Despite what looked like some last-minute bidding by the SF Giants and LA Dodgers and a rumor that Bryce Harper wanted to be on the West Coast, he signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies.

As ESPN reports, "Philadelphia had geared up for this offseason for several years now and was determined to not be outbid for both of the in-their-prime stars available this winter, Harper and Manny Machado."

ESPN adds that "Harper adds star power to a team that has lacked it" ever since the 2011 season, when the Phillies ended a five-year run of division titles.

The Chronicle suggests that the former Washington Nationals MVP may never have been serious about coming to San Francisco, and was only using the Giants as "a stalking horse to drive up the price with the Dodgers or Phillies." But the California teams were at a disadvantage in that the state's higher income tax meant that the offer to Harper would have had to have been significantly higher than $330 million to be a net equivalent for him.

Also, notes the Chron, "This marks the second consecutive offseason the Giants failed in their bid to land a superstar player. They had a deal in place to acquire [Giancarlo] Stanton last winter, but he used his no-trade rights to veto the deal and forced a trade to the Yankees."

So, that's all folks. Maybe the Giants can manage this season without such "star power." We'll see.

Related: Bay Area Band Smash Mouth Starts Rumor Of Giants Owners Wanting to Snag Bryce Harper