That’s doubtful based on the reports coming out. He clearly doesn’t want to come here. The offer will need to be larger than any other offer by at least a few million per year imo.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

You're making stuff up. Who told you that? He wants to go where he's paid the most. He doesn't have an imperative to sign tomorrow. Why wouldn't he wait on Harper?

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

I left the Yankees for dead at least a month ago for those reasons, another being Arenado is available next year. But if you can get a 5-6 WAR SS on the cheap this year, they won't resist. Be that as it may, I don't believe Olney anyway. If I do, then I believe there's a written offer with the player option, and a verbal offer over 200 with no option. Or the other way around.

I think you are right but taking it to the extreme.

Id agree if it was a 20 million dollar difference. If its a difference of 5 million over 6-7 years, he may go where his wife wants to live, etc.

Also, didn't the Sox offer Fukudome more than the Cubs?

I think it's probably like 95%. Im just saying Machado may be part of the 5

If he truly doesn't want to come here I don't think you offer him a contract to try and make up for that. Do you want to owe $30 million a year to a guy for almost a decade who doesn't want to be there? That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

These aren't the George Steinbrenner Yankees. The kid seems to have a different philosophy and it's working. Why spend hundreds of millions on Machado and/or Arendado when they have Gregorius, Torres, and Andujar? How much more are they going to get in production? Maybe nothing at all.

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

They love Didi. Doesn't mean he's the best option for them as he is also a FA next year.

It’s just common sense. All things being pretty equal why would he want to go to a team as irrelevant and pathetic as the one he just left? Do you really think he sees a big difference between $200 million and $201 million? I’m quite certain he doesn’t.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I don't think the Sox offered Fukudome more than the Cubs. Usually when some writer is pimping a story that a guy "took less" it's not really less, the contract is laid out differently. Technically the Cardinals may have offered more to Heyward, but it wasn't as good a deal as what the Cubs offered. But if you're selling the narrative that guys are dying to play for the Cubs you can write the story that way.

Anyway, sure if it's a small difference maybe he goes where his wife wants to go, but I'm not sure the Yankees have offered anything at all, let alone anything close to 25 million over 7 years. And any player is going to get pressure from his agent to take the highest offer even if it's just a little more. They're trying to set an overall market for everyone in addition to keeping one guy happy.

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

Hard to believe, but even if Harper and Machado sat out, they would still be the youngest (Harper) and 3rd youngest (Machado) free agents next year.

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That's claptrap. It's like a bernstein soundbite. "Irrelevant". You know what's irrelevant? A guy who gets $250 million from the Yankees and doesn't win a World Series at least every other year. You know what else is irrelevant? A manager who was the best in history four years ago and now is about to be run out of town. The IMPORTANT Yankees have won one more World Series in the last ten years than the "irrelevant" White Sox.

The only thing that's relevant is the money.

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

I wish that was true. The Sox are a pathetic joke and we both know this. Obviously I wish that wasn’t the case.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Lester chose the Cub over the Giant who had offered more.

Zobrist chose the Cub over the Met who had offered more.

Though factoring tax implications the Cubs offered maybe ends up being larger. The differences weren't that large.

I disagree. The Dodgers haven't won a World Series since 1988. Are they a pathetic joke?

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

It's Machado or bust for me. I'm happy as long as he's here. I don't think I could forgive Uncle Jerry if he signs somewhere else.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

You going Bernstein now. Title or failure?

No. Because they haven’t been a horrible team for a decade now. I think you are severely underestimating the impact that has.

If the Sox had the Dodgers success the past 5 years do you think I’m taking this tone in this discussion?

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I know. Every player on the Cubs takes less to be on the historic team that didn't win for 108 years.

These are stories. Unless you absolutely know what was offered and can comp the two side by side, I'm going to say they took the highest offer.

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

Same. I’ll happily admit I was wrong if he signs here, I just can’t imagine it happening.

The forgiving Jerry thing is over for me. Just waiting for him to die since he doesn’t want to sell. I don’t see the Sox and Bulls being good again til that happens.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

The Sox were one of the more successful teams from 1990-2008. I don't think it makes any difference. Pay me. That's the bottom line.

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

2008 was a long time ago my friend. They’ve been the Cleveland Browns of baseball since then.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

No. But it's colored by perception. When the Cubs were losing it was not "pathetic" because they had genius Theo and a "Plan". The Sox have (((Cheap Jerry))) and they are shit. It's not reality.

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

Tom Brady has left something like $60-100 million on the table in negotiations during his career to help the team win. I guess football players know there’s more to life than money.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

It’s reality.

That team you watched last year wasn’t dogshit?

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

JORR how are you going to feel if Machado signs somewhere else? Ultimately signing him is what it's all about. If that means spending a little more money then so be it.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Baseball players do too. As Kirkwood noted.

It just bothers some people who hate the team that benefits.

Well he knows he’ll make that back in residuals from syndication.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Because it doesn't happen in baseball where there is no cap.

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

Buster Olney has us tied up in knots. Fuck Buster Olney. I chooooose to have faith that JR will not fuck us in the ass.

Solid.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul