Balta1701

These clowns are no where near that professional.

Rick Hahn next Tuesday:

When you include "7 years" you are literally including his age 19-20 seasons.

Done. Live long and prosper.

Are you sure?

Way F***ing over.

Now that Machado is off the table and the numbers are known, the Phillies probably will put the expected 10/$330 with a plausible opt-out time in 4 or 5 years on the table and they'll get this done. There's enough other teams with interest that they know they can't get a huge bargain, they know the price, if they put the offer out it'll be over.

That was based on a report from one particular "insider", and that person insisted up and down, over and over, again and again, that we should not panic, that the White Sox would get this done, and even that the White Sox liked signing guys on Wednesdays. Basically, every insider was hearing the message that the franchise put out, including that line, the franchise is a bunch of inept fools, and the insiders were passing along the confidence of a bunch of inept fools.

Frankly, this offseason, they are. Their payroll is down to $90 million from a peak near $130 million, while the amount of shared revenue has grown hugely - more than enough to offset their attendance and advertising losses. Each team got a $50 million check a year ago for the rights to the MLB.com streaming system. Last year's payroll was low but at least there was a hidden $25 million going to Robert. They're going to be swimming in money from this season, aside from Harper there's no one left to spend anything on.

No, it's 100% clear that they won't be able to do so.

They had an offer on the table that was, per the most recent reports, $250 million guaranteed over 8 years, with years 9 and 10 as $35 million a year vesting options with 550 plate appearances, and no opt out. Unless Machado was still an all star at age 34, he would never see that money, as any smart franchise would platoon him to keep his plate appearances low. Furthermore, the White Sox did not offer an opt out, while the Padres did, so if Machado remains an all star through age 31, the Padres offer will also turn into far more than $300 million over time because he'll hit free agency again at age 31, after the next CBA, with a chance to cash in >$150 million at the time. Here's the guarantees: $300/10, with an opt out after 5, $250/8, with 2 vesting options you're unlikely to receive. Those offers aren't close.

There is literally zero evidence of this. The White Sox have leaked that Lozano gave them a chance to beat the Padres offer, they thought their offer of $250 with 2 option years unlikely to vest was going to be good enough.

Scott Boras will not turn down meetings with teams trying to sell themselves. Even if that team is not putting a competitive offer on the table, it is negotiating leverage against the teams that are competitive. The Phillies know the White Sox met with him and they know they won't get a substantial discount because there are other teams with interest, so they're going to at least have to pay fair price. (This lesson fell on deaf ears in Chicago).

A better ballpark without a sweetheart deal from their state's taxpayers.

Credit to 2k5 then - he said it wouldn't work because the FO couldn't do it, and we'd have been better off continuing with the 2016 roster and at least getting into the 70s in wins for another year or two.

Corey Seager will hit free agency at age 27 in 3 years, I guess that's something, that'll happen just as the lockout starts so lucky him. In 2026, Vlad Guerrero Jr. will be available right around the time he turns 27. I guess those are the next guys who will hit FA at about this age.

There were 2 reasons to sell off at the end of 2016. 1. The White Sox's roster structure was about to collapse, with Cabrera, Frazier, and others 1 year or less away from free agency. Just treading water with their 75 win team was going to require spending progressively more money, and they had no obvious path to getting better. 2. By selling off in 2016 and cutting their payroll, they put themselves in position to play the 2018 Free Agent market, which people could see at the time was going to be something absolutely unique, with top flight guys hitting free agency at unusually young ages, making their contracts exceptionally valuable. Case #2 does not come around again. There is no time on the horizon where we will see this again - guys of this caliber hitting free agency at this age. This is passing on Drew Brees as a free agent to sign Daunte Culpepper. No comparable free agent quarterback has hit the market in the NFL since.

Frankly? I know he has to give quotes for the papers, but deep down I want him to shut up.

You are correct, Bruce Levine (organization mouthpiece) tweeted within the last hour that the White Sox do not believe in opt-out clauses and would not offer one. So, no opt out, 2 vesting options at the end based on plate appearances that a smart organization could maneuver around, and a lower guarantee. The White Sox's offer was a bargain basement offer.

Apparently they actually had the best offer for Alex Gordon, and thankfully the Royals came close enough that Gordon decided to stay home. But the good news is - that bailed Rick Hahn out of another disastrous move.

I said this a few pages ago:

We were $50 million below the Padres offer, with 2 option years at the end that stood a good chance of not vesting, per the most recent report. We were no where close and they should be embarrassed for all the times they said this was their priority and they would not be beaten.

Btw, today is #5 on my official list of things that Rick Hahn should have been fired for by any well-run organization.

They keep having chances to avoid this fate and they keep choosing the path that leads there.

Pick another franchise to follow because these clowns have jobs for life.