caulfield12

1) The city of Chicago itself...one of the 3-5 most attractive destinations for any Free Agent. This will come into play this coming offseason, and was already arguably an element of the decision for Luis Robert to choose the Sox over the Cards. 2) More available payroll space after 2018 and 2019 than any team in MLB 3) The AL Central is in a "down" cycle with Cleveland already having peaked. Five of the bottom 12 MLB teams in attendance, which is especially important for Cleveland and Minnesota. Ilitch Sr. is no longer overspending in DET. Royals and Tigers both on downcycles with poor farm system and lots of bad veteran contracts. Twins will lose Mauer, Dozier, Santana, etc. Sano and Buxton not interested in signing long-term extensions, same with Berrios (so far). 4) Storied connection to Latin American players (and Cubans in particular)...one of the few Hispanic managers in the game, with Omar Vizquel trailing in his footsteps. Potential stars in Rodon, Moncada, Jimenez, Luis Robert, R. Lopez, Adolfo, Basabe, etc. Abreu and Alexei Ramirez have set the tone in the last decade, following in the footsteps of Minnie Minoso, Jose Contreras, El Duque, Luis Aparicio, Chico Carrasquel, etc. 5) Don Cooper's success with pitching and Herm Schneider's with keeping players off the DL (Burger injury notwithstanding)...they will be challenged to earn their money the next 3-5 years. Dave Duncan also in place as a valued consultant, Thome on the offensive side. 6) Interest in the Cubs is peaking (might have already peaked)...following that team is becoming increasingly expensive for even upper middle class families. Team looks like it will be tripped up with payroll issues in the future due to Heyward and Darvish. By the time the White Sox fully arrive in 2020, their remaining competitive window will be in its 2 final years, in all likelihood. 7) Top 3 Farm System...and looking to add even more talent in 2018 and probably another 8-12 pick in 2019. I'm not going to bother to cover it all because it's done on a nightly basis, but the system is generally on an upward trend, other than the concerns about Burger (acute), Robert and Hansen. ? For some reason, an 8 is unavailable, lol...but it's the fact that the White Sox have been the only team who had three marquee talents (Sale, Q and Eaton) to jump start the rebuild, and the timing for those moves worked out nearly perfectly (Moncada struggling in 20 at-bats with Boston, compared to Benintendi and Devers), and then the Cubs' desperation to part with Jimenez and Cease in order to get an established anchor for the middle of their rotation. 9) TV contract negotiations coming just in time to allow the White Sox to add another $25-35 million to payroll comfortably without breaking a sweat. 10) Biggest free agent class coming up in the 2018-19 off-season, which is the White Sox are well-positioned to be in the market for any player on the board, even Harper and Machado (should they desire to dip their toes in the deep end of the pool again). I'll add one more....we still probably will need to go outside the organization for an elite closer or set-up guy (Kimbrel/Miller, etc.), but we have an abundance of young pitching talent, and some of the leftovers will naturally fit into our bullpen, supplemented with 2-3 veteran signings.

Knowing the White Sox, it's more likely to translate to Polka instead of "baseball bat."

