Dick Allen

RH is still using the "no one thought we would make a trade with the Cubs." as a feather in the "new" White Sox cap. He also does the Luis Robert thing a lot too. Premium free agent signing, actually developing a Luis Robert type, and winning consistently are things still to be addressed.

It's one thing to say you have sources that claim the Sox are in hot and heavy with Machado, it's entirely another thing to take the leap and basically say it's pretty much a lock. Then you are just wrong. If that is what your sources told you, they obviously weren't good sources.

It's like they are the people that dip their toes in the water but never go in, the teams that are successful are the ones that sprint into an ocean or lake or cannonball into a pool.

The comp they are using for Tatis Jr. now is pretty funny. Manny Machado.

It's the pompousness of it. Like they are on some higher ground or something because they think they know something, that ultimately doesn't happen. Great, the Sox thought they were going to get Machado. It didn't take an insider to guess that. They didn't get him. There were more people on here who knew the whole story, and not one of them seemingly considered Machado would go elsewhere. i didn't see one insider even mention SD at a viable competitor. The Sox had to know they were at least a possibility. And why didn't anyone know $300 million was a dealbreaker?

Considering what was expected for Machado (exactly what he signed for) no swellopts...if that was beyond their means, which KW certainly indicated, the confidence expressed, even to the point of admonishing other posters who were pessimistic, was ill advised.

$300 million was the magical number. Taxes wouldn't have played a roll. They would have taken less total payout to say $300 million rather than $290 million or $299 million. KW said they weren't going to go there, so he took an offer the Sox wouldn't have matched had they known it would have brought him to Chicago.

Yes, but KW did say $300 million guaranteed was out of the question. So either way, it didn't matter.

Hahn did mention the offer Monday night was their final offer. I don't know if he meant final as there was no way they were going any higher and final bids were asked, or final as Lozano didn't ask them if they could better it after getting SD's.

I'm sure they have some formula for that. Maybe whatever the top 3 would be that year, that would be their hit luxury tax wise, but its not like its going to ever be a huge number. Trout, Betts, might out do it. But who else?

I would offer him the same type of contract Machado got except more money. Straight forward 10 years, $330 million, 5 year opt out. He wins the contract title, and his brand has to be worth at least $3 million more a year to the White Sox. 5 years from now, if he opts out, he opts out. The White Sox were pioneers of the opt out, but it wasn't a straight one. Belle had to remain one of the 3 top paid players in the game, if he wasn't and the Sox not willing to increase his money so that he was, he had the option to opt out, which he chose. Maybe they could do something like that here.

Holmes interview with Hahn yesterday wasn't exactly hard hitting, but the one thing he did ask him was if they thought they would have to pay a We Suck tax. The answer was no, they really think they are a place players want to play. Forget winning, forget fans in the stands, forget maximizing dollars. It would be nice if they ever realized signing premium free agents requires you to pay more than the other teams.

At least they didn't trade good prospects for Manny last year thinking playing for Ricky R for a year could mean another $50 million home town discount.

It's pretty obvious cancelling wouldn't be an option. But, at the very least, if there is a high volume, it will send a message. I feel bad for the ticket reps. They have to put up with all the crap and I'm sure they get paid a wage many would think is unlivable.

Supposedly in his visits Machado said he liked playing for the Dodgers, the problem was it was West Coast.

The Sox spent $13 million they didn't have to spend. It's almost a third of the difference between their offer and SD's. And people were laughing at me for suggesting Manny would probably prefer the Sox spent that $13 million on their offer.

It's like GarPax. Everyone can see the problem except the people who could do something about it.

If they see the contract, they must. $25 million a year for 2 years when they will probably already be gone...why care. If Manny opts out after year 5, he played pretty well for you, and you would have the money you have set aside for him to get someone younger at that time. Supposedly your team would really be rolling then, so you would be a more attractive destination. They thought the SD offer was a bluff, and they lost.

Have him be an assistant to someone who knows what they are doing. He can work on contract extensions with the young guys. He excelled doing that. But he wouldn't have a job with any other team doing what he is doing with the results he has had. Maybe JR meddles. i wouldn't doubt it. He really needs to look at it, say almost 40 years is a great ride, take the precious money a sale would bring to the Sox and the Bulls, and ride off into the sunset. Get someone new with some hunger who sees potential in waking a sleeping giant.

Sox fall short on brand name players. Then spend money on knock offs who aren't as good and you need more of. Hahn's free agent signing list speaks volumes. He's a bright guy. He can get a job doing almost anything with his brain. Generally managing a MLB team seems to be something he doesn't have the correct aptitude to do. I don't know how much proof anyone needs.

Yeah, that's kind of goofy. Chicago has won favorite visiting city by MLB players multiple times. I could see the weather being a factor if you were playing basketball, but Manny winters in Miami. Chicago weather had nothing to do with it.

Not bidding on Harper indicates he told them to go scratch a while ago.

If anyone on Twitter can send something to Larry Holmes, he needs to ask Hahn about KWs comment of it not being feasible to guarantee $300 million. How could they consider their pursuit serious if that was a deal breaker considering where most thought their market would be from the gst go.

Maybe they can do us a solid and give RH and KW some ideas.

I renewed my 20 game plan I was going to blow off, right after the Winter Meetings when I thought, hey this could happen. I was right all along. But I will go. It still should be more interesting than the last couple of seasons. But it will take a lot of guys stepping up to renew for 2020. I will always now have the question in my mind as to how serious they are about winning. If they signed Machado, they weren't going to win this year, I know that. But it was a commitment. The commitment seems more towards the bottom line than anything else, and once you reach that point, it's time for ownership to cash out.