Dick Allen

He thinks if Kimbrel goes elsewhere he works best when he ditches his cutter, and with his medical issues he would be easier to protect in the bullpen. And says his price isn’t crazy for a top closer.

Smoltz speculating Eovaldi becomes Boston’s closer.

Debt value is included in their valuations.

They won’t be able to dump him. I agree. The thing is, the Cubs have a ton of money. If Forbes is to believe, they made $72 million more than the White Sox in 2017, and their TV deal is going to be a lot bigger than the White Sox. Not only that, they own a lot of businesses now around their park, so people are paying them for several hours before and after games, when the team is on the road, and during the offseason. To say the Cubs have no money is very inaccurate. The question is future payrolls and what adding a guy like Harper May mean for that. They have a lot of guys that they are going to have to pay a lot of money, so adding his deal with that is the question. If the White Sox were in the Cubs position and it was being thrown around they had no money, we would be laughing our asses off.

The Cubs have a lot of money. And are about to get a lot more. Whether they have the appetite to pay a big tax is anyone’s guess, but they are printing money, and their debt problem was solved when they took on a minority powerless owner. Look at Forbes. It said the White Sox made 30 million in 2017, and the Cubs made 102 million. Who do you really think out of the 2 will get the better TV deal? If the White Sox can afford everybody, the Cubs can afford everybody and then some.

What would he gain by telling the White Sox they are the high bidder? If anything, if he circled back, he would be in danger of the Sox lowering their bid because they may feel they are then too high.

Then why will he wind up paying Boras an 8 figure commission?

This is Scott Boras. That would never happen. Even if they were the highest bid, he is looking for more. I know everyone wants this to be true, and while it may be true Harper would prefer Chicago, that could mean the Cubs. His buddy is there, and his dog isn’t named Guaranteed Rate.

I have a hard times me believing the White Sox have been informed they have the highest offer. That would be a strange negotiating tactic by Boras.

The one guy on Twitter said the Sox signed him over a month ago. JR is clearly waiting for a Soxfest surprise announcement.

The only thing the White Sox would gain by trading Jose Abreu is salary relief. The PR hit isn’t worth that. Since none of us are heirs to JRs fortune, that shouldn’t excite anyone too much.

I would really doubt anything will come of this, if it is true.

Wasn’t Goldschmidt having a tough time catching up to fastballs the first couple of months last season? Obviously he turned it around, so it most likely was mechanical. But it does make you wonder moving forward.

Lauri/Lavine/Carter played exactly 1 game together. Lauri it can be argued is a much better player than most thought when drafted. A re draft would have him chosen sooner. Lavine has been better this year than most anticipated. WCJ has played pretty solid for a 19 year old just starting out. So , again, while I don’t have any idea if Fred is good, I don’t think you can say the young players development is a problem. For one thing, they have hardly played. The excuse used to fire him may be accurate, but why now? Why not last season or last offseason or after that embarrassment vs. GS? it isn’t coincidence this happened right when Lauri got back. Portis and Dunn will come back, they will win more games and the coaching change will look like a great move.

I have no idea if he is a good NBA coach. The fact is the rosters he was given do not fit the style they hired him to implement. I doubt he will be a HOF coach so no big deal bouncing him, he may have deserved it, but the people above him share at least as equally in responsibility regard the failure of the franchise. That is the part I don’t understand. Gar is safe, yet he hired this guy after scorching the earth for the best match, forget everyone already knew he was going to be the next coach, Pax had been around 15 years. Except for lucking into the DRose pick, what kind of teams has he put together? If the Bulls were serious about winning and not just trying to make it look good, they would have bounced all 3 or at least made GarPax run the team how they see it should be run, and judged accordingly. Gar actually said the day Hoiberg was hired that the Bulls had a championship roster.

The problems I have with it, is it is going to take a lot of best case scenario for it to work out. Not only does he have to now be over injuries and be a better pitcher than he was during his prime years, you have to pay at least a season of tax , his salary plus the extra miles on his arm, to hopefully find out. Last year at this time no ones radar would have had Eovaldi on it for what he is going to be paid. I think the Sox should wait and see how it goes. Sign some pitchers, but there really aren’t any horses out there right now that are worth paying a ton. A year from now, hopefully the Sox will be in a position to put a contender on the field. That’s when you see what you need pitching wise. Go all out and sign a guy like Cole, or perhaps sign next year’s version of Eovaldi. There always are a couple of guys who make themselves some money right before they become free agents.

To me, Eovaldi is the poster boy for 2020 hindsight saying what were you thinking. He hasn't made more than 27 starts since 2014, and has had 2 TJ surgeries. The Yankees won't go more than 3 years, and they print money and know him and his medicals pretty well. He seems like an extended DL guy to me, or a guy you would have to find some obscure advanced stat to justify what you paid him. I don't think he is a guy that is going to help you win , at least anywhere near the level they would have to pay him, especially adding a pretty meaningless 2019, when the Sox are ready to win. Pitching is a volatile market. And he is volatile even for a pitcher. Let the Red Sox, Yankees and whoever else battle to see who will pay him bad money.

There is such big turnover with pitchers, to sign one of these guys in essence for 2020 doesn’t make much sense. A year ago would anyone have imagined Corbin getting $140 million and Eovaldi being the other big name? If the Sox were ready to win, sure roll the dice. But be realistic, they are not and will not. Save your pitching budget for when you need it. Whatever money you were willing to pay these dopes in 2019, add it to your Harper or Machado offer. Try to get lucky with a reclamation project or 2 starting pitching wise.

Thinking about this the timing is perfect for GarPax. With Laurie back, the team should be better so it will look like they made the right decision when they win more.

Wasn’t that the same argument made for Tyler Chatwood last year?

$300 million has a way of saying lining up at 3B isn’t so bad.

I agree with this. If he was the answer, what has he been doing while an assistant? Why wasn’t what they needed coming out, and if he was being suppressed and it was recognized, why did it take until now to make a change? I don’t know if Hoiberg is any good. I really don’t think anyone could make a conclusion. He probably did need to go, but he was set up to fail, and he failed. Pop would have failed with the rosters they provided.

Until they get rid of GarPax, any other move is just window dressing. They aren’t winning a thing. They got close when they got DRose against all odds. But still really had no shot. They need to bring in someone dynamic. Pay them a ton, they will be worth it. You won’t have to pay for bad players. You won’t be paying ex coaches. It is mindboggling how Gar and Pax get away with this. Bulls fans fill that arena all the time, and pay a premium price to do it, they are owed better. There should be notice given to these 2, yes you are 5-19, but make the playoffs or you are done.

He’s done a tremendous job. What other GM went out and got Cam Payne?

They will give him every opportunity to succeed minus a roster that could succeed. Someone needs to tell them that is the most important part, and if Boykin is the answer, why wasn’t this move made last year? Theoretically they could have lost him as he interviewed with MJ. Pax gave Jabari Parker $20 million and thought he could play the 3. It is time he doesn’t make decisions anymore.