Uncovering the Winter Meetings Through Our We Tried Tracker

Highlights of the Winter Meetings

The Winter Meetings have been a hub of activity, with teams vying for top talent. One of the most interesting aspects is how teams describe their involvement. Phrases like "we were in on" and "we were in the mix" have been commonly used. But there have also been unique expressions such as "We had interest in him," "We were highly competitive," and "We made what we felt was a competitive offer." These different ways of describing a team's pursuit add a layer of complexity to the offseason.

For example, the Red Sox have been particularly active, leading all teams with six We Trieds. They've been in the mix for pitchers and have even made aggressive runs at them. It's clear that they're leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of talent.

Teams' Pursuit of Key Players

Juan Soto had five primary suitors: the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Dodgers. The Mets and Yankees have made it onto the tracker in specific ways. Sean McAdam reported that Boston's best offer to Soto was for 16 years and $700 million, while Bob Nightengale's Yankees We Tried was more poetic, stating that the New York Yankees offer for Juan Soto was $760 million for 16 years. Mets fans are already talking about printing "He chose the Mets" t-shirts.

However, we don't know exactly what made Soto choose the Mets. It could be a combination of factors, but it's clear that the Mets were one of the top contenders.

The A's and the Max Fried Sweepstakes

The A's situation has been quite strange. They had to get out of their comfort zone and sign players to avoid a grievance from the MLBPA. Manager Mark Kotsay initially reported that Walker Buehler didn't want to play in Sacramento, but he later disputed the report. There's no way to know the truth, but it's a classic gaffe that has raised questions.

Then there was Bob Nightengale's report that the A's were one of the most aggressive teams in the Max Fried sweepstakes. But within three hours, MLB.com's Martín Gallegos refuted the report, saying that GM David Forst said the reports were untrue. This back-and-forth has added to the intrigue surrounding the A's offseason.

Personally, I like to imagine that Forst wasn't disputing the entire report, just the part about the A's pursuing Fried aggressively. Maybe they did try, but their approach was more subtle.

As the offseason progresses, we'll keep you updated. We're sorry we couldn't cover everything, but we really did try.