southsider2k5

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 03:46 PM) I dont need to find an example. My argument is simply: Keeping your options open is always the best business practice when there is no impending deadline. You are the one who is arguing that it is somehow better for the Bears to tell Forte under no circumstances would we consider bringing you back. I know you can make up scenarios with the best of them, and that is kind of the point. There is no reality where Matt Forte is coming back to the Bears for minimum wage. To offer it as even a possibility is a worthless argument. I am also 100% positive that if Forte was willing to play for minimum wage, he would be a Bear, despite the management statements. I wouldn't think their management would actually need to spell out that they aren't willing to pay him a market value wage, and they don't want to insult him or cause a stink with their fans by offering him an insulting contact, but apparently a simple statement will be assumed to be the most insulting interpretation possible by a segment of their fans, so maybe they need to drop their assumptions of the ability of their fan base to understand a situation. I would also think it is obvious that the Bears understand that there is an incredibly high possibility that this is Matt Forte's last chance at a big contract in the NFL, so there is no realistic chance that Forte would be willing to play for a contract small enough to make it worth while to pretend what everyone already knows, which is that Matt Forte is done as a Bear. But no, let's all live in pretend land where Matt Forte is coming back to the Bears as a minimum wage player because IT COULD HAPPEN! (even though it has never happened in the history of the NFL).

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 03:39 PM) Can you find an example where another team prior to free agency told a player in their prime "We arent even going to attempt to re-sign you at any price." This isnt about fuzzy fan stuff. This is about business. If Forte walked in the door and said "Ill take league minimum to be a Bear" you are saying you wouldnt sign him, thats just silly. Its not like Forte has an offer of 4 years X dollars and the bears say "We arent going to match." I assumed the Bears would not sign him, I just think its bad business to tell a model employee that under no circumstances will we consider bringing you back. If you want to run in courterfactuals, can you find an example of where a established franchise star player came back to a team and said they would play for minimum wage? It is a bad business model to invest in statistically bad investments. Signing old running backs is like buying lottery tickets. Maybe one pays off once in a while, but that doesn't mean the odds of it working are anything but small. There is nothing wrong with the Bears being honest with Forte and their fans that they won't resign him. Honestly it is a sign of respect to both Forte and the fans that they aren't going to play games with either, when they have zero intent to bring him back.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 03:33 PM) Thomas Jones was 29, and the argument isnt about whether the Bears should spend money elsewhere. Its about burning a bridge, its about creating an atmosphere where other players dont believe that they will be taken care of. But again, with all the Bears success over the last 30 years, I can understand why they wouldnt want to run their team like a successful organization. Successful organizations are paying attention the relevant industry statistics, and aren't worried about what is popular, versus what is a statistically correct decision.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 03:18 PM) I bet you were saying that the Bears should get rid of Thomas Jones and keep Cedric Benson. Cause you know, RBs over 30 are always worse than younger rbs. LOL yeah, because it isn't like Forte has starting accumulating injuries and missing games as red flags, nor is there a history of running backs quickly falling apart as a young age.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 03:13 PM) They don't care what the market is. They want to play different people at RB. They are moving on. Smear teams don't pay $$ to 30 year old RBs Yeah, of all positions to be sentimental about, RB is the worst. The hits add up, and those guys fall apart quickly. Really it has already started with Forte seeing his own fair share of injuries. If you want to talk about this being a business, you have to get past the fuzzy fan stuff and realize that Forte is most likely a walking time bomb for the team that signs him next.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 02:49 PM) Who cares about rumors or pointless speculation? The Bears are a multi-million (if not billion) dollar corporation. Just because they think Forte may be too costly, doesnt mean that you dont keep the door open and say "Hey we think you are going to get paid a lot more than we can afford, but keep us in mind if that isnt the case." Good companies always keep the door open to good employees. You never know what will happen. This isn't a fortune 500 company. This is a pro sports franchise. They don't operate like Wal-Mart.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 11:00 AM) The talking up of Avi continues. He's gonna be the starting right fielder and I'm gonna lose my freaking mind. Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 8m8 minutes ago Todd Steverson said Avisail Garcia was very receptive to trying a new stance when they worked out for 3 days in Miami. Promises diff. look. Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 7m7 minutes ago Todd Steverson on Avisail Garcia: "“You can tell people, tell people, tell people. But until they get a hold of it in their own head." Dan Hayes ‏@CSNHayes 3m3 minutes ago Basically, #WhiteSox know there's much to be done & it's early. They're hoping Avisail Garcia gets comfy w/ new stance in spring. Hopefully it is something that allows to him to see pitches longer, and swing at less junk... or at least convinces him that this will help him do that.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 01:19 PM) I will never understand why a team would say they wont even try. Maybe the market for Forte was weak and he would have come back for a good deal. Its almost always better to leave the door open to something. No need for pointless speculation and silly rumors to have both parties have to waste a bunch of time on.

