Flash

Its befuddling the Sox quickly threw in the towel on Harper unless the whale-hunting exercise was a head fake to begin with. As we sit here today, there doesn't appear to be an obvious destination for Harper and its not written in the bible that he's going to get 10 years at $30mm plus. This situation appears ripe for some stealth gamesmanship but we are tucking our tails and surrendering. What gives?

Assuming the $1B return on $20M invested is accurate, owners will have realized @$15% ROI on their initial investment. This is a healthy return but not crazy so.

For me, the biggest casualty of losing Machado is watching other teams sign the Grandals and Pollocks while we bungle the whale hunting. We could have dramatically improved this team for years to come for less than it would have cost to add MM but there doesn't seem to be any direction to the rebuild except placate the fans by going through the motions on high profile FAs. I'm guessing the same exercise will repeat itself with Harper.

Made extra painful by having to pass on FAs who would have helped while whale hunting.

Has anyone seen/heard of how the $300M is structured? Do we know if it is front-loaded? Incentive-laden?

You would think the FO would have a cogent communication plan with consistent messaging and a plausable explanation instead of KW acting like he's shocked.

Have the terms of the deal been published? How will the $300M be structured?

Vaughn 2-3 w1HR/2RBIs and 2 more walks.

Year-year payroll is only one input needed to determine what is affordable. I'm guessing (impossible to know for privately held companies like the White Sox and Padres) that w/o fairly agressive assumptions on the corresponding revenue increase Manny will generate, @$30M/AV enters the zone of concerns for both teams. The issue will become one of which ownership group is willing to invest.

Based upon???

Same. If Rutherford finds his power stroke he leapfrogs into top 5 WS prospects and top 50 overall. Hansens physical health and mental approach are potentially huge difference makers.

Abreu, Rutherford

Both Rautschman and Vaughn hit HRs over the weekend.

I would handicap it...80% MM to the WS with NYY as dark horse. Guessing $29M/7yrs. w/performance bonuses adding another $6M in AAV. 40% chance WS sign both MM and Harper. Gotta believe Philly still in lead re: Harper but their ability to spend 'stupid money' has eroded with recent signings.

Puckett...forgot about him. Seems to have the stuff if he can get back on track health wise. Nice call.

Sosa, Bush and Zungari at lower levels should be fun to keep an eye on.

Anxiously awaiting affiliates to get underway with particular interest in 1) Rutherford (power) 2) Collins (bat-ball imp.), 3) Dunning (elbow status) and 4) Burdi (velocity). Would also love to see what we have in Madieros.

You keep making proclamations without any backup. When I ask you a direct question, you pivot off into your personal view of how things work. Cubs are worth >$3B. To the extent there is debt due to the financing of the original purchase, its because Rickets engineered it that way. Not because he's some kind of beggar. Nonetheless, this is my last post on the matter. Its clear I am doing a poor job of expressing things to you and I'm done trying. Later

Okay...remind me how much free cashflow the Sox had in 2018? How about 2017? How much FCF are they forecasting for 2019? Same questions re: Cubs.

Not ripping on you for using Forbes data...that would be to your credit. I'm ripping on you for making proclamations about affordability without any data. Thats okay because its not publicly available so you might as well make shit up. As to your tutorial on the nuances of debt financing and related impact on BS/IS, we can take it offline and I can help you.

Its hard to argue how much free cash flow the team is generating because its not publicly available information. Hence we don't know how easily one team (Sox) can absorb a $30M contract vs. another. The only available data comes from business publications and is specific to baseball operations.

OMG

Yes. Apologies

I would imagine Cubs investors view the real estate appreciation along with media rights, etc. as all part of the business which is driven by the Cubs. It could be ancillary assets are held differently based upon a host of issues but ultimately the rising tide (Cubs performance) lifts all boats. Doubt if it matters to Ricketts...all spends tha same.

Is this a serious remark? Made up number? Relationship of operating expenses to operating income? Enlighten me Einstein.