Phillies

Harper Watch 2019: Jon Morosi and Buster Olney

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Feb 20th, 2019 · 1:36 PM EST

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The Major League Baseball hot stove has experienced all sorts of temperature fluctuations this winter.

First it was really hot, then it became ice cold. Nothing happened in free agency for something like two months, and the stove was colder and more desolate than the southern tip of Argentina. Now the stove is hotter than hot. It’s like putting your tomato soup on the surface of Venus.

The latest in Harper Watch 2019 brings us this snippet from Jon Morosi:

🎙️@jonmorosi: "The Bryce Harper signing is gonna break about three minutes before the Manny Machado press conference happens, and I think it'll be with Philadelphia."@howaboutafresca & @SwollenDome. https://t.co/lXtT3WgCe0

— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) February 20, 2019

I would not put it past Scott Boras to steal the spotlight from Dan Lozano with a pre-presser leak. That would be a total dick/power move on his part.

FYI the Machado press conference is tentatively scheduled for Friday in San Diego. San Diego, course, means “a whale’s vagina.” 

Buster Olney also believes that the Phillies are gonna land Bryce Harper, saying this:

'4' as in $400M. https://t.co/V828yJGytc

— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) February 20, 2019

$400 million dollars for Harper would be outrageous. We’re approaching Messi and Ronaldo levels of pay if the number gets into that range. Maybe Olney means the Phillies are willing to pay $340 million over ten years. Or $304 million. Or maybe it’s $300,000,0004.

There’s also this from Bob Nightengale, who I don’t know if I trust:

The Chicago #WhiteSox, who are out of the Bryce Harper sweepstakes, still plan to make some smaller improvements to team after Manny Machado chose the #Padres. Versatile infielders Marwin Gonzalez and Josh Harrison, along with starter Gio Gonzalez, still on the free-agent board.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 20, 2019

If the Sox are out of the Harper sweepstakes, it’s down to the Phillies, Giants, and I guess Nationals. Who knows? Maybe another mystery team comes flying out of the woodwork here and we end up with nothing.

This has been your Harper Watch 2019 update.