The free agent season officially opened today. Teams are allowed the next five days counting today to make qualifying offers to their free agents which those players will have ten days to accept or reject while “discussing” their situation with other teams.
A time for hope a time for dopes. Let’s get in the spirit. This is a pre modern (pre 1901) version of the song followed by its current iteration.
DECK THE HALLS WITH BASEBALL FOLLY
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
TIS THE SEASON TO DROP REASON
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
DON WE ALL ARE GAY APPAREL
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
TROLL THE ANCIENT DIVISION RIVAL
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
SEE THE BLAZING TRADES BEFORE US
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
STRIKE THE HARP AND JOIN THE DISCORD
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
FOLLOW ME IN
SELFISH PLEASURE
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
WHILE I TELL
OF ILLUSIONAL TREASURE
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
DRINK AWAY
THE OLD YEAR PASSES
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
FUCK THE TRUST FUND PUKE
LADS
AND LASSES
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
SING WE ALL
ADDLED TOGETHER
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
DREADING NOW
THE WIND
AND WEATHER
FA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA
LA
Fan Interference 
You’re in fine form tonight, Twinsy.
I have quite a bit to say about the political fiasco the doors to which the Feesh front orifice decerebrates have just blown open but it’ll have to wait a few days – I have to get to sleep now to get up idiotically early for my flight to Albuquerque tomorrow morning. Let me get settled in my hotel and fill my belly with a carne adovada burrito from Garcia’s Cafeteria and we can talk about it some more….
LikeLike
My delusional thinking desires goes way beyond baseball. Like baseball goes way beyond us. Avocado burrito ….??. I’m a little bit hungry.
LikeLike
Your obsession with the hot stove is most disturbing.
And we’re trading McCann, Nick, and Machado for Mike Trout, right?
LikeLike
And so begins the real Bryce Harper watch, wherein a handful of teams will pursue the still young superstar, because, let’s face it, only a few could afford him.
Scott Boras did Scott Boras things over the weekend, and “joked” to a New York radio show that Harper had already decided and the deal was done. If true, that would mean either that he was returning to DC or that some team was guilty of tampering, because he’s off limits to the other 29 teams until Saturday. Again, Boras claimed he was joking, and given his track record for dragging out negotiations, I’d be stunned if Harper signs before January.
That said, let’s look at the possibilities…
A long speculated destination, the Yankees, is seemingly out of the running already:
This isn’t a big surprise, as unless they could move Stanton’s contract, that’d be a lot of money tied up in two outfielders.
Boston doesn’t seem likely to chase after him, either, since there really doesn’t seem to be an obvious place for him to play.
Boswell says that the Nats are out, and have been for two years, or ever since they traded for Adam Eaton. Soto/Robles/Eaton isn’t a terrible outfield, and if the Nats can spend significantly to shore up their pitching, I’ll live with it.
So, what does that leave?
Philadelphia has buckets of cash, but there’s thinking that they like Manny Machado more, since their team president drafted him when he was with the O’s. Given that Machado showed himself this post-season to be the asshole everyone always thought Harper was, maybe they’ll refocus on Harper.
Los Angeles is awfully close to Las Vegas, Harper’s hometown, but the Dodgers haven’t exactly been ones to write big contracts lately. Rumors were that they did claim him in August, though, so there might be interest there.
The Cubs have 19 outfielders under contract for the next several years, and prefer a positional fungibility that Harper hasn’t demonstrated yet. However, Harper and Bryant are BFFs, so that idea will be out there until he signs.
Would St. Louis chase him? Houston, maybe? Any other teams with money and a legit chance to win soon? I expect this drama to fuel the hot stove for a while this winter, but like most Nats fans, I believe that I’ll be watching with the sort of detachment one has when watching a former partner negotiate the next chapters of life without you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Houston needs an outfielder. They are probably going to hang with young Kyle Tucker – despite his hideously slow start in 2018. And I don’t think they are going to break the bank for Harper. They just tied down Altuve for a medium fortune; and Springer, Correa, Bregman and Cole loom on the not-so-distant horizon. But I can’t rule it out completely. They were about a power-hitting outfielder short of beating Boston in the ALCS.
My guess is they will keep their powder dry for a FA catcher and a back of the rotation pitcher and give the kid another chance to crack the outfield.
LikeLike
Braves Country is split 50/50, and the smart people (like me) don’t see the harm of at least chatting with him. We’ll have a good chunk of cash available and we could use an outfielder of note since Markakis turned back into a pumpkin. Obviously we need a veteran pitcher and/or relief not named Sam Freeman or Jonny Venters, but I am not opposed to getting the conversation started with Bryce.
LikeLike
But, but, Royce once defiled the A that’s painted behind home plate!!!! He’ll never be a true Brave, and he’s clearly not welcome there.
LikeLike
Lmao Sherriff McCann rode on out of town; the first bomb he hits into the upper deck he’d be embraced. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think an outfield of Trout and Harper sounds nice. The LAA of A could have two of the top three MVP candidates each year.
Of course, there is the problem of pitching. The Angels keep duct-taping a staff together. Add Harper and we might set a record, losing the most 11-10 and 13-12 games ever.
LikeLike