fathom

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 04:29 AM) Dude, we have Sale & Abreu under control for four more years. We can't be overly patient and wait for all these prospects to fill holes because we don't have them in our system. And most draft picks take years before they contribute. The absolute worse thing we can do right now is waste more cost-controlled of our key players. And let's be honest, counting on the Sox to produce quality hitters from the system is foolish right now.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 05:24 AM) There was also a lot of talk that Detroit & KC wouldn't either & here we are. Those teams left the door open for a big signing. The three year Sox limit has been reported as being more definite.

Joel Sherman and Heyman tweeting a lot about how good of a fit Cespedes would be on the Angels. Sherman has been on top of things this offseason.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 04:57 AM) I mean, I believe that as well but that's absolutely not a certainty. Either way, while I'm certainly not freaking out about anything yet and by themselves I like all the deals the sox have made, if you trade for a star with 2 years on his deal you better put something together than a .500 team year one. Yep their chances at winning the division decreased tonight. Not a good situation when your two year window is going up against two very talented teams with a similar window.

QUOTE (TheCut87 @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:52 AM) I would be fine with passing on all 3 of them, but don't go out there and give up a pick to sign a guy like fowler....have a bad feeling something like that will be coming down the road here shortly though. Still would rather have Desmond and Jackson

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25454143

QUOTE (Sockin @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 04:46 AM) The most frustrating thing about the three year talk is their refusal to adapt to the modern market. It just seems smug to me at times. Just tells me they didn't really want any of these guys.

Still would love to know what caused Tigers to go after Upton instead of Cespedes.

QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:35 AM) At this point, 1 playoff appearance since '05, they will have to sign Cespedes to make me NOT think that... Allowing Ventura another year as manager is enough to get me to question ownership/management. Also waiting for Hahn to start producing a quality team.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:32 AM) So now the Sox HAVE to sign Cespedes. The optics otherwise will be a public relations disaster for this team, and an abject organizational embarrassment. No team during the past five, six weeks has been tied into being "in" on not one, not two, but all three of the so-called "top tier" free agent outfielders more than the White Sox. We were "interested" in Gordon. We were "in" on Upton. We were "considering" Cespedes. Then the leak. The leak that we were only interested in making an offer to any of the three of them for "three years or LESS". Enter the small market intra-divisional Royals, who move in and lock up Gordon on a four year contract. Tonight, another AL Central rival, the Tigers, sign Upton to a six year deal. And this on the heals of our intra-city rival Cubs signing Heyward to an eight year contract. Welcome to market economics! If another team swoops in now and snags Cespedes on something resembling more what the market is bearing vs. this three year offer business the Sox are operating under, then it will be a colossal failure of Hahn, Williams, and Reinsdorf. It will call into question their credibility when they claim over and over and over again their strong desire to return to the postseason as quickly as possible, and thereby maximize the window of opportunity with the current core. I trust they realize this, and will soon be announcing the signing of Yoenis Cespedes to be our left fielder and clean-up hitter for the foreseeable future. If not, well, it'll be quite the black eye on this management team's reputation, and will seriously call into question the capabilities of the team's ownership and management. I am not a big fan of Cespedes, but I do agree they will look awful in the eyes of their fans if Cespedes goes elsewhere.

QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:27 AM) Taking everything into account, if the 3 year thing is true than Hahn should get whacked...unless he is being held back by JR. The 3 year thing in general made no sense, as they went four just last year for Robertson. All the bad money from free agency last year has hurt a lot this offseason.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 03:02 AM) I'll be honest...I would have been a bit annoyed had the Sox done this. Absolutely, I would have hated this for the Sox. With that said, all talk of Hahn playing this perfectly as prices dropped should be muted for now.

QUOTE (Saufley @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 02:49 AM) There will be more people on the board than at the games. QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 19, 2016 -> 02:49 AM) I'll admit it, that was naïve. On the bright side at least Q won't have to face Cespedes 6 games a year

Opt-outs are as annoying to me as transfers in college basketball

What you have to wonder is just how much is Cespedes asking for? Tigers like him, so was this the cheaper deal for them?

3-50 is higher AAV than 6-132, right?

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