Balta1701

Since I'm out for a "6th starter" type, someone to cover 100-ish innings and maybe even throw out of the bullpen a few times, yeah I like the idea of Hill also.

You mean like Cleveland and KC the last few years where there was a title and 3 WS appearances?

We've done a decent enough job of creating the financial flexibility to afford a guy like him but we haven't done a good enough job of acquiring enough surplus talent to make it possible to both trade for him and then still to be able to sign/extend him, at least assuming typical white sox esque spending limits.

Are you specifically asking about the NL to AL shift part or are you asking about a guy hitting a wall unexpectedly right after a big payday? Darvish comes to mind on the guy hitting a wall issue. Cole Hamels is an interesting case on the other as his ERA with the Phillies was 3.30, his ERA with the Cubs was 3.30, his ERA with the Rangers was 3.90.

I like that he's a substantial contrast with everyone else in our rotation and that he still had success this y ear. We could really use a LHP somewhere in there to mix things up, and I still think Bumgarner is a personality mismatch with too much of our roster. That would leave Keuchel as an entirely reasonable target.

Don't write this post until they get out 27.

The idea that this is an organization where there is no accountability is an easy one to support. Robin Ventura's contract extension. Rick Hahn continuing in his job after 2016. Kenny Williams being promoted - even when you're blaming him personally for the Wilder fraud fiasco. I would suggest that this type of loyalty - regardless of performance - creates exactly the setting where a con artist would thrive.

Yes, and the only part that is missing from what you just described is the loyalty and lack of accountability. While it's great to support your guys when they are having success, if you also tolerate failure, and create a setup where a system of buddies is more important than winning games, that kind of setup creates a perfect setting for a con man to run a multiyear scheme.

With their history, I would find it easily believable that ownership has suggested they don't want to spend money on the international market. When there were no signing limits, they didn't spend money or develop scouting when other teams were having success doing exactly that, so it's not at all far-fetched to believe they're doing the same thing now. But even if it isn't ownership directly ordering them to limit their international spending...management knows that given the choice between spending that money on the international market and saving a bit on what they committed to Jones...ownership would prefer saving the money on Jones's deal. No one will get fired or penalized if they make that choice.

Of course he doesn't spend individual time on it, but it's 100% clear that given the choice between a small but nonzero chance at finding the next Vlad Jr. or Tatis Jr. and saving $1 million, they'd rather save the money. That's the organization reflecting the GMs priorities and the GM reflecting the owner's priorities. You would never see Theo Epstein doing something like that and just letting a way to add players go to waste. Rick Hahn is ok with that...and that's why he has his job.

That's a buried pop culture reference.

This is another case of people working way too hard to avoid blaming Rick Hahn for Rick Hahn's own decisions. Look, I don't know if this Reinsdorf quote is accurate or not, but it's long been clear that Reinsdorf runs his franchise where winning is but one of several things he cares about, and he would rather lose games and seasons than change the way he wants to run his team. He would not go over-slot on the draft when other franchises were using that to their advantage, he would not spend big money internationally when other teams were using that as a big advantage, he wouldn't even spend the international money this season even though they were rebuilding, had an incredibly low overall payroll, and had 2 years in the penalty box where they could have spent the time scouting and preparing for this signing period. Adding players that might someday help them build a winning team was so far down on JR's priority list that that they traded away their international signing space to a team that did care more about adding a player and made that other team take on Jones's contract in the process. They couldn't be more clear about it if they wrote a book about things they care about more than winning. This is why Wilder was able to successfully conduct his fraud for so long - he was a confidence man and once you have JR's confidence you're set for life. Rick Hahn is not some innocent bystander in this behavior. He came up through this system, tolerated it for years. He got the job because whatever priorities JR has other than winning - Rick Hahn either shares those or is willing to look the other way. If JR wants to run his franchise by hiring his buddies so that they can sit around behind closed doors saying "Hey, look at me! I'm Mr. So-And-So D*ck! I've got such-and-such for a penis", Rick Hahn has his job because that's the setting he wants to be in too. RH got his job because he's not going to rock the boat, he's going to go along with his owner's priorities, because they're his priorities too. Rick Hahn is there because he's one of the buddies and he knows his job is to surround JR with additional buddies.

