POLL: UPDATED: Bryce's team in 2019 will be.....

[Baseball is Life]

I think the reason fans are ready to accept Bryce moving on is because from Day 1, all anybody ever talked about was his pending FA at 26 years old.  How much will get? He idolized Mickey Mantle so he will be a Yankee. He is best friends with Kris Bryant so he will be a Cub.  It's like we've known all along that he is rental for us.

You are being way to pragmatic about this. Lots of Nats fans have an emotional attachment to Harper. Just look at his jersey sales.

[Natsinpwc]

You are being way to pragmatic about this. Lots of Nats fans have an emotional attachment to Harper. Just look at his jersey sales.

Especially kids. They take this stuff seriously. I was upset when the Phillies traded Richie Allen. Still remember it.

[UMDNats]

I think the reason fans are ready to accept Bryce moving on is because from Day 1, all anybody ever talked about was his pending FA at 26 years old.  How much will get? He idolized Mickey Mantle so he will be a Yankee. He is best friends with Kris Bryant so he will be a Cub.  It's like we've known all along that he is rental for us.

This is a good point, for any adult Nats fan who was dialed in it was clear he was one foot out the door from day one, barring a massive overpay from us or some huge change of heart.

[mitlen]

Especially kids. They take this stuff seriously. I was upset when the Phillies traded Richie Allen. Still remember it.

Richie Allen W. Pa

[Baseball is Life]

Especially kids. They take this stuff seriously. I was upset when the Phillies traded Richie Allen. Still remember it.

WNNF posters are much more business savvy re baseball than the average Nats fan. I bet if you polled most Nats fans out there at least 75% would want him back.

[Natsinpwc]

WNNF posters are much more business savvy re baseball than the average Nats fan. I bet if you polled most Nats fans out there at least 75% would want him back.

Agree. Especially the causal fans.

[Natsinpwc]

Richie Allen W. Pa

Wampum PA. Where is that anyway? I should go and pay homage. He got a raw deal back then.

https://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/311524701.html

[skippy1999]

This is a good point, for any adult Nats fan who was dialed in it was clear he was one foot out the door from day one, barring a massive overpay from us or some huge change of heart.

I honestly never felt that way, to me Bryce seemed to really embrace DC and enjoy playing here. 

[Duke of Earl]

I was upset when the Phillies traded Richie Allen. Still remember it.

Richie Allen:  "Game time is on time"

[Natsinpwc]

Richie Allen:  "Game time is on time"

It’s true. You talkin bout practice?

[Natsinpwc]

I honestly never felt that way, to me Bryce seemed to really embrace DC and enjoy playing here.

People are just making stuff up now that it looks like he is leaving. In the end he will be the sole reason the Nats never made it past the first round.

[bluestreak]

People are just making stuff up now that it looks like he is leaving. In the end he will be the sole reason the Nats never made it past the first round.

Not the sole reason, but a reason. 

I agree that the casual fan wants him back. That is why the Nats leaked their offer. The casual fan also thinks 300 million is a ton of cash to turn down.
And it is hard, even for casual fans to hear since the day he was called up that he was too good for this team. Lots of that was the media, but some of that was him.

It’s like the hot woman that everyone tells you is eventually going to leave you because  she’s too good for you. You want to keep her as long as you can, but you emotionally prepare yourself for if she decides to move on.

[Baseball is Life]

I honestly never felt that way, to me Bryce seemed to really embrace DC and enjoy playing here. 

Absolutely the SSS Squad perspective. It still might prove out. The LoD would have you believe otherwise.

[skippy1999]

Absolutely the SSS Squad perspective. It still might prove out. The LoD would have you believe otherwise.

lol apparently all us SSS'ers are casual fans then

[nfotiu]

This is a good point, for any adult Nats fan who was dialed in it was clear he was one foot out the door from day one, barring a massive overpay from us or some huge change of heart.

I don't think the average fan (myself included) really thought that way until last season when the reality set in that he was a FA at the end of the year.  Harper jersey sales were way down last year, which goes towards that point.

