G&T

You can write off the amount actually used for work. So you’d have to pro rate those expenses. It’s probably not going to move the needle on taxes.

If you go to the website, there are two versions of the jersey: one from Fanatics, and one labeled "Manufacturer Direct item". The MDI are fully available, so I'm pretty sure the theory is bogus. Anyway, the Sox wouldn't buy them blank and stitch them for sale to the public. They buy them blank so they can be stitched for a player if a jersey rips during the season. I don't think the Sox are doing bulk sewing for fans.

I don't think that's true. Buerhle games are what fans want. What they get are long at bats while the pitcher wanders around the mound. People want balls in play and faster ABs regardless of outcomes. I'm just not sure guys throwing 100 mph can get it and throw it like MB did. And everyone throws hard now.

This is a good recap of what’s going on and why. Sports Talk Philly

Schools closed last night anticipating a foot of snow here. We got 5 inches.

Better yet, why bother with a burner account if you’re asking permission anyway?

Pretty sure they provided fraudulent medical records.

So they declare their interest by saying they are only interested if he's cheap? That's not meaningful. Literally every team is saying that.

Sure but people seem to think it’s being foreshadowed by WSD and others. So it implies it’s more than coincidence, but maybe that’s all it is.

Ok but that’s why it makes no sense for Sox Fest. As some else noted, he first question will be “does this mean Manny is coming?” Its not an exciting move on its own. I guess fans are starved right now.

I’m lost on why a Joc Pederson deal would have to wait until Sox Fest. That’s not a sexy announcement.

They wouldn’t but the league offices and agents probably would leak.

Then don’t go for engineering. Look for other entry level jobs. Also, are you talking feds? Have you looked at state or local govt jobs?

Government. You would have job protections and a more welcoming environment. By government standards you are young. It might also bring a new career path.

There has been a mystery team for over a week, and no signing yet. Although this tweet was weird in that it says essentially "he doesn't want to sign this deal, but I swear he will...I swear it...totally not lying...he'll do it...money please...really...not lying..."

How many people would you trust if you were trying to negotiate a $300M contract? I know nothing about their relationship, but i'm skeptical that he would be in the circle of trust under the circumstances. I suspect he was asked questions and he answered. When you have no real information, there's no risk of harm.

He was making up BS to pretend his source was legit. I think he was trying to explain "net present value" and that a $250M contract over 7 years with deferred payments had a present value of $175M. Of course he didn't use any of those words, so who knows.

From an article written by Manny: Player's Tribune I doubt he knows anything.

I thought that statement was pretty clearly joking based on reports that keep lowering the offer.

Not in my experience. You don't get to be a billionaire by failing to seize opportunities. I've been in negotiations where an unexpected major opportunity is presented and my client had to pivot to take advantage. It was months of work for a deal that didn't pan out, but we had to try. Others trying to get the contract understood and waited. Some teams won't be interested regardless, but a lot would change their plans for a relatively low cost Manny Machado. It's tough to describe what negotiating these types of deals is like, but comparing it to buying a car or house is not remotely close.

"way off" could also mean $120M. Heyman just thinks it's higher.

The more we see the hot takes and crazed reactions, I think there's something to be said for this post. 8/$250 looks a lot better than it did a couple days ago, eh?

No, I am of the opinion that the strategy, as we know it, is terrible. And then I made an assumption about their strategy, which is potentially predicated on knowledge about the market they probably should not have because I can't otherwise explain it. I happen to agree with you.

I've said this before, and it's probably a good reminder: stop worrying about specifics of the contract. The only way you know if your are in a deal is if the other side keeps working on the deal. At this point, the only message we really have is that the Sox are still in it. My personal opinion is that the offer and strategy are terrible in an open market. I said when the initial offer was made that it had to be good enough to stand up to any other offer that would come in next. Some parameters had to be met, which I believed to be salary. There is a risk of insulting someone by coming in so low when they have high expectations. This indicates to me that they knew the market would not be open, and competition would be low even with the Yankees involved. That seems...oddly prescient. The Sox strategy now is: we will meet any offer, but unless you show me someone willing to top this deal, we're not budging. SI can complain about it being low, but so far it looks like the high bid.

Wasn't Boras seeking $200M? In my experience, waiting will result in a better deal for a team. The players aren't going into the spring without a contract because the risk of injury starts to become real. They can't just sit around. Uncertainty will start to weigh on an individual more than a team. The market simply isn't what the players wanted, and now they are aiming for "the best deal" and have no clue what that means. So far, the players aren't getting the teams they expected, and the offers are $50-$100M below what they hoped for. That has to be shocking.