JoeC

Honestly, 50 wins is not out of the question.

This is pretty much what I expected. The team isn't going to compete in 2024. Any talk of that is either delusional or blowing smoke. At this point, call it what you want, but the right move is a rebuild. While I personally think they should have picked up TA's option and tried to squeeze out a B-level prospect for him (risk: stuck spending an extra $13MM in a season where you're not competing), it really doesn't matter to me at this point. I'd just be pissed if they took those $13MM and pocketed it - we'll see if they actually do something with the money now.

You spend money this year on minor leaguers and on players who are “flip” candidates at the deadline for more minor leaguers. The big league club is here to stock the farm for a 2027 run.

I do too. Just poking fun at our complete overreliance on him last year. Fucking guy would throw 100+ innings out of the 'pen, easily.

...but then if he was sitting in those similar meetings that led to the hiring of Getz?

That's 150 innings we won't get back....

"Sleeping giant" they may be. Seems like the giant will never wake up though.

They just need 3 or 4 starters, 3 or 4 bullpen arms, a few defensive upgrades (at LF, RF, SS, 1B, and C), and like 7 upgrades on offense (C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, RF). Plus a good coaching staff and medical staff. Other than that, they're right there.

Seems about right. And, besides the Royals, weren't the Sox also tied to some Rockies' execs for consideration?

Likely yes.

Adding 1.1 bWAR, but subtracting how much negative bWAR?

Pretty much any org that has a set of goals for player development, rather than just letting 'em float up in the minors?

Obligatory:

"last August" = 2022.

Yeah I had a long layover in LAX last August. Some San Diego exec was talking on his phone pretty loudly in the lounge. He was bitching pretty loudly and openly about Tatis' to-be-announced suspension.

Oof. We even get the wrong "owner's kid named "Michael."

So the 2025 rotation has him in the #2 or #3 spot, based on this report? Sorry - I didn't click on the article.

I'm not disagreeing much, really. The only thing I would say is that Hahn had to know he's on thin ice; when some people are desperate and know the inevitable outcome, they grasp at straws to try to save themselves.

Well, the other way to look at how JR could "logically" (note the quotes) judge the trade deadline is based on whatever Hahn / KW told them. Among other lines of bullshit, we were told that they got rid of the negative influences in the clubhouse. The implication was that these negative influences were causing the team to play poorly and lose. Of course this is all pure speculation, but I could see Hahn trying to make one final plea that the big league team would somehow be better after the deadline, then JR waiting to fire him until after that ploy obviously failed.

IMO, the only conceivable logical explanation is that the trade deadline was the "one last chance" for Rick and Kenny. Once the deadline results really started to roll in (namely, Burger catching fire after being sold for pennies on the dollar), Jerry fired them. My guess is that it's still just another sign of organizational incompetence, but the above could be a potentially conceivable scenario in a competent organization.

Anyone want to start a gofundme to have Mike Veeck buy this team? It would at least be entertaining.

Thanks for posting. That "Light it Up!" call is still my favorite, and it gives me goosebumps to this day.

I would probably drift eventually toward the Tigers, honestly... but I've lived in Michigan for longer than I lived in Chicago. I've already converted to being a Wings fan awhile ago after having sworn off the 'Hawks after they traded Chelios. Like hockey, if the Sox left Chicago, I would probably need a few years of transition to take to a previous rival. It would go from envy, to mild animosity, to reluctant indifference, to warm familiarity, to casual fandom. No team would ever completely fill the void the Sox would leave, though.

I was previously in the "sure - let's sign Merrifield" camp... while I was not particularly passionate previously, this post has tipped me to the "why the f*** would we want that?" camp.