QUOTE (ozzfest @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 12:58 PM) Hoiberg was the GM that took two point guards ahead of Steph Curry. He drafted Johnny Flynn and Ricky Rubio. I don't think I want him running the show...Soxtalk will eventually realize that John Paxson is the head of the snake. As long as Paxson is still running anything. The Bulls have no shot. Hoiberg was the GM? What?

FOX Sports: MLB ‏@MLBONFOX 13m13 minutes ago Bryce Harper on potential $400 million deal: 'Don't sell me short' -->http://foxs.pt/1R040dO

MLB Trade Rumors ‏@mlbtraderumors 10m10 minutes ago Agent: Lazarito Not Close To Decision http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/02/laza...sion-close.html …

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 07:24 AM) One of my good friends lost his battle with cancer last night. He was 34. I really really hate that disease. I'll vote for the first candidate that wants to carpet bomb cancer. Sorry to hear that man. Condolences.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 09:31 AM) How do we know that the government isn't being run by super-intelligent space monkeys that live in the center of the moon? We don't, but there's no evidence to suggest that it's the case. AHH THEY ARE COMING TO KILL US!

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 09:10 AM) Heyman is again being used for leverage by one organization/agent or another. The Orioles also have a reputation for being one of the worst run organizations in baseball. It isn't hard to squint and see them doing something stupid to get another named player in there.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 08:55 AM) It's in-stream. The White Sox are, like every other team, already locking guys up too - unofficially. And then based on their unofficial stack, they make a decision if it looks like they could go over. They have to decide if they're going to go big and push others out on some players with more money, or stay back. So it's not too late, nor too early - it's around the time the team will be making a call, just as other teams are. That's an important question, and one that I think is partially addressed by the big contracts falling off after this season. From the sounds of what I have read, and with the system as it is now, most big named guys agree early, and then once they have their handshake, they disappear from workouts until July 2. They quit talking to scouts, and get hidden away by the signing teams. Because the relationships are mostly with the teams and the coaches or buscones, they are more worried about the long term fall out of screwing a team over, so those handshake agreements rarely get broken. I have already read stories about the teams working on the July 2, 17 class.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Feb 12, 2016 -> 08:21 AM) Yeah, like he's bright enough to pull that off . . . Why do you think the admin/mod staff is here. It quite literally takes all of us to prevent mass-Gaging of the board. Let us not forget the Gaging of 2004. May they all RIP.

The other thing worth pointing out is that the extra cost comes from somewhere. If we push $26 million out the door, are you willing to give up $26 million worth of talent at the major league level to invest in something that won't be here until well after 2020? We spent $3 millionish down there last year.

The biggest problem is that from the sounds of it, most of the top talent is already locked up. It is too late.

A mommy and daddy Soxtalk loved each other a lot...

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 11, 2016 -> 08:28 PM) I highly doubt Hahn would say it was true. Still no evidence they offered more than 3 year base deals. This. They might have been willing, but they sure didn't do it.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ Feb 11, 2016 -> 08:17 PM) When was the last time Nightengale broke any sort of news? Sox related he was the one who kept reporting that we would only go to 3 years with Cespedes when everyone else kept acting like we were in the lead for him.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 11, 2016 -> 08:01 PM) But what about Hayes confirming it? I imagine his source was tied to Sox. What rumor has Hayes been out in front of this winter? If it has happened, I sure haven't seen it.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Feb 11, 2016 -> 07:58 PM) Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 1m1 minute ago The #WhiteSox have been publicly linked to free agent SS Ian Desmond, but one White Sox official said Thursday: "That ship has sailed.'' LMAO this **** is ridiculous. So this was totally a plant by TeamDesmond.

Ugh, apparently it is the Hawks turn to get blown out.

The thing is, this works great for ownership. The QO keeps prices down for certain players, and it makes other teams less likely to take away their players. This is exactly what ownership wanted when they created this system. It isn't meant to enhance player movement and make it easy for them to leave. It is meant to stop them from leaving. If the players want the QO system changed, they are going to have to give up something else. Maybe this is how the international draft comes about, in a tit for tat exchange? Players give up the international signing system for a slotted international draft, while player gets the QO system abolished?