caulfield12

And that’s why there is a real possibility he goes to a win-now team like the Dodgers...that he actually desires to play for, as opposed to the Phillies, that are all-in but are not the preferred destination. The White Sox really didn't give Machado much of an option. Undoubtedly, that’s not the case here...or they’re just really stuck on whether to give Philly four years instead of just 3, and how much more that should be worth to secure.

It was from a link I had on the same page....above that.

The next Todd Ritchie that we’ll all be promised has the capability to be a #2 instead of being an actual 2.

Thanks for royal decree, Nova of Zalem (Alita: Battle Angel reference) So, I’ll be waiting with bated breath for JR to give a 1-2-3 year opt out to Bryce Harper now. Hey, anything’s at least possible, I suppose. Realistic, perhaps not.

“Now, in big, big deals the player gets the opportunity to bail on the contract at a certain point. Scott Boras, from day one, has insisted that there be an opt-out clause in there, quite honestly, because he's not positive that Harper will like it here. That is part of the whole situation,” he said. "Boras said we have to have an opt-out and it has to be after year three," Cataldi continued. "Three years guaranteed and then we get the chance to leave. If we don't, then we get the other seven years and he's here for the full ten. He gets the one opt out after the three.” “They (the Phillies) say, not only does that not work for us, but we can't sell that to Philadelphia. We're gonna poison the well before he gets here. He's basically saying, we're not sure about Philadelphia. The opt-out clause is what's holding up an agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies and I can tell you, Scott Boras insists that it be three years."

That was to make a point to the other owners but also to give the team an escape plan/hatch...and it was over 20 years ago now.

JR is also not going to create the first $40 million per year baseball player...not on his watch.

One small problem, we supposedly aren't willing to give ANY opt out...

It's the most plausible reason I have heard so far for why he hasn't signed with the Phils (yet), it just makes way too much sense if you think about everything previously known about Harper and Boras. Philly likely has to cave on three years (when they want the assurance of 4-5 for thrir fans), but Boras/Harper are taking a risk they lose the Phillies altogether and thst he eventually has to sign a shorter term deal with LA, SF or even SD.

Phillies have a tough choice, but, in the end...I think they almost have to accept the three year opt, as opposed to losing him altogether. They're likely the only team willing to guarantee $320-340 million as well. The White Sox might as well guarantee $350-400 million and try to spin that to their disillusioned fanbase, but they're still dead in the water without the opt out...even three years is going to be unacceptable to JR. Game, set, match to Boras and Lozano.

https://www.ibtimes.com/mlb-rumors-bryce-harper-phillies-330m-deal-held-contract-clause-2768913 Phillies and most assuredly Sox balking at 3 year opt out for Harper, standoff ensues. See last four paragraphs. We're officially toast, folks. Probably wants a two year opt out from us.

Just the very process of contesting a grievance...regardless of whether they win or lose, they'll lose in the court of opinion with other players and agents.

2020 Mutual Option includes a $2.25M buyout (Grandal's deal) Base Salary=$16 million At the rate things are going, we'll inevitably get broken down Josh Donaldson about 3 years too late.

The majority of Heyward's fWAR came from defense after his first 2-3 years with the Braves...

That's not even considering that they might still bring back Kimbrel...

It seems pretty clear that Boston will keep at least one of Martinez and Bogaerts...can't remember if Jackie Bradley's due for FA, it's either after this year or next, we've been linked to him for probably about 3 years but they might as well let it all ride on the shoulders of Luis Robert.

Grandal next year becomes even more important if Collins/Zavala flop or we can't draft Rutschman.

Until you consider front offices are comprised of not even obsessive "fantasy/sabes" fans, but professionals paid hundreds of thousands to extract value where it's available. Rendon is most definitely on the Big Board of at least 8-10 teams. Philly will be the first one, since they didn't convert on Machado and are stuck with Franco now.

Like Lilian and her LH hitters, I wouldn't be shocked to see Yasiel Puig brought on board for name/marketing purposes. Although knowing Hahn, it will be Castellanos, whose season stats are skewed by getting to hit against White Sox pitching so much. Would be okay with Ozuna as well, but he's so erratic, they might be better off just waiting for one of the other five outfielders not named Jimenez/Robert to claim RF.

If you look at Bogaerts, Rendon and Goldschmidt, at least one of those is likely to re-up with their respective organizations. Same thing with JD Martinez, especially if they win another World Series in Boston. There are probably five outfielders that are intriguing for RF, but there's simply no guarantee they will be any better than Rutherford/Gonzalez/Adolfo/Basabe if you factor in the opportunity cost. We NEED pitching, a veteran starter...the opportunities are more abundant there, if JR will okay the signing of a contract for over $68.5 million (well, once you get past Verlander, who will be season+option or season to season at this point, and only choosing teams that are built to contend from Day 1.)

Except you can say the exact same thing for the Phillies. They're 100% in win-now mode, and have a bit of an issue in the outfield...and that's putting it lightly, once you get past McCutcheon, who has been trending downward for going on three years now.

And why would any legit star player from an another organization want to play for the White Sox in the future? The Astros, Braves and Padres have all done some shady things, but this would take the cake.

Doesn't matter what the front office subjectively wants or prefers...one iota.

It's pretty depressing when even Palk Smash has been neutered by the never-ending stream of bad news.

Maybe because tonight's morphed into stumbling punch-drunkenly toward the door?