South Side Hit Men

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/2023-24-top-50-free-agents-with-predictions.html Rank (QO = Received a Qualifying Offer; Y = Estimated Years) Estimated Term (Predicted Team Signing by the three authors) Shohei Ohtani QO $528M / 12Y (3) Dodgers Cody Bellinger QO $264M / 12Y (2) Giants, Yankees Yoshinobu Yamamoto $225M / 9Y (2) Yankees, Giants Blake Snell QO $200M / 7Y Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox Aaron Nola QO $150M / 6Y (3) Cardinals Jordan Montgomery $150M / 6Y Giants, Mets, Rangers Matt Chapman QO $150M / 6Y Cubs, Giants, Phillies Josh Hader QO $110M / 6Y (3) Rangers Sonny Gray QO $90M / 4Y Atlanta, Dodgers, Tigers Shota Imanaga $85M / 5Y (2) Cubs, Angels Eduardo Rodriguez $82M / 4Y Red Sox, Reds, White Sox Teoscar Hernandez $80M / 4Y (2) Angels, White Sox Jeimer Candelario $70M / 4Y Blue Jays, Cubs, Royals Lourdes Gurriel Junior $54M / 4Y Mariners, Royals, Yankees Jung Hoo Lee $50M/ 5Y (2) Padres, Blue Jays Jorge Soler $45M / 3Y Astros, Blue Jays, Mets Lucas Giolito $44M / 2Y (2) Mets, Orioles Marcus Stroman $44M / 2Y Dodgers, Phillies, Twins Seth Lugo $42M / 3Y Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Reds J. D. Martinez $40M / 2Y Angels, Mariners, Mets Jordan Hicks $40M / 4Y Orioles, Tigers, Yankees Jack Flaherty $40M / 3Y Pirates, Royals, Tigers Mitch Garver $39M / 3Y (2) Rangers, Red Sox Michael Wacha $36M / 3Y (2) Reds, Atlanta Kenta Maeda $36M / 2Y Mets, Orioles, Twins Rhys Hoskins $36M / 2Y Angles, Phillies, Twins Robert Stephenson $36M / 4Y Cardinals, Mets, Orioles Yariel Rodriguez $32M / 4Y (2) White Sox, Padres Reynaldo Lopez $30M / 3Y Mets, Reds, Twins Mike Clevinger $26M / 2Y (2) Angels, Red Sox Kevin Kiermaier $26M / 2Y (2) Blue Jays, Yankees Nick Martinez $25M / 2Y Blue Jays, Cardinals, Padres Aroldis Chapman $24M / 2Y Angles, Astros, White Sox Michael Lorenzen $22M / 2Y Diamondbacks, Marlins, Rockies Sean Manaea $22M / 2Y Dodgers, Pirates, Rays Harrison Bader $20M / 2Y (2) Twins, Giants Tyler Mahle $20M / 2Y Blue Jays, Nationals, Tigers Gio Urshela $20M / 2Y (2) Blue Jays, Tigers Amed Rosario $18M / 2Y (2) Marlins, Tigers Whit Merrifield $18M / 2Y (3) White Sox Justin Turner $16M / 1Y (2) Diamondbacks, Marlins Jason Heyward $16M / 2Y Dodgers, Pirates, Royals Yuki Matsui $16M / 2Y Cardinals, Cubs, Giants Frankie Montas $15M / 1Y Cardinals, Nationals, Orioles Brandon Belt $15M / 1Y Brewers, Pirates, Red Sox Hector Neris $15M / 2Y Cardinals, Reds, Twins Jakob Junis $15M / 2Y (2) Padres, Diamondbacks Luis Severino $14M / 1Y Brewers, Tigers, White Sox Liam Hendriks $12M / 2Y Diamondbacks, Phillies, Red Sox Tim Anderson $12M / 1Y Athletics, Mariners, Marlins Honorable Mention Victor Caratini Adam Duvall Erick Fedde Kyle Gibson Clayton Kershaw Lance Lynn Craig Kimbrel Phil Maton Wade Miley Matt Moore Tom Murphy Emilio Pagan James Paxton Joc Pederson Tommy Pham Hunter Renfroe David Robertson Hyun Jin Ryu Gary Sanchez Ryne Stanek Michael A. Taylor Joey Votto

Very Nice. He comes from Cleveland's FO and even if he does nothing is an upgrade over Boston's coaching of OFers. Keep plugging away Chris!

