Well, injuries blow, especially because coming into this year this was one of (if not the) most talented Sox teams in decades.

What's your, and we're all conditioned to recoil at the term for obvious reasons, "all in" move that the Sox can make?

To answer my own question and revisit Harper/Machado-mania, Harper seems to be disgruntled in Philly and wants the Phillies to be "worth it" for Dombrowski to make moves.

Quote

 We’re kind of depleted in the minor leagues and can’t really trade anybody, and we don’t really have anybody to trade down there to get guys who are really, really good. Dave Dombrowski needs to have faith that we can go out there and win games if he goes out and adds somebody and if it’s worth it when that time comes.

“I, of course, want to put pressure on him to do that, and as a team, we need to. But that’s only if we’re winning games. If we’re not winning games, then there’s no point in doing that, right?”

If the Phillies are out of it by the deadline, the Sox might be able to pull something off, but have no clue what the price would be - depending on how much money the Sox take on / I don't think Dombrowski has ever been in sell-mode.

1 hour ago, Quin said:

To answer my own question and revisit Harper/Machado-mania, Harper seems to be disgruntled in Philly and wants the Phillies to be "worth it" for Dombrowski to make moves.

If the Phillies are out of it by the deadline, the Sox might be able to pull something off, but have no clue what the price would be - depending on how much money the Sox take on / I don't think Dombrowski has ever been in sell-mode.

I love the idea but dang.  That would be a tough sell to Philly fans.  
 

His contract is so big that the prospect haul wouldn’t be much.  And then they still don’t have a farm but have an extra 25 mil to spend each year?

1 hour ago, Quin said:

To answer my own question and revisit Harper/Machado-mania, Harper seems to be disgruntled in Philly and wants the Phillies to be "worth it" for Dombrowski to make moves.

If the Phillies are out of it by the deadline, the Sox might be able to pull something off, but have no clue what the price would be - depending on how much money the Sox take on / I don't think Dombrowski has ever been in sell-mode.

I would LOVE this deal to happen, if it was the Sox picking up dollars and not giving up a big prospect load.

11 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

I love the idea but dang.  That would be a tough sell to Philly fans.  
 

His contract is so big that the prospect haul wouldn’t be much.  And then they still don’t have a farm but have an extra 25 mil to spend each year?

They're only $5M under the luxury tax line this year. That's a hard pill to swallow if you're an under .500 club. They can drop Cutch, but any improvement will come via salary injections.

Sox are $38M under and obviously have raises on the horizon - and adding Harper pushes them even closer - but if JR and TLR want to gamble super hard, well, maybe it's worth it. Plus, you have to imagine the City Connect Harper jerseys would pay for roughly 75% of the contract.

12 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I would LOVE this deal to happen, if it was the Sox picking up dollars and not giving up a big prospect load.

Same. 

12 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I would LOVE this deal to happen, if it was the Sox picking up dollars and not giving up a big prospect load.

It's a shitload of money, but damn would that solve some immediate and long-term issues for this team.

If the Sox ate the entire cost, you'd think they wouldn't have to give up much.

Could you imagine the Phillies fans reaction, though?

19 minutes ago, Quin said:

They're only $5M under the luxury tax line this year. That's a hard pill to swallow if you're an under .500 club. They can drop Cutch, but any improvement will come via salary injections.

Sox are $38M under and obviously have raises on the horizon - and adding Harper pushes them even closer - but if JR and TLR want to gamble super hard, well, maybe it's worth it. Plus, you have to imagine the City Connect Harper jerseys would pay for roughly 75% of the contract.

So the raises won't actually affect the luxury tax as much as it will the bottom line.  Remember it is average price over the life of the contract, and not the year to year salary.  Because everyone is cheap now, we are taking the cap hits early of the salary being way under the luxury tax number, but that will flip in a couple of years.

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

So the raises won't actually affect the luxury tax as much as it will the bottom line.  Remember it is average price over the life of the contract, and not the year to year salary.  Because everyone is cheap now, we are taking the cap hits early of the salary being way under the luxury tax number, but that will flip in a couple of years.

I'll admit I forgot this, but also assuming Hahn tries to lock up Giolito, Vaughn, Kopech, Cease, etc.

1 minute ago, Quin said:

I'll admit I forgot this, but also assuming Hahn tries to lock up Giolito, Vaughn, Kopech, Cease, etc.

Yeah, now new contracts is a totally different story for sure.

He just isn't worth that contract. That is the biggest issue. On a JR team....you can't have a top 5 paid player be a fringe top 50 player. It will never work out to get talent spread out and retained around the diamond. 

