Dick Allen

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Dec 14, 2016 -> 09:15 AM) I think the idea is that the player would be a FA (such as when you don't offer an arb eligible player) and would sign back with the club that released him. There would be no need to DFA him. I do think if some team did this with a pre-agreed second contract, there would be hell to pay. Probably like when the Red Sox juiced the system in LA. Instant free agent, loss of pool money etc. to the team.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Dec 14, 2016 -> 08:52 AM) Isn't the idea that teams will use some loophole - sign him for a modest amount, agree to DFA him after 1 year (or whatever it's called when you let a player go early in career, and he agrees to sign back for some predetermined massive amount? He'd never clear waivers. I think the whole it has nothing to do with money talk will eventually have everything to do with money so if they don't alter the CBA, he will wait the 3 years.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 06:05 PM) The signing period would be what, July 2017-June 2018? So yeah, you couldn't sign anyone really next summer. Maybe the Sox can use this to their advantage in Latin America. If the big boys sit out Latin America for the their shot, trade for some more bonus money, and with all of the teams that cannot sign guys over $300k, you have a shot at a huge haul.

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 05:04 PM) Honestly, I dont know why he isn't waiting until 2019 when he can get $200m having never pitched an MLB inning. But if cannot wait that long he sure as hell isn't going to wait another year just because he really likes the Dodgers or Cubs. My honest guess is this is a negotiating ploy with MLB to try and get them to let him over as an exception and that he wont actually post unless an exception is made. In that case the ideal world for the White Sox is an exception being made for Otani, but the allotment penalties still being enforced in regards to his bidding war. The Sox committed payroll for 2019 is almost nothing, they really could make a play for him next offseason if they're allowed spend. Yes but my question is if teams want to max him if he gets posted a year from now, do they have to not sign anyone the summer of 2017? That seems like a huge risk for any team.

I am pretty sure at the end it was down to the White Sox and Tigers and the Tigers won out. KW made his comment of the trade putting them in a better position to compete with the White Sox. The Sox did win the division that season, but that would have been a franchise changer. Edit I read the Angels were in it until the end for Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders. But as crazy as it sounds, it may have been a blessing they didn't make the trade because the wound up trading for Texiera who left as a free agent and with the comp pick for him they drafted Trout.

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 04:50 PM) Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Royals, Athletics, Astros, Braves, Cardinals, Nationals, Padres, and Reds are all in the penalty. Cant sign a player for more than $300K. You'd figure he'd want more than that right? And if he's willing to wait until July 6 2018 for those teams to jump back into the mix he may as well wait another year and a half to be completely exempted and get his massive contract the old fashioned way. Still competing against Boston and New York at least though, not to mention everyone else in baseball throwing their hats into the ring. Definite longshot and hopefully Sox will have an idea of what their chances are by July this year. So how does that work? When does the July 2nd pool money reset? If this guy is posted in December 2017, does that mean they couldn't sign anyone next summer to max out or the following summer? I just don't understand why he wouldn't wait.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 04:45 PM) I have a hard time believing we were ever actually close for Cabrera. Our rumored deal was sooooooooo much worse than Detroits. I think Marlins just used us, and Kenny was more than happy to act like he landed a big fish (PUN INTENDED!) Here is an article on the Cabrera offers at the time. Except for the Dodgers, the Fish had no chance to win the trade. The White Sox supposed offer ultimately woulld have been one of the better ones. Scary trading stars. http://www.sbnation.com/2012/10/26/3559302...de-world-series

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 04:21 PM) Would you rather sign Otani and no LA players, thus hurting your presence in LA? Or would you not sign Otani and sign LA players to keep your LA presence strong? It would be just for a year. Teams can't horde players there anymore. The Sox thought with the interest in Japan, giving Tanaka $100 million would have more than paid for itself. With the new rules, whoever gets Otani is going to improve their team and make a ton of money. If he somehow signed with a middle market or small market team, it really would be franchise altering.

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 03:44 PM) Well they are literally bound by the CBA (Sox are too) to how much they can sign him. Money is really not an object in the Otani negotiations if he comes over in the next 3 offseasons. MLB will be extremely wary of him signing a quick extension too. He'll have to wait until at least his arb years, and it'll have to be merited. Even then the league may have problems with it. There's really no circumventing the allotment. It'll be a strange saga to say the least. He'll just go wherever he feels like the best. Though "fixing" Giolito, having Rodon go off and seeing the other arms in the system make big strides would sure be a nice selling point for the White Sox. The problem is if the money is the same, the White Sox have the same problem as about 25 other teams, Yankees, Boston, Dodgers, Cubs are where it seems 99% of international players want to play if they could choose their teams.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 03:36 PM) So, you'd have a pinch hitter a couple of times. Not ideal. I am all for the Sox getting him, but is there really any chance? Yankees, Boston will be able to sign him, and he will make Sale and Q seem pricey. The $20 million max posting fee won't scare anyone either.

