I know that being a general manager looks easy.

You identify the free-agent players you want, and then sign them to improve your team. If there is a player on another team who is available and can help your club, just make an offer, and acquire him. What is so difficult?

If only it was that easy.

Remember, any player you think can help your team could also help many other teams. So, you have to somehow distinguish your team from the rest of the pack. Most of the time it is by bidding the highest for free agents or talent in trades. But there are times when budgets limit the amount of money you have available to spend on a player, or you don’t have the depth of talent to make a trade or the right fit to satisfy the needs of others.

Then there are the times when you are willing to pay the highest price, but you still can’t close the deal. Players have choices too. They can be affected by geography, family, history, stadium factors, etc. In the trade market, there are some executives who won’t trade within their own league or division. There are so many factors that complicate trades and free agency. It’s not as easy as some think. You can’t just get who you want when you want them.

If you doubt what I’m saying, just ask Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro. They have come so close to landing Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes over the past couple of years. They were........

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