greg775

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Nov 29, 2017 -> 08:12 PM) Greg, go read the comments on MLBTR and argue with them. The comments will infuriate you. I've lost my desire to. I don't want to read opinions of fans of other teams. I deduced long ago there are rabid Sox fans on here who are intelligent and I want to see what they are thinking about the team. I'm just stunned at some of the things I've read on here the past couple years. Hopefully Hahn is a genius and all these trades and future trades and acquisitions (bullpen, defense, catching, bullpen, bullpen) will result in multiple WS appearances and titles.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Nov 29, 2017 -> 05:47 PM) Can't wait for greg to see this lol Why. I fully expect Jose to be traded after reading Dick Allen's comments from the Hahn speech. Jose is gone as is Avi. QUOTE (ptatc @ Nov 29, 2017 -> 06:11 PM) Agreed. There is something to be said for having a veteran, talented, mature player in the clubhouse when they bring up a bunch of kids. Sox obviously don't care. Hahn is out to get that payroll down to the lowest imaginable then allegedly use that money when it's time. Modern baseball. The only time in history teams are glad to get rid of players who are beloved and has THIS KIND of proven production. It used to be you'd keep such stars til they decided to retire. Bye Jose and thanks for these numbers. 2014: .317, 36 HR, 107 RBI, .383 OBP, .581 SLG 2015: .290, 30 HR, 101 RBI, .347 OBP, .502 SLG 2016: .293. 25 HR, 100 RBI, .353 OBP, .468 SLG 2017: .304, 33 HR, 102 RBI, .354 OBP, .552 SLG. Should be interesting to see what positions they target in this deal and Avi deal. Seems to me they already have a lot of outfield candidates especially with Robert and Eloy occupying two slots for many years in theory. My guess is they go for catcher, shortstop (upgrade from Tim is possible), and pile up more pitching. Look for catchers, shortstops and pitchers in teams organizations and that's who Abreu and Avi will be dealt for. You could say 3B as well but if that's the case why did they draft Burger? I guess they could stockpile another there and eventually release or trade my man, Davidson.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 11:29 PM) The problem isn't with the Sox making offers, it is with them making the largest offer. As for the Albert Belle example, Eloy Jimenez was 7 days old when it happened. They haven't really shown a propensity to set the market for top level players for 21 years now. They have been #2 a lot of times. #1, not so much. I was gonna say Albert Belle was a while ago.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 09:12 PM) you want to be educated, yet you label people "draftniks" and completely shoot down their posts with things like "you draftniks slay me...." when they make reasonable and very educated posts about the matter. You reap what you sow, greg. People try and reason with you, and eventually they get so frustrated that they snap on you because they explain things to great lengths and you ignore them and keep on repeating yourself You are crazy. I don't always call them draftniks. I also use the word "stat people" and sabes people. I have used draftniks but not often. You can't imply I call people names a lot and get away with that. I contend I am normally polite. I'd say 90 percent of the time. Draftniks or draft people do slay me and frustrate me but I don't always call them draftniks. QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 09:38 PM) I know my plan had us spending like $450M on free agents next offseason, but maybe my handle doesn’t indicate clearly enough that I’m a Sox fan. 450 million would please me. What free agents, though. I stand by my point that we can forget about Manny and Harper.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 09:51 PM) Another missile launch earlier today, this time with an estimated 13,000km range. That's "anywhere in the continental US" distance. Calling on China to save the day. It's the world's only realistic hope. The U.S. isn't going to allow this madman to blow us off the map. I fully expect some kind of powerful strike at some point. We've been through it before what that means. The Korean nutjob will then blow up South Korea and Japan and Hawaii and probably try to hit our mainland as well.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 07:49 PM) Just acknowledge that Trump is the worst and move on. I think by now everybody realizes Trump is not such a good person. Three more years then we give someone else a shot like Bernie maybe.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 08:08 PM) Because we've been commenting on your position for almost a year now. We are kinda tired of it. It's not our fault you ignore what we say and continue to blindly post. Pitt asked for my position for gosh sakes. You guys are unreasonable regarding me at times. He asked! I delivered. What the heck u want from me?? I've been called a troll. Blindly post? I offered a response to an inquiry. Give me a break for once. QUOTE (hi8is @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 08:11 PM) I actually thought that his recently stated position showed some change. Seems to me that ( at least in that post ), he's on board with the same plan that management is executing. I've accepted the plan. I am a fan. I have no choice but to be on board. I am on board. My only other option is to drop the team from my interest list. Hard to do when you are a lifelong fan. I've accepted the plan. I'm observing it and ready to go with the rebuild. QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 08:13 PM) you dont read responses. You skim them, say "good post" if someone agrees with you, and then move on and repeat yourself without taking anything anyone has said to you into consideration. I dont even know why i wrote that to be honest he acknowledges the rebuild. He certainly doesnt support it or try to understand it Oh come on. I don't have to support it 100 percent especially when they are about to do something I deem very very counterproductive - getting rid of Avi and Abreu. There are a few on here who agree with me they'd like to keep both. You also are being unfair when you say I don't read responses and just say "good post." That is a huge huge assumption to make and just isn't true. You are assuming a lot in your last sentence or two and it happens to be untrue. I want to be educated. My "problem" or my trait is I won't accept what I consider to be rubbish takes without fighting back and offering my own take which you can consider rubbish as well. You guys are very unfair to me at times IMO. Do I support the rebuild in your words? Of course. I have no choice. It's here and I'm ready for all of them to succeed. I happen to think my takes will help the rebuild succeed or I woldn't post them. Avi and Abreu, of course keep them. What bugs me about you guys is you seem to think we couldn't win the other way. I say we couldn't because of inept manager (Robin) and bad scouts and bad advance scouts and idiotic decisions to sign stiffs like LaRoche rather than good players. Have a nice day all of you!

