Soxbadger

Sox dont need to beat philly by 20%. They just need to hit Manny's number. No sauces but i think he picks Sox over Phillies all things being the same.

Manny said he wanted 300, he meant 300 pages on Soxtalk.

Maybe Im reading this incorrectly, but are you saying that if JR gets involved the Sox arent getting one? Because Id say the opposite, the only way the Sox sign Machado or Harper is if JR is involved.

If I had to guess, the only reason JR wasnt the lead from the start is because he knows he isnt going to be owner for another 20 years. At some point you need to give guys like Hahn experience. Once JR goes there is going to be a huge vacuum at the top. So Hahn got to 1st chair these negotiations for a while. So that if there is a next time, Hahn has experience.

No sauces, but if I was a betting man its close. JR used Hahn to hardball Machado's camp as long as he could. Now JR can come in "fresh", ups the offer and get it done. Sometimes even in negotiations you need a bad cop/good cop.

Nothing is ever as cut and dry as someone speculating on a message board makes it. But there are certain things that I believed to be true and one of those was that JR wasnt going to delegate the final negotiations of the largest contract either of his franchises have ever signed. Everyone has to start somewhere, but as I said yesterday, Hahn has never been involved in a deal of this magnitude. You just dont let a guy first chair this type of deal on his first chance.

I have no sauces, but JR was always driving this negotiation. Yesterday I posted about how JR is the only guy with the Sox who has even come close to negotiating this type of contract. If JR is involved directly, it means that it is either getting done or falling apart. My guess is that it is getting done.

The Sox need this. Even if its an overpay, they need this. They have saved money for years, they built a farm system. But what is the point if you dont go after All Star level players. Even if they overpay by $5mil per year, that wont be what sinks this franchise in the future. The one concern that I have with the Sox, is that outside of JR, none of these guys have ever landed a top tier FA. They just dont have the experience in a negotiation like this to pull the trigger or convince JR, that its what needs to be done, even if its slightly not the greatest deal for them.

I think something like 8 years $280 with escalator/bonuses that could reach $300mil would make a lot of sense for everyone.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-kyler-murray-wants-15-230549438.html Interesting move. I think if the A's went to $10mil hed take it.

Agreed, but I went lyrical.

Too many talking heads in this thread.

Cubs fans would revolt if they gave up on Bryant for Machado. Id find it amusing, but I just cant imagine it.

The Cubs have no money. Not a single one of their moves this off season have suggested anything but that.

This makes less sense than Harper. Machado would have to play SS because of Bryant. And the Cubs would then end up losing at least Bryant when he hits FA.

The 2 year contract isnt ideal. But its the leverage you have to use to get the opt out on the current deal. I just cant see Machado taking 7/220 and not getting an opt out in year 2/3. That deal doesnt make a lot of sense for the Sox, because if he performs great, he is going to opt out. It really just depends on what Machado and his agent want to do. I mean if you can get 7/220 and an opt out at year 4, are you saying no and holding out for year 3? If youre at 7/220 are you then pushing for 8 years 250 with opt at 4? I just think that the alleged offer isnt good enough that the Sox should feel comfortable that Machado has to take it. 26 year old FAs of that caliber are extremely rare.

Well Harper was offered at least $300mil depending on reports. Boras just wants more. Arenado is asking for $30mil in arb, so its hard to imagine that next year hell want less than $30mil per year. I think the saying is "it only takes 1." I personally think that the dam is going to break soon. When you look at a list of top paid MLB players a lot of them are past their prime. Owners can only keep salaries down for so long. Eventually some team sells or a different owner decides to break the bank again.

I already posted model 4.1 earlier. And I said how they would get around it. (edit from my previous post) I dont think they are acting in the capacity of lawyers in these discussions so its questionable as to whether ABA rule 4.1 applies. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_4_1_truthfulness_in_statements_to_others/ Also Im not sure that someone is going to file an ethical complaint even if it was technically a violation. That being said. I can easily just change the words to get around the problem. I say "other teams are interested." Not to mention, it wouldnt be a great tactic to specifically state what the other team was involved as a bluff. And it really hasnt hurt Boras that much. The teams who spend the most money are willing to play ball with him. They understand the game that is being played.

Yes I do. A house could have a fair market value of $500k, but sell for $400k. That means it sold under market. Its just a bad year to be looking for a huge contract. A lot of the big time teams arent out there. But that doesnt mean they wont be next year. If he signs for 7/220 hell have an opt out in year 2/3. Which means that its a 2-3 year contract. So I agree that he likely would pick a 2-3 year opt out contract, because that gives financial security. But that is a losing deal for the Sox because the only way he opts in is if he under performs. Ive said all along 8 years $280.

I think youre wrong. If he takes 2/70. All he needs on the back end is 5/150 to hit the 7/220 mark. 7/220 is under market, and the only way his agent will let him take it is if there is an opt out in year 2 or 3.

Youre not going to get him for $220. This the problem with the Yankees waiting in the weeds. They could easily give Machado 2 years $70mil if they want and then Machado hits FA again at 28.

I dont think they are acting in the capacity of lawyers in these discussions so its questionable as to whether ABA rule 4.1 applies. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_4_1_truthfulness_in_statements_to_others/ Also Im not sure that someone is going to file an ethical complaint even if it was technically a violation. That being said. I can easily just change the words to get around the problem. I say "other teams are interested." Not to mention, it wouldnt be a great tactic to specifically state what the other team was involved as a bluff. And it really hasnt hurt Boras that much. The teams who spend the most money are willing to play ball with him. They understand the game that is being played.

I disagree. Youre only risking credibility. The problem is that credibility doesnt really matter if your at the Boras level of agent. We already know that Boras did something similar to the Rangers when they signed A-Rod. These posts are too literal. The agents arent going to say "Oh we have an offer of XYZ". They are going to say "We have other offers, if you want to sign our client you need to offer X."

Boras is a lawyer, not sure about Lozano. But I disagree that a lawyer has to be truthful to the opposing party when its a contract negotiation.

You can do whatever you want as long as its favorable to your client. Youd be doing your client a disservice by saying "My client only has 1 offer." So ethically its fine.