Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras gave a young fan a pleasant.

Per Madeline Kenney of theChicago Sun-Times http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-max-muncy-jersey , Contreras arrived at Franklin Park's Engel School for kids with special needs to hang out with Daniel Rodriguez, who has Down syndrome, and 60 of his classmates.Rodriguez, 11, first met Contreras at Advocate Children Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, in 2017. He also got to spend time with the Cubs All-Star at spring training in 2017 and last year when Rodriguezreceived a VIP experience at Wrigley Field and was gifted with a signed helmet, batting gloves and jersey. Contreras hit a three-run homer in that game against the Chicago White Sox."From the first moment that he saw him, that they interacted they were just communicating in their own little way," Rodiguez's mother, Nyvia Crespo Hyun-Jin Ryu Jersey , told Kenney. "That first impression has lasted him until this day Willson just made him feel so much better that day. It's like his medicine."During their time together Thursday, Contreras and Rodriguez played whiffle ball and corn hole. While the Dodgers and Yankees are just now avoiding the luxury tax, the Phillies have been avoiding it for several years as they've sought to rebuild following the collapse of the Chase Utley-, Jimmy Rollins- and Ryan Howard-led era.Even after taking their first steps out of their rebuild with a $135 million investment in Jake Arrieta and Carlos Santana last winter, the Phillies only opened 2018 with a $95.3 million payroll. As of now, they barely have more money ($68.9 million) committed to 2019 than the Cincinnati Reds ($68.6 million).These figures amount to loose change for a franchise that peaked with $183.5 million in payroll expenses in 2014. And that was two yearsbefore their $2.5 billionTV contract kicked in.Beyond the money needed to sign Harper, 25, and Machado, 26, the Phillies have something else that's kinda-sorta-very important: a strong need for them on the field.The team's return to contention in 2018 has hit a wall in part because its offense has run out of gas. Amid Philadelphia's 15-29 stretch since August 6, it's mustered only a .691 OPS and 3.9 runs per game.The beginnings of a strong offense are there鈥攏amely http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-max-muncy-jersey , Santana, Rhys Hoskins, Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera. What the Phillies lack are big boppers to tie it all together.That's where Harper and Machado would come in. The latter is working on a career-best .908 OPS with 37 home runs. Even in a down year, Harper has an .885 OPS and 34 homers. His pinnacle, of course, was his 2015 National League MVP season in which he had one of the greatest offensive yearsever.Adding both Harper and Machado would be a hell of a way for the Phillies to close the gap between themselves and the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. And the chance to chase rings could be just as important in luring Harper and Machado as the money.To boot, each might like the idea of hitting at Citizens Bank Park.No other National League stadium is more friendly to home run hitters than the Phillies' home turf. That should be of interest to Harper and Machado.To wit, consider how the non-homer fly balls and line drives they've hit at home would have fared in Philadelphia:Image courtesy of BaseballSavant.MLB.comImage courtesy of BaseballSavant.MLB.comExtra power is a nice enough thing in its own right. But in this case, it could prove to be an avenue to even greater riches for both players.Although both are sure to sign long-term contracts (say, 10 years or so) this winter, they're young enough to command early opt-outs through which they could re-enter the open market while still in their primes. A few 40-homer seasons in Philadelphia would only enhance the viability of such opt-outs.The Dodgers can't offer Harper and Machado a similarly hitter-friendly ballpark to hit in. The Yankees can Mike Piazza Jersey , although theirs skews more friendly to Harper because of its short right field porch. Besides, the Yankees might take the presence of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Andujar as a cue to spend on free agents they actually need.If all these factors result in Harper and Machado doing an NBA-style team-up and transforming the Phillies into legitimate World Series contenders, one question must ultimately be asked:Is this, you know,good for baseball?Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesWhether superteams are good for the National Basketball Association is a subject of much debate. Sure, the hype they generate is a positive. But is the parity they kill an equal or greater negative?There might be a similar debate in the baseball world if the Phillies drop hundreds of millions of dollars to sign the two best players on the free-agent market. However, it'll be harder to come down on the negative than it is in the NBA superteam debate.Baseball and basketball are different beasts. In basketball, one or two superstars can make a world of difference. In baseball, less so. There are 25 men on a team, and even the best can only do so much to create wins. Shohei Ohtani aside http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-max-muncy-jersey , great hitters can't pitch, and great pitchers can't hit.It's also clear by now that there isn't a 1-1 correlation between money spent and success achieved. Despite spendingbillions, the Yankees havewon a single World Series since 2001. The Dodgers have spent over $1 billion just since 2013, and it's earned them only one trip to the World Series.Such is life in an era in which MLB contenders are built more on the backs of cheap homegrown stars than on pricey free agents. It's an effective and efficient model, albeit one with an ominous dark side: players aren't getting as big a slice of the pie as they used to.Therein lies a potential benefit of the Phillies signing Harper and Machado. If they give both players record-setting deals, perhaps the MLB Players Association won't be angling for war with the league in the next round of collective bargaining talks. Or, at least, not a war big and nasty enough to force a work stoppage.This is not to suggest that everybody should start rooting for Harper and Machado to go to Philadelphia. It's merely something to watch out for and to not be afraid of.Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and Baseball Savant.