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 08:02 PM) not greg. certainly you arent speaking of greg of the 775 Why won't you guys comment on my position and my post? I really want to hear what out of all my position entails is wrong or not at least very logical.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 05:25 PM) I didn't say the Sox WILL sign Machado or Harper. I said that there has been plenty of talk by fans about guys like that. However, I do believe the Sox will pursue guys like that, and they will spend during next off season. I don't know if they will get one of those guys, but it's more possible now than ever with the rebuild going the way it is. So what do you want the Sox to do? What do you expect them to do? You say you want them to win, but you haven't suggested how they can do it. I'm surprised you are asking. My position has been deemed tired and boring and everybody knows it. What I preferred to do before? Keep Sale and Q and actually have a manager who can manage and instead of signing guys like LaRoche have scouts who can sign the right guys. I thought we had 2 great starters and should have been able to compete with a competent front office. ... But now that we've rebuilt? I want to let these young guys develop and come up as soon as possible and see if we can win with them while also signing the right free agents to build a bullpen. Of course I'd love to sign the guy from Japan but that's a dream. In short, now that we are rebuilding I'd like to keep Abreu and Avi, have somebody in charge of building a bullpen for when we are contenders and of course sign a veteran starting pitcher at that time to go with the young staff. I now want a mixture that includes Avi and Abreu. Ideally, I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody but for the future: 3B-Burger/Davidson. SS-Tim. 2B-Moncada. 1B-Abreu. OF-Avi, Robert, Rutherford, Eloy, Polo, et all. DH-one of the outfielders or Avi. C-free agent acquistiion or is his name Collins? I think so. P-The plethora of guys to pick from including of course all the big names we acquired including the guy from the Cubs. Put Coop in charge of figuring out which guys to put in the pen. Since we have done the rebuild I am ready to develop the guys and include Avi and Abreu while also realizing SOMEBODY must have a master plan involving the pen or we win nothing. Right now since we did do the rebuild, my only outrageous position (one that greg tends to rehash over and over and get upset about) is to NOT get rid of Avi or Abreu. Include them in the rebuild because greg feels you need a mixture and I feel those two guys are already in-house and actually from all indications are good intangible guys as well as players. They care and Abreu is good with teammates especially. I've heard nothing bad about Avi in that regard either. THAT IS MY STANCE. p.s.: I don't see how any logical intelligent Sox fan (and there are many on here) can a.) think I'm unreasonable. b.) think I'm insane. c.) think I'm a troll when I laid out what I consider a very reasonable viewpoint. I don't consider it a trollish viewpoint or viewpoint of anything but a concerned Sox fan. Notice I don't harp on anger at the rebuild. I presented my plan while accepting the rebuild. QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 05:38 PM) Actually I'm against signing Free Agents to big deals in almost all cases except for the special ones like Harper/Machado or using past cases that I would have been ok with at the time, Manny Ramirez and A-Rod. The huge thing with those guys is that they are in their mid-20s and you don't get the decline years, and if you have to give them a few extra years at the end, you can make them like 12-15MM years, and balance it out by front loading it. For me, value shopping in FA only, 4 year or less contracts, build from within as best as you can. If the "window" is short, so be it. Better to have that flexibility than to have a bunch of money tied up in aging former stars, and be rebuilding anyway. See Detroit for a contrast. Big FA contracts almost always end up badly. In other words you proved my point. Sox fans don't want to spend money. Machado and Harper love doesn't count. We aint getting them.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 01:00 PM) So, you haven't read any of the posts regarding Sox fans wanting the Sox to pursue big free agents like Machado and Harper? Just about all fans on this board want the Sox to spend, and many are in touch enough to realize that they will. Machado and Harper? Cmon. The Sox do not sign guys to 10 year deals. They just don't. Wanting to sign those guys is dreamland. It's not based anywhere close to reality. Tell me names of guys Sox fans want to pay 15 mill a year to for 5 years or so. I'll point out flaws in those players. Hosmer? Not enuf power. Moustakas? Injury risk cause of conditioning. Cain? Too old. Those are just some examples. Abreu? Too old. Avi? Flash in the pan. He'll never repeat those stats.

