southsider2k5

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 02:17 PM) If I was Rick Hahn, I would have gone to JR early in the season and said, "I see paths to fill four huge holes (3B, 2B, SP, RF) at bargain level prices. If we fill all four, I think we're arguably the best team in the Central. The downside is that they're all relatively short-term solutions, so if we do one, we should do all four to ensure that we realize the benefits. Here's what I think it costs." And if I couldn't get JR to commit to even ONE significant free agent, even when that free agent was going to cost under $50m, I would not have sold my precious assets for the partial upgrade. Not for 2 seasons, anyway. EDIT: 5 huge holes, including catcher. Except when you have that many moving parts it is nearly impossible to know what it is going to take to fill all of them. It isn't like you can say to each team that they need to wait until you get the other four things lined up.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 01:59 PM) I am the first to say there is more money in a budget to sign a guy like Cespedes or Gordon, than a guy like Fowler. And I will give you they don't have unlimited resourses. But if they can't afford Dexter Fowler or some of these other lesser guys, there is something wrong somewhere. It's the time to stick your neck out. It's not sticking your neck out so far you put the franchise in danger. Not making the move may actually cost you more in the long run than making it. If you are Rick Hahn, are you willing to go to Jerry Reinsdorf and the Board of Directors and tell them that Dexter Fowler is the guy you need to put you over the top?

David Kaplan ‏@thekapman 23m23 minutes ago NBA source tells me it does not look like the #Bulls will make any deals today unless something breaks that is unexpected in last 30 min.

Mitch Lawrence ‏@Mitch_Lawrence 6m6 minutes ago Why Sean Marks decided to take the Nets' GM job after having serious second thoughts...http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4695384-sean-marks-nets-general-manager-gm-new-zealand-spurs-mikhail-prokhorov …

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 01:36 PM) All the more reason to buy one of these guys next season. If they are so afraid they may have to sell off next year, these contracts aren't going to do any damage to them. As Stacey says, if your scared, buy a dog. You want to win, need an OF, and some reasonably priced OFs are available, if you don't jump on them and your guy fails, you failed. Then it's time to bring in someone with other ideas. This half assed going for it hasn't worked. Yes, they are improved from last year, but why stop now? It's like scoring 5 runs in the first, and giving up all of your other ABs. If they are going to go for it, go for it. It doesn't require a superstar or $100 million for a huge upgrade. I have said all winter that I don't think it is fear. I think it is a limitation of resources. They have spent all winter trying to get someone, but haven't been able to. That tells me there is more to the story than fear.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 01:36 PM) They must have watched the few select games where he actually played really well and not the other games where he's mediocre at best. Or they believe that Hoiberg sucks as a coach, and that a good coach could get him playing serviceable again.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 09:31 AM) If Avi is our Opening Day RF, then it has NOT been a good offseason. There has maybe never been a better buyer's market for corner OF in the history of free agency, and corner OF was the single biggest hole we had to fill on the team. We bicker back and forth around here a lot about the team's willingness to spend money. Some feel like the team should spend as much as it can every year to win, while others don't want to see inefficient and sloppy moves being made simply for the sake of spending resources. I've tended to fall on the latter side -- even though I acknowledge that ownership[ is making money and has a TON at its disposal, money should still be treated as a finite resource, because losing money is not a sustainable model. The rub on that line of thinking about falls around where the limit SHOULD be. How do you set a limit when you technically have more to spend than you need? To me, the answer is that you buy when the market is ripe for you to buy. Going into the offseason, no "contender" needed an corner OF more than us, with the exception of the Royals, and there were no less than 8 significant upgrades available (Heyward, Upton, Gordon, Cespedes, Fowler, Jackson, Parra, Dickerson). Pitchers and catcher have now reported, nearly all of those options are off the board, and nearly all of them have cost LESS than expected. The teams that have gotten them have, in many cases, created logjams with the acquisitions simply because the value to cost ratio was so good. And yet the White Sox still have nothing. I loved the Frazier, Lawrie, and Latos acquisitions, but if I knew our front office was going to stare a gift horse in the mouth for six straight months until the OF market collapsed entirely, I'd have rather they gone in a totally different direction. Yes we are a couple of pieces short. So is the entire AL Central. I don't think we are the leading candidate here, but we sure aren't out of it. The team has been improved a lot during the off-season, and it might be enough. Here is the thing though, even if we can't win it this year, the next off-season is probably going to be one of the best sellers markets in the history of baseball. All you have to do is look at the free agent market and know that teams that are willing to trade assets aren't going to be competing against quality free agents. They are going to be going against the worst free agent market in modern history. In a scenario where the Sox don't make it, AND decide to sell, they can decide to sell short term assets, such as Frazier and Lawrie, or they can go full out rebuild and trade from the starting pitcher stash. If they were to do it, they should be able to control the selling market more than most times.

