Bob Sacamano

Yeah. I'm worried they won't offer enough and they will try to sell him on the team. If that's the case, we might as well not even get our hopes up.

Maybe not an exaggerated double but I tend to agree. If they offer a little bit more than a contending team, it's no guarantee he or Machado would pick the Sox.

That's what I was thinking too. He's at the end of his career and doesn't have a ring. That could be important if offers are close. Astros, who are listed in the original tweet, make a ton of sense for him.

Personally, just not huge on guaranteeing lots of money and years to arms.

The opt-outs are key. Would he rather become a free agent at the age of 36 or would he like to try to get anywhere between a 7-10 year deal when he is 30, 31 or even 32?

Yeah. They have Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco to deal. 5 years control of Jose Ramirez and 3 of Lindor. They would get a lot back for those 5.

People keep mentioning this but they're only talking about a couple key pieces that are almost gone anyway (Kluber) and they would likely be getting back a guy or two that could help them next year or after (think a guy like Clint Frazier who doesn't have a spot currently but who would easily be in the linup on other teams).

Or even hurt it in the off-season. Then he would miss all of next year not on the MLB dl, then the Sox would have him the 7 years after that.

Unless they really think they have a chance in 2020 and they think Cruz won't suddenly fall off over the next couple years. You get Kopech back in2020, Cease should be up day 1 that year (assuming everything goes right this year and he comes up at some point), Lopez, hopefully huge strides from Giolito this year and you never know. Of course, there are a lot of "ifs" in this scenario like the above situations, signing Machado, the young position players and starters and bullpen, being good, signing a good starter, etc.

I had to look this up because those splits would be extreme. He hit 11 homers against lefties (.266 avg) last year, 16 against righties (and a .253 avg).

Yeah I don't really want Corbin. Completely fine with gambling on guys like Gio.

Harper apparently declined a $300m/10 year extension towards the end of the season (not sure if there were opt-outs or not). I could see the Nats circling back on talks more towards the finish line to see where other offers are at.

I was going to say, I'm in favor any move that shows Avi the door, even if it is signing a 38-year old DH (a very productive one at that).

Exactly.

They will. Nothing Hahn said here is stupid. He didn't come out saying hes going to break camp and lose the extra year of control.

Yeah and so many teams are rebuilding/selling. It's a buyer's market for sure. If you're going to make these kinds of moves (signing one of Machado/Harper, signing Cruz, adding a SP, etc), you might as well hold on to Jose.

With the Astros likely losing Keuchel, losing McCullers for 2019, and possibly losing Morton, the Mariners might as well try going for it next year. As someone said, they won 89 games without having Cano most of the year.

He had to increase his innings and there was no where else he could do it in September. Expect the same with Cease this year (hopefully he's up sooner though).

No way. No one of that caliber. Think more Gio Gonzalez (which is who I'm expecting).

I think they would just non-tender or DFA Garcia in this scenario.

That's fine. Or I'm thinking Palka in RF and Avi dfa'd. Trade market sucks for sellers.

Surprised no one mentioned the Orioles connection.

So assume the Sox move quickly on this and they sign him. Do they non-tender Avi playing Palka in RF? Edit: quickly as in between now and non-tender deadline (I don't even know when that is).

Well this should go over well here.

Definitely. It's ridiculous to say that Bryce Harper isn't a fit on a team that lost 100 games and currently has no OF's locked in long-term going forward (minus Eloy but he isn't really here yet).