fathom

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:46 AM) Well this board sounds like it's going to be a fun place this year. And you really thought there wouldn't be a meltdown

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 02:46 AM) I just can't understand what the holdup is with Cespedes accepting our very generous three year offer. It's right in line with what's going on in the market! Haha, does go to show how ridiculous a stance it is if true

6-125 for Upton. Yeah Sox aren't touching that for Cespedes

Tigers made some nice relief acquisitions

Shocked Tigers were able to get him without a hashtag campaign

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:36 AM) Well Tigers will be tougher the next two years but after that they're completely f***ed. Problem is that might be all it takes to break up this Sox core if they struggle this year.

Free agency has really sucked as a Sox fan so far

Wow that was quick. This division and the entire AL is insanely tough

Ugh, AL Central keeps getting tougher if they get him. Who knows maybe it's to push cespedes to make a decision

QUOTE (Saufley @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 02:16 AM) At this point I have no idea what direction this team wishes to take or will take. If RV takes this team nowhere early maybe they can trade Frazier and lawrie mid season to help build the farm system. If this team tanks again, then it's time to say bye to Sale

Cespedes strikes me as a player that would focus so much more during a contract year as opposed to the 2nd year of a 4 year deal

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 11:35 PM) I'm not sure there will be that much of a site meltdown at this point. It seems like mostly everyone has given up hope by now. Respectfully disagree

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 10:31 PM) Come on Mike, you know that's not how this works. He has my vote as pick to click for leader of the "Sox lost out on Cespedes" meltdown

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 03:30 PM) I know people keep bringing up potential red flags for Cespedes, but does it seems like the fact that no one is connected to Upton more of a red flag? Both have huge red flags IMO, and neither guy is someone to trust with a long-term deal

QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 03:39 PM) The Score has been reporting that Cespedes is going to make a decision very soon on where he is going to sign. Where are they getting that from? Probably the Cubs Convention. Did you know the Score is the radio home for the Cubs in 2016? Sarcasm as they literally say it no less than three times an hour

QUOTE (Baron @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 05:42 AM) I think the ticket sales would increase quite a bit if they made another somewhat significant addition. Agreed...don't get me wrong, I hope they add as much payroll as possible.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 06:31 AM) Nobody knows what the sox budget is. Every time people thought they were at it last year they kept adding more pieces. True, but it's hard to imagine them raising it a lot after last season. One would have to assume season ticket sales are down from last year. As we heard so often, they went after Melky due to an increase in ticket sales.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 05:13 AM) He said the Sox could possibly bring in a left handed hitting outfielder who could help more defensively but that's as far as he'd go. He said the Sox would like to see "what Avasil Garcia could do." Sounds like a job for Will Venable

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 05:15 AM) :huh So Merkin and Hayes are on the same page...maybe the Sox should have seen what Davidson could do as well

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 05:13 AM) Today at CSN-Chicago the afternoon SportsNet Central show they had a story on the latest regarding Cesdepes. Dan Hayes reported that he is now "probably out of the Sox price range." When asked if the Sox could bring anybody else in he said "not unless the price dropped significantly." He said the Sox could possibly bring in a left handed hitting outfielder who could help more defensively but that's as far as he'd go. He said the Sox would like to see "what Avasil Garcia could do." Take it for whatever that's worth but it doesn't look promising at this point. Mark Yuck. I said this the other day, but if Hahn goes into this season with Avi in RF and the team struggles, he better be fired after this season along with Ventura.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 06:09 AM) The Sox are already at their '16 budget. Now add Cespedes 20M+ and that's pretty much way over. I think people forget it's 2016 now

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 06:07 AM) Why would they be way over? They are clearing $30 mil Is this in comparison to the Forbes article? Thought someone said the MLB execs laugh those off. Not sure to be honest, I don't pay as much attention to that aspect of things as I probably should.

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 05:01 AM) The top lineup looks weak. The bottom lineup looks decent. And for me, the starting pitching depth is terrible outside Sale/Q/Rodon.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 05:00 AM) For me, Melky goes to DH and Hahn continues to work on an upgrade in RF. If he can't find that upgrade, then Melky can't do any worse defensively in RF than Avi, and meanwhile, we added last year's LF Gold Glove winner in left AND his bat in the heart of our order. Again, Cespedes is a NO-BRAINER. He makes sense on every level. With what resources? They'd already be way over the budget for 2016 with nothing left in the farm outside the big 3.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 18, 2016 -> 05:58 AM) I agree with the points you've been making aside from this one. Since when are "ties" such a huge factor in FA decisions? Did David Robertson have ties to the White Sox before he signed with us? Did Melky? Avila? Navarro? My point was solely in response to those the last few weeks that thought Cespedes would sign here to team up with his friend Abreu.