fathom

QUOTE (Saufley @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 03:43 AM) and I thought after the Frazier acquisition the Sox FO was serious for another big bat. My bad. If they get Fowler, it will be one of the biggest deals in club history.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 04:36 AM) Only reason to not sign him to a one year deal (bargain) is if he truly is over 40. He does look kinda old in the face lending some doubt. Nobody can deny the team is weaker without Lexi right now. SS took a hit today. I think Saladino will have a higher WAR

Sounds like it's 5/90 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles...0114-story.html

QUOTE (Tony @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 03:19 AM) At the end of the day, they got the guys they wanted, and conceivably Theo built the team he wanted. If I'm a Cubs fan, I can't be too mad at their contracts. Yeah they got the guys they wanted and obviously have ridiculous flexibility due to their youth. It's just not wise IMO to compare those deals to what everyone else is getting.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 03:13 AM) Then why in the other thread did you say never go more than 3 years? Also it sure looks like the Cubs overpaid for Zobrist and Heyward now

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 03:11 AM) I still worry about long term payroll flexibility. The 5th year would just hamper the team too much to maintain longterm competiveness with sale and company hittng FA at that time. I would rather spend the money on homegrown pitching. Last thing you want is money tied up in Cespedes in three years when there are so many good players available via free agency

The Cubs and Sox have such different situations now. Cubs know they will be drawing a ton of fans the next few years. One bad year for Sox and it is possibly fire sale time.

Nice last possession by Philadelphia

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 03:44 AM) Who the heck are we actually competing with for Fowler? The Cubs? Cardinals? Orioles? Angels? Would the Orioles really give up a draft pick for him? Does he really make enough of a difference to make the Angels a sure-fire pennant contender from their current status? Every columnist coming out and suggesting Garcia as a rebound candidate didn't have the benefit or misfortune to suffer through the last 4 months of the season watching him flailing away helplessly. Potentially no competition is why he makes sense for the Sox...a great bargain

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 02:43 AM) Exactly. Most people seem to not understand how much of an upgrade he is. Cespedes has become Mike Trout on here

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 02:41 AM) Ah, didn't realize you were referring to last year. I was wondering if I missed when the Sox tried to get Shark back, haha. I'm with you - I don't understand not making a splash in FA when there is a large sum coming off the books next year + a weak FA class in 2017. Unless the Sox are thinking about blowing it up next offseason if they fail yet again, because the high price tags might be realistic at that point... I'm sure the disasterous 2015 season hurt their 2016 budget

Fowler would have been 2nd on the offense in WAR last year

Moore!

The real issue may be the Sox just aren't high on Cespedes. Also maybe the Sox want a CF to move Eaton to a corner.

Terrible last possession.

One man team. Awesome effort by Butler. Just awful defense by Hinrich down the stretch.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 03:01 AM) Front loading even a contract like that would be something the Sox could do as well, IMO. Sure but if they stick to 3 year limit then Orioles have an advantage

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 02:54 AM) If the Sox couldn't match or beat an offer like that I would be pretty pissed off. We also don't know if that's a front-loaded Balt offer with early opt-outs

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 02:19 AM) Hoiberg is trash. The front office should have been fired and Thibs remain. This organization is a f***ing joke. Team just doesn't listen to him it sounds like

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 02:00 AM) Agreed. Haven't there been questions about his projections for 2016 and potential for a regression? I forget which stats but a few people on here have questioned if Cespedes would be able to sustain those stats. His season last year was quite the outlier. I wonder about his focus if he has a long term contract.

I could see Hoiberg back at Iowa St in two years

Mirotic 0-8....what a bad year for him

Just a pathetic week for the Bulls.

Also if Sox offered him this deal we would all say they weren't serious about getting him

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Jan 15, 2016 -> 01:39 AM) I can believe Baltimore is offering 5 years but I think Crasnick is way off on the dollar amount. That proposed offer is in the range of what Gordon got and Cespedes should get more than that. Unless the offer is for 3/4 years 75-90M range, that would make more sense. Crasnick's numbers don't jive that's for sure. There's no doubt in my mind if he takes something like 5/80, it tells me teams had red flags about how he'll perform going forward