southsider2k5

That has been prediction for about a month now.

Actually doing some more reading, the Cubs purchase was basically formed as a tax dodge by the Ricketts and the debt absolutely can't be paid off before 2020 due to some IRS reasons.

Typically there isn't the incentive to pay something off early. More likely the partners are taking profit and returning capital to the organization versus chasing an early payoff. Doing some quick googling it sounds like the interest on their debt alone was somewhere between $30 and $35 million on the bank financed portion alone.

Deciding that they are paying off debt early in a period of rising interest rates is an interesting assumption.

Why? What are the terms of the deal?

The Sox got just under $5 million this year (of which they couldn't go over $300k for any one kid) and $4.75 million the year before with the same signing restrictions. They have been using the cap space they can't spend to bring in players they can get through trades. They have signed who they can, and it is worth noting one of their signings for this year failed a drug test late in the process.

That team is also one of the deepest in debt teams in MLB. There is a ceiling there.

July 2, 2019 the White Sox operate under full rights in Latin America again. Also no one can spend "40-50 million" in the under 25 year old Latin American crowd ever again. The rules changed a couple of seasons ago.

They will once they return to luxury tax territory. This is actually the part of building a team that proved to be the downfall of Theo in Boston. Free Agency and sustaining.

Again, I really hope the Cubs sign Harper to a huge deal.

They got a top 100 guy for Kahnle and Robertson. Robertson was maxed out in value because he had a $13m annual deal attached to him. Tommy Kahnle ended up being so bad that the Yankees sent him down. Soria was not " a really good reliever". He was so worthless that the Sox were given him AND Luis Avilian for the simple act of being willing to pay Soria. The Sox turned him into a serviceable middle reliever that they turned into 3 much better prospects than what they started out with in Jake Peter. The 4th guy I am not even sure who you are referring to. If it is Swarzak, all you have to do is look at where the Sox sold on him to know they also sold him at his top value. If it is Dan Jennings I might just laugh at you.

This sounds vaguely familiar for some reason...

The last time this happened with the Braves, all of the teams that had cap space were able to sign guys under the normal rules. They did add an exception that teams could move the dollars forward into the next signing period if they desired. If that happened, this could actually put the White Sox on the map to sign any guys who might be thrust into FA because of this scandal.

This just came out. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-09/new-evidence-of-hacked-supermicro-hardware-found-in-u-s-telecom?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_content=business&cmpid=socialflow-facebook-business

Sure, when it comes to old school thinking where the pen was an afterthought. Things are changing with the emphasis on bullpens and as we approach the point where your pen throws as many innings as your starters do.

Yeah, while Bush has given some hope for the future, the kid is probably at least 3 years away, 3rd base is still a pretty big black hole for the Sox. I worry less about 1B, as you can spin just about anyone to that position. We already have a kid like Daniel Palka who could well end up there or a Zach Collins.

But they HAVE to be that good to have value. If they don't, you can't move them. You can't play them somewhere else. If he comes up just short of projections you have the career of Logan Morrison. If a Nick Madrigal comes up short he can still be a plus defender and/or a utility guy.

The Sox actually had some of the highest production out of the catching position this year in MLB from mainly one of their own draft picks and a MiLB rule 5 pick.

The Astros did it a couple of times. The Aiken disaster and the Daz Cameron year. This is also how the Cubs fit in for Cease.

Yeah, and NOLA was the one guy that people DIDN'T want the Sox to take.

Because guys who have the skill to play the skill positions can always be moved down to lesser skill positions. A guy who is already down to the least skilled position on a baseball field has super limited options for his future. Plus modern baseball has started to put more and more weight into defense, and has actively started discounting players who can't play a skill position at least at a useful level, even if the bat is above average.