Future of big name Nats (2012)

[Smithian]

That's not the point. He will declare free agency and reject any extensions until he can test the market. Then he will sign if the Nats offer the best deal.

There are exceptions to that rule.

[Kevrock]

Bump

Dude, no opinion on this is going to change day to day.

We all would love to see him Harper sign his future away to us but it's not going to happen.

[MarquisDeSade]

I'm not reading all of this crap but if you're seriously concerned about what happens in 2016 and beyond kill yourself immediately.

[PANatsFan]

There are exceptions to that rule.

I think Jered Weaver got in trouble with Boras for signing an extension IIRC.

[MarquisDeSade]

Who gives a crap.

[spidernat]

BH34Natural is the 2012 version of "thunder". He should change his screen name to harperstrucknatsfan.   

[BH34Natural]

Dude, no opinion on this is going to change day to day.

We all would love to see him Harper sign his future away to us but it's not going to happen.

why not? if we can and will offer the largest deal

[Gleason2]

I think Jered Weaver got in trouble with Boras for signing an extension IIRC.

Doesn't the agent work for the player?  Any player who can "get in trouble" with his agent needs to start shopping around for a new one.

[Lintyfresh85]

Doesn't the agent work for the player?  Any player who can "get in trouble" with his agent needs to start shopping around for a new one.

Agreed.

"I'm in trouble? You're fired."

[BH34Natural]

I think PANatsFan was just giving us an example that Boras does not exactly spell doom for us, I think.

[Kevrock]

why not? if we can and will offer the largest deal

Obviously, but that opportunity is in 7 years.

[HalfSmokes]

Doesn't the agent work for the player?  Any player who can "get in trouble" with his agent needs to start shopping around for a new one.

I think the union was more pissed than anyone. The fact the only extension people point to is weaver seems to make him the execption that proves the rule, then again Harper hired him in his teens- he may be a very different person by the time he hits his mid 20s

[BH34Natural]

Also, FWIW. It seems like we have a favorable relationship with Boras as an organization.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Boras#List_of_clients_and_advisees

We have Werth, Edwin Jackson, Ankiel, Harper, Espinosa, Anthony Rendon and Strasburg.

I would not think he wants to piss off our ownership group at any point in time.

[BH34Natural]

Obviously, but that opportunity is in 7 years.

The discussion is just about what will happen when time is getting closer to that 7 years from now mark... or a year or two before. Just whatever it takes to keep Harper a National

[UMDNats]

Also, FWIW. It seems like we have a favorable relationship with Boras as an organization.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Boras#List_of_clients_and_advisees

We have Werth, Edwin Jackson, Ankiel, Harper, Espinosa, Anthony Rendon and Strasburg.

I would not think he wants to piss off our ownership group at any point in time.

That all literally means zero. Absolutely nothing.

[BH34Natural]

That all literally means zero. Absolutely nothing.

[BH34Natural]

So you think Harper is a goner in 7 years?

[HalfSmokes]

That all literally means zero. Absolutely nothing.

The only guy on that list the team could dick with is Espinosa by replacing him with Lombo, the others are either too marginal to matter (Ankiel) too good to screw with (Harper Stras) or at least good enough prospects that they will get a shot (redon) or have contract situations that don't exactly leave them vulnerable to pissed owners (Werth and jackson)

[UMDNats]

So you think Harper is a goner in 7 years?

I'd bet yes, but our relationship with Boras is irrelevant to whether or not we re-sign him.

The only guy on that list the team could dick with is Espinosa by replacing him with Lombo, the others are either too marginal to matter (Ankiel) too good to screw with (Harper Stras) or at least good enough prospects that they will get a shot (redon) or have contract situations that don't exactly leave them vulnerable to pissed owners (Werth and jackson)

Agreed.

[BH34Natural]

I'd bet yes, but our relationship with Boras is irrelevant to whether or not we re-sign him.

Why do you think he is a goner?

[UMDNats]

Why do you think he is a goner?

He'll test free agency because he has (if all goes well) the chance to be the highest-paid player of all time and his agent will want to create the bidding war that will accomplish that. All the big players will be involved, and I'll just take the field over him re-signing with us. How many guys test FA and then come back to their team?

Plus Bryce strikes me as a kid who wants to be legendary and his best chance for that is to live his dream in Yankee Stadium. While I would argue he has a chance to be a lifelong National and the face of (what we hope) is a World Series-winning, annual contending team instead of just another Yankee, I think there's more than a 50-50 shot of him ending in New York. 

Desperately hope I'm wrong, though.

[BH34Natural]

He'll test free agency because he has (if all goes well) the chance to be the highest-paid player of all time and his agent will want to create the bidding war that will accomplish that. All the big players will be involved, and I'll just take the field over him re-signing with us. How many guys test FA and then come back to their team?

Plus Bryce strikes me as a kid who wants to be legendary and his best chance for that is to live his dream in Yankee Stadium. While I would argue he has a chance to be a lifelong National and the face of (what we hope) is a World Series-winning, annual contending team instead of just another Yankee, I think there's more than a 50-50 shot of him ending in New York. 

Desperately hope I'm wrong, though.

I think its a pretty realistic take. But what if our richest ownership group in baseball decides to give him the biggest deal of all time before he has the chance to hit the open market?

That's the advantage of having his rights; we will get first bite at the apple in terms of being able to offer him such a deal. Unless of course he wants to be down right greedy and turn down the largest contract of all time in baseball to get more than that on the open market. In that case, there's nothing we could do.

I have to think that they already know he's the type of talent that will command the largest contract in baseball history. That conversation has already had to have taken place.

[UMDNats]

I think its a pretty realistic take. But what if our richest ownership group in baseball decides to give him the biggest deal of all time before he has the chance to hit the open market?

That's the advantage of having his rights; we will get first bite at the apple in terms of being able to offer him such a deal. Unless of course he wants to be down right greedy and turn down the largest contract of all time in baseball to get more than that on the open market. In that case, there's nothing we could do.

I have to think that they already know he's the type of talent that will command the largest contract in baseball history. That conversation has already had to have taken place.

I would hope our owners are willing to pay anything and everything to get Harper to stay, if he's as good as advertised (MVP caliber player, if not better). If you aren't going to pay (even overpay) for him, then for who? Ultimately, though, I think it comes down to where he wants to play: here, or, say New York? Hopefully, playing with what should be a stable core of talented players and, ideally, a winning team will convince him that staying here is worth it. We'll see. I still think he ends up leaving here but hope I'm wrong. Either way, I'm going to enjoy whatever time we get to have him because he's so much fun to watch and we're lucky to have him on our team right now.

[HalfSmokes]

Someone will overpay- should Seattle have outbid texas for ARod- should Tampa have gone toe to toe over Crawford, Milwaukee over Prince?

[UMDNats]

Someone will overpay- should Seattle have outbid texas for ARod- should Tampa have gone toe to toe over Crawford, Milwaukee over Prince?

The only comparable in this situation would be Seattle and A-Rod, really, considering we're talking about the situation where Bryce is the best player in baseball going into FA in his prime years. A-Rod produced Hall of Fame numbers in Texas and then New York. Crawford isn't even on the same level, and Prince is also in a different category.

And again, Seattle, Tampa and Milwaukee don't have owners worth billions of dollars. I know we're all concerned about them opening the pocketbooks, but honestly I think they'd give Bryce whatever he wants and we have one of the few ownership groups with the resources alone to compete with the big boys, assuming they're actually willing to spend the necessary money. And after the Gio, Zimmerman and Werth contracts, I lean towards them being willing to spend.