Was The Process worth it? "I think it was," (guard TJ) McConnell said. "We have a foundation that we built on now. We have two franchise players. Obviously, the losing was hard, and you want to put a winning product out there. But I think the team that is constructed now is a winning product." Opponents of the Sixers' tanking strategy can't be classified as a monolith. There were those who felt that a professional sports team is a civic trust that owes the paying fan, at the very least, the appearance of trying to win. Others believed that the Sixers' manipulation of the league's incentive structure violated the spirit and intent of the system: to help franchises that fall upon hard times through the natural life cycle, not franchises that deliberately construct rosters designed to lose. There were critics who insisted that intentional failure breeds an intractable culture of losing that lingers. Then there were league insiders who resented the Sixers for driving down revenue. It's impossible to measure the emotional distress of the fans who suffered through interminable losing streaks (and how many multiples worse it was than, say, a string of 37-win seasons), but today those same fans in Philadelphia have rebounded. Headed into the 2013-14 season, the Sixers had sold roughly 3,400 season tickets. In the 2015-16 season, that number grew to 10,000. As of next season, that number will have surpassed 14,000. A local Nielsen rating of 0.93 in 2015-16 grew to 1.75 in 2016-17 and to 2.44 this season, according to an industry source. The Sixers finished third in the NBA in merchandise sales this season, with Embiid (eighth) and Simmons (10th) cracking the top 10 in jersey sales. Divvying up credit for this return is a tricky exercise. How much should be attributed to seedlings planted by Hinkie and how much to those who did the harvesting creatively and efficiently? However one assigns praise, the belief Hinkie articulated in his 13-page resignation letter -- that when the Sixers are "eventually able to compete deep into May, [Sixers CEO] Scott [O'Neil] will ably and efficiently separate the good people of the Delaware Valley from their wallets on your behalf" -- was spot-on. Rival owners can rest assured that the Sixers are more than compensating for sneaking out on a few dinner checks during the losing seasons. The claims of a permanent "losing culture" taking hold in Philadelphia have been roundly proved as fallacy. While the Sixers were racking up losses, head coach Brett Brown, with the aid of a staff that is quickly earning a reputation as one of the league's best, was instituting principles and traditions that carried the Sixers through the lean seasons. Brown is an eternal optimist and quite possibly the most earnest man in basketball. His native curiosity -- "Did you know there's a village in China where people routinely live to be 100?" -- has helped build a culture in Philadelphia in which a diverse, young roster has forged close relationships and players pull for one another as they learn as much about the world as they do about basketball. Contrary to the naysayers who believed the losing would take its toll, is it possible the losing seasons were actually an emotional boot camp that primed the young Sixers for the intensity of contention? That likely wasn't an intentional feature of The Process, but it might have been a stroke of serendipity. "The journey is what makes you who you are," Covington said. "That journey made us who we are. The 18-win season, the 10-win season, all that, it built us up for this moment. That's what allowed us to get to where we are now. That was a test to see how strong an individual can be when you're going through all that." One of the most salient points is that letting everything bottom out THIS year will make 2019 look comparatively better...whether it's attendance, television/radio ratings, whatever statistical metric you care to use. They'll have the futures of Kopech and Jimenez to splash on the front pages of the media guide...(maybe Hansen)...another high first round draft pick, a loaded minor league system and a declining Indians team in their headlights. Equally important will be what they do in free agency. They can't go through ANOTHER season like this...things HAVE to get better in 2019 or the fans will start to lose trust.

Hitting above average compared to others...? We're talking the 4th pick in the draft, you BETTER be as close to sure as possible when you're drafting a college hitter.

It's identifying and keeping/fostering/nurturing that talent through into the majors: Eduardo Escobar Marcus Semien Jose Martinez (1B, Cardinals, son of ex-Sox Carlos) Tyler Flowers Fernando Tatis, Jr. Fwiw, the jury is far from out on Yolmer Sanchez and Matt Davidson. Either, or both, being a significant part of the next White Sox playoff contender would be pretty big wins for the front office.