QUOTE (Con te Giolito @ Dec 12, 2016 -> 12:46 PM) If anything the AL may be a better landing spot for him because his bat can play DH on off-days. Or maybe the NL is better because of double switches and pinch hitting. Or maybe Otani cant pinch hit. Or maybe he cant hit at all and this two-way player nonsense is just the same "mysterious talent from the orient with an historic, one-of-a-kind gamebreaking skill" myth that the gyroball was. The issue isn't money, they most he can make from the Sox is $4.75m (and Sox will not be players at all in LatAm for a year). Most he can get from anybody is $5.75m from the small market teams. So he'll go where he just wants to go. The problem with letting him hit when he pitches, is once he comes out, you don't have a DH.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 03:15 PM) Should there be any reason why the Winter Meetings matter? No. Is it an artificial deadline that does in fact spur movement? Of course it does. EE right now is SO similar to Cespedes/Gordon last year. We all think his value is cratering, it will continue to drag out, then all the sudden there will be a bidding war as a team splurges to make him their last piece. But Quintana shouldn't really be waiting on a market. Nor should Robertson. I'm interested to see what happens there, I expect it before Christmas but it feels SO LONG since we've had our last activity but in fact it was less than a week ago. Hahn called DD and said he was trading Sale at the Winter Meetings, so basically he was ending the auction and all of the posturing. If he didn't do that, who knows, Sale and Eaton probably aren't yet traded, and the Winter Meetings are a total bust. Think how many teams have done next to nothing this offseason. It is pretty incredible. I thought things would be crazy this week with the holidays coming up. Still a chance, but not looking good

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 03:03 PM) Pretty stale. That said, everything got a later start. I think you do have some more deadlines as we approach the holidays though, as front offices tend to do a bit of a slow down for family type matters which again, creates some urgency / artificial deadlines to wrap things up. The pace of moves have been about the slowest I can ever remember and post winter meetings, it isn't unusual for a bit of a slowdown as teams regroup, but when I factor in the overall context of so few moves (and the poor FA class), it is interesting that we haven't seen a bit more pace this week. I do expect next week to be a very busy week. Kevin Millar is pretty much the resident goofball at MLBN but when he wants to get serious, he is interesting. He was talking about his free agency, first when he signed with Boston, and then when he signed with Baltimore. He said everything was OK when he hadn't signed by the holidays, but once the new year started panic starts setting in. He wound up signing in February, and was pretty nervous he wasn't going to have a home. I think when he signed with Boston he actually was close to going to Japan.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 03:00 PM) It was last friday, just after the meetings. The worst part about the Winter Meetings ending every year is there are no more deadlines. Remember that the Cespedes saga lasted for WEEKS, and Alex Gordon hadn't signed for another 3 weeks from now. I have read with texting and email and cellphones, the Winter Meetings are more show that substance as far as trade talk. It is needed for the job fair, and other things,but modern technology has made them obsolete for trades and signings, although it seems some things actually happen there. If Hahn didn't trade Sale and Eaton, this years Meetings would have been a bore for everyone.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 02:21 PM) Quintana listed on SoxFest, while DRob isn't Avi isn't listed. I guess he didn't appreciate getting booed last year. That was pretty classless.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 02:24 PM) But Quintana is listed Yeah. Robertson wasn't there last year either. I don't think it is a sign he is already traded. But it is pretty apparent he is going to go probably pretty soon.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 02:21 PM) Robertson not listed in the SoxFest lineup Odds are he is going to be an ex White Sox by then.

Why is Eric Dickerson Mr. LA Ram now? He played there for 4 years 3 games, whining about money the last 2 years 3 games, eventually whining his way to a new team, even missing a couple of games with a hold out. Got traded. When he returned as the opposition the fans threw fake money at him. Now he acts like he is the Rams biggest booster. I guess he just wants people to think he is important again.

QUOTE (soxforlife05 @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 01:41 PM) He was used as a reliever last year though. Yes, but just getting his feet wet. Make it full time in Spring Training, and when he goes to AAA. He was awful so he wasn't getting consistent work. I don't think he will pull an Andrew Miller, but I think he could still have a decent career.

Lunhow is all sabermetrics which lines him up with thinking Q really is a 5.0 WAR guy. He isn't as spectacular as many others but is more efficient. He will give up the pieces on the farm to get him IMO. And if Hahn can get AJ Reed as a throw in, it would be great. Cash in on his awfulness last season.

QUOTE (beautox @ Dec 13, 2016 -> 12:12 PM) I take the AFL with a huge grain of salt, especially for catchers maybe he was just run down. Your right about the TEX league being an over inflation same can be said about the PCL but there are very encouraging signs in his profile. If musgrove is off the table I'm not against Hahn going for additional depth and i'm not against him adding in a non robertson or jones arm to ship back with Q like Jennings, Putnam or Petricka I would love Stubbs as a 4th or 5th piece in a deal having him at AAA with Giolito, Lopez, Martes & Fulmer would go a long way developmentally and would afford the sox the ability to not rush the tank job in '17 for Beer. Stubbs' ETA lines up perfectly for when the pitching core should make the jump in '18 and having him spend a whole minor league season catching the majority of our potential future rotation would be huge. Definitely. Mike Trout put up a .600 OPS in the AFL in 2011. In 2012 he was ROY AND 2nd in MVP voting, huge grain of salt for good and bad. Although good could propel them.

I think Turner can turn into a decent reliever. Minor league deal for a formerly very heralded 25 year old that can still get it up to 98 seems like a no brainer. He definitely has sucked the last few years. And the White Sox considering he could be a rotation piece last year was either total BS or very laughable.

I do think Musgrove is the hang up. I also think Q winds up in Houston for Martes, Tucker and others.

Does seem harmless, but what they are allowing is still hazing. Drop it all. What's the point ?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 12, 2016 -> 10:50 PM) Just that the odds of Eaton's body holding up until 2019-2021 are 50/50 at best. His borderline reckless type of game just leaves too many possibilities for injuries. We saw it already with Rowand and how quickly he broke down in his 30's. Shane Victorino, another example, although not as close as Aaron. He's a lot more multi-dimensional than Pods as well, because of his arm and RF defense...once Pods lost his stolen base aggressiveness, he lost 50% of his value. And Eaton's had a lot more pop to his game than most expected, simply looking at him physically. That said, when he got "homer happy," it took him away from his infield hit/BB OBP mode, which arguably was even more valuable to disrupting the opposition. Yeah his walk rate and OBP really nosedived when he started hitting homers. #funwithimaginarynumbers