But if you are a competent front office, and believe this manager is the best available one for a contention period they are intending on upgrading their roster and chances, the marginal money spent on a Counsel vs. say an average manager based on salary could be a difference maker. The other two factors are the fact that many fans will see a commitment to winning and therefore will buy more tickets at higher prices with a Counsell hire plus other player acquisitions. Also, you have a better selling point to free agents you are trying to recruit, having a good team, committing to spend more to be better, attracting players who want to win during their contract vs. say grab a couple million more on a team not serious about winning (poor to average roster/FO/Manager). MLB Owner collusion against players which continues unabated since the 1980s is even more pronounced with FOs and other management /staff. Moneyball was great for Jerry and the other 29 because it basically said your manager is pretty much meaningless, so hire the cheapest guy and make him your b****. Pre Money/Collusion Ball, Joe Torre was making $7.5M a year. Today only six active managers make $3M + (plus Showalter's severance). with Counsell's new deal and Bochy the only two making $4M. The median manager salary is $1.75M, and six including you can bet your ass Pedro Grifol making under $1M. There are 10 NCAA Baseball managers making $1.2M plus. https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2023/10/08/major-league-baseball-managers-grossly-underpaid/71106218007/ Highest paid MLB managers as of November 6, 2023: 1. $8M Craig Counsell 2. $4M Bob Melvin 3. -6. $3M - Under $4M Bochy, Cora, Martinez, Roberts 7. $3M + Showalter (Fired with 2024 salary in tact).

I only joined 3ish years ago, but seemed as though people mostly liked Tim through 2021. This bad clubhouse bullshit against Tim, Yoan, Abreu is primarily either worthless douchbag media having something to write or podcast about daily, and or CYA by the garbage management and ownership. Surely couldn't be decades MLB worst player development, scouting, coaching, ownership, front office. Bottom line is the players who provided the Sox the most value are the players they most wanted gone, and the players who provided the least amount of value were the ones defended until in became untenable, with a few still defending. A few like Parrot were luckily spared due to the prorated Jerry lockout (under $10M net) or being dumped prior to the threshold. White Sox Career $M spent per 1 bWAR ($10M minimum career White Sox salary + cash bonuses) Sources: Spotrac $ Salary / Baseball Reference bWAR - Amounts include buyouts & deferred payments for players no longer here. Window White Sox here since 2020, amounts include prior years if applicable. Window - Career White Sox stats / payments to players here between 2020 - 2023 White Sox Players who have provided value: 0.74 Adam Eaton ($11.9M / 16.0) - Sadly this value was used up in 2015-2016, inverse in 2021 1.41 Lucas Giolito ($19.8M / 14.0 bWAR) 1.72 Carlos Rodon ($19.3M / 11.2) 2.15 Tim Anderson ($34.8M / 16.2) 2.72 Yoan Moncada ($37.8M / 13.9) 3.20 Jose Abreu ($101.9M / 31.8) 3.62 Luis Robert Junior ($45.6M / 12.6) 3.63 Mike Clevinger ($12.0M / 3.3) White Sox Players who provided negligible value: 4.50 Leury Garcia ($19.8M / 4.4 bWAR) 4.66 Eloy Jimenez ($26.1M / 5.6) 6.65 Alex Colome ($11.3M / 1.7) 7.33 Kendall Graveman ($13.2M / 1.8) 7.54 Lance Lynn ($38.5M / 5.1) 12.56 Liam Hendriks ($54.0M / 4.3) White Sox Players who provided horseshit value: 24.60 Yasmani Grandal ($61.5M / 2.5 bWAR) 38.91 Dallas Keuchel ($42.8M /1.1) 41.25 A. J. Pollock ($16.5M / 0.4) 55.00 Andrew Benintendi ($11M / 0.2) - $64M to go - Worse than the Burger Trade Infinity s%*# Kelvin Herrera ($12.6M / -0.6) Infinity s%*# Joe Kelly ($14.4M / -0.9)

Apparently, the All Star Game may also be headed to Wrigley Field. https://www.audacy.com/670thescore/sports/chicago-cubs/city-cubs-working-to-bring-all-star-game-to-wrigley-field I guess it's their turn, thought they had it last. White Sox Hosted Games: Comiskey Park 1933, 1950, 1983. Comiskey Park II 2003. Chicago Cubs Hosted Games: Wrigley Field 1947, 1962, 1990.

Does every player with deferred money get paid each July 1st, the same as Bobby Bonilla, or is Bobby Bonilla's day specific to his contract? Liam Hendriks Day $1.5M through 2033 will still come up two years short of Bobby Bonilla Day scheduled through Bobb's age 72 year in 2035.

