southsider2k5

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 03:55 PM) Let me oversimplify what's going on here so you can understand it a little better. The Exec VP of Baseball Operations and the General Manager are on record of saying they want to "maximize" the opportunity presented by the current core of players in the next few years to compete for a championship. We still have some big holes surrounding the core that if they go uncorrected, will not allow us to "maximize" this opportunity. Any solution available to us at the moment to correct one of these holes will have an impact on the future, be it trading away elite talent we have in the minors to acquire a solution, or spending money in the open market that could limit options in the future beyond the current window of opportunity. Signing Yoenis Cespedes to a five year contract is the best option at the moment to both solve one of the remaining obstacles to "maximizing" the current window, while having the least amount of impact on future endeavors. Because of the team friendly contracts currently in place through '19 and '20, the addition of Cespedes at this point in time in no way resembles a scenario that "destroys the future". Not even close. So which is better - having Cespedes on the books in '19 and '20 or potentially not having Anderson and Fulmer on this team then in the prime of their careers. I think the answer is pretty obvious. So take your pick, SS2K5. Either trade away Anderson or Fulmer to acquire Major League talent to help boost this team over the top, or sign Cespedes. Those are the two options that will best enable the team to "maximize" blah blah blah. Doing nothing and standing pat because we're shaking in our boots about possible ramifications down the road ain't gonna get it done. Signing a second tier, cheaper outfield solution does not "maximize" our ability to compete because Cespedes >>> than those options. If you have a better answer, let's hear it. We're all ears!! You are WAY oversimplifying what has been said. Again, I wouldn't think they need to say "without destroying the future", but I guess for some it is absolutely necessary, because you are taking it literally. I think it also goes a long way to rebutting the idea that Kenny Williams is still controlling the puppet strings, because Kenny wouldn't have the patience to build both the majors and minors at the same time, and not WAY over pay to do it. I don't know how you can take a statement like that, and turn it into we will literally do anything and everything to win today, no matter what. But, at the same time, I am not really surprised by it.

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 03:34 PM) Yes, Thibs locker room was such a mess compared to Hoiberg's. Honestly it has been remarkable how similar the two teams have been so far. I mean this group scores more than last year, but we saw so many games last year where the Bulls played down to bad teams, and up to good teams, along with funky locker room crap. I have no idea what Hoiberg is supposed to be so far.

These guys are in armed insurrection against the US Government. Give them a public 24 hour notice to surrender and then be prosecuted for treason, or face the consequences and probably death when the military comes in after them. Hell I'd even be OK with a drone strike with a hellfire if they were worried about people getting killed taking back the facility against these traitors.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 03:43 PM) You're literally the only poster on this board who cares about this, that should be a sign of how much of a non-issue it is. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go complain about the $10,000 I never have gotten for sharing that powerball ticket picture.

QUOTE (captain54 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 03:28 PM) For the record, and for those willing to spout an opinion (funny how people have opinions about everything, even "non-issues") without knowing what really happened with all of this… the Sox got wind of all the Cooper FB stuff and told him to shut it down.. if it was a non issue and inconsequential, why did they intervene? The link that was posted the other day is still active.

Taking the team we have today in isolation. What would be the season long win difference between having a year of Cespedes on this team, and a year of what we have now in the OF? Is the difference between Cespedes and the current roster the difference between competing and the playoffs?

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 03:25 PM) The funny thing is, Thibs would be an excellent assistant under a guy like Hoiberg. He's a savant at X's and O's. He's terrible at locker room type things. Thibs would be a great coach if he didn't have to deal with people.

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 03:19 PM) It's telling that the Thibodeau rumors have been sparse since his firing in Chicago. Borrowing from hockey, I think he ends up going the Mike Keenan route of bouncing from team to team every few years because he either burns the players or management out.

After the way LeBron bullied Blatt, does anyone really see a strong coach like Thibs working out in CLE? I sure don't.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 02:01 PM) Well the A's disagree with you. The A's are working with Ron Washington on Semiens D. If that same article had some from Chicago media, we'd be talking about how much fluff it was, and mocking it.

ESPN Stats & Info ‏@ESPNStatsInfo 15m15 minutes ago Last night was the 1st time the @NHLBlackhawks trailed in a game since Dec 31st at COL, a span of 685 minutes and 23 seconds of game time.

