caulfield12

https://sports.yahoo.com/manny-machado-lingers-troy-tulowitzki-wont-know-awaits-bronx-205826913.html Until Machado makes his choice (the Yankees were believed to be in the running, along with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox) or until the Yankees withdraw from the bidding on Machado, Tulowitzki, in a position to choose his perfect scenario, couldn’t know what awaits in the Bronx. He has told those close to him he would be agreeable to coming off shortstop for the right situation, and has also said he is not willing to become a utility player. If he is to assume a comeback, he’ll need at-bats, regular at-bats and a regular position. He may need his own backup, for that matter.

They're going to get a lot of requests for season ticket refunds (especially those who bought in the last 4-6 weeks) if that's the case (the 7 year limit, unless they're willing to go to over $40 million per year, which JR won't do)...would love to know what the net loss or gain from 2018 numbers is, you'd still have to think it is down another 10-15%, barring the results of the Harper and Machado negotiations leading to an eventual rise (especially if it's Harper).

The best (and short-term worst is) Harper signs with the Cubs for a number that destroys their franchise (eventually), taking away all financial flexibility and also raising the amount of money they have to charge subscribers for their new regional sports network to the point where nobody can afford it. Even that wouldn't REALLY be felt for another 2-3 years, barring a major injury. Epstein SHOULD have learned his lesson from the Red Sox years, but he's still making big mistakes on the FA market in Chicago.

The thing I find most interesting with the above article is you could almost make a case that a Harper signing is just as much in Comcast's interests as the White Sox...if not moreso. Not only that, but it could have another unintended effect, which is also bumping up the value of the Cubs' deal, essentially making their subscription rates so prohibitive that most of Chicago is blocked from viewing the games (see LA Dodgers). If you were even talking an extra $35 million per year for Harper, that would more than pay for itself and still provide an extra $10-20 million per season (not even accounting for increased revenue kickbacks due to more expensive advertising rates)...and THAT'S with a historically-low payroll.

The White Sox cable deal with NBC Sports Chicago expires after the 2019 season. That agreement averaged about $55 million in rights fees for the team. The rights fee could double in the next deal. The money could even be greater if the 55 games or so that are broadcast on WGN, whose deal with the White Sox also expires after 2019, are consumed by NBC Sports. The ratings for the White Sox on NBC Sports have been very low. Bryce Harper could alleviate much of that problem. Moreover, the RSN makes money on advertising and pays dividends to its owners (the Chicago Cubs and Blackhawks also own stakes in the RSN). Higher ratings would bring in more advertising revenue and pay for some of higher rights fee to the White Sox. The upcoming sale by Walt Disney of the 22 RSNs it acquired from Fox is likely to heat up the competition for streaming revenue in baseball with potential new players like Amazon. Comcast posted net income of $23 billion last year. Harper’s deal is a check that makes sense for Comcast and one it could easily afford. Found this at Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2018/12/13/comcast-could-easily-write-check-for-bryce-harpers-white-sox-contract/#1a9984de2f00

Maybe it has changed to just content, I remember Dave Schoenfield used to contribute there all the time.

Still, getting Tatis Jr. and Robert out of a 2-3 year cycle is better than every team out there except the Padres and maybe Braves. The obvious and unresolved problem is the Dominican Republic. We’ve been shut out for seemingly 15 years...who was our last guy internally developed, Jesus Pena? That’s pretty terrible.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/02/entertainment/bob-einstein-dead/index.html Didnt know he was related to Albert Brooks...love Curb, the one that sticks out for some reason is the golf outing where they get thrown out, and the one about setting up Funkhouser’s nephew.

Hence, 2 other pitchers to go along with Giolito. The problem is you can’t have all the washouts like the 2000 prospect list. Despite that, almost every team in recent history with a Baseball America Top 3 overall prospect group has made the playoffs within 5 years.

http://www.ussmariner.com/ This is how bleak it is for Mariners’ fans, their top message board still doesn’t have a mention of the signing. Local newspapers only care about Seattle and the Cowboys.

We did add a lot of payroll, guys like Thome and Javy. How can you think you don’t have enough pitching when you enter the year with Contreras (the best pitcher in baseball during that stretch), Buehrle, Garcia, Garland, Javy and Brandon McCarthy. You remember how expensive that rotation was...? If anything, Cotts and Politte not repeating should have been expected. But if it was THAT easy, the Cubs would have won the last two World Series titles to go with 2016.

The only remaining player who makes much sense is Grandal...and that’s only if you believe we dump Castillo and/or Alonso if Machado doesn’t sign.

We might as well blame Quentin for sabotaging 2008, too. Other than Sale, Q, Reed or Jones...name another of the 10+ rookie pitchers we used in 2010. It was mostly smoke and mirrors. The defense completely did a 180 after actually looking solid for most of the year,

How often do you have three teams in the same division win 90+? That was the year Liriano and Santana owned the Sox. But mostly, it was the pitching breaking down, and Jenks as well. Plus, the offense fell off a cliff in August as well.

Your version of this is we’re more like Wakanda...whereas most of the fan base is stuck in some kind of bizarro Spider-Verse as soon as news of being realistic players for Harper and Machado came out. And Jack Parkman’s going all Handmaid’s Tale or Bird Box the last couple of days.

Not really, they had Everett to cover for Thomas. Shingo and Hermanson before Jenks. El Duque before McCarthy, etc.

District 13. http://thehungergames.wikia.com/wiki/District_13 Apparently you don’t have time to watch, like, ANY...movies.

Where’s our Jennifer Lawrence, at least? It’s just our luck to get more Woody Harrelsons... And the villains here are the Cubs, Yankees and Dodgers? I guess Ricketts himself would work.

At this point in his career, no way you can go Jimenez, Jay, Palka and not traumatize the starters.

The Hate U Give, The Old Man and the Gun, Creed 2 (not quite as good as the first), Shoplifters (great Japanese film), Sorry to Bother You, The Rider, First Reformed, Paddington 2, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Elf (had somehow never seen it b4), Tully, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Widows, Into the Spiderverse...those are some of my favorites the last six months Tried to watch The Mule But couldn’t finish (don’t like his politics, but enjoyed Gran Torino and American Sniper), it’s just not a movie that fits with the zeitgeist of 2018

UCF (without Milton) was a non-starter and UGA didn’t show up. Rewarding Meyer and OSU this season wasn’t going to happen, either.

See Alonso deal...it’s not like the White Sox couldn’t have promised to acquire him after he signed. The Indians were elated to get out from under that contract. The problem is that unless all the scouts who saw Tulo in his workouts thought he suddenly looked at least 75%, there’s actually zero leverage...besides, Machado if he really wants to play for the Yankees will agree to move back to 3B at some point during the season. The main question is whether NY is willing to allow Machado to play SS from a health perspective.

Cue Balta post about how much the White Sox have spent on 1B/DH position since 2011...

They might bring Vizquel up from the AA team if they actually do acquire Andujar to play 3B...highly unlikely to happen, but who the hell knows anymore.

Why this would affect Machado, no idea...certainly, he has to be planning on playing 3B if he's going to sign there. For Tulo, what better place to receive exposure and a "tryout" of sorts for the first 2-3 months...then the Yankees can move him in June or July back to the NL and get a nice little return on investment.