Texsox

A quick AI look at what a billionaire spending some of his money buying athletes might look like. New York Mets The Financial Loss: Following his purchase of the team in 2020, billionaire hedge-fund manager Steve Cohen shattered spending records. In 2023, the Mets posted an estimated $292 million operating loss—the largest single-year deficit ever recorded for a sports franchise—driven by a $375 million payroll and a $101 million luxury tax penalty. On-Field Results: The "win-now" spending spree yielded wildly erratic results. 2022: 101 wins, securing a Wild Card spot (lost in the Wild Card Series). 2023: A historic collapse. Despite the record payroll, the team finished 75–87, missing the postseason entirely and forcing a mid-season fire sale of aging stars like Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. 2024–2025: Rebuilt with a blend of younger talent and strategic short-term contracts, bouncing back to secure a deep postseason run to the NLCS in late 2024. And if the AI generated content One thing we would have to accept is being the high bidder on a lot of free agents. That will look like "crazy, insane, money for bench players".

E Sports will gradually merge with human sports. It's a stat lovers dream. No human bad calls. No poor managing. "Owners" won't have to pay superstar salaries. No freezing your ass off or sweating while watching games. No traffic hassles. No finding a babysitter. No annoying fans next you you. It will look very lifelike, you won't know the difference. Boomers who might still be alive will complain it's not as realistic or as good as when they were kids, but they say that about everything.

We've had players not coming together, fighting, etc while the posters here were unified in their dislike for the players and organization. Now we have the players coming together and the organization mostly getting things right and the posters here are the disorganized, arguing group. Love it! Much better this way. Better content. And I'll give JR the same amount of credit as I blamed him for the bad years.

A lot of fans have been through this cycle before. "Multiple Championship Seasons" weren't that long ago. I think what I'm liking the most is an attitude change. It's tough to tell from watching on TV but the team seems to be playing with some intensity. I'm just not seeing some of the half ass plays like the past few years. While it's easy to credit winning for that, I think we've actually drafted some players with better attitudes than we've had in the past.

You want a really bad nickname for SA? He's the Spur that is putting the giddy up in the lineup. Sinatra was the Chairman of the Board. That nickname should be retired with him, plus it's another JR mention.

Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic. I wouldn't overreact to this start. Hold the course, live through the upcoming negotiations, and enjoy the ride. I didn't see any viable trade that makes this a world series winning team. Any impact player would likely create a different hole.

Not giving away tax dollars to billionaires and huge corporations sounds great until giant corporations start moving across state lines for a better business climate. Tesla and Space X aren't in Texas for the great weather. Amazon was courted by multiple states. But in those cases we are talking thousands of full time jobs with salaries that get spent in the local economy. Now pivoting that to stadiums and I just don't see the economic drivers on the same scale. Eventually we will be watching AI created athletes while wearing VR headsets and "home team" won't matter.

That brings back some memories. Good times. RIP

It's been fun in San Antonio watching this team take over the city. I hope MLB is watching when expansion comes around again.

Welcome to the big leagues, oops, I mean the Sox. And no tips over 15%

I'm finally feeling like a Sox fan again. That was a weird stretch of hope and optimism.

It highlights how razor thin the line of success is at this level.

Fun fact, one of the only players in history to start in four consecutive season openers at four different positions.

I sold a lot of parts that went into those boxes and back then didn't give it a second thought.

In crypto.

While the Dodgers are passing Go and collecting $2,000,000

I was in the electronics component industry and those black boxes were ubiquitous. So many family members had season tickets it really didn't matter but in a small way it was a source of pride how we suffered. They were a couple decades ahead of their time, which is kind of amazing. But way too early.

If he didn't fans would complain that he doesn't know what's going on with his players. I think we understand the difference between comments from the player, the manager, a trainer, a doctor who is treating him, and a doctor who isn't.

Cash or a Walmart gift card?

I was joking. When @southsider2k5 mentioned guys getting figured out I thought we needed the poster child. Great analysis of the differences.

Who has loved this organization? I totally believe he will love Chicago.

Chicago or the White Sox organization? Unless the team wants to accept a no trade clause he knows he could be traded anywhere at anytime, so loving the city (likely) or loving the organization (😂) doesn't really factor much.

Why would he want to sign an extension? I thought the PR disaster you were going to predict is he gets traded at the deadline for an underwhelming group of young, unproven, talent.

If the upgrade isn't achieved by selling 2028 for a first round exit and the start of yet another rebuild.