Bryce Harper and Manny Machado Are Still Not Signed

The two biggest Major League Baseball free agents still do not have a home with spring training a mere two weeks away. The best players who are free agents have usually signed a contract with their new team by this point. However, that is not the case for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. There were rumors that both of these guys were going to receive contract offers of 10 years or more. The dollar amounts thrown around went all the way up to $400 million. However, those offers have not materialized. It should be noted that the Washington Nationals did make a $300 million offer to Harper before the end of the season. However, he decided not to accept it and opted to become a free agent instead. That is looking like a very bad decision by Harper’s agent.

Harper is represented by Scott Boras. He has many of the biggest players in baseball as his clients. He has a reputation for always getting top dollar for his clients. However, his reputation has taken a bit of a hit during the past year. This is because he advised some of his clients to turn down big offers in the hopes of getting a bigger contract offer that never came. Last year, third baseman Mike Moustakas turned down an $18 million qualifying offer from the Kansas City Royals to become a free agent. He was coming off a season during which he hit 38 home runs. This broke the Royals team record for home runs in a single season. The interest in his services was non-existent. He wound up re-signing with the Royals for $5 million.

The amount of money that Harper and Machado are commanding has scared away many of the smaller teams. However, even the big teams have not been seriously involved in the bidding for either of these players. Both players have flaws that might also be giving teams pause. For example, Machado has admitted that he does not hustle on every play. Harper has a history of injuries and has missed many games in his career. However, the talent of each player is undeniable.

Baseball teams are no longer doling out the massive long-term contracts that they have done in the past. This sort of fiscal responsibility is new to the sport. It will take a while for it to sink in. Many free agent stars will need to lower their demands.