Panzer ace
Colonel
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Al:
It does leave many questions unanswered especially in regard to Zimmerman. Who knows how these rumors get started, same say it is the agents while others say it is the press.
-Jason
Baseball Hot Stove 2015-2016 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jazzeum
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Al:
It does leave many questions unanswered especially in regard to Zimmerman. Who knows how these rumors get started, same say it is the agents while others say it is the press.
-Jason
That's a huge money point for what will be a 26 year old player when his FA hits. The DC fan base is hoping that the Lerner's will lock Harper up long before FA hits. No way the Lerner's can or will compete with the $500 mil figure. That NYY rumor has followed Harper since Day 1 here in DC and it is the great fear that he wants to fulfill it and that nothing the Nats do will keep him. We'll see. Maybe Darth Boras will give the Nats a break and accept less than $500 mil if the Nats will go for a 10 year contract. It's a gamble. A 'wait and see' attitude about whether his performance gets better would be fatal for the Nats, and signing long term based on 1 huge year is risky as well. One thing for sure, risky or not, the Nats need to jump on the contract extension now, even though the Lerner's are allergic to long term, huge money contracts (Scherzer aside). Harper should wear a 'W' for life. Can't sanction the thought of Harper in pinstripes as it means a huge loss for the Nats and the O's as opponents of the NYY's. Ironic as Mantle has always been my hero and the NYY's my first baseball love. -- Al
jazzeum
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If Boras is his agent, forget it. He's going to free agency, particularly when you have the likes of Yankees, Red Sox, LA, SF and Cards in the possible mix. He'd be crazy not to. I don't think baseball has ever seen anything what this sweepstakes will be like.
Louis Badolato
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Al,
Why do you think the Yankees are actually showing discipline, getting younger, and not signing any expensive free agents last year or this year? They see Harper as the next "Mickey Mantle" or "Joe DiMaggio" type player, realize he wants to play for them, and that it is going to cost a fortune to get him. They will rely on Girardi's ability to get them over .500 by doing a phenomenal job with the bullpen, and do the Yankees version of a rebuild until then, building a young, reasonably talented team with their prospects. When Harper hits free agency at age 26, they will throw money at him, give him a ten year contract locking him up for his entire prime, and hope to win at least 2-3 world series over that period. That's the way the Yankees announcer, Michael Kay, sees it, and I figure he knows more than I do.
jazzeum
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Kay probably got that from the MLB Network and MLB Radio because they have been talking about that, not to mention that Harper idolizes Mantle. Whether that means he will sign with the Yanks remains to be seen. Although Hal will make the investment, he will not spend ridiculous amounts like his father did.
Louis,
That sounds about right, which makes it essential that the Nats make their play for extending Harper a huge contract now. The question is whether the Lerner's want to do it, and whether Harper would accept it. -- Al
Warrior
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It's going to be great theater when Harper signs with the MFY's for the Gross National Product of South America, then flames out due to putting too much pressure on himself to be the next Mantle.
There is, was and will be only one Mantle; fan expectations and pressure to live up to a contract and the "NY" on your hat can be career breaking, I'm getting my popcorn ready now, it's going to be fun to watch..........................and when Harper does connect and hit a home run, listening to that hack announcer with his "It is high, it is far, it is deep, it is gone, home run; a H Bomb for Harper, it's another homer for Harper!!!!!"............can't wait.
We are certainly enjoying it while he is in DC. Harper is exceedingly popular in DC, so we are hoping he (and Darth Boras) decide to stay here. We are allowed to dream until bitten in the butt by reality.:wink2:^&grin -- Al
The deal, if it goes through, fills the 2b hole and allows the Nats to put Rendon back to 3b where he belongs and Espinoza to SS. Overall, it will be a very strong infield and will fit with the 'win now' mantra in DC. -- Al
Nats need to contact someone and Kendrick would do. They have lost out on just about every player they have targeted, O'Day, Heywood, Philips, Zobrist...:rolleyes2: What the heck is wrong with playing in DC? -- Al
Maybe. Nats need to be saving up that $500 mil for Harper, anyway.:wink2: -- Al
I don't really see it. He's coming off arm trouble and will be 39 when the season starts. Still, he might be a help in long relief if he can regain form. -- Al
jazzeum
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Daniel Murphy may be a possibility for the Nats. He's considered slightly more attractive than Kendrick because he can also play 1B and 3B. He also has more power and is a couple of years younger than Howie, who could sign with the Angels.