Democrats better be on the worker side of this argument with companies like Uber and this cleaning service... https://www.fastcompany.com/3042248/the-gig-economy-wont-last-because-its-being-sued-to-death Handy (then Handybook), the company that posted the Craigslist ad, is best known as a cleaning service. But unlike Merry Maids or your local cleaning franchise, it doesn’t actually employ any cleaners. Instead, it relies on an army of independent contractors to complete jobs, taking a 15% to 20% commission of every hour worked. It’s part of the “gig economy,” a much-hyped new class of the service industry where workers are expected to operate like mini-businesses. The influence of these companies is growing: according to an analysis by Greylock Partners, the value of transactions over platforms such as car services Lyft and Uber, grocery delivery service Instacart, courier service Postmates, and others could grow as large as $10 billion this year. It was true that when things went wrong, they were responsible. But the Zenelajs had never heard of the gig economy, and it wasn’t until orientation that they realized they would not be employees of Handy. Soon they were booking up to four cleanings a day through the platform. Handy promised to turn them into entrepreneurs, and it was true that when things went wrong, they were responsible: They didn’t get paid to wait for a client who was running up to 30 minutes late, though they drove to his house (Handy does reimburse cleaners for one hour if the client doesn’t show up); they didn’t get paid if they stayed home sick; they didn’t get paid when they got stuck in traffic between jobs. There was no overtime pay or benefits, and they had to buy their own supplies and gas. What’s at stake with these lawsuits and protests? The very definition of “employee” in a tech-enabled, service-driven 21st century American economy. Gig economy companies do not own cars, hotels, or even their workers’ cleaning supplies. What they own is a marketplace with two sides. On one side are people who need a job done–a ride to the airport, a clean house, a lunchtime delivery. On the other are people who are willing to do that job. If Uber and other companies are going to be as big as some claim, a new deal has to be brokered, one that squares the legal rules governing work with new products and services. What benefits can you expect from a quasi-employer? What does it mean to be both independent and tethered to an app-based company? The social contract between gig economy workers and employers is broken. Who will fix it, and how, will determine the fate of thousands of workers and hundreds of millions of dollars. There is no economic security, there is no predictability, and there is no power among workers to get a fair share of the profits. But the gig economy can also be interpreted as a loophole for avoiding labor laws–more of a familiar nightmare than a new dream. Robert Reich, a political economist and the former secretary of labor, compares it to the piecework system of the late 19th century, the very same system that led to trade unions and labor protections in the first place. “There is no economic security, there is no predictability, and there is no power among workers to get a fair share of the profits,” he says. “You and I and everybody else, if the present trends continue, will be selling what we do to the highest bidder.”

I wish I could get a pharmaceutical giant to "grant" me $1.2 million (or is retain the better description?) and then deliver them precisely nothing, but simply trade on my "network/connections." Sounds a lot like Manafort...cut from the same cloth, is Mr. Cohen. https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/09/politics/michael-cohen-trump-lobbying/index.html "I don't know who's been representing you, but you should fire them all. I'm the guy you should hire. I'm closest to the President. I'm his personal lawyer," was how one GOP strategist described Cohen's sales pitch. More recently, Mr. Cohen and his father-in-law lent more than $25 million to a Ukrainian businessman who has a checkered financial record and a history of defaulting on loans. And Mr. Cohen long held a small stake in his uncle’s catering hall, which was frequented by Russian and Italian mobsters. In addition to his legal and taxi businesses, Mr. Cohen has had a seemingly charmed touch as a real estate investor. On one day in 2014, he sold four buildings in Manhattan for $32 million, entirely in cash. That was nearly three times what he paid for them no more than three years earlier. Mr. Cohen borrowed from a half-dozen banks and credit unions to buy taxi medallions. Then he used the medallions as collateral to borrow more money to buy more medallions, former colleagues said. He quickly amassed 30 medallions, each then worth about $250,000, but racked up millions in debt. Together, the two men managed 260 cabs in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some for other owners. Drivers paid them $100 a shift. Millions of dollars in cash flowed in. Mr. Cohen at some point began carrying a licensed pistol in an ankle holster. ... In 2016, a federal judge found that Mr. Freidman had transferred more than $60 million into offshore trusts to avoid paying debts. Last April, New York City regulators barred him from continuing to manage medallions. He currently is awaiting trial in Albany on charges he failed to pay $5 million in taxes. But even as the (taxi/medallion) industry has buckled, Mr. Cohen has continued to use his medallions as collateral to borrow money. In December 2014, with his medallions worth $35 million, he took out loans totaling at least $20 million from Sterling National Bank and Melrose Credit Union, according to a banker who reviewed the transactions. (Documents related to both lenders were among the materials sought by federal prosecutors in their search warrants.) In 2016, Mr. Cohen went so far as to dabble in financial engineering. He spoke to investors about pooling distressed loans that financed taxi medallion purchases, repackaging them and selling them to investors, according to a person with direct knowledge of the discussions. He also explored buying up such loans at a bargain price in anticipation that their value would recover, the person said. The outcome of those discussions was not clear. The financial maneuvering has continued even after the federal search warrants were executed. On April 24, Mr. Cohen refinanced all 16 of his taxi company medallion loans. The transactions, with Sterling National Bank, appeared to extend the due dates on the loans by four years, according to public filings on the refinanced loans. And they added a new, unusual source of collateral: If Mr. Cohen were to default, Sterling would have the right to any money that Mr. Freidman owes Mr. Cohen. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/05/business/michael-cohen-lawyer-trump.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

