By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor
Bryce Harper to the Phillies is picking up momentum, and as it "rounds third," many baseball minds are chiming in, including former Florida/Miami Marlins President David Samson.
Sunday morning, Samson tweeted that rumors are spreading that Harper will be a Phillie for 10 years and $310 million, and that Harper's agent, Scott Boras, is getting "bailed out again by an owner."
"Still doesn’t beat [Giancarlo] Stanton, but will certainly beat [Manny] Machado," Samson tweeted. "Like saving half a face for the player and the agent. Now, back to your regularly scheduled rumors."
“(The Phillies) are not clear-cut favorites … The way I see it, whoever gives the most years and the most dollars is going to end up with Bryce Harper.”
Jim Bowden provides the latest updates in the Bryce Harper sweepstakes. pic.twitter.com/Z5kiWjEsXa
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) January 15, 2019
Samson and Boras have been anything but friends in recent history. Him using the term "bail out" is in reference to the market simply not unfolding the way Harper and Boras envisioned, but that the Phillies' offer is somewhat comparable compared to other offers.
Samson has previously used the phrase of "bailing out" Boras as recently as last Sunday, saying he hopes the San Francisco Giants do not help the agent and that a "short-term deal with highest annual salary of all time would give [Boras] a small undeserved victory," Samson tweeted.
Samson has also previously called Boras a “lecherous agent” and said the way he handled Jose Fernandez’s death “was a joke.” In December 2017, Samson used phrases such as "spew of nonsense and misdirection" in regard to Boras.
Scott Boras’ emailed comments to @Ken_Rosenthal regarding the pending trade of @Giancarlo818 and the impact on @Bharper3407 are the perfect example of both pandering and tampering and the usual spew of nonsense and misdirection for which he is and will always be known. #waittosee
— David P. Samson (@DavidPSamson) December 10, 2017
Along with Boras, Samson has also recently drawn the attention of former Marlins outfielder and 2018 National League MVP Christian Yelich.
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Yelich responded to Samson's recent tweet that said discussing the "broken" free agency system will not be fixed by players "systematically tweeting about it," and that players and agents must adjust to a "new reality."
Not anti-player and certainly not anti-you. Definitely anti-Boras and anti- players who misread their value in the market. Big difference. Careful what we all wish for. Strikes/Lockouts are not the panacea.
— David P. Samson (@DavidPSamson) February 11, 2019
Samson told Yelich that he is neither anti-player nor "anti-Yelich," but rather "anti-Boras and anti-players who misread their value in the market."
Samson works for CBS Sports HQ, the same employer of former Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden, who reported on Saturday that Harper and the Phillies are nearing a deal. While Harper's contract likely will not break Stanton's $325 million record contract, the Phillies, if they are in fact the team, will likely make it come close.