poppysox

When Hemond was GM the off-seasons were fun. Trades happened like the ones you mention.

I like your idea of trading picks.

Except for raising the minimum wage for a couple of players, I don't see anything that will help current Sox players in a meaningful way. Get more bucks for the guys hampered by qualifying offers along with earlier FA I guess. Not much incentive for the average ballplayer to want to endure a long sit-out. I would like to see the minimum raised to something more substantial like 1 million and the team minimum raised substantially in order to have a more equal playing field. Some reworking of the rules to avoid a Brandt situation and universal DH and I would be good to go. I am not in favor of changing the playoff format or adding teams for that matter. We already have teams unable to compete because not operating in substantial markets. The disparity in payrolls is just plain unfair.

Yep...really hard to keep up with all the fast-breaking news surrounding the settlement talks. Anticipating word of settlement to break at any moment now.

I agree but you will get lots of flack for taking this position. Giving an inordinate amount of the total payroll to one player has never seemed the smart way to build a team to me.

We will be lucky if there is a deal in place by the end of February IMO. Both sides think their bargaining position gets stronger as ST gets closer. If they were serious about getting this settled they would be holding meetings daily. This is just posturing...and is very annoying.

One thing for sure...the market will be better than before the NL approves the DH. His unbelievable April still impressed a lot of people. If you own a poor franchise it can be a cheap marketing kind of pickup. Back in our rent-a-player days with Veeck, he would have been perfect.

Someone always thinks they can handle those problems. Only takes 1.

Better than some of you think I would guess.

Once NL approves the DH...Yermin becomes a trade chip.

True. Other than players' lives being unsettled it's not a big deal. I bet when we see the final agreement it will be hard to understand what months of negotiations accomplished.

It is a certainty that both the players and the owners will both lose money if this lockout drags on. For sure the vendors and local retailers who make their money from the home games will lose money. The fans are deprived of their baseball fix. Only the Union executives and the Commissioners office employees escape with nothing to lose.

You can't please some people as you well know. Madrigal will probably be a star for the Cubs and the same critics will be calling for Rick Hahn's head. If Kimbrel goes on to be his old self next year for some other team...RH will be portrayed as dumb as a box of rocks.

Not from me.

It sure makes understanding the point being made much easier to follow.

The % used to make the point is inaccurate. More like 50%. It takes both sides to make this mess.

What a shame Minnie couldn't have seen this day. Anyone who didn't vote for Allen must not have seen him play.

OOPS!

Marchan is an interesting name. Haven't seen him brought up before.

100% agree with this point of view. It's the best approach for any team, not the Yankees or Dodgers.

The FO must still view Kimbrel as being worth more than his 16 million costs since for 1 million they could have cut him loose. RH must feel he is worth 16 million as a player for us or trade chip.

The loss of a season doesn't work for anyone.

I don't believe we should honor anyone who breaks the rules while keeping Pete Rose out of the HOF. It's not a popularity contest.

Also a possibility.

You have a way with words.