Dick Allen

Everyone wants to be like the Cubs or Astros. The Cubs back up catcher had a 0.0 fWAR, the Astros was Brian McCann, he put up a .0.5, and paid a little more than $2.5 million. A lot of teams can't sign a good back up catcher.

I am for that, but in their defense, sometimes you watch how they are caught and you have no idea they caught all of the plate until you see the graphic.

The Sox should trade for Yonder Alonso. He is Machado's brother in law.

Aren't you a bit hypocritical considering your stance on Bryce Harper, despite his defensive metrics?

My take was fine. He put up a 1.5 fWAR in 2017. That is worth $2.5 million. He still has another year of arb. If he sucks, so what? Most back up catchers suck. Since 2015 according to fangraphs, his defense has always been positive. Steamer projects about a half a WAR as a part timer. Right in line. And yes, if your team needs to add about 34 wins to make the playoffs, freaking out about a back up catcher is psycho.

The team was 62-100, and people are upset about a back up catcher.

He is good defensively and put up a 1.6 fWAR in 2017 playing 106 games. He controls the running game, and he's a good framer. It's a decent buy low gamble. If he doesn't hit, he still makes a pretty good back up catcher for his work behind the plate. He's also arb eligible another season, so if he breaks out, they have some control. Grandal would have been nice, but you are looking at having him play an over 30 season for shits and giggles before you are hoping to compete. Who knows what happens then? He may still be great like Carlton Fisk, he may fall apart like Brian McCann, Jonathan Lucroy, and a few others.

They went from 66 to 80 wins, obviously didn't lose too much money as their owner said he was prepared to spend stupid money. 80 is far more attractive than 62. At least you can see real light at the end of the tunnel. That included a collapse. So their projection is probably still up.

But all the info we have really, is based on reports that contradict themselves almost daily. For each report he is a lock to go to the White Sox, there is a report basically saying there is no chance. I do think Lillian may be on to something though. Of all the teams mentioned to be in on him big time, at least with a couple it may be fake Boras news. To me the worst case scenerio has Harper to the Cubs, Machado to NYY. Another bad one would be if LAD and the Cubs were fake and Machado went to the Yankees and Harper to PHI.

The dragging out is what is irritating. When the Sox signed Albert Belle, we pretty much found out about it the night before it was announced. I remember Ed Farmer was a guest on a radio talk show, and he was confirming he was told it was a done deal. Abreu was pretty much the same way. For the Sox to win this, it will require a winning bid and a long drawn out process, something we haven't seen. If their rebuild is banking on getting one of these guys, not getting him especially since it's only for money and a 2nd round pick in Harper's case, would seem like a gigantic setback.

I wouldn't say silly is accurate, but there probably is a bit more optimism than there should be, especially if you are optimistic enough that if he goes somewhere else you are going to be really pissed off.

Actually it was Eduardo Perez who was laughed at for saying White Sox by Bustner Olney and someone else. He basically said it was like ARod going to the Rangers, they aren't going to win anything, and it was on MLBN. The fact is, money usually wins out at the end. If the Sox offer the most they will probably win. No one saw ARod to Texas coming. No one saw Pujols to the Angels coming. Everyone was convinced Cano would stay with the Yankees, let alone go to Seattle. So it's feasible the Sox could win the bidding. Whether the Sox will offer significantly more, it seems doubtful. If winning is very important, trusting RH and KW to win will probably be a stretch, considering he can go to teams that either are already winning or have a better history of doing so.

There is no doubt he has an added benefit to the White Sox other than playing that most of the big boys don’t need. There are others in the Sox boat, but they would never and could never pay him what it will take. I am sure the Sox will have to pay a tax for not being a very desirable destination at the moment.

Why are you so worried about it!? You won’t be writing the checks. It isn’t going to ruin the team, they are one of the worst in baseball. This kid just turned 26. Had a bad year and still put up almost a .900 OPS. And he is left handed. He should be your dream. If somehow they do sign him, enjoy it. There is no need to fret. JR won’t go broke, and he will most likely pay for himself, even if somehow his age 25 season is his new norm.

Nicky played on an under 18 team with Harper. Machado was also on the team.

DeRosa just said he doesn’t think Harper will sign with the White Sox because he wants to win championships. He played with him. He’s said he doesn’t think Harper would put faith in all the prospects hitting.

Yes. The question was which signs first. Everyone on the panel said Machado, and Morosi said White Sox. Heyman still believes Harper. Justice thinks Harper to LA.

Morosi just said he thinks the Sox sign Machado.

It's BS.

Yes, don't forget that. The Winter Meetings one "insider" said the Sox have been waiting for the day they traded Chris Sale got them Ivan Nova. Pretty sweet.

Deservedly so. But it will be for all the wrong reasons. JR will be called cheap. They won't get ripped for being in Chicago assembling a team top players won't play for at any price.

The thing is, there aren't many suitors for this kind of contract, and the Cubs aren't, themselves, going to wait until February to clear enough to sign Harper. They have other moves to make. So do others. The Sox, not so much. So these agents have to be careful, if they wait too long, their market isn't going to grow, it's going to shrink.

They paid $50k, they probably got slightly more from Texas. Maybe it will cover lunch.

For the most part, they are all fringe guys. Who knows, maybe there is a guy out there like Matt Thornton, who makes a minor tweak and goes from garbage to one of the better relievers around. I get the odds are long, but it's not a huge investment if only for a peek.

There are a couple of guys on the 40 man that could easily get by waivers and outrighted. If later they needed the space, DFA the guy they drafted. I get that it's probably no big deal, but you are at the top of the draft because your team sucks, and you have too many good players to draft anyone? That doesn't add up.