Comcast SportsNet ‏@CSNChicago 13m13 minutes ago Bob Costas: #WhiteSox made 'right choice' with Jason Benetti -- http://bit.ly/1nE22pN (@CSNHayes) #WhiteSoxTalk

http://www.csnchicago.com/white-sox/jose-q...n-dead-ball-era

QUOTE (Vance Law @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:52 PM) Offer Cespedes 4 years with an opt out after 2. Done. Unless the annual salary is signifcantly more than Washington, their offer would be better at 5 years for more total money.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:40 PM) he also slid right back into the "Me vs the Front office and JR" role. Its really hard to listen to/read him without hearing his axe grinding That was why I quit caring when Joe Cowley was talking. It was impossible to tell what was actual information, what was being fed to him, and what was his opinion. He used it all interchangeably.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:40 PM) If they signed him, everyone would say "same old White Sox" but they'd be buying low for once instead of buying high. Desmond has an ugly downward trend and was terrible at the plate last year but he's still averaged 3.8 WAR over the last four years. His defense has gotten better annually. For comparison, Adam Eaton had 3.6 WAR last year. This is a player who was offered 100+ million dollar contract and was talked about as the best shortstop in the NL within the last year. I don't love his prospects but there's plenty reason for some optimism. Can someone tell me why he has had this drop off, and why it won't happen again in 2016?

I so would rather just go with Saladino.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 12:23 PM) That is the only "potential" downside to signing Yoenis for five years, that he "might" not be as productive towards the end of the contract. Meanwhile, for the next two to three years, the window in which we'd like to compete, you get a 30 HR, 100 RBI guy in the middle of your lineup and a substantial improvement in the outfield defense. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED! And we don't have to give up any prospects or talent on the roster, nor sacrifice a draft pick to get him. He is the best option to fill one of our gaping holes in the outfield. If it means tacking on those two last years, then just do it, for godssake. He "might" just continue to be productive in those years as well, given he'll only be 33/34. Who knows! Let's worry about that in '19 and '20. For now, let's follow through with what I thought was the stated mandate which is to "maximize" the window of opportunity this team has right now to win in these next few years. Yoenis Cespedes provides us the best chance to do so among our existing options. Again, a gross oversimplification of things. I wouldn't think that Hahn would need to add the obvious caveat of "without destroying the future" to the end of that, but apparently for some he does. If it was just about today, guys like Anderson and Fulmer would have already been dealt for upgrades, and they would have already signed a FA that requires draft pick compensation. 2019 and 2020 might not matter for you, but in a market where fan response is about as warm as Lake Michigan, mistakes get amplified. Having $20+ million in dead payroll would be a huge blow to the ballclub in those years that the fans won't tolerate. I can already see the handwringing going on full of hindsight and simplification.

Yeah, wake me when they fix the stupid blackout rules.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:22 AM) What work ethic stories ? Is there one named source who says anything disparaging about his work ethic ? Because I can name Terry Collins as on record saying his game preparation is great. Would you be enlisting the help of a sport psychologist to be prepared mentally to do your best if you were a slacker ? All this stuff keeps getting brought up . It's all innuendo unless you can give me a link to someone going on record , not some unnamed scout or executive or yourself just throwing it out there as if it's fact. No one is going to go on the record except in the most extraordinary of situations. We both know that. But it is out there, and it is something that needs to be investigated and considered when deciding to spend 8 or 9 figures on a guy.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:17 AM) Someone did a breakdown of all the "impact bats" signed in FA since 2010. Yellow means they were traded during the course of the contract. Green means they lived up to the contract. Looks like he combined all of Cruz's contracts together. Doesn't look good outside of a few. Yeah, that is not a promising list.

I don't see us spending big money on a pitcher. If we do anything it will be a bargain signing, probably on a minor league deal.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Jan 22, 2016 -> 10:04 AM) This is the key difference. The Sox obviously disagree that he is worth it. I would agree mostly due to age and inconsistent career. I respect your opinion, just disagree with it. I would also guess the work ethic stories also go somewhere towards projecting how soon and severe his eventual decline will be coming.

That is really nice work. I know as people have mused about the off season we always hear about the improvements at 2nd and 3rd, but Catcher has been kind of lost in that. I wonder how this translates to fWAR? 2 or 3 more wins from that group when added to the pluses from Frazier and Lawrie would put us somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 fWAR on paper.

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 14m14 minutes ago Source: Union assigns present-day value of $147.7M to Chris Davis’ seven-year, $161M contract with the #Orioles. Impact of deferred money.