MiddleCoastBias

100%. It also shows other free agents in the coming years that we intend to be serious. This will help is attract a pitcher when it's time to contend, get our version of when the Cubs signed Lester right before their run. We'll likely need a competitive and proven vet pitcher to cap off our rotation and this signing would help move the needle in that direction.

I feel like he can take a look at Ian Desmond's offer from the Nationals a few years ago and that what he eventually had to settle for as a good example of why NOT to wait for free agency.

It's a fair question, and I think the FO is set up in a lose-lose situation after making such a vocal and visible push for Machado and failing so publicly. Half of the fan base would be pissed that we failed again, and the other half would be pissed if we said he didn't try.

Because they're paid professionals with influence and Shack is... not?

Why do people keep asking this same rhetorical question, get the same answer from people that choose to believe the Sox might be in it, and then reply "no, we were never in it." You ask for an answer - some people value different things differently and we don't know how they arrive at their valuation. Just because they wouldn't pay X for Y doesn't mean they won't pay Q for R. Harper may have a different value to them (marketability etc etc) that they didn't see with Machado. This isn't reversing course - we don't KNOW their course.(obligatory retort: "but do they even know?")

I believe Ricky said the main starters will be doing back-field practices and warm-ups this weekend and won't be appearing in games for a few days.

But who would win in a fight, 80 Adam Engels or 1 Bryce Harper, hmmmmm?

Definitely exciting to see what we have coming up. I always try to make it out to Pawtucket, RI when the PawSox host the Charlotte Knights and these last two years have been a must. I've got that series circled in my calendar already.

We don't need a reason.

Look, I get why we shouldn't have a lot of optimism in this FO to actually outsmart anyone and make a play for Harper. But if I'm the Sox, I WANT Nightengale putting information out there saying the Phillies are bidding against themselves so that we can try to sneak in with a winning (panic?) bid that beats what the Phils consider "good enough".

I've lived in Boston for two World Series while my Sox haven't even made the playoffs. It would be so easy to just slip into the crowd and cheer for a perennial winner, but I can never change my colors. I'll keep supporting the White Sox, despite them making little effort to support us as fans.

Fair, and yes, that gets back to your main point - misses on all level of FAs.

I think it's only fair to be noted that 2+ years of that list we weren't even pretending to compete. We took a look on a lot of lotto ticket guys in recent years, but that's no defense of those early swings and misses.

And we need to forward this thread to at least ten people in the next 24 hours or be cursed with bad luck forever. Can't run the risk, you guys.

Yesterday my girlfriend took a photo of the two of us, and in the reflection of my glasses you can clearly see I'm holding my phone with Soxtalk's page open.

"if"? IF?? What happened to WHEN, Dan?

The answer to that was that it would make the Phillies drive up the price for Harper if they knew we were in on both. But that raises the better question - if we know that would drive up the price on Harper, why the hell would Harper and Boras want to keep this quiet? Facts is facts - this has to be bullshit.

He may not be as direct with his certainty, but Hector sure seems to latch onto any Machado/Sox nugget and have a "hey look at this *wink wink*" comment on it. I get the impression that he's really hooked into the idea that Machado is going to the Sox and everything he tweets about is a soft effort to say "look at my info, I'm right".

I'm curious, has anyone seen if Yankees fans are giving Hector the same treatment that we have Dan Clark?

No one likes a show-off.

Is this separate from the locker photo from yesterday? I don't have instagram so I depend on screengrabs here.

I've got cub friends that retweet Charles as gospel and truly believe they're getting Harper. They're getting all riled up like it's only a matter of time. My schadenfreude is strong on this one. I say keep it going, Mr. Cat!

col·ly·wob·bles /ˈkälēˌwäb(ə)lz/ noun INFORMAL•HUMOROUS stomach pain or queasiness. "an attack of collywobbles" intense anxiety or nervousness, especially with stomach queasiness. "such organizations give him the collywobbles"

Absolutely - I like that his line "a team with stupid $ (plus others)" is a barely-veiled code for "Phillies (plus others)".