QUOTE (ChiSoxFanMike @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 11:27 AM) Is Hernandez that good? I don't know a ton about him, but I'd rather have him than Avi if nothing else. Last year .369 .509 .535 1.045 7 homers, 51 RBI in 85 games. 77bb to 47k also catches your eye. Career .324 .449 .487 .937 career high is 10 homers, and 69 RBI in 86 games, but 380bb to 285k for career.

Apparently Gasol has been told that he will probably not be traded, and might even be extended.

QUOTE (Buehrle>Wood @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 09:40 AM) The Tribune website changed its payment/free article structure literally just a few hours ago, if that is the point of contention/confusion New setup or old, it doesn't matter. If you copy too much of an article and post it somewhere else, you can be sued for copyright infringement. There are people paid to troll the internet looking for lawsuits to file. Soxtalk as a site has no interest in being sued, so we don't allow it. You can post a preview or snippet from an article, but that is it. The link is necessary to direct people to the rest of the article.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 08:14 AM) Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 56m56 minutes ago Showcase in Mexico City on Tuesday for three more Cuban players - OF Yadiel Hernandez, 28; 1B/3B Yanio Perez, 20; SS Alejandro Rivera, 20. I've never heard of the younger two, but would love it if the Sox signed Hernandez. The younger two would have to fit into the international signings pool because of their age.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Feb 18, 2016 -> 08:23 AM) So, the current rumor is Gasol and Snell for McLemore, Koufos, and lowering the protections of the Sacramento pick to which we have the rights. There is also another deal being discussed which includes Marco Belinelli returning to the Bulls, but the parameters of that are unclear. The 76ers are also gauging interest in Jahlil Okafor. Considering Gasol IS opting out, and the Bulls do still have a non=zero chance to resign him, this is a great deal for the Bulls.

#yeastmode

QUOTE (SoxSteve @ Feb 17, 2016 -> 06:54 PM) Here we go with the War, steamer, Zips etc. I've seen both of them play alot and Avi is not better nor is it even close. Markaikas is a better outfielder than Garcia or Melky. PERIOD. Plus put him in the 2 hole and you have a awesome lefty 1-2 punch followed up by a bunch of righties. Love the lineup with him in the 2 hole. Plus it's not my money. Il take his 38 doubles and 375 OBP right now. Trade is never going to happen so it is a moot point. And Avi will never win a gold glove and won't even come close like Markaikas did a year ago. Plus i think a Avi - Laroche DH platoon could be effective for a yar and then see if Garcia is worth keeping for 2017. Here we go with the eye test...

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 17, 2016 -> 03:22 PM) I'm going to get myself in trouble for this I'm sure, but what starting pitching depth? Outside of the top guys, it's pretty weak in terms of pitching. Most of the pitchers in the top 30 project as relievers IMO. Fulmer and Adams are legitimate pitching prospects. Danish is on the next tier, as his numbers haven't impressed, but he is also years ahead of where his age would typically have him pitching. Plus you still have a mess of C level guys with guys in this system.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 17, 2016 -> 02:29 PM) Fun stat, steamer projects Markakis to be worse defensively than Avi in 2016. Markakis has horrible defensive WAR ratings throughout his career. Avi put up a -1.8 dWAR last year. Markakis put up a -1.5. Nick might have put up better offensive stats, but are they worth $11 million a year for the next three years? God no.

Either way, this is a big year for Leyer. He turns 23 in a few weeks, and has yet to have a season that really makes him stand out. Especially with all of the starting pitching talent in the system, he has got to be feeling some pressure this year.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 17, 2016 -> 03:10 PM) According to KC Johnson, the Bulls want a first round pick plus a rotation player for Pau, or Taj, or Snell. Good luck. The first one makes sense. Taj? A bit nutty. Snell? WTF!

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Feb 17, 2016 -> 02:39 PM) I might get blasted for this, but what about De Aza? Mets looking to trade him, he for sure will come cheap. Can platoon him with Avi. Sure, he doesn't upgrade the overall defense, but he's still a decent hitter. Can't see it happening again.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-worst-t...2016-offseason/ Sox mention is the Frazier deal, but for the Reds side of things,

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 17, 2016 -> 10:47 AM) It's probably way, way too late to make the decision to go over the 2016 international budget Not if you go after the Cuban talent too. That is not locked up like LA is.

Logan @LPattack13 @BenBadler Who do you think ends up signing Alexei Bell? Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 1m1 minute ago Don't sense much interest from many teams. Interesting given background, but not sure what role he has at this point

Chicago White Sox ‏@whitesox 24m24 minutes ago .@NIU_Football & @UToledo will play in the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown on November 9. The game will be the first football game in the 25-year history of U.S. Cellular Field.

ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo 6h6 hours ago According to ESPN’s BPI, Warriors have a 36% chance of breaking the 1995-96 Bulls’ 72-10 mark.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 17, 2016 -> 10:40 AM) It may seem excessive but given how much money the NFL makes nowadays, each owner would happily pay $1 million each to keep this gravy train rolling despite some of Goodell's decisions. Roger takes all of the abuse so that the individual teams and owners don't have to.