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QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 03:20 PM) While we're on the subject of funding, should I link to the multiple "skeptic" scientists who have all been found to be willing to produce a report that says whatever you want it to say as long as you meet their price? I know lots of those on both sides of many topics. The same could be said for the "global warming is the fault of people" idea. This is why any credible publications will have a list of all funding. In the current environment (pun intended) what type of research do you think will garner more attention, grants and publications, everything is fine or the world is heating up so we need to spend more money to change it?

QUOTE (Lillian @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 04:17 PM) There are two big remaining holes on this roster: 1) One good defensive outfielder, for CF or RF, who is at least an average hitter. 2) A respectable OBP, power bat, preferably left handed to bat between Abreu and Frazier. If he hits RHP exceptionally well, it would be acceptable if he were right handed I continue to think that SS is not a hole, as Saladino is a good defender with good speed, and some modest offensive potential. That should be adequate, if the other 2 holes are filled. Frazier at 3RD, Lawrie at 2ND & Abreu at 1ST provide enough potential offense for the infield. Defense at SS is more important. Austin Jackson is my favorite remaining Free Agent, without the loss of a draft pick, for the outfield. That leaves the middle of the order left handed bat. I wish someone could provide hope that La Roche would not be a total black hole again, in that spot. However, I doubt that anyone can make a credible argument for that. Who is out there, who might fill that hole, in a trade, or free agent acquisition? The only open spot is DH, if they sign Jackson. I'd still like to have Ethier, if trading for him didn't cost much in talent. At his age, he would be fine as a DH, or a corner outfielder, with Melky moving to DH. Andre isn't of much use vs LHP, but he is a solid professional hitter vs RHP. I don't think they will start Laroche on the bench at the beginning of season. I think they will give him a chance to prove himself. If he doesn't do well, I see them trying to add a bat early in the season through a trade. I think the only move the sox will do is one bat mostly likely the OF but Desmond is still a possibility.

QUOTE (CyAcosta41 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 03:29 PM) EXACTLY. Sin duda, dude. Having a draft pick in a particular year is indeed an asset. It's currency. If you're a team that excels in selecting players, then that currency has a certain value. If you look in your team mirror and you arguably, well, blow at drafting OTHER than picking some obvious studs at the top of a draft (where you hope not to be anyway), then that currency has a different value. If taking on the right FA costs you a relatively high draft pick -- in a year when that was an additional pick anyway and you still have a high #1 and #2 -- then you do it when you're loading for the next two years anyway. The FA you get (or a combo of FAs if you go Desmond/Jackson) are guaranteed big leaguers, albeit with risks attached to both. That high 20s draft pick you give up has no such guarantee. Frankly, not even close. And anticipating the counter arguments ... YES, you surely don't want to do this year after year. Do it every year like this and you've taken your chances to ever develop a strong and deep farm system from slim to none. I'm talking THIS YEAR ... THESE circumstances ... because we've already committed to going for it for the next two years This is where we disagree. I don't think there is a commitment to go for it for two years. I know I'm mostly alone in this but just because they've traded for a player that has 2 years on his deal doesn't mean that is the end of it. Sale and Abreu are under contract for 4. The sox have control of rodon for 5. It doesn't have to end at 2. If the deal makes sense, do it but if it limits the team too much, don't.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 02:53 PM) Who knows what went down. These media-driven notions that the Nats offer of 5/100ish was "higher" are silly....The Mets' 3/75 with an opt out is a much better offer. The Sox FO just doesn't execute very well, however. Seem to lack a coherent strategy and the ability to pull the trigger. The mets offer was not significantly better. Im not really good at math but 100 is more than 75. At the end of the mets deal he will be 33. It is not known how he will be doing in his mid-30s. Once you have the guaranteed money its there. He went back to the mets because he wanted to all along. It has the benefit of possibly being good if he performs well.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 02:37 PM) If Lagares was on the Sox with his .667 OF OPS, people would want him gone yesterday. We traded an defensive fielder (who raked in his cup of coffee) who was universally termed a "fourth OF." He wasn't as good as Lagares defensively and he well over played his minor league numbers which does bode well for his being able to sustain the offensive numbers from the short time in the MLB last year. That is why he was labeled a 4th OF.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 02:33 PM) I fully expect Soxfest to be cringeworthy due to hecklers/angry fans when Hahn/FO members are around. If I were RH, I would be at a different session than KW. Most people still seem to blame KW when things don't go the way they want.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 02:32 PM) I think that this thread, under standard viewing options, is now at page 400. Mine shows 120 pages. I'm not sure why. I must have changed something or my browser did. I think the 6000 posts is the goal. I honestly thought there would be more of a backlash after he signed elsewhere. I guess either people were tired of it or realized that the 27.5 million balloon payment (if he took the opt out) was just crazy.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 02:15 PM) I think they will do something as well. The guys out there shouldn't take a lot of time. The more the players wait, the fewer openings, and the lower the offers at this point. Agreed. I think they will do something to improve the lineup. However, I also think no matter what it is, some fans at Soxfest will use it as they were too cheap to sign Cespedes.