At least you've stayed faithful to your record projections Flavum...someday, a quant/bot can replace you so you have more leisure time to allocate to more productive pursuits, right?

I think you'll find quite a few Sox fans who believe that Moncada still had not evened out his ability to hit capably against LHP at the minor league level...but sometimes talent just wins out in the end, even though his MLB debut last year demonstrated some pretty good arguments for why he wasn't 100% ready. It wouldn't be hard to argue that positive public relations/marketing was one element of the Moncada decision. As far as Timmy goes, Anderson arguably could have used another 2-3 months in the minors but the ghost in the shell of Jimmy Rollins got in the way of that. In his/your defense, he hit and fielded like he belonged for MOST of his rookie season, considering how raw he was from an overall competitive baseball experience standpoint.

Moncada, Anderson, drafting Burdi...we shall see. It couldn't possibly be ANY WORSE than what Engel, Thompson and Avi Garcia have done so far, though. It's even making Palka look ALMOST palatable, despite his defensive shortcomings. Without any major trade speculation this summer...the status of Kopech/Jimenez and when Sox fans will get to actually watch them in Chicago will be the dominant topic, along with the upcoming June draft.

Seems the only question with Jimenez is where he ends up on the field...LF, 1B, DH or potentially RF. With that type of once or twice in a generation hitting ability, it does at least make SOME sense to consider keeping him out of the outfield might not be the worst idea in the world, but I would imagine they're still a ways from actually making a dramatic change like that when he has played OF his entire career. Personally, I'd rather have two really good (capable of playing above-average CF) defenders in the outfield to protect one average/slightly below average one. Whether that's Basabe, Rutherford, Adolfo....AJ Pollock, who the hell knows at this point? They also must be pondering ways to get Zavala's bat in the line-up if he's not going to be at least a platoon catcher. Of course, those are GOOD problems for any team to have.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/heres-white-sox-determining-time-201727539.html

One of the biggest concerns is how well India will hit with a wood bat and how much of this season is a "one year anomaly"...and his ultimate position on the field. On the plus side, ungodly stats this year and the toughest conference in baseball for his competition. Still, the safest or surest thing for Hahn to do would be to take either Madrigal or Singer. India's one of those guys who will help to make someone look like a genius or get someone fired.

Don't count on it.

There are a lot of parallels (on both sides of the ball) between Jimenez and Nelson Cruz. Do we actually expect BETTER numbers than that over a career? That's expecting a lot.

Yeah, him and Swarzak last year....Albers for half a season in 2016. Minaya at the end of 2017? I guess you can count Nate Jones THIS year.

??? Not working...you have too many "http's" in there As far as disappointment with Lopez and Fulmer, I think most are fine with what they've done...all things considered. (Did anyone realistically expect him to have an ERA under 3 for the full year?) It's Giolito who is far and away the biggest cause for concern.

The problem is that he's blocked behind Leury (further behind Yolmer Sanchez)...he could be in Saladino's role, but that potentially goes to Cordell if he comes back 100% healthy. Just for human interest and inspirational effects, hopefully the White Sox will promote him at some point this year.

