isn't true.

I agree that this would make the most sense.

Correct, he has no role with the Cubs.

Yup, you nailed it. 100%

That's a really great story. He certainly did have the last laugh. In fact, he's not done laughing yet. He'll be laughing for a lifetime.

Haha true, as Trout was drafted with a comp pick from the Yankees.

It's not true.

25 other teams drafted other players over Trout. It happens.

That's a solid point.

Yeah, I guess I just read it as fans can buy them as well as teams. Maybe I misread. I only skimmed it fast. Could be my mistake.

I don't think much of it. I think they're just trying to sell some jersey's and using the free agent marketing rumblings to do it. Pretty sure this is the last year of Majestic's contract with MLB. I think Nike takes over in 2020. The Under Armor deal fell through.

Well that isn't really what I said. I said a 1 year, $4M commitment to a free agent isn't significant because it really isn't to a MLB team. That's just a fact. I also specifically said that they brought those players in for a purpose and that was to attract Machado. I think the view from the Sox perspective is that those resources can fall under the "acquiring Machado" category. I don't think they view spending $13M on two players, both on 1 year deals, as a big expenditure for the purpose it's serving. That's really all I'm saying. Even if they don't sign Manny, that $13M spent is not going to be relevant to what they do now or in the future.

I didn't say GM's view $4M as nothing. But a MLB team, signing a 33 year old free agent OF to a 1 year, $4M contract is significantly different than a player in their 20's under team control getting +/- $500K or $4M in arbitration. Where arbitration is concerned, teams/players are setting values for future arbitration cases. In arbitration teams have control over the player, in free agency they do not. The markets are much different.

For any MLB team, a $4M investment for one year in a player is not significant. I understand $4M is a lot of money to an individual person. It is not significant to a MLB team. I'm looking at it from the White Sox perspective.

Perhaps, but I think they're trading Kluber regardless to be honest. They're a team that needs to get something for their assets. Now is the time for them to do it where Kluber is concerned.

Exactly. It's a way for the Sox to use their available resources to acquire Machado, with potential upside if they perform.

$4M is an investment to glance over. It's is nothing on a 1 year deal. Absolutely nothing. Even for the Sox.

I think it's pretty clear he is being used to deliver Manny. If for some reason they don't land Manny (I think they will), you hope Yonder has a solid half season and trade him at the deadline. The Sox have a ton of available resources. Yonder is just a way they're using those resources to acquire Machado, with potential upside at the deadline if they don't.

I agree that Alonso and Jay were not just 2 last minute December acquisitions. I do believe they were a part of a plan all along. But I also believe they were made with Manny in mind. They are also baseball moves.

I don't think Harper's market is going to fully play out until after Manny signs.

I think in a perfect world, the Sox would indeed want both. That's obviously up to the players at the end of the day. I do not think they prefer Harper over Manny. I think the moves they've made, i.e. Alonso and Jay pretty clearly shows what their intentions are.

Exactly.

Rosenthal mistakenly credited this AG Sports Network guy. It's not a criticism of Ken on my part at all, it's just @TrentBooty on Twitter had the deal a few days before AG Sports Network. AG likely got the report from Trent and tweeted it as his own. Ken obviously didn't know that. Other writers like Heyman and Morosi correctly credited Trent. In fairness, Trent openly stated that he got the rumor from a person on Reddit.