Dick Allen

I was one of those. I didn't think they had a chance and wasn't going to renew my season ticket package. During the Winter Meetings, some people were giving them a shot, I still didn't think so but renewed anyways just in case. Then something strange happened. The White Sox actually weren't super secret about it anymore, and they acted, especially at Soxfest like it was a done deal, playing with their fanbase. Even after they lost Machado, and didn't even try for Harper, they were leaking their contract offer. Apparently they thought second place, $50 million short would please their fanbase. Whoever thought that, needs to be replaced. Right now, I am not so excited for the season to start even though I think they will be at least a little bit better than they have the last couple of seasons. For me, if they would have just been how they have always been and never been mentioned with the guys, and didn't sign them, I would feel far more positive now. Maybe that is silly, maybe it makes no sense. But that's how I feel.

I don't think anyone is under the assumption the Sox come to read this site for suggestions. If people are upset, why can't they be upset? You're looking forward to the season opening. That's great. Nothing wrong with that. Whether or not how people react will change anything or not is not the issue. It's the disappointment of this offseason, and the frustration and realization this team is still a long ways away with really no shot of ever adding premium talent without drafting really high since they are unrealistic in their approach to the better free agents. People have just as much right to be upset at being sold a bill of goods as you do feeling how you do. That said, if somehow the team plays well, the negativity will go away.

I felt bad ticket reps get the majority of ticketholder frustration, but after getting totally ghosted by my rep over a question I had about getting ghosted over another issue although not the rep's fault on that one, I have lost my sympathy.

They also thought Buehrle broke his footin spring training and was going to miss the first 4-6 weeks. Turns out it wasn’t broken. Unless it’s the NBA with a stacked roster winning a championship requires a lot of luck. Things can go the other way quickly.

It was. They used 6 starting pitchers total. That is very rare. All their free agents worked out. Hawk talked KW into AJP Iguchi was signed because Kaz Matsui sucked the year before and kept his price down. Dye had an offer for more money after he agreed but didn’t sign with the White Sox, but he did the honorable thing. if a ball doesn’t roll through Graffininios legs, with Iguchi homerimg next giving the White Sox a 2-1 lead and win, and if El Duque, a guy KW didn’t even want on the postseason roster doesn’t get out of a huge mess surprising everyone, do they even get out of the first round.

Because most of your posts are complaining about someone else’s posts. Do you ever actually post about baseball or just tell everyone how they know nothing. How Bridgeport is crime ridden and a slum...

No one is crying more than you. As usual.

It is an opportunity they aren’t going to have again. 26 year old free agent superstars don’t come along very often and even less with the big boys sitting out. The goodwill it would have done would more than pay for the extra $25 million a year 9 and 10 years from now. Now they have lost some more people and it will take a while to get back to where they were fan wise when they seemed serious about Machado and Harper. i really don’t get it. IMO, they would have been better off just being what they always are with high priced free agents instead of playing the game that they were willing to do what it took. It pissed off way more people. They still have the prospects. Hopefully something really good happens, and their draft is outstanding. Even though Eloy will be here soon and the team should be at least a little better than the last couple of years, and really there are some interesting storylines, I really am less enthused about this season than any I can remember. Maybe it’s because I now know that if it ever is time to win, I don’t trust the White Sox to have anything but their checking account balance on their minds.

Rebuilding wasn't necessarily wrong. What was wrong was who was in charge of doing it. Clowns who couldn't recognize major league talent and could not develop players were now going all prospects. Crazy. I do agree, JR needs to sell his teams. Let someone else give it a go. His way isn't working and hasn't for a long wbile.

It's going with probability. When Dunning went down last year, most probably felt, even maybe yourself, it is going to happen sooner or later. Now I don't know how operating on a UCL that doesn't need operating on at the time will help, but I'm sure most of us saw the writing on the wall. Tanaka avoiding surgery seems to be the exception to the rule. They called it a sprain last year. I think a sprain is technically a small tear. Personally, I think it's better it is happening now than a month or 2 from now.

This is true. Even when they were good, they would rather wait to see what they needed at the trade deadline than to put the most stacked team together for opening day. And they have always relied way too much on way too many things going right. They are very rarely prepared for something to go wrong, which something does every season.

That's the thing. Any of the big spenders that would have gone after Trout, now look at the others. Like you wrote, the Sox were never going to get Trout, but now they probably are never going to get choice #2.

The White Sox traded Trout to the Cubs. I wonder if Roland Hemond mentioned he made a trade with the Cubs anytime any of his failure was discussed.

Then thank God the Sox didn't sign any stars and will be able to pay him, or trade him for prospects for the next attempt at a rebuild.

Yes, I was going to say this is good for baseball, good for Trout, and good for White Sox fans, as we will be spared the half assed pursuit of him during free agency, where bringing in his friends, or letting him meet Jim Thome should be enough for him to take tens of millions less than anyone else. Obviously at his price KW cannot afford to build a winning team.

Why do they always say so and so underwent successful TJ surgery? Doesn't anyone ever undergo unsuccessful TJ surgery?

Yes. I get the innings eater angle when you have a team that has a shot at the playoffs, but with this team, you might as well roll with cheaper options. Even if it takes 4 or 5 guys. Nova or not, someone is going to pitch those innings. Maybe at some point, they thought they would sign Machado and have some sort of shot at actually contending this year. Probably about as silly as thinking he would take $50 million less so he could be so privileged to wear a White Sox uniform. But hey, they did make a trade with the Cubs. Does it irk any else like it does me when they has Hahn about Machado and Harper, he always mentions "no one ever thought we would make a trade with the Cubs" like he deserves some sort of statue or something.?

He sucks but for some reason GarPax seem to like him. I would imagine his leash is short. One management position they have no problem changing is the head coach. A couple of years from now, we will forget about his reign.

Billy Hamilton is the prime attention getter in KC? God are they bad.

First, he called it an extension. Does that mean it would actually start after this season? Second, the Sox sent him down. If something was near, would that have happened?

Only the White Sox can downgrade defensively when they rid themselves of Avi. impressive.

Sure it is. It's the service time rules. No team has been punished for doing it. and the White Sox are hardly the first team to do it, and probably not the last. If you hired an accountant to do you taxes and he or she came up with a perfectly legal loophole that would make you pay nothing, would you be praising them or telling them they are criminal? They are taking advantage of the rules. Just like players take advantage of anything they can. The White Sox supposedly tried to negotiate with Eloy last year. Now this rumor this year. So he has his options. If he doesn't want to take the money, he can spend a couple of weeks in Charlotte. With how the rules are in place, and the current state of the team, doing anything other than what they are doing with him would be dumb.

Luxury tax. White Sox. Seriously?

I am not an Illini fan, but am very happy that Otter thing was defeated.

It is not bad faith it is playing by the rules. 2 weeks gets another year of control The players agreed to this. Did they not think it would ever be used? It would be stupid for the White Sox or any other team in their situation not to do what they are doing.