QUOTE (captain54 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 01:09 PM) When a member of the organization, coach.. executive.. investor.. player.. whatever.. says .. "if you complain, WE don't want you as a fan anyway" What would that lead you to believe? That he has an opinion? I am an employee of the state of illinois. I know my opinion about the state is vastly different than the view of the governor and legislature. People even employees are entitlted to opinions. I would not put that on the rest of organization especially the view of a cantankerous old new yorker.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 11:55 AM) That's just it, I don't see it being an issue worth looking into or making a stink over. My point is that you want to discuss the issue without providing the info needed to have a proper discussion. To be honest, you're coming across as just spamming SoxTalk to get members to join the Facebook group where Cooper supposedly had these exchanges with some fans. I think he is Jeff Samardzija.

QUOTE (captain54 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 11:46 AM) One of the things Cooper said in one of his recent online rants was, (not an exact quote)…"if you are going to be a negative or complaining fan, we don't want you as a fan".. If you don't think this could be damaging in some respect in the Sox attempts to regain some relevancy in this town, then I basically think you are choosing not to look at it realistically This was directed at both season ticket holders, past season ticket holders, or possibly potential season ticket holders.. Basically saying. "if you don't agree with what we do f--k you" It's not what Cooper says or does that is the issue, IMHO.. it's that it raises the question of whether this reflects the organization as a whole's attitude toward the Sox fan.. People are going to go to games, or not go to games despite what Cooper says, I agree with that.. It's not a issue that is at the forefront of what the Sox are faced with approaching a new season, but I think its noteworthy in that this happens again and again.. a high ranking member of the Sox organization disparaging the paying customer.. I think its pretty safe to say that any one coach doesn't speak for the entire organization. Maybe Brooks Boyer but not a coach.

QUOTE (CyAcosta41 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 09:17 AM) All true. But once they backed themselves into this corner, committed to a plan, you finish it. Too bad. All got crazy for the so-called Big Three. Fine. Take a pass. Don't be insane. But finish the job elsewhere. To me, this means Jackson/Desmond. Yep, lose a pick. One stinkin pick (out of the three important picks). Chances of getting value out of the J/D combo are a lot better than value from that second pick. Besides, finish this year's plan since we've already committed! Its all about asset management, . If RH feels that a couple of years of Fowler, Desmond or Jackson is better than the pick you do it. Picks are more than likely not to produce an mlb player so if the contract is a good one they will do it.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 11:38 AM) I'm not sure even 5/110 guaranteed would have got it done now. His original demands were 6/150. He seemed really intent on getting $25M AAV and i figured all along he's end up back in the NL somewhere to feast on the pitching of all those teams rebuilding. That way he increases his chances of having another big year and getting that $25M AAV after the opt out for longer terms. The pint of staying in the nl especially with ateam for whom he had success is agood one. That one year opt out could really help boost the value for next year when there will be fewer options. Its actually a good business decision. Edit: I really suck at typing on these screen keyboards. I don't think I've ever had a post without gross typos.

