this post is gold.You're right. The fact that Mookie has made a counter offer is a very good thing for those of us who want to keep him. However. this would be a good time to educate your son on how bargaining works.
While I don't have an personal insight on how much either party is willing to settle for at the same time I do have some experience in bargaining and here's what I'm confident of. 1) The Sox don't expect to get him signed for 10/$300. 2) Mookie doesn't expect to get 12/$420.
This is what happens in a bargaining process: The two parties start talking with their positions at numbers they don't expect to be there at the end. They start at the extremes and then bargain their way toward some middle ground. The fact that Mookie has made them an offer is good news because the Sox now know what Mookie's position is and that he's willing to talk. Our FO now now has to weigh the ramifications of paying him some amount between $300M & $420M and decide how much they can afford to pay him, pay others, and still make a profit.
This is progress and any progress is good. That doesn't guarantee that the two parties will come to an agreement but at least they're now talking with their positions outlined.