I like Robert Jr. and Cease. I like Eloy and Vaughn, they are just less healthy/talented, respectively. I also like Yoan, though understand why others don't. Still think he was very likeable by most in 2019-2021, and is highly motivated to perform next year for his 2025 contract. Santos pitched well. Their other players need a big step to reach a solid MLB starter plus level at this stage. Would like to see Kopech and or Crochet put it together and have a solid 2024. All the moves made by Getz to date were expected. There is not a lot of experience to gauge future Getz success, but I am encouraged with Barfield. The player development hire seems weak, hope there is something positive with him we don't know. Moore isn't coming, so that's a positive. Getz' biggest obstacle is not his lack of experience or his attributes (whatever they may be) but Jerry and Tony continuing to f*** things up covertly running the show. Hoping Getz can communicate a credible and honest assessment as to their plans for 2024 and over a 3-5 year window. Hoping Tony has zero more influence on future moves, FO or player. Would appreciate reasonable candor, not Hahn bullshit lawyer talk. If they are tanking for another 3-5 years, just say it. I enjoyed the 2019 season the most since 2005/06. There was hope, several exciting likable players, and there was no government lockdown/vaccine restrictions or TLR boycott. I went to many games and enjoyed fun at the ballpark with optimism for the future. Hope they could get to that point over the next few seasons.

Get a dozen or so 3-5 + bWAR players, and another dozen decent players / depth and you'll have a solid clubhouse.

Only two White Sox Opening Day payrolls were larger than the combined $148M paid to Benintendi ($75M) and $73M Grandal ($73M). The first five years resulted in 2.7 bWAR with four more to go which may not even result in a positive bWAR number after nine seasons. Only four of the eleven seasons resulted in an over .500 record. White Sox Nine Figure Opening Day Payrolls & Ben-Dal 2022 $193M 81-81 2023 $181M 61-101 Ben-Dal Total $148M (TWTW Record Grandal 171-192 & Benintendi 59-92 year 1 of 5) 2021 $129M 93-69 2011 $128M 79-83 2008 $121M 89-74 2013 $119M 63-99 2015 $119M 76-86 2016 $114M 78-84 2007 $109M 72-90 2010 $103M 88-74 2006 $103M 90-72

I like having the games on radio in the background at home or on walks. It's why I'm not obsessed about the at this point farcical postseason. If I did, I would have jumped on a team with a legitimate owner about the time Jerry replaced Hemond and Dombrowski with Hawk. Jerry killed my two favorite teams with one stone (1994 Sox and Expos).

Jerry would veto it on principle, even if Getz won the Powerball and offered to pay for both Counsell and Grifol's buyout out of pocket.

Yes, the best case scenario is the Sox lose the lottery, as the 2025 lottery selections are projected to be better. Also allows say a 5% chance of new ownership group, GM, scouting and player development in place by July 2025.

“This pleases me. The money will be spent at a later time. You can always trust me.”

Current 2024 OD Payroll: $108.9M (5 Players Under Contract) $73.7M $24.8M Moncada $17.1M Benintendi $13.8M Jimenez $12.5M Robert Jr. $5.5M Bummer Arbitration estimates if tendered and retained: (6 Players) $18.6M $8.7M Cease $3.5M Vaughn $3.1M Kopech $1.5M Toussaint $1.0M Crochet $0.8M Foster ML Minimum (15 Players) $11.1M Leury Legend (0 Players) $5.5M

Worse Tex, not worst. Worse in terms of 2024 and beyond competitiveness, better in terms of purging alleged rape, domestic violence and infant abuse people from the organization. Progress is they factor that aspect in future hires. Cues walk-up music I used to be cruel to my woman, I’d beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved. I know it’s mean, but I’m changing my scene and I’m doing the best that I can.

Let’s face it, the Sox haven’t tried to compete since Jerry and his fellow owners cancelled the 1994 World Series. They lucked into one season, spent money Tony told them the spend on Leury, Kelly, Eaton, Lynn extension, etc.. Jerry lied at the Getz press conference, tried to con gullible season ticket holders to renew their tickets. Until a non Reinsdorf is in charge, they will not spend the appropriate funds on a competent baseball operations organization or a proper roster to contend. Fischer in Vegas might beat them to the first nine figure contract.

Cot’s Contracts lists the current estimated 26 man OD payroll including arbitration estimates at $108.9M, including Leury’s $5.5M 2024 salary. It does not include the following four salaries / buyouts ($7.5M), which I guess go not count for the Luxury Tax, or whatever reasoning or basis Cot’s uses. Clevinger $4.0M Hendriks $1.5M Anderson & Abreu $1.0M each (per Spotrac) For purposes of this poll, the correct guess / winner will be based on Cot’s Contracts reported Opening Day payroll.

Prior Year White Sox OD Payrolls: Source 2023 $181.2M 2022 $193.4M 2021 $128.7M 2020 $50.2M 2019 $88.9M 2018 $71.2M 2017 $97.8M 2016 $114.5M 2015 $118.6M 2014 $90.1M 2013 $118.9M 2012 $97.7M 2011 $127.8M 2010 $103.1M 2009 $96.1M 2008 $121.2M 2007 $108.7M 2006 $102.8M 2005 $75.2M 2004 $65.2M 2003 $51.0M 2002 $57.1M 2001 $65.6M 2000 $31.2M

Appreciated the solid play and joy brought to the team and fans during his tenure here. I hope he does well throughout the remainder of his career and beyond. Thanks Tim for being one of the few bright spots over the past decade of White Sox baseball.