1 hour ago, EloyJenkins said:

He just isn't worth that contract. That is the biggest issue. On a JR team....you can't have a top 5 paid player be a fringe top 50 player. It will never work out to get talent spread out and retained around the diamond. 

25.3 M is pretty fair for what Harper brings.......the bigger issue is that the contract goes forever. 

If the Sox can get them to pick up $15M for the last 3 years of the deal, it makes some sense. 

Edited July 6, 20214 yr by Jack Parkman

FWIW, Harpers deal takes him through his age 38 season. 

Just for comparison's sake, Pujols was through his age 41

Miguel Cabrera is in his age 38 season, and his goes through 40 or even 42 depending on vesting.

Arod made it to 40, but his last deal was through age 42.

Trout is scheduled through age 38 with his last deal.

1 hour ago, Jack Parkman said:

25.3 M is pretty fair for what Harper brings.......the bigger issue is that the contract goes forever. 

If the Sox can get them to pick up $15M for the last 3 years of the deal, it makes some sense. 

I’ve actually discussed this hypothetical with my buddies over a few drinks. It makes you wonder if Philly would even entertain this possibility? However, with their depleted farm and very average team, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind hitting a reset button financially as well as getting some quality prospects back to help replenish the system. Didn’t Harper say he was impressed with the Sox’ sales pitch? Perhaps he would waive his NTC? 

On 7/6/2021 at 10:56 AM, Quin said:

To answer my own question and revisit Harper/Machado-mania, Harper seems to be disgruntled in Philly and wants the Phillies to be "worth it" for Dombrowski to make moves.

If the Phillies are out of it by the deadline, the Sox might be able to pull something off, but have no clue what the price would be - depending on how much money the Sox take on / I don't think Dombrowski has ever been in sell-mode.

There is definitely something to salivate about thinking about having Harper around for the 5-7 window we are in.  However, I am intrigued about Yoelqui who just seems the perfect last piece in this awesome stable of young talent that’s been amassed by the Sox.  Happy to be patient waiting for him, and just plug in short term gaps until he gets here.  

I think Sox could make Harper fit given current payroll etc. I also assume cost wouldn’t be super prohibitive given contract you are assuming - that said - philly is still going to want something. 

What happened to Lucroy? 

Phillies would pay some of his contract for premier prospects I would think

2 hours ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

What happened to Lucroy? 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/07/braves-option-william-contreras-select-jonathan-lucroy.html

Just got called up to the Braves after being signed to their AAA team for a good part of the season.

I just want KB. He’s a perfect fit.

7 hours ago, bmags said:

I just want KB. He’s a perfect fit.

yeah I would much rather trade for KB than Gallo, handedness be damned

Gallo hit 2 HR's yesterday ,walked with the bases loaded and gunned out a runner at 3rd. It was his 10th HR in 10 days. It was his 23rd HR.

.395 OBP . 515 slg. . 909 OPS  148 OPS+   . He even has 6 stolen bases. Probably costs more than the Sox want to give up but having him for this year and next would be a big deal.

Escobar went 3/4 , hit his 19th HR.

2 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Gallo hit 2 HR's yesterday ,walked with the bases loaded and gunned out a runner at 3rd. It was his 10th HR in 10 days. It was his 23rd HR.

.395 OBP . 515 slg. . 909 OPS  148 OPS+   . He even has 6 stolen bases. Probably costs more than the Sox want to give up but having him for this year and next would be a big deal.

Escobar went 3/4 , hit his 19th HR.

Goodness.

Also, why does today have to be an off day? At least the draft is coming up on the 11th. Gurrrrr.

4 minutes ago, hi8is said:

Goodness.

Also, why does today have to be an off day? At least the draft is coming up on the 11th. Gurrrrr.

You get those 2 guys + Eloy and Robert and suddenly the Sox vault into very serious contenders if they could also add 2 decent BP guys or even 1 very good one.

3 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

You get those 2 guys + Eloy and Robert and suddenly the Sox vault into very serious contenders if they could also add 2 decent BP guys or even 1 very good one.

Fraizer is also interesting in place of Escobar - because he would give us more value than just a rental, like Gallo.

2021
SS - Anderson
3B - Moncada
1B - Abreu
RF - Gallo
DH - Eloy
2B - Fraizer
CF - Robert
LF - Vaughn
C - Me

2022
SS - Anderson
3B - Moncada
1B - Abreu
RF - Gallo
DH - Eloy
2B - Madrigal
CF - Robert
LF - Fraizer*
C - Grandal

*Trade Vaughn for a SP to offset losing anyone.