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I think Walcott could stick. He’s a big boy, but a freak athlete. Your point remains, though.

I think this gets lost in translation, but states and municipalities throw money at companies all of the time in the name of Economic Growth. Billions upon billions of dollars. Hell companies were lining up to throw $50 billion in tax incentives and infrastructure at a Trillion Dollar company in Amazon. It wouldn't be a weird or abnormal thing for the Bears to negotiate a package like this, even in Illinois or Chicago.

January 14, 1963 - It was the move that re-energized the franchise and led directly to back-to-back-to-back 90 or more-win seasons in 1963, 1964 and 1965. Sox G. M. Ed Short traded shortstop Luis Aparicio and outfielder Al Smith to the Orioles for third baseman Pete Ward, outfielder Dave Nicholson, shortstop Ron Hansen and relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm. Trading Aparicio was a shock but contractual differences between him and the team and the bad feelings it produced made a deal necessary. Ward would be named Co-Rookie of the Year (with teammate Gary Peters) and would supply power for the next few seasons. In 1963 and 1964 Ward averaged 22 home runs, 89 RBI’s and hit .290 before an accident where he was a passenger in a car leaving Chicago Stadium after a hockey game severely impacted his career. He suffered whiplash and never felt comfortable at the plate ever again. Nicholson, who struck out far too much, still had 22 home runs and 70 RBI’s in 1963. Hansen would be one of the best defensive shortstops in the league and hit as many as 20 home runs in a season, at a time when shortstops simply didn’t do that. Wilhelm became the top relief pitcher of the 1960's. In his six years with the Sox, he’d win 41 games and save 99 others while producing some astonishingly low ERA’s considering he threw the knuckleball. His highest ERA between 1963 and 1968 was 2.64, every other season it was below two. He’d be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985. January 14, 2001 - The Sox acquired pitcher David Wells from Toronto basically for pitcher Mike Sirotka. Over the coming weeks and months, Sirotka and the Blue Jays claimed the Sox knew that Sirotka had a bad arm and couldn’t pitch. Sox G.M. Ken Williams defended himself by saying that he told the Jays he thought Sirotka might be hurt and offered pitcher Jim Parque instead. Commissioner Allan “Bud” Selig ruled in late March that the trade would stand. The whole episode became known as “Shouldergate.” Wells meanwhile had few good moments with the Sox. He’d beat the Indians opening day in Cleveland after he said fans got him angry by talking about his mother and how he was raised, but after that, because of a bad back he barely pitched, winning only five games in total with only 16 starts on the year. He then caused a major controversy when he went on the radio and said that he didn’t think first baseman Frank Thomas was as badly hurt as he claimed. Thomas would only wind up playing 20 games that year after he tore a triceps muscle diving for a ground ball along the first base line. Sirotka meanwhile, who won 15 games and pitched almost 200 innings, in the 2000 season, never played in a Major League game again because of a partially torn rotator cuff and a torn labrum.

It's all optics. The state of Illinois is going to blow $1B somewhere whether it's on the Bears or some other poor business/governmental waste/decision. The fact the state is now asking the Bears to pay for the bonds is completely ridiculous and boarderline insane.

Jimmy also dropped that nugget the other day that pitchers don’t like throwing to Lee

Yep, and Romo is younger than Lee, was a comparable hitter in the minors as Lee, and has 2 options remaining while Lee has none. Lee does have much more major league experience than Romo, but I think he still has very little trade value. I’d rather have Romo and he was just a waiver claim like you said. It was a nice waiver claim by Getz. If he can get a mediocre/fringe prospect or any sort of bum reliever arm with major league experience for Lee, that would be great.

Don't underestimate this, especially with today's chaotic political climate. These people want to get reelected first and foremost and I'm guessing most voters are more concerned with issues impacting them in the here and now as opposed to helping the Bears get a new stadium.

Here is my understanding of the situation: The Bears and Illinois had an agreement for the renovation/rebuild of Soldier Field. The Bears paid their portion on the agreement. Illinois issued bonds to cover their portion. Hotel tax revenue was to be used to pay down the bonds. Those bonds were backloaded. What the state has been doing with the hotel tax revenue, rather than paying down the bonds is the issue. I am not a fan of government funding of stadiums. However, I don't believe the Bears should be responsible for the state's lousy handling of the financing either. The state would need to pay or refinance those bonds regardless of where the Bears play in the future. Moving doesn't change this at all, so why should the Bears be responsible?

I think that has been a problem for a while in Chicago sports in general. We have a lot of paper rich owners in this city, and not cash flow rich. Especially before the Ricketts bought the Cubs, outside of maybe the Hawks owners, these guys wealth was largely tied up in the fact that they owned teams. Jerry being a real estate guy meaning, again, a dude whose wealth is NOT liquid. The McCaskeys are literally rich because they own the Bears. Unless they sell the team, they don't have billions sitting around to build a stadium, so the offer IS important to them.

Agreed but he meatball Bears fans still think the Bears have $8B sitting in a checking account. I think if IN pays the full amount it gets built in IN. Greg's high school may even play their football championship there LOL

What????

Bingo. A 24-year old switch hitter who’s also apparently good defensively with 2 options just went for nothing. Maybe Lee moves for fringe 40-man guy during Spring Training at best. Edit: meant option, not years of control

And all you need to know is that we just picked up a similar (or better if you believe the hype) off of waivers.

Maybe. I guess that depends on the team they might be talking to, their need, and how they evaluate Lee.

Matt Thaiss was traded for Dru Baker, purely a depth OF, and Thaiss is a legitimate backup who could start for stretches. Seby Zavala was a throw-in for the Eugenio Suarez trade. If Robert and $10M gets you LuisAngel Acuña and a TJS pitching prospect, maybe Robert, Lee and $9.5M gets you the same package.

Yeah I don’t agree at all. Lee isn’t really going to bring back anything of value, if he is even traded.

Romo definitely feels like the replacement for Lee. Will be interesting to see what he returns if traded.

I agree. I might be in the minority here, but I think Lee might bring back more value in a trade than Sosa. I realize that Lee has no options left but his position is a premium and he's solid at it. Add to that he comes with 4 years of control. There are definitely teams in need of catching- Phillies, Padres, Giants and I'm sure there's others. Lee might be able to start for a couple of those teams too. You might command a solid leverage reliever in return or a flyer on a low A ball high ceiling prospect - pitching or OFs. Maybe I'm overvaluing him 🤷 but its obvious the Sox are going to do something. They picked up Romo to replace Lee.

Yea! The White Sox make Jeff Passan's "Winning the Offseason" list. Those banners hang forever!! MLB free agency: Offseason winners, teams in need of a move - ESPN

I'm sure Ishbia knows this. It's probably why he dropped his Twins bid when the chance to buy the Sox came up.

LIke I said before, I have no doubt Indiana will whore itself out in order to try to win this. Really it is up to Illinois to how deep they want to dig.

There must be accountability or else the integrity of ban bets will be in question.

Yeah he seems like he’s just a placeholder until Cole and Rodon come back.

Despite the big velo, Weathers has never done much for me. Every team thinks they can get more out of him, but he's just not very good.

Detroit has spent more money than the Sox, but Cleveland, KC and Min are in the bottom 6 in spending so far.