Serious question amid Trump wanting to be Time's person of the year. ... Except for those who have broken the law and gained fame through horrible means, is Donald Trump the most despised person in U.S. history? I said we exclude anybody who has been arrested or infamous for horrible reasons. I think Donald Trump (think of all the tweets and daily rips of him on TV, Twitter, etc) is in the top five of all-time most despised individuals by Americans. Now I don't despise him as such and I'm still hopeful he gets some things done that are positive, but he is truly despised by people in the USA. Is he top five most despised in history??

Don't shoot the messenger. Discussion on Rush's show today (relax I listed for a total of about 3 minutes before another commercial annoyance drove me back to the safety of the Beatles channel) was that Bernie is gearing up for a presidential run. Rush said young kids are in love with socialism/communism and Bernie probably will win. HOWEVER, my gosh as much as I enjoyed Bernie last time, he is getting pretty darn old. He'd have to have a helluva good running mate cause time stands still for no one.

QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Nov 27, 2017 -> 02:20 AM) I'd take a shot on CarGo before giving up assets for Avi. and Melky's 2017 is about what you can expect from Avi if he doesn't go back to sucking. There really isn't that much of an incentive to trade for Avi. If I were an opposing GM, looking at corner OF in the market I'd take Melky/CarGo over Avi, I just don't believe in him going forward. The .392 BABIP is insane and a regression probably brings him back to below replacement level. Really, I don't think anyone is interested in him except if they can get him for basically free. It only takes one sucker though, and Kudos to Hahn if he finds that guy. I think the Sox start the season with both Abreu and Avi on the roster, because I don't think anyone would give anything of value for a DH and a regressed Avi. Think about what the Sox got for Melky, because that is the return I'd expect if they move Avi, and both Avi/Abreu are worth more to the Sox than they are to anyone else. .285/.324/.746 17 HR 85 RBI 99 OPS+ 98 wRC+ -Melky Cabrera in 2017. This is about the best case scenario I can envision for Avi in 2018. Think about if you'd trade anything of value for that production with only 2 seasons of team control. You'd want Melky over Avi? I still am waiting to see what established (non prospects) baseball players you guys think are good players and want on your team (and don't list anybody making a good dollar cause we know Sox fans don't want to pay anybody). Modern day fans slay me. Eventually I'm gonna give up and just lurk on here. I am growing weary of defending White Sox baseball players who have been in the bigs a few years.

QUOTE (ron883 @ Nov 28, 2017 -> 12:05 AM) Sure will be miserable for Greg and that WBSASDAJS guy when Kopech, Eloy, and others come up and start performing. I expect them to keep their anti-rebuild positions when this happens. Not miserable. I said as a bad fan I still have the right to cheer for our team. What I want is those guys to perform well and start winning asap. I am of the opinion we've wasted the years of Sale and Q because of bad managing by Robin and bad putting together of a team by KW and Hahn. You have two starters like that and you can't build a team around them? Welcome to White Sox baseball. We couldn't do it. I have accepted the rebuild. I like some of the players we got. I reserve the right to root for whatever plaeyrs we throw out there. That doesn't mean I accept everything the front office does. I'm not going to be miserable when our prospects do well. I want to win no matter who is on the field.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Nov 27, 2017 -> 07:28 AM) I personally don't want "dissenters" to "go away" but rather would hope that you folks would finally... for once and for all... under-flipping-stand that you can't have it both ways. You literally can't spend big in free agency to give a fan base victories and rebuild your entire organization at the same time. If a great buy comes up that is willing to sign, sure - sign him up. But the concept of spending to win has proved itself a futile exercise. Oh f*** me... I'm going down the rabbit hole again. Nevermind... mission abort. Turning around and running away. This goes both ways. You guys who only want prospects to be our rebuilt WS team frustrate me. Why? Our division blows? Yes there's been a flavor of the month, KC when it had the great bullpen and Cleveland (I guess) the past two years. But it doesn't take much to compete in this division. That's why it frustrates me to get rid of Avi and Abreu and push back contention time even more. You guys act like the rebuild is the only way to win a division and get hot and win a WS. And by rebuild I mean the entire roster. Some of us like to have some familiar White Sox names around. It's not our fault it "hasn't worked" before because of an incompetent front office. I understand your position. I don't believe you try to understand ours. Minnie made the playoffs this year for gawd sakes. You guys give our front office a pass for horrid baseball since 2005. I don't.

