The Globe’s intrepid Peter Abraham floated the idea in a blog back on Nov. 18.

What if the Red Sox decided to make Derek Jeter a contract offer? Abraham framed his piece in sheer speculation. He was just having a little fun. He wanted to know if Sox fans would tolerate such a notion.

In the fortnight since Pete’s preposterous proposal, things have gotten ugly between the Yankees and their captain. Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, said Jeter is the Yankees’ modern-day Babe Ruth, and general manager Brian Cashman dared Jeter to go find another bidder. ESPN New York is reporting that the Yankees have told Jeter and Close to “drink the reality potion.’’ Last week the New York Post ran a Photoshopped back cover featuring Jeter in a Red Sox uniform next to a headline that read, “Picture this.’’

Dissing Jeter is not a winning strategy, but the Yankees can get away with it because they know that no team is going to make a serious offer for the iconic shortstop.

Which brings us back to John Henry. Suppose the Red Sox step up and shock the world? There is simply no downside to making Jeter a massive offer. In the worst-case scenario he calls your bluff and you get the Yankees captain.

I don’t care if Jeter is way past his prime or if the Sox would have to wildly overpay a player of his diminished skills.

I say offer him the world. Forget about Jayson Werth. Blow Jeter away with dollars and years. At worst this would just mean the Sox would jack up the final price the Yankees must pay. It could be sort of like Mark Teixeira-in-reverse.

And if Jeter actually signed with Boston, the damage to the Yankees’ psyche would be inestimable.

Jeter finishing his career in a Red Sox uniform would be the 2004 American League Championship Series all over again for the hated New Yorkers. Think of how you’d have felt if the Knicks had signed Larry Bird at the end of his career.

The Jeter saga is back-page stuff in the Daily News and the Post just about every day. Jeter wants to be paid like Alex Rodriguez. The Steinbrenners have drawn a line in the Tampa sand. And Gotham is split.