Glad I can listen to all 162 White Sox Games in 2024.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news for you, but Rocky Wirtz died a few months ago. My condolences to you for your loss.

Well, I don't get worked up over his battles with the mostly worthless or worse media. And here is the entire quote, not a correction made down to road by a PR lacky or talking points given to La Russa at his press conference, just days before his latest publicly known DUI. Perhaps you're not old enough to know who Connie Chung is beyond possibly knowing she is married to Maury Povich, and or do not remember the full interview. The clumsy language was critiqued, but in no way did RMK condone rape as you're limited quote out of context suggests. Tony's beloved charity you praise was sued, and his wife and daughter disavowed any affiliation with it after being sued for both racist and age discriminatory practices by their CEO hired and defended by Tony, a court case which I believe is still ongoing in or around Oakland. Must not have heard of the thousands of charities Robert Montgomery Knight was involved in over the years. Now you're concocting imaginary stances of RMK's thoughts of professional athlete celebrations? LOL Funny, you also seem to forget numerous acts of in the Jerry Reinsdorf & Tony La Russa era, starting with Tony La Russa, yes that fucking Tony La Russa, bringing a coaching posse, because he wasn't man enough to do it alone, to physically threaten a 50 something year old JImmy Piersall for calling out his inept management and team. Tony has physically threatened announcers as recently as his previous stint before his latest publicly known DUI when he threatened the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast team. Also haven't heard you say squat about the Reinsdorf's C Suite violent rampages, including John Paxson literally choking Vinny Del Negro and Kenny Williams' reported attack on Greg Walker which even Ozzie was too scared to discuss or help defend his staff. We get it, you and the usual suspects hate Robert Montgomery Knight. Most of our exchanges, whether we agree or disagree over my time here, have been cordial and fact based. If you have anything else left to piss on RMK's grave while it is still above ground or after it is lowered, try to aim using actual statements and actions in your attempt to feel good berating the dead while the family and greater community mourns. Be a better person. In the first post, I had two videos, commented on his strong support among his players over the decades and quoted his remarks on Patrick Knight's Senior Night, a tradition RMK started and made sure was telecast each season following the final home game across the Indiana University Television Network. The second post address Quin's non factual statement that my criticisms of TLR were consistent with appropriate criticisms of Coach Knight, and stated that when a person dies, it is best to either honour the person or remain silent, regardless of whether you may agree with a person over the years or not. And now we are at post three, where again, Quin's attacks are either inaccurate and or omitting key facts / omitting context of entire statements, so sadly I must spend my time correcting the record versus mourning with the Indiana University faithful and the World at large. Quin and at most times Balta will at least engage in good faith conversations or debates, so I will respond where appropriate. At times I will use hyperbole to make a point, but when it comes to Robert Montgomery Knight, Anthony La Russa Junior, and Jerry Michael Reinsdorf, I can assure you I am being completely earnest. Steve Alford breaks down remembering Coach Knight One of three legitimate / non tainted perfect NCAA Men's Basketball D1 Championship Seasons in NCAA history (joining North Carolina and San Francisco) OG One Shining Moment - 1987

Like you and like most seasons since 1993 I didn’t watch a second of it. TV Ratings matter to indicate how much interest general fans have. Forty years ago, like the Kentucky Derby or the Super Bowl, many everyday wouldn’t follow MLB games every day (or horse racing or NFL), but would generally flip on the WS (and KD and SB). Now nobody gives a rats ass except for the SB. I don’t believe analytics played a role, but do believe less people watching games locally (minor leagues contraction) and playing games (pick up games, organized leagues) has played a role. Much of our recent immigration is from Latin America which has a baseball tradition. Growing numbers of people each can’t access games anymore (games all on cable) and after years of this you shrink collective interest. Out of sight, out of mind. The NFL could make a lot more money short term like the MLB and other leagues did and start putting all games on cable or pay per view, but they are smart enough to know having 95% of your games available for everyone is the best way to sustain and grow your business. Teams from the NBA and NHL have started to shift some or most games to over the air broadcasts with much success. The Las Vegas Golden Knights have more than doubled their TV viewership over last year shifting to a VHF station. https://www.ktnv.com/news/golden-knights/vegas-golden-knights-tv-ratings-more-than-double-from-last-season-with-scripps-sports-new-data-reveals The Sox were greedy and stupid shifting all games off of WGN. In a generation, they will be lucky to draw over 1 million fans if they continue down this path, and they will blame everyone on Earth except themselves for what they had wrought.