QUOTE (lasttriptotulsa @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:03 PM) Replace him with whom and at what cost after presumably eating much of Danks' contract? Danks as a 4th or 5th starter is perfectly fine. He was 60th among all starters in fWAR. There is a lot of value as a starter in just taking the ball 30 times a year and throwing 180 innings. Yeah, the starting 5 is set. Any additions will be for depth so it won't be a big deal. The only significant addtion for this team will be one more bat.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 23, 2016 -> 10:14 AM) That deal really only makes sense for the Mets in my opinion. I'm not really sure that's even true. I said that I would offer a 3 year deal with a high AAV to keep the deal short. I don't think I would have gone that high.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:40 PM) Where did the notion come that Desmond is bad on D? I guess it really is more that "is his offense over saladino enough to make up the contract and the pick"

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:34 PM) Still just hope that if they were in on Cespedes that they use that money elsewhere in the next few weeks. It will be interesting to see. I'm not sure there are improvements out there. EJ needs a shot in the rotation. Desmond is interesting but the sox need defebse there for the pitching staff.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:27 PM) They could have done a Davis-like thing where they paid him a small amount every year for the next couple decades. There were ways to get it done. He turned that deal down from the nationals, reportedly.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:24 PM) If he clearly wanted to go to the Mets all along, they should have done their due diligence and started negotiating with Fowler, Jackson, Desmond, etc., days ago. We'll see if that was the case or not...if they really believed they were playing poker and the market was forced in their favor or direction. Of course he told the sox that they weren't in it. The sox were only offering a three year deal so they weren't in it from the start.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:07 PM) Here comes the meltdown NASCAR

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 09:42 PM) And I say he is. Agree to disagree. BUY THE GOOD MEAT ! Ok. But from all accounts it should be: BUY THE GOOD SMOKED MEAT!

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:18 PM) Have you seen what franchise changing players are going for now ? Over $200M ! Cespedes at less than his original expected price is about the most we can hope for. But still waiting on some franchise changing player just for around what we paid Abreu ($68M ). Hey it can happen again if it happened once right ? With good international scouting it might. Regardless of Abreu status, cespedes just isn't worth the chance. Unless it comes at a no more than 4 guaranteed deal.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 08:08 PM) Therein lies the rub. Closest to a franchise-changing free agent available without trading Anderson/Fulmer or giving up draft pick compensation prior to October, 2017...is the caveat here. And franchise-changing player is exactly what he was last season. Close to MVP-caliber. Much lesser contract seasons have caused the White Sox to overbid on free agents in the past. And where did it get them in the past? You are still looking short term with trading Anderson/Fulmer. Maybe it's when they are on the team? RH just needs to continually improve the team until they get to that point. Right now the team hasn't shown it is ready to contend. Cespedes was that for 1/2 a year. Do you really think that he will continue that? Some people do. Obviously most GMs do not, with the lack of big contracts.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 07:49 PM) Thank you Caulfield and personally I think that was one of you better posts. Everything you talked about was related to how much the Sox need Cespedes . Just too much failure lately in a lot of areas. The failures mostly being in the "settling" type of FA who ends up crippling the Sox anyway because they all sucked . High end FA means less likely to suck right away . The Sox are "settlers" . That DirecTV commercial gets credit for me calling the Sox "settlers". They settle for leftovers and like hungry dogs they fight over the scraps. Then they find out the scraps have worms and the dog dies. Lesson learned buy the good meat. I agree they have been settling for the second tier FA. If RH is under this budget constraint, the other way to go is to create less dependency on FA. Now no team can forego all FA. But they produce or trade for proven MLB players. Then they can go out and get the one FA to put them over the top. I just don't agree that this scenario is now. Cespedes is not a superstar you sign to put you over the top. He is currently the best option, but not a franchise changing player.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 07:11 PM) We just differ too much in regarding the future. You seem to know the future . You've repeatedly said his moves will not hurt the future. whereas I'm just dealing with how he's done in the present. You know the future that's great but sorry you don't. The present isn't good . That's what I know and so far there isn't much of a future to speak of without depth in the minors and players with only 1 or 2 years arriving via trade. This is the paradox of being a fan. You want to win now, which is understandable. However, then there are complaints about not making the playoffs for a long stretch of time. It's very difficult to do both all tge time. All teams go through ups and down with success. A GM cannot just look to an individual year and disregard tge future otherwise tge team will be really bad. I know we disagree on this but I don't want to go through more periods of long playoff doughts. I want them to start building consistent winners. I also disagree that tge future isn't good. They had some automatic outs in the lineup last year. They've improved 3 of them. That is a significant improvement in the composition of the lineup. I agree that everything will need to go right to make the playoffs. I also thini tge team will be significantly better and is on the right track. The problem is that it takes the one thing that is the most difficult thing to do in sports, have patience.