It's really only going to Philly that would make me have irrational hate for him.  If he goes to California or the AL, I wish him the best and casually follow him, and have perfectly happy memories of his time here.   

[bluestreak]

I don't think the average fan (myself included) really thought that way until last season when the reality set in that he was a FA at the end of the year.  Harper jersey sales were way down last year, which goes towards that point.

It's really only going to Philly that would make me have irrational hate for him.  If he goes to California or the AL, I wish him the best and casually follow him, and have perfectly happy memories of his time here.

I mean, if he signs for significantly less money than what the Nats offered, I think a lot of people will irrationally hate him as well, regardless of where he goes.

[tenken627]

Either way it plays out, the Lerners played it brilliantly.

Leak out the initial 10 year $300 mil contract before free agency starts.

Trade for Gomes.

Deny initial amount offered to Harper

Sign Corbin

Put out that radio interview saying pretty much goodbye to Harper.

Sign more FAs.

Leak out that the Lerners had a secret meeting with Boras.

Sign more FAs.

State that ownership might be willing to go over the luxury cap and resign Harper.

Sign more FAs

Leak out that the initial offer of 10 years 300 mil is off the table

Sign more FAs

[Natsinpwc]

Either way it plays out, the Lerners played it brilliantly.

Leak out the initial 10 year $300 mil contract before free agency starts.

Trade for Gomes.

Deny initial amount offered to Harper

Sign Corbin

Put out that radio interview saying pretty much goodbye to Harper.

Sign more FAs.

Leak out that the Lerners had a secret meeting with Boras.

Sign more FAs.

State that ownership might be willing to go over the luxury cap and resign Harper.

Sign more FAs

Leak out that the initial offer of 10 years 300 mil is off the table

Sign more FAs

The Nats winning the offseason! 
I agree they made good moves and understand why they didn’t let Harper hold them hostage. However if they don’t do well this year they will be second guessed. Only the results matter in the end.

[GburgNatsFan]

When Soto shots are clanking around in the infrastructure, we're all gonna feel a lot better.

I don't think the average fan (myself included) really thought that way until last season when the reality set in that he was a FA at the end of the year.  Harper jersey sales were way down last year, which goes towards that point.

It's really only going to Philly that would make me have irrational hate for him.  If he goes to California or the AL, I wish him the best and casually follow him, and have perfectly happy memories of his time here.

[skippy1999]

When Soto shots are clanking around in the infrastructure, we're all gonna feel a lot better.

[Natsinpwc]

I mean, if he signs for significantly less money than what the Nats offered, I think a lot of people will irrationally hate him as well, regardless of where he goes.

I think most fans are missing the significance of opt outs. He might sign for less overall than the Nats offered but in the end might make more money by taking an opt out.

It’s interesting that with all the talk of Harper no one is talking about Strasburg having an opt out after this year. If he has a big season he might well be gone in 2020. I can see why owners don’t want to give long contracts with these opt outs. I can also see why Harper probably wondered why he wasn’t offered the opt outs by the Nats.

[nfotiu]

When Soto shots are clanking around in the infrastructure, we're all gonna feel a lot better.

I hope so.  I do worry how the 20 year old is going to handle being the guy circled as the guy not to let beat you every night.   

[tenken627]

The Nats winning the offseason! 
I agree they made good moves and understand why they didn’t let Harper hold them hostage. However if they don’t do well this year they will be second guessed. Only the results matter in the end.

Of course you are right. Just saying that the Nats could point out that they tried all that they could in regards to Harper whole slowly injecting acquisitions methodically and exactly right after some type of Nats related Harper news cones out. Its so methodical its pure evil genius.

This would be the way to play it even if u gave up even thinking of retaining Harper long looooooong ago but had to find a way to untangle yourself without the usual accompanying PR disaster

[DPMOmaha]

The way free agency has gone the last couple years, I can't see any way Stras opts out.

[rileyn]

The way free agency has gone the last couple years, I can't see any way Stras opts out.

Exactly.  Strasburg is not opting out of this deal unless he wants to play in San Diego for less money to end his career.