Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

For months, it's been clear through sources that while the Yankees like Manny Machado as a player, they don't plan on outbidding aggressive teams like the Phillies and White Sox.

Now, word comes from a person with direct knowledge of Machado's thinking that he plans to choose the team that makes the highest offer.

In most cases, this would be about as stunning as "Source: Sun will set this evening."

Most free agents chase the money, as they should. But with Machado, it's an update that does hold some relevance.

The Yankees' hopes to sign Machado rely on either an aggressive late offer that no one sees coming, or Machado's willingness to take less because 1) his wife likes New York; 2) A-Rod is his idol; 3) Carlos Beltran used to have the same agent; or 4) he wants to see the Warhol exhibit at the Whitney before it closes.

As it turns out, none of those factors will influence his decision. The White Sox are playing this game, too.

This winter, they've acquired Machado's brother-in-law Yonder Alonso, and his close friend Jon Jay. The Phillies, for their part, hired longtime Orioles coach Bobby Dickerson.

That's all well and good, but the latest word from inside Machado's camp is that he will simply choose the team that shows him the money.

By the way, despite reports that the Phillies' Saturday meeting with Bryce Harper went so swimmingly, the team is very much still in on Machado, according to multiple major league sources.

Additionally, there is more than one unidentified team still pursuing Machado. The "mystery team" concept is often mocked for good reason, but we hear reliably that it's true in this case.

Popular in the Community