caulfield12

Now that I can agree with...unless Castillo gives the Sox a better shot at Harper/Machado than Ramos, which is all just conjecture at this point, and would be over analyzing by quite a bit to argue that Hahn had the foresight to sign Castillo a year early, largely to influence Machado's free agency process/selection.

That's one way to increase the White Sox winning percentage. Have you seen his minor league numbers? Career 606 OPS in the minors. He's also 27 years old already.

That's pretty interesting...as it appears that the likely HIGHER rights fees are directly correlated with the fact that the White Sox are expected to have a very competitive ballclub for at least 4 of those 5 years. Essentially, they weren't willing to commit to 10, 15 or 20 years at those levels without knowing the White Sox rebuild was going to turn out to be a success, and actually generate profits in terms of advertising and ratings. This actually is good for fans, because it continues to exert pressure on the ownership group to follow through. If the rebuild, for whatever reason, busts...then there's going to be a big price to pay in 5 years. Of course, the Cubs will also be out of their "competitive window" at that time as well, so the White Sox SHOULD be in a more dominant market position if everything goes as planned.

Isn't Sinclair a "super conservative/tied to the evangelicals" network? Just curious...as it would make sense for the Ricketts family to align with their political interests, although some fans of the Cubs are obviously not going to like that element of it. Wonder when we actually find out the financial terms of the new deal...? It has to be made public, eventually. Was expecting it to be somehow more exciting after all the discussion the last 2-3 years. This reminds me of the reaction of most tourists when they come to see The Great Wall of China. A bit of a letdown.

You mean he’s leaving Chicago Wednesday morning? The Phillies (seemingly) aren’t getting as much time with him. Then NYC Thurs?

You answered your own question. Not unlike their motivation to acquire Gerrit Cole, the Astros probably perceive Realmuto as a real difference maker, as opposed to the oft-injured Ramos.

Pujols? Miggy?

We’ll see. Like the Cubs and Heyward/Darvish, it might not turn out like initially expected. While the A-Rod deal actually worked out fine from a cost/benefit standpoint, he was pretty much the consensus best player in baseball at the time. From a baseball standpoint, it still didn’t ‘save’ the Rangers, either, as it hamstrung them from making other needed improvements on the roster.

It doesn't, it's just the overall coordination of moves/financial savings....unless you can guarantee that Lindor won't sign a $300 million extension before testing free agency, they're still a viable threat. If that's NOT the case, they're going to have to do everything possible to win this year and next before blowing things up and starting the rebuild. The one player they're not going to be able to dump is Kipnis, so they're just going to have to hope he has a huge rebound free agent season (likely club buyout for next year).

Selling off Madrigal before we see his REAL value on the baseball field (but accepting a lesser value because intangibles aren't measure by WAR) seems quite foolish. He's the kind of player whose style of play will have a positive effect on the rest of his teammates, and that's impossible to measure, but it has a real value to this organization. The White Sox HAVE to get stronger up the middle (C, middle infield, CF)...we've gone for ages without a REALLY good catcher who was a team leader like a Molina/Posey/Perez, and we've also lacked a really good CFer as well. Shore up those two positions and get a consistent 3-4 WAR 3B with some pop and at least an average or slightly above average defender and we're golden.

Are you sure the Yankees would accept that deal? If they project Anderson as a 3+ WAR guy going forward instead of 1.5-2.5, it makes sense. But they still have Torres and Gregorious (eventually) that are capable of playing SS as well. Logically, if they're not going to go with Void/Bird at 1B, they'd move Andujar over there and shore up 3B defensively.

No fear of the Cubbies anymore. It's just the fear that we're STILL not good enough, despite all the best efforts to get Machado/Harper...and that, somehow, Cleveland will take advantage of this to actually extend their competitive window into 2020-2022 instead of throwing in the towel and surrendering.

https://sports.yahoo.com/wooing-manny-machado-begun-three-city-tour-thats-exactly-baseball-needs-224211516.html The wooing of Manny Machado has begun with a three-city tour and that's exactly what baseball needs (sorry if I missed it earlier in threads)

Yolmer (to replace Marlin Gonzalez) and Leury would be 2 possibilities...

They’re not going anywhere without a better CFer and the White Sox equivalent of Lester added to the rotation. You’re actually counting on them competing before 2021 now? Is that with the assumption we get Harper OR Machado, or not? And Robert/Jimenez still haven’t proven they can stay 100% healthy for a full season, especially Robert.

I said TWO players combined (CF/SP)....not just one, because it’s doubtful Pollock will get there alone. Not to mention the clock is already ticking on Rodon being here for his last season in 2021.

So essentially, Three Idiots?

Sure, all those things might be true, but unless we add Machado or Harper, the setbacks with Kopech, Moncada and Giolito this past year definitely pushed us back to 2021...barring the willingness to spend another $100+ million on a legit CFer and a veteran stabilizer for the rotation (in addition to that $325+ million, not to mention Colome, Alonso and Nova).

Yeah, at almost the same rate we’re paying Nova to be James Shields II, though. The deal will pay him the same $9.75 million his 2019 option had paid, will increase his now-torn-up 2020 option to $10.25 from $9.5 million and will pay him $12 million in both 2021 and 2022. The option for 2023 is worth $14 million and comes with a $3 million buyout. Even with the new contract, Carrasco remains one of the biggest bargains in baseball following another excellent season for the Tribe. He went 17-10 with a 3.38 ERA and 231/43 K/BB ratio in 192 innings. Cleveland intends to trade at least one of its front line starters, but now that Carrasco is under this team-friendly deal for several years, it’ll almost certainly be Trevor Bauer or Corey Kluber on the block.

Machado to meet with Yanks on Wednesday, Phils on Thursday Dec. 16: Manny Machado will formally meet with the Yankees on Wednesday in New York, according to George A. King III of the New York Post. And he'll meet with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, reports NBC Sports' Jim Salisbury. https://www.mlb.com/news/latest-manny-machado-rumors/c-285627736

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/cleveland-indians/payroll/ They ended last year at $135 million. They’re currently in the mid $80’s. Trading Kluber pushes them down into the high $60’s. Then you have to add Lindor and Bauer’s arbitration salaries back in. Only if they make the determination they can’t keep Lindor OR Ramirez will they absolutely have to tear it all down.

What about Little Adam Schitt?

But chopping off almost $50 million in the form of Edwin Encarnacion (took some back in Santana), Gomes, Alonso, Brantley and C. Allen is more significant. Then they move Kluber's huge salary for someone like Verdugo/Pederson, a catching or pitching prospect and Puig (one year remaining)...they can cut another significant chunk. It also allows them to pay Lindor $300 million for an extension, and gives them a rotation of Carrasco/Bauer/Clevinger/Bieber/Santana. That's STILL a MUCH better rotation than the White Sox can throw out there. If they really want to go crazy, they can trade Bauer for O'Neill, Jordan Hicks and another top Cardinals prospect, although that would start to leave their rotation too thin, having to rely on Santana. Next year, they get rid of the last remaining "bad" contract in Jason Kipnis.

Kanye West? I thought Magic Johnson was the one they were putting out as the public "recruiter" on this one?

Top 10 Most Popular Cricketers 10. Brett Lee 9. Muttiah Muralitharan 8. Lasith Malinga 7. Chris Gayle 6. Brian Lara 5. Wasim Akram 4. M S Dhoni 3 Shoaib Akhtar 2- Shahid Afridi 1. Sachin Tendulkar