Ricky would like you to know, in his professional opinion as a highly paid expert manager and as a total professional, that anyone who thinks that is a good setup should "F*** off".

Kenny Williams ranting repeatedly on air during spring training about how unreasonable the fans were to label them cheap just because they said they'd spend money and then didn't. Steve Stone insulting the fans saying they just don't understand what they're doing. RR being asked a standard question about what he does to take new information from analytics into account and publicly telling reporters that they should "F*** off". That doesn't even count Rick Hahn's "Friends and family plan" last offseason or bragging publicly about how he was going to add a "middle of the order bat" at Soxfest in January before...not. No other billion dollar business would ever behave like this. In 2016 the lack of professionalism came from the locker room and a manager that spent years not caring. This year, the front office was an embarrassment, to the same level as 2016. Rant after rant after rant and no discipline whatsoever. Shut your mouth you're being paid 7 figures to act like professionals, don't act like 5 year olds. Not even United Airlines is this poorly run that they'd spend an entire year screaming about how their customers just aren't smart enough to understand their business model. Maybe AT&T.

The Twins won 101 games this year. Cleveland missed the playoffs and won 93.

The reason to fire everyone this year isn't the win-loss record, it's the pathetic number of public temper tantrums thrown by people representing a billion dollar business with hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue per year. It won't happen because ownership is ok with their asset looking like a 3-ring circus. Next year we can resume evaluating based on W-L, but those angry 4 year old quality temper tantrums from multiple adult humans should never be tolerated by a professional business.

Not only has he learned things he won't just forget if he goes to work with a new pitching coach...but if he isn't quite this good for a couple years, some team could totally think that they could fix him and be willing to take on 5 years of his deal

Well you certainly hope that a former first round pick who is about to win a Cy Young award will have at least a few more excellent seasons in him...but the other important thing to note - if guys remain good pitchers those contracts are movable. The Tigers were able to move Verlander. The Diamondbacks were able to move Greinke. The Dodgers kept Kershaw even after an opt out. Hell, Seattle somehow moved Cano. You might have to spend a little money to do it, but as long as the guy doesn't Darvish it, a few years down the line the contract can be moved.

Verlander signed an extension through 2021, he is earning $33 million in 2021. Greinke earns $35 million that year (with some money coming from Arizona). Springer hits FA while Verlannder has 1 year remaining.

They've spent a ton of money already. B-R has their costs including arb guys at $207 million in 2020 - if they sign Cole they'd be in Red Sox territory next year. They're going to probably be over the tax just finding someone to replace Wade Miley and they'll go with some of their young guys to fill out the rotation. 2021 with Arb guys they're over $160 million - so they have some money to spend there, but with a bunch of other positions to re-fill. I think Springer and Cole hit FA out of that group, I'm not sure about Correa - depends on if he can ever get healthy again.

I unfortunately agree...right now it looks like it will take something major changing for the White Sox to get 1 OF out of that group, and none of them will be big league ready in 2021. The 2021 Free Agents include Mookie Betts, George Springer, Joc Pederson, Michael Brantley. The first 2 are clear stars, but as you noted - it's hard to see the White Sox going for them because they're clear stars. With a franchise anyone had confidence in - holding RF for a year with a stopgap and targeting one of those would be a solid option, but with good reason no one has confidence in the White Sox. But...the fact that no one has confidence in the White Sox signing a player to a multi-year, fair value deal also affects Ozuna - who may have also specifically asked his agent to make sure he's extended with the Cardinals as well. I struggle to see the White Sox signing him almost as much as I struggle to see them making a run at Springer.

I just flat out cannot see him leaving the Yankees. It's not like the Yankees can't afford him.

An "often hurt older pitcher" fits my request for a 6th starter.

I might not be pleased with a move, but this year I shouldn't have to be upset (as stated in the original post), as long as we're not trading away people. Last year there was still reason to be upset about some of those signings - why are they wasting money on a 70 win team when their president of baseball operations is simultaneously screaming at the fans "We'll never be able to extend our next core if we spend money!" This year...they shouldn't be a 70 win team, they should be actively putting a decent roster on the field. It may not win the central, every signing may prove to be as bad as "an average Rick Hahn signing", but we won't know that until the season gets going.