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Isn't it fun to always talk about players we will never get?

MLBTR does a huge story exploring where the Pirates can turn for a bat, and they don't even include a blurb on Luis Robert. Yellow journalism, I tell ya. Where Can The Pirates Turn For Another Bat? - MLB Trade Rumors Old friend blurb:

A "hard worker" who won't listen to instruction isn't really a "hard worker".

He's Nick Madrigal. Cocky and hasn't earned anything. "hard worker" is meaningless. everybody that makes pro ball is a hard worker. At this point in his career he either has the talent to succeed or he does not. "hard work" will mean little if it's ineffective.

If the site is valued at $1 billion, by constitutional property tax law in Indiana, they cannot be charged more than $30 million (3%) for that year's property taxes. Valuations can increase over time, but the rate cannot change, and would always max out at 3%. For a primary residence that number is 1%, So if you have a $250,000 k house, your max is $2500.

Do you mean they would be capped at $30 million per year in Indiana?

If Schultz, Smith and Taylor (at least 2 of the 3) were ready to dominate as starters, I could see it.

Would be a good opportunity to swoop in and take advantage.

Even with that nitpick, and using fangraphs, he's the 10th ranked player via WAR since 2021 and he's only 28. He's a + RF'er too, despite fangraphs weird negative grade and he's a really good base runner. The Tucker market is beyond weird, but then again many of the big money guys went later into the off-season so who knows.

Luis Alvarado born on this date in 1949. Alvarado was part of the return (along with Mike Andrews) from the Red Sox in 1970 for Luis Aparicio. Luis Alvarado Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

January 15, 2003 – It was another bold stab by G.M. Kenny Williams as he acquired starter Bartolo Colon as part of a three-way deal with Montreal and the Yankees. Colon had a good season for the Sox… 15 wins, 242 innings pitched and 173 strikeouts before inking a large deal with Anaheim where he’d win the Cy Young Award that season. Williams brought him back in 2009 hoping for the same but got little for his troubles. In fact, Colon got hurt, was overweight and when assigned to a minor league rehab stint never reported! It was rumored that Colon was distraught over the death of entertainer Michael Jackson, and when manager Ozzie Guillen heard such, he emptied out Colon’s locker and dumped the possessions in the hallway outside of the White Sox clubhouse! January 15, 2021 – The White Sox continued to make strong moves to get back into serious contention for a championship. On this date they announced the signing to a free agent contract of Liam Hendriks, one of the top relief pitchers in baseball to a multi-year deal. The contract would net the Australian right hander 54 million dollars over three, possibly four years. Since taking over as the A’s closer on June 21, 2019, Hendriks had recorded a 1.99 ERA over 68 innings pitched, with 39 saves, 111 strikeouts in 65 appearances. His contract had an unusual twist, perhaps the first of its kind in baseball. The fourth year of the deal had an option year, worth 15 million but included a 15-million-dollar buyout. If the White Sox declined the option, the buyout would be paid in 10 equal installments between 2024 and 2033. Hendriks wouldn’t disappoint posting 38 saves, a 2.54 ERA and 113 strikeouts against only seven walks in his first year on the South Side winning A.L. Relief Pitcher of the Year honors. He followed it up in 2022 with 37 saves an ERA of 2.81 and 85 strikeouts vs. 18 walks. At the end of that season however it was discovered that he had lymphoma which fortunately he was able to beat after cancer treatments. Then he had Tommy John surgery after making a remarkable comeback. Between the two events he missed most of the 2023 season. The Sox then declined the fourth-year option and Hendriks signed with the Red Sox missing the 2024 campaign, returning in 2025.

Capped at 3% of value. Welcome to the 1/2/3 laws. My primary residence can't be taxed anymore than 1% of NAV. For businesses and 2nd homes it is 3%. If they value the site at $1 billion in NAV, the Bears would be capped at $30 million per year in property taxes.

Yup, theoretically when you payroll bandwidth you got to take advantage of when really good players hit free agency because they may not be later. Unfortunately that won’t be us, but conceptually I’d seriously consider if I were the owner of the White Sox.

I read where property taxes in Arlington Heights are $210 million dollars a year at the stadium site. I would think the property taxes will be much less in Indiana.

I would put them and Ricketts in the same category as owners that have the ability to spend with the top markets in the sport. If Ricketts cannot he should not have bought. Reinsdorf at this point should have figured out how to leverage the team but he doesn't care. It is a passive interest that breaks even. Nothing more nothing less, until he is dead we are stuck in this abyss of suck...maybe 2029 will be something but I won't hold my breath. My guess, and I could be fully incorrect is that Bears need the NFL cashflow to manage their operation and personal livelihood. An exception to the current NFL model and certainly one where they cannot afford to find $2M in debt servicing.

Paddy? Def. Sox have spent entire pool basically.

Is that more than Marco Paddy's last years?

I have the White Sox right at $6.6 million spent so far.

Good SoxMachine article on Kelenic's set-up change: Jarred Kelenic comes to the White Sox with a swing adjustment already in the works - Sox Machine

OBP is still a thing. So is Tucker’s usual SLG.

Are the White Sox working directly with Pro Day? It's a company founded by 2014 15th round Sox draftee, Ben Brewster. Interesting. Here's How Tread Athletics Became a Leader in Baseball Training

Just to up the stakes a little, Tucker is the best available FA hitter for the next couple of years. The list of hitters that will be free agents the next two years is pretty ugly.

Oh well, I will nitpick Tucker. If you go by FanGraphs, he’s never had a 5-war season. And his defense is a negative, at least per the war factory. . last year, he had the same number of homers as our very own Lenyn Sosa.