Leaderboard

We saw an opportunity to accelerate the rebuild, and were aggressive, but ultimately the price did not make sense for us. We will continue to explore every opportunity to make our team better, with the ultimate goal of sustained winning, and multiple championships.

What would be the point of signing just Machado or Harper? If you wanted a “superstar” at one position and garbage around him we should’ve kept Sale. A hell of a lot cheaper than 1 of these 2. If the plan isn’t to land both of these guys than scrap this idea. We don’t need a $30 million dollar player to suck 4 games less than we do now.

"Manny, here is a Hawk Harrelson alarm clock and, get ready, we'd like you to meet Southpaw, our mascot. Please clap."

I thought you didn't deem Harper and Machado worth of conversation? Insert eye roll emoji.

And he can change his dog's name to Guaranteed Rate.

Sign both so SoxTalk can complain about it in 2 years.

They'll absolutely run a lowball offer for both, something like 8/240, and then when that doesn't even get close, Hahn will say the same thing he always does when he strikes out.

Ron, make a ban bet with Jon Morosi that the Sox won’t get both Harper and Machado

Garfien podcast up with Morosi https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/white-sox/white-sox-talk-podcast-machado-and-harper-jon-morosi-says-white-sox-have-seat-table

LeBron James this past offseason.

LOL this place is insanity today. I tried to stop it by saying its 1,000,000 to1 we sign both and 100 to 1 to sign just one because those guys might want early opt outs as young as they are and it doesn't fit the rebuild to allow an early opt out. Anyone expecting an 8-10 year deal without an opt out or 2 better do a reality check. The earliest the Sox might do in an opt out is after 4 yrs to fit their window . Signing one with an opt out after less than 4 years would be crazy because we still might not be contending by then. To sign then lose them right when we hit the contention window is nuts.

This is true. Go check out Twitter right now. There are hundreds of meat heads retweeting Morosi with “LET’S GOOO!!!!$&)” If you have no intention of getting one of these guys, you should be pounding these interviews with messages supporting patience, reminding them that we are a couple years through this thing and to go in prematurely will just make it longer.

Lmao "IMMA SPEND ALL THIS MONEY AND STEINBRENNER WILL BE SO MAD"

No one is saying that they didn't want Belle. The premise is that they wanted him, then intentionally overpaid him. As in, they could have had him for cheaper but spent more for him to spite the other owners.

THINK OF THE PAYROLL IN 2027!!!!

The worst possible strategy to execute this winter would be to pretend to the fan base to have legitimate interest in the top free agents, and it not be for real. This would be so astronomically stupid, I can't even conceive for it being a possibility. You are in a rebuild now, and the fans understand that directly. Go convince them that you are looking at real big time players to have it found out to be a lie would destroy trust in this franchise forever. It would be White Flag on steroids.

This is pretty far from the truth

Let the people have some excitement, you wet towel.

Give me both or give me death (or a ban bet)!

After the Packers fire Mike McCarthy I hope they hire someone good. Maybe Hue Jackson.

I am over 40 and had never seen a full teardown and rebuild in my lifetime. I'm not even entertaining the idea of a full teardown and rebuild. ^ Me in 2015.

Not many. That is why it is not being illogical to think a team that has never even given a $70 million contract, and doesn't have a history of being much of a contender recently, even when trying, will not win this bidding. There isn't a difference between coming in second and coming in last bidding for these guys.

I'm sorry, but this logic is just garbage. The past really has little to do with what the White Sox are doing now. Jerry broke the bank with albert Belle. He signed MJ an astronomical contract in the mid 90's. He broke the bank on Derrick Rose. He spent a lot on an unknown commodity in Jose Abreu. The White Sox are in a unique position where they have lots of young talent and a LOT of money to spend. It makes complete sense that they would be one if the top bidders for these big name free agents. These pessimistic "it ain't gonna happen!" posts that are completely void of any logic or reasoning are just ridiculous. Is it likely we get one of them? No, because there are a lot of bidders. However, their chances are as high as any team. Big market, top farm system, lots of cap space. It's pretty simple.

Maybe. Adam Dunn in 2011 (debacle though it proved to be) was one of the big names that off-season. It is pretty sad that's our "biggest" move in over 20 years (you could put Luis Robert and Abreu up there as well.) Unless, of course, we go by a $100+ million contract doled out, in which case we're nowhere close to the original impact of the Belle signing over 20 years ago (which was also done out of spite over the labor negotiations, and to make a point to fellow owners.)

Found that on the twittersphere. Someone made it. ?

If the Sox were to acquire Manny and Harper ... a.) I'd eat my words gladly since I felt and still feel we won't be factors in their pursuit. b.) I would expect us to win. In 2019. Yes I would. c.) I would bring in Girardi or somebody else who has a plan of winning now with Manny, Harper, Moncada, Abreu, Avi, Timmy. I mean, cmon. No excuses. That's a winning team now. You pick up a few bargain basement pitchers to go with what we got. Please get both players, Rick Hahn.

And another point of view: MLBTrade Rumors ran a story on the Top 50 Free Agents and who will sign them and for how much. NONE, repeat NONE were by the White Sox. All these writers are just guessing and nobody's opinion is any better than anybody else's. BTW, with Harper being a Boras client, doesn't that alone rule him out, since Reinsdorf basically hates Boras and will not negotiate with any of his clients?

That would be a terrible decision in my opinion. You are suggesting essentially a 5/250 million deal which is beyond insanity. Where is the upside for the white Sox in a deal like that?