They would be better off going with Bill Veeck's innovation of letting the fans effectively manage strategy by "voting" with different cards they could hold up in the air. https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/grandstand-managers-night "Grandstand Managers Night" in 1951 with the St. Louis Browns

Wonder how many fans are left in the stands after almost 3 1/2 hours of this? As far as Giolito goes, I think he gets one more start before they make a decision about sending him back down.

The money from AT&T appeared to be unrelated to the investigations but came as the Trump administration announced it would seek to block an $85 billion merger between AT&T and Time Warner. “Essential Consultants was one of several firms we engaged in early 2017 to provide insights into understanding the new administration,” AT&T spokeswoman Megan Ketterer said in a statement Tuesday, after Avenatti tweeted a link to the document. “They did no legal or lobbying work for us, and the contract ended in December 2017." Cohen also accepted nearly $400,000 from pharmaceutical giant Novartis between October 2017 and January 2018, according to Avenatti. A Novartis spokesman said the company was “still trying to assess the facts” and noted that any contractual agreements were made prior to the current chief executive officer’s tenure. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/08/att-michael-cohen-hired-576213 Avenatti’s document might provide a road map to those clients. He claims that Cohen also received payments from the drug company Novartis Investments and Korea Aerospace Industries. Each has important business considerations with the U.S. government. Shortly after the last transaction from Novartis identified by Avenatti, in January, Trump took a meeting with executives including the incoming CEO of Novartis, Vas Narasimhan, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. A Novartis spokesman said any agreements with Essential Consultants took place before the new CEO took over in February and have since expired. Representatives for Korea Aerospace did not respond to a request for comment. The company is in contention for a multibillion-dollar joint contract with Lockheed Martin to produce jet trainers for the U.S. Air Force. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-attorney-michael-cohen-was-hired-by-us-affiliate-of-russian-company/2018/05/08/12a218c8-52f6-11e8-abd8-265bd07a9859_story.html?utm_term=.287e0b37e149 Of course, Novartis, Merck, Eli Lilly, Amgen, Celgene and the BIG PHARMA lobby were all THREATENED by Trump back in early 2017, after the inauguration. Trump pressed the bigwigs to bring down drug prices, which he described as “astronomical.” “We have to get prices down for a lot of reasons,” he said. “We have no choice, for Medicare and Medicaid...They're getting away with murder!" http://fortune.com/2017/01/31/trump-pharma-ceos-meeting-demands/ DRAINING THE SWAMP, BABY!!!

Speaking of radio, didn't realize that WGN Radio was losing $6 million per year on the Cubs when they finally let them go. Of course, that was after 2012 and 2013, when they were still rebuilding and interest was in the basement (relatively speaking, for the Cubs.) http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/06/03/why-wgn-radio-lost-the-cubs/

Lambert isn't much of a high upside pitcher with the word "pitchability" thrown around multiple times during the MLB.com draft live stream. Low 90s fastball with good command of all three pitches, but nothing that stands out. As a junior this season he had a 3.13 ERA, 78 K, 19 BB in 97.2 IP. Was a first-team All-Mountain West pick this season. http://www.chicagonow.com/future-sox/2016/06/2016-futuresox-draft-tracker/ It's quite fun to look back at guys (draft day reports) like Lambert without "dominant/ace" stuff but who are merely effective...

Benetti is not the kind of broadcaster a 6 to 15 year old watching at home is going to be drawn in by...because almost everything he says will go over their heads. At least Hawk talked in a way that showed reverence and respect for the sport, and its storied history...he wasn't always James Earl Jones giving a lecture in Field of Dreams, but Benetti's just GRATING.

Didn't the Padres end up winning a division once with a .500ish record or a few games below? That won't happen with the Indians, barring catastrophic injuries. But a team in Minnesota who was recently 10-17 can have one good week and almost be in first place. Pathetic. And they're playing without Sano OR Buxton.