Dick Allen

Do you think the Sox will be willing to go where the Nats went with Corbin?

That's weird. An hour ago you used his tweets as a source to try to prove yourself correct, as proof that the Phillies are in on "everyone" again.

The White Sox have tried landing guys not offering the most money. If you were a player, what is it about Rick Hahn's resume that would make you think there is an excellent chance at sustained winning? The Reds haven't been very good lately either, but unless you are a White Sox fan, there isn't a lot to buy into yet.

8 years ago.

That is true. It's about time someone comes out of nowhere and becomes a huge contributor.

Hamels did put up a 2.5 WAR last year missing 4 or 5 starts. It's not really an overpay. It's more than he would have received if the situation was the exact same as the last couple of years, but $18 million for one year isn't that bad.

Anyone could have signed them to a minimum contract. They won't be claimed, and even if they were, who cares?

They definitely will sign someone else to pitch. Since they have basically officially called off the rebuild and are trying to win is going to make them add.

They also spent about $400 million last winter.

The point you made was that the Phillies were all bluster. You were wrong again.

They went to Harper over Machado. They traded for Segura, and spent $50 million guaranteed on McCutcheon. If he gets the 4th year team option, he's pretty close to the largest contract in White Sox history, and he's totally forgotten. Now they are in on Wheeler. If the Sox signed Harper, do you think they would shopping in the clearance aisle right now. If that's bluster, i'll take it over being stunned a player thought $50 million more guaranteed was a better deal.

They haven't said anything like that this year. Olney is the one who said they are frontrunners.

How much did they pay for Harper?

The one thing I am worried about, just like when they signed Robert, it "checked off" one of Rick's boxes. Once that got checked off, they got back to where they always were internationally. Now they get Grandal and apparently checked off another of his infamous boxes. I hope that doesn't mean back to comfortable second place finishes for good free agents.

Not yet, but maybe in a few years. I remember in 2005 I said to myself, just let them win the WS, I won't care if they suck for a decade. I cared.

If the money is similar, a lot of them do. It's one reason a lot of players live the offseason near the spring training facility. Workout facilities during the winter and an extra 6 weeks at home in the spring.

One other thing to keep in mind...the Phillies train in FL. I think Wheeler lives in GA. He may not be too keen on spending 6 weeks in AZ if his other choice is around the same money. So the Sox may have to bump the Phillies offer a bit.

Sox would improve their chances if the second best bid won.

Yeah, I don't think teams are playing Dave Hester and risking hundreds of millions to get other teams in other leagues to up their bid. Also keep in mind, if they got the White Sox to pay extra, that ups the cost for everyone.

When there is stuff leaking that the White Sox are close it always seems to fall apart. Were their any "insiders" who had the Grandal signing more than 5 minutes before it was announced?

The problem is there is always one team willing to crazy pay the top guys. The White Sox will need to change their philosophy if they expect to sign these types.

Because the next two seasons he will be 36 and 37 years old. It can happen at any time. It's $70 million, so if you expect Wheeler to be good for 2 seasons, guess what? The dead money is about the same or less. Every 1 year of dead Greinke money is almost 2 years of dead Wheeler money.

So he won't because Ray Ray says so. God are you full of yourself.

He's 35 and owed $70 million the next 2 seasons. Dead money is certainly a good possiblilty.

It's another way of getting bad contracts. Both Verlander's, as he was signed through this season when acquired and Greinke's have had hints of dead money. Face it, the Tigers wanted out of the contract. They didn't get a huge haul for Verlander. Arizona got a bigger haul but still have to pay $24 million for Greinke to pitch elsewhere, and they think that is more than worth it. If you are serious about signing one of the top free agents, you better be prepared to pay them for years your people will tell you they probably won't be productive. It was a much smaller gamble back in the day, but JR got Carlton Fisk because he guaranteed him 3 years. Roland Hemond advised him Fisk probably had 2 more productive seasons left. That worked out tremendously, just like the Verlander trade did for the Astros. But I guarantee you, their people thought they would probably be eating money at the end of his deal.