Uncanny.

Good one

That is more of an indictment on the trib.

Updated off-season plan based on the recent rumors that we plan on being big spenders this offseason. These moves would significantly improve the major league club in the short-term without jeopardizing the future. And yes, I’m adding two controllable starters because you can never have enough starting pitching and I’m not completely wasting a Manny Machado year. I would address any log-jams the following offseason. Free Agents: Manny Machado, 3B - 10/$375M (opt-outs after years 4, 5, & 6) Andrew McCutchen, OF - 2/$36M Martin Maldonado, C - 1/$6M Yusei Kikuchi, LHP - 6/$66M (including posting fee) Cody Allen, RHP - 1/$11M Trades: Omar Narvaez, C & Bernardo Flores, LHP for Jon Gray, RHP Yolmer Sánchez, 2B to Yankees for Freicer Perez, RHP Roster (May 1st): Moncada, CF (0.6) McCutchen, RF (18.0) Machado, 3B (40.0) Abreu, 1B (16.0) Jimenez, LF (0.6) Palka, DH (0.6) Anderson, SA (1.4) Castillo, C (7.3) Rondon, 2B (0.6) <Sub-Total: 85.1M> IF: L. Garcia (1.9) OF: Engel (0.6) UT: Delmonico (0.6) BC: Maldonado (6.0) <Sub-total: 9.1M> Gray (3.2) Rodon (3.7) Lopez (0.6) Kikuchi (11.0) Giolito (0.6) <Sub-total: 19.1M> CL: Allen (11.0) SU: Hamilton (0.6) SU: Fry (0.6) MR: Jones (4.7) MR: Frare/Bummer (0.6) MR: Burdi/Covey (0.6) LR: Banuelos/Stephens (0.6) <Sub-total: 18.7M> <Grand-total: $132.0M>

Whenever someone mentions Walker Buehler, this is the first thing that comes to mind LMFAO

This is the truth. I'm aware of no precedent for a big-name, mid-career MLB free agent leaving tens of millions of dollars on the table because of soft considerations like competitiveness, "fit", franchise popularity, or any other factor patently not worth tens of millions of dollars to any rational economic actor. I have no idea if the Sox will outbid the competition, but if they do I think they'll get their guy.

I could see signing one premium free agent to be a part of our rebuilding plan, but two is out of the question at this point.

I don't understand your end game on this one. No one said he shouldn't have signed Belle. I don't give a rat's ass either way. I'm just saying using a controversial signing with Belle, and re-signing Michael Jordan aren't the best arguments for him spending 350 million on Machado. I think he will spend big, but I also see why other people are skeptical about that type of deal.

That was a quick article from his point of view. I'm not pulling up other articles as anyone can do that as they see fit. He says he outbid another team, other teams and speculators said he didn't. The purpose of me posting the article was to show that there was controversy about the signing, and if JR had to explain why he signed Belle to that contract, then the point I'm making is valid.

Here is an article giving some details. JR said another team was for sure gonna bid high, but most don't believe him. https://www.si.com/vault/1996/12/02/8109578/double-play-when-he-signed-albert-belle-jerry-reinsdorf-broke-the-bankand-maybe-the-labor-impasse

HA! Wait, we have to pay them?!

It wasn't exactly that, but it absolutely was a response to the new labor agreement and JR being frustrated.

Harold Baines for Sammy Sosa, Wilson Alvarez, and Scott Fletcher Jose DeLeon for Lance Johnson Floyd Bannister for Melido Perez and Greg Hibbard It was definitely a rebuild, the term just wasn't in vogue back then.

Yes it was. Their best player and your top 3 starters, They kept their catcher, LF, and SS. Their 1990 team featured a draft pick at 3b, holdover at SS, holdover at C, trade at 2B, draft pick at 1B. holdover in LF, prospect trade in CF, prospect trade in RF. The rotation was Hibbard, trade for Bannister, McDowell, draft pick, Perez, trade for Bannister, King, trade for KW, and Alex Fernandez, draft pick. Even Ron Kittle was re-acquired. It that isn't a full rebuild, then there is no such thing.

That would be a pretty long time to wait for Soxtalk.

Yea to me that is obvious. Id be thrilled with one . No one should be thinking of both . Both signing here is a million to one while 1 signing here is 100 to one.

The only restraint I have in signing both of them is the fact that our rotation is unpredictable garbage and we wouldn't have any money left for the future or to revamp the rotation.

But I don’t think we should be afraid of the deal being inefficient with this type of a player. Because being inefficient is the only way you win the bidding. You don’t get the young superstar on free agency if you aren’t willing to be the highest and thus most inefficient bidder. Food metaphor! The Sox have done so well at stripping all the fat from the payroll, getting lean and healthy. This is cheat day. You get to eat cake today because you’ve remained healthy and can handle it without becoming obese. If you want to stay lean, that’s fine, but you don’t get to eat cake then. You’ll never eat cake. Ever again. What kind of life is that?

There's no talk of the Indians rebuilding. You don't rebuild with 4 good starters and Lindor and Ramirez. That's a good start. They just need to re-tool a bit. Making a few players available to gauge interest to try to improve other areas =/= rebuilding.

If Rice plays Marist in the semis, they really need to move it to a stadium. Neither school could come close to support those crowds.

I'm not saying I agree with it, just that it acknowledges reality and is consistent. He explains that he disagrees with consensus. That's a lot of context for a greg post.