Colome's Hat

I expect Kimbrel to likely be traded. To be honest, even a rebuilding club could likely use Kimbrel for half a season and trade him somewhere else for prospects. But I also think they will spend regardless. This is their best chance to reach the World Series since 2006.

I think they are getting a left handed bat. Hahn was upfront about adding more power in the off season press conference.

I'm fine with this. His power output will likely increase a bit in the bandbox that is US Cellular Field. If this allows them to get another starter and go all in on Conforto or Schwarber, I'm cool with that.

To be honest, if Kimbrel can find his shit, I wouldn't mind keeping him and alternating him and Liam at closer. I think the Sox will spend regardless. And I think we will get a left handed power bat and another quality starter. I think bullpen help is critical because the accelerated spring training likely fucks over the starting pitchers for the first part of the season.

I'm assuming this is basically it. I still think they are going to add one more starter although it will likely be someone who is solid and not an ace. I think the big fish is clearly the big premier left handed power bat. Hahn stated so much in his end of the year press conference (Ball go far)

Don't have a problem with this. I think they have their sites set on the major upgrade in RF/DH. Would prefer Schwarber but will definitely take Conforto

That and also he shared a story where he was intimating he wish he was showing Ethan Katz what he had worked on over the offseason but of course can't because of hte lockout. I think a lot of people agree they need pitching. I think Rodon, especially with the lockout will get a one year deal. And I don't think he'll be that costly. And thinking about the fact that this might be a 120 game season at best anyways, this would be a perfect opportunity for him.

I feel like Rodon is dropping bread crumbs on his social media that he is resigning. I follow him on instagram and there have been some really unsubtle hints.

Listened to the podcast that Chuck Garfien did with Harold Reynold and I think Reynolds was spot on when he said that if nothing is reached on Monday, we are in a really bleak situation. I still mostly side with teh players on this but I think at a certain point, there needs to be some compromises made. The reality of it is though is that as much as baseball is dying, if the game itself just embraced people like TA, Tatis, Eloy, etc, I think it's popularity would start to tick up again. These big personalities who are really trying to bring in some of the spectacle that you get with basketball.

March 16th This is all just so depressing for me.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/nbcsports/screw-curt-schilling-and-other-thoughts-on-my-hall-of-fame-ballot/2738335/ This ballot is infuriating and this guy honestly should have his voting privileges revoked. Setting aside Bonds and Clemens, which to be honest, the fact that Bonds isn't in the Hall of Fame is embarrassing to me, the fact that he could only find FOUR players in a year that is stacked is just ridiculous to me. Hunter over Andruw Jones? Not including Scott Rolen. No Jeff Kent. No Mark Buehrle? And quite frankly, I would include Schilling, but as much as it pains me to say it because Vizquel was one of my favorite players, what he did, which is not just sexual harassment but actually assault, occurred on a baseball diamond and for me that is enough to not include him on a ballot. I hate Schilling and I would have gone to Cooperstown this year to protest him and raise money for trans rights or something but as a baseball player, he deserves it and at least what he did was off the baseball diamond. We desperately need a new generation of writers who will actually do their homework and look at statistics and careers. I think if we had this, Bonds and Clemens would be in, and I also think Buehrle would have gotten a lot higher than 5% and I also think Rolen would be in by now. And Larry Walker wouldn't have to wait for his final year to be inducted.

Don't understand how he could fall that much? The only good thing is that next year has a much lighter ballot.

Knock on wood, I think it's less of if Buehrle stays on the ballot but more if he gains ground. I don't see him not staying on the ballot. He's not going to lose that many people who voted for him last year.

Buehrle won't make it this year but I think if he can hit 20-25% this year, I think he's got a decent chance of making it by the sixth or seventh year. I'm just glad that people are starting to reckon with his career and take it seriously. His numbers put him in a pretty elite class of pitchers. And I just don't think in the future we will see pitchers like him ever again. To be honest, in five years, the average innings starters throw is going to start to be somewhere around 160-170. You might see one pitcher hit 200 innings. Buehrle was truly a historic pitcher and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I kind of thought before he retired that he and maybe Kershaw were the only two pitchers who could seriously make a run at 300 wins.

Eh. We have signed Boras client in the past and will likely continue to do so. It really doesn't mean that much in the long term.

YES. Perfect birthday gift for me.

I'm down. And I think people are underestimating the Sox willingness to spend major money and get over $200 million in payroll.

Oh man, White Sox strikeout totals are going way up!

If Scherzer is not drunk and shirtless in his press conference, I'm tuning out.

Who besides Giolito is arbitration eligible? I think my point being is that the teams who are spending like drunken sailors are doing so because they have huge holes and are desperate.. They also have no money on the books. I do think that if the Sox have the chance to get Schwarber, they won't pass it up. If it pushes them to $200 million, so be it. Iit's very possible that one of the stipulations put in place moving forward is that there be a floor for team's payrolls. Which means we might make what qualifies for the luxury tax to be higher. Although even when the White Sox were rebuilding, their payrolls were still somewhat high.

Cesar sucked but he actually hit a home run against the Cubs that I saw in person (believe he hit two in that series). He actually had a great first two weeks with the Sox before proceeding to suck.

Because contracts will likely favor the players moving forward. This is pretty damn team friendly for a utility player.

Right now, the White Sox have the second largest payroll in the AL. I don't have the exact number but it's north of $170 million I believe. And this isn't taking into account the players like Lucas who are arbitration eligible who likely will receive a hefty pay increase this year. Stop complaining the White Sox are cheap. They aren't. The Yankees also aren't spending money right now. The teams that are are doing it because they aren't as good as the White Sox were last year. The White Sox have a damn good team. The Rangers suck. And will likely be lucky to be in Third place next year. The White Sox will spend money but they need an upgrade, not a complete overhaul. And their payroll, when all is said and done, will almost be north of $200 million and likely be one of the top two in the AL. Because, given what Lucas will cost next year and also what some of the other arbitration eligible players will cost, there is just no way it won't be at $200 million or above. They are going to be in the top 2 in payroll in the AL. They don't have to spend money like drunken sailors. They will get one of the big fish in free agency, just like they did last year (Liam). But given the way the Sox operate, we likely won't find out till the day before it's done. Mets made some big upgrades and they still don't have as good a team as the White Sox.

He's going to be a utility player. He's pretty valuable and bailed the Sox out last year and has shown the ability to come through in the clutch. I have no problem with them locking him up now. It would have become much more difficult after the lockout.