QUOTE (Tony @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 11:42 PM) Alright, cool. See you in 2020 then. You'll be missed. Some fans don't like those of us who want to win now. They'd rather we just go away for a few years so there will be no dissenters regarding the rebuild. Prospects, baby. Acquire as many as you can. Wait til next year. Some of us think the fan should get a decent product for the excessive costs to see a game. Pretty soon it's gonna be 15 bucks for a beer. That'll be the cost 2 seasons from now. How much will parking be in 2 years? 50 a game? Give me victories.

QUOTE (ron883 @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 07:54 PM) Machado isn't getting 500mil. That is absurd. 400 mil is even a bit high. He didn't exactly light it up last season. I predict something like 10 year 35 mil. Would you rather have avi + abreu or Machado+ more touted prospects? I know what makes sense. The sox will have NO payroll. I don't see why it's hard to imagine the sox making a play for Machado. It makes almost too much sense. What's the different between signing 2-4 free agents vs signing machado? Obviously the length will be different, but they will have LOTS of payroll freed up. I don't know what you have against Jerry or if you are stereotyping, but he will spend if he sees it as a wide investment. If Machado "didn't exactly light it up" why would you want to pay him that kind of money? I'll tell you why? Cause he's not a White Sox. You don't see him fail like you do Abreu and Avi on occasion. All I know is Abreu just had 3-4 of the most consistent seasons in Sox history and should be on this team. Why is baseball so different? Let's say you have an NFL quarterback or RB who is way way above average and your starter for 3-4 years. Do you want to get rid of him? Hell no. Why is baseball so different for a player of Abreu's caliber? Abreu has been great. He should stay on the team. Case closed.

Does he really want a promise of 600 at bats? That's kind of unique. Not many teams "promise" stuff like that. I mean coaches promise all kinds of stuff in recruiting but always give themself a hedge if the player is a complete bust.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 25, 2017 -> 12:21 AM) DON'T HATE PEOPLE FOR BEING DIFFERENT FROM YOU. You have no empirical proof I hate people different from me. You have one case of me not wanting to eat in the same place as a guy struggling to walk in the place in a dress with high heels on. An instant decision to not do it. How do you know on other occasions, in a better mood, I might want to chat up the person, dine with them? How do you know what charities I support, how I treat homeless, how I engage strangers, how I treat elderly, how I treat youth, how I interact with all? You know none of this yet are convinced I am a monster that hates anybody different from me because of one circumstance. Or is it that I don't condone protestors shutting down highways because a.) it is dangerous and b.) somebody on that highway could be trying to get to a hospital or save a life in some way? I must hate all the protestors cause I would never do that. I think it's dangerous you stereotype people off a comment or two on a message board. OK I should be a saint and at every moment of every day be Mother Teresa and go out of my way to speak to all people including the guy in the high heels who probably didn't want to talk to me anyway. I don't go to Subway wanting to meet strangers; that person probably would have been upset as well if approached. I disapprove of your quick conclusions on people's character. I live by the Golden Rule, baby. However I am not perfect.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 07:23 PM) Yep... there's so much more that can be done right now ( like watch grass sprout ) and considering that you represent up one of merely 30 professional baseball teams - it would be expectable to just "sit this one out". You'd be fired, Sir. The Greg Continues to Amaze. Oh, and I believe that "Relevant marketplace characteristics" refers to any characteristics of Chicago which would be pertinent information for Ontani to consider. Ala: Cultural aspects, unique sponsorship potentials, Japanese resources, travel considerations, etc. Chicago wins in so many areas. But cash always wins out. How much can a baseball player enjoy the city he plays in anyway? Chicago in the winter is horrific. Chicago during the summer is great but he's busy playing baseball. If I'm wrong about this one and he takes our pennies compared to what some teams can offer, I will be humbled big time. Cmon. Money money money is what makes the world go round. I'd tell the intern to do a nice job answering the questions and I'd edit it but not spend much time on this.

