*** OFFICIAL *** MLB 2019 Thread

[GrenadaRoger]

I hate to post shit like this because it might cause San's head to explode, but it didn't happen so I think he's safe...

http://larrybrownsports.com/baseball...-harper/472144

The Los Angeles Dodgers are always in contention when it comes to signing the top free agents on the market, and that should be the case with Bryce Harper this winter. While it is widely assumed that they will not bring back Manny Machado, there could be reason to believe the Dodgers will be suitors for Harper.

According to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers tried to acquire Harper twice during the 2018 season. The first time was before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and the second was when they claimed him before the waiver deadline but the Washington Nationals pulled Harper back, as expected.

The Dodgers have a crowded outfield that includes Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, Cody Bellinger, Matt Kemp, Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor. That would make them seem like an unlikely landing spot for Harper, but Castillo reports that they offered Puig as part of a trade for Harper. The Dodgers and Nationals ultimately could not reach a deal.
Puig hasn’t emerged into the superstar the Dodgers hoped he would be, and he’s under team control for one more year before he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2020. If LA does decide to make a run at Harper, they would likely still look to move Puig this offseason.

Given the astronomical amount of money Harper is expected to earn this winter, there are probably only a handful of teams with a realistic shot at signing him. The Dodgers are certainly among them.

Harper is not coming to the Dodgers, indeed no new top dollar free agents are coming

contrast the hype about the Dodgers signing top agents versus their missing out on the top 14 free agents since the current ownership took over...also read the article about the business plan leaked to the LA Times that calls for the Dodgers stay below the mlb salary cap for the next four years (link below) -- yeah, I thought they stayed below only for 2018 in order to reset the penalty thus allowing a big signing or two with only minimal penaly--that seems to be bullshit...instead the Dodgers are following a cash flow harvest strategy that will avoid excess salary penalty


http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodger...105-story.html

the article contains disclaimers by league execs that it's "only a plan" and subject to change...who the fuck are they trying to kid? in the corporate world, you hit you budget or else you are gone...so the Dodgers plan to cut player salary, and undoubtedly that of personnel in stadium operations & administration---one thing never cut will be top executive compensation though: it never is in the corporate world