I can understand why Boston might want to "pursue talks with the Nats about Harper", but this deal is something like George Preston Marshall's "attempt" to bring a black player to his segregated Redskins in 1960 or '61. "We have an offer in for Bobby Mitchell", Marshall said. "We've offered M.C. Reynolds", third string QB.
Led Shirley Povich to record several Vaudeville jokes about the many who "almost" had Man-o-War, the triple crown racehorse. "I asked the man to give me that horse. I was THAT close Just one word".
"What did he say?"
"He said 'no', but he had said 'yes', I've had that horse".
Shirley is looking down and laughing. Shirley Povich still knows baseball, and he died about 1997.