QUOTE (WBWSF @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 03:49 PM) Trading Garcia and Abreu would seem to indicate that the team has no intentions of competing for anything the next few years. Instead we'll have lousy teams with low payrolls and mucho profits for JR and his investors. Then in another 4 years the team will start another 5 year rebuild. Always remember what Bill Veeck said, "5 year plans usually lead to a new 5 year plan". Great post. That's why I fully expect the Sox to trade Abreu/Avi. We're in a new era where the fans don't mind dumping everybody in the name of rebuild and it's a great way to provide the owners so much money for generations to come. If you are a GM and have the OK from everybody, why the heck wouldn't you trade everybody you can? The unknown player is so much sexier than the known. QUOTE (ron883 @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 04:07 PM) Think of it this way. The money we don't spend signing abreu goes towards signing Manny Machado. Tarde Jose and Avi the hell out of here for some good prospects. Use the savings to land Mr Machado. Way lah Cmon. the Sox are not paying Machado 400 million. It's not going to happen. He's already out East and desired by all the Eastern teams with cash. We're not getting Manny Machado for 400 to 500 million bucks for gosh sakes. Should be interesting to see the takes of the trade people and the people who don't want to spend cash on the Manny situation. Hmmm one player who will be 26 (Avi is one year older and considered too old for our WS contending window by some) commanding all that money? First of all Sox won't pay that. Second of all should be interesting to see who on here is in favor of paying Manny unprecedented dollars.

QUOTE (Scoots @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 02:58 PM) To me, Abreu is a no-brainer. His value goes way beyond what his numbers on the field show. These ballplayers are not just stats on a spreadsheet...there is a mental and emotional aspect to be considered as well, and Abreu is a key component to balancing that with his fellow countrymen. Not to mention, he could very well still be producing at high levels from 2020-2021. Extend him, Rick and co. You truly said it all. All I can say is the people who want him traded are in love with trades and the unknown and all the cliches that make sports fandom great but very frustrating to me. I'm not a "wait til next year" guy. I've heard it too many times. I want to win every year. QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 06:43 PM) Don't understand your comment... all you have to do is look at his numbers over his career and specifically compare them to last year. We don't know for sure if last year was a fluke or if he has actually figured something out and can be a really productive player. Don't see what is "bad" about stating it that way unless it has to do with your comment about JR not wanting to pay anybody. There is some truth to that comment in regards to paying for untapped potential (as in the minor leagues) and is not wanting to deal with certain agents, history has shown that as well as JR stating it himself, but I can only speak for myself in that if it was my decision I'd want more evidence that Avi really has turned things around before I offer him a truck load of money. And even if he has I'd have to think twice about it...for a corner outfielder he doesn't have a lot of power and his defense and base running is comical as well as his understanding of simple fundamentals. Your post is very well thought out and reasonable especially compared to mine. I am intrigued by your closing line: "for a corner outfielder he doesn't have a lot of power and his defense and base running is comical as well as his understanding of simple fundamentals." If this is truly true, you study the team more than me, then by all means dump him. I did not think he's that bad any more in any area. But if he does all these things poorly, he's not worth keeping around. What I saw was a very good player last year and I personally think we need some Sox veterans for our next WS contending team but again if you are right, dump him. Those are a lot of deficiencies you list.

Hmmm marketplace characteristics? Does that mean how much money we are free to offer? From what I've read we have no chance cause we simply can't offer enough money. I know what he's said, but cmon. Money means everything. Otherwise Sox do rate very high in the other categories. I'd have some intern do the work and I'd edit it and email it but that's about it. It's a waste of time. This guy's representation is not gonna let him sign for pennies when they get a nice chunk of the money themselves.

QUOTE (Dam8610 @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 05:41 AM) It actually does. Trading two years of Abreu for six years of two or more players who, ideally, will have more value, especially in the contention window. Having to make a large financial decision on Abreu near the beginning of the contention window is not ideal. I can't wait to see who you guys decide who to pay in the future. A lot of you seem obsessed with having all prospects and the lowest payroll possible and if we have to lose lose lose 3-6 years as the kids develop you're all for it. You are the best fans ever for a cheap owner. When we are a WS contending team, some of you I presume realize we'll have to pay a few free agents some cold hard cash.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Nov 26, 2017 -> 05:46 AM) The jury is still out on if Avi is really a "good" player though isn't it? One year doers not a career make. Kind of a bad answer. The grass is always greener on other teams I guess.