HawaiiYou wrote:
I was thinking about this today. Washington is trying to keep Harper but he shows interest in leaving and the Cubs being a destination.
But he would be a good fit w/ the White Sox w the young talent coming up. Player in his prime and a veteran. They have the $$ too to pay him.
And I think Harper wouldn't mind playing on a team where you're not going to get the big pressure on you like you would w/ the Cubs or Yankees.
Why not sign him?
The White Sox are a darkhorse for any of these elite free agents IF they decide to start fast-tracking their rebuild OR think they are closer than they showed.
For example, this may not be realistic or even what they are thinking, but what if they thought that a healthy Rodon, Lopez, and Giolito has the makings of a solid rotation. Most would probably disagree, but they could think that getting Kopech back in 2020 is a potential front-line starter plus another top prospect like Cease being close could make this rebuild go quicker.
Offensively, Jimenez will be up in April next year, the infield (outside of 3B) is pretty much set for next season, but the OF is probably where 2 major upgrades can jump-start the offense.
If they were inclined, they could offer Harper a 3-4 year deal for $120M-$160M without impacting future payroll, etc.
I'd be surprised if they did this, but they have always thought big when it comes to acquiring talent - it's just a matter of when they think the timing is.
Based on this week's news, they may no longer be a darkhorse although it's still hard to see them landing either Machado or Harper without being the highest bidder.