caulfield12

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25341102/former-nasa-engineer-sig-mejdal-joins-baltimore-orioles-front-office

The Red Sox winning a 4th title in the same amount of time they've managed to win only 1 is not being particularly well-received. In that sense, the Yankees fans are kind of dealing with the Braves' 90's and 00's phenomenon...lots of success during the regular season, but not winning a World Series makes sustaining interest at the ticket prices they charge increasingly challenging (especially as we look to be heading into a recessionary period in 2019-20). And swapping the Sabathia/Tanaka money for Corbin isn't a big deal. That said, they should a thorough investigation into Corbin's background and make-up (just like they're doing with Machado), because so many players just aren't up for performing in NY, Boston, Philly, etc., where the media and fan scrutiny and expectations are so high (after all, that's exactly how we ended up with Jose Contreras).

In this day and age, with all the Ivy Leaguers in front offices, I'd find it hard to believe you could actually "sneak" anyone through that other teams were actually interested in...even in the days before a major holiday when many are traveling. For front office staff, they're already 100% focused on the Winter Meetings.

https://sports.yahoo.com/high-school-football-games-crazy-final-minute-leads-epic-hail-mary-151022585.html Greatest high school football ending ever

It arguably would be on the way to failing, if not for the Q trade...at any rate, without Eaton/Sale and Frazier/Kahnle to start off the rebuild with, we'd REALLY be in a bad situation, bordering on hopeless. In that scenario, all the hope would be centered on Robert and Madrigal, but that still likely wouldn't be close to enough without $100+ million of FA spending (per year).

Olivo, once upon a time, got us (partially) Garcia...both most of our moves with the A's have been fiascos...the Samardzija one the most recent example.

Does Chuck McElroy count, too?

Experience with the A-Rod contract would tell them to remain wary. Also, don't forget Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch!!!

Five or ten years ago, our second round/supplemental guys like Keenyn Walker were solidly in the Top 10. We’re now to the point where Steele W., Burdi, Sheets, Hansen, etc, can populate #10-15, and former first rounders like Rutherford aren’t automatic selections, either. Adams was there was well, 2-3 years ago.

Unless there was some type of option for 2021, it wouldn’t make much sense. Can’t see him signing a one year deal just so you can sign and flip him, either. Going to one of about 20 teams that are all theoretical contenders makes too much sense. The only other way you make this type of move is following up a Harper/Machado signing...and you have reason to believe he’s going to be an especially effective mentor to the younger rotation members.

Thought he was talking about the M’s closer at first...

You’d be hard-pressed to find any owner willing to select KW to run an organization over Beane at this point in time...that said, it hasn’t been as easy for another small market “genius,” Friedman in TB, to translate that to a World Series win even with three times the budget. And surely the Indians’ GM gets the same opportunity someday soon. At any rate, Beane’s front office also produced four MLB GM’s in Farhan Zaidi (now in SF), David Forst, Paul DePodesta and Alex Anthopolous. https://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/Moneyball-at-20-Inside-Billy-Beane-s-legacy-11958848.php Moneyball’s Legacy at 20 Years

Iowa BB is officially back to relevance again...takes some of the sting off the FB season.

Twitter activity has about the same correlation (or Facebook likes) as predicting the eventual success or box office opening of a new movie. (Not to mention how many Millennials are opting out of social media altogether the last 2-3 years and are not being captured or represented at all.) It’s just one indicator. If you went by hats/jerseys/T-shirt’s worn or sold the last five years in the Midwest, you’d think it 90/10 Cubs to Sox.

Capitalism is Why Americans are Subsidizing the World’s Richest Man (LOL) Why American Ideas of the Way Societies Grow Wealthy and Prosper are Obsolete https://eand.co/capitalism-is-why-americans-are-subsidizing-the-worlds-richest-man-lol-8a775a22fdbb

Just a decade ago, one of the ESPN writers (Greenberg) posited that the Cubs and White Sox possessed the exact same local attendance. It was the regional tour groups and those who came from around the country/world due to the historic nature of Wrigley Field (and day baseball, to a lesser extent) that provided the Cubs another 25-35% on top of the local attendees. Not to mention the current disparity in corporate season tickets. When both teams are playing well (let’s say 2003-2008), the local numbers are basically a stalemate. Whether it’s 67/33 or 65/35 or even 60/40...it’s definitely not as lopsided as it appears now because of the dormant or inactive/in hiding Sox fans. You could probably argue the last half decade has shifted it another 5% or so towards the Cubs because of the last decade of kids in the city growing up with all Cubs, all the time...

Narvaez won’t repeat, Castillo isn’t on the next playoff roster (likely dumped at first opportunity to save some of his money), Collins will likely DH or play 1B and Zavala likely won’t be anything of significance.

Except who will they spend it on If Bryant is leaving and Rizzo is going to be phased out at roughly the same time?? Baez and Contreras (and catchers never age well) are your only two big ticket items if you can’t keep Bryant (or injury risk is too high). None of the other young names merit even $100 million investments at this point in their careers.

Essentially that solitary 10 fWAR season (out of 7) and “marketing” is being valued at $300 million in value. Three of the four best years came in his first four, as well. Are those great odds when you’re spending THAT much?

That would also give you five players in the lineup that should be counted on for 2.5-3.0 fWAR in Moncada, Anderson, Abreu, Puig, Grandal. You’ve got Robert and Madrigal that we can easily project there as well. That gives you seven. Leaving DH, and one OF position or 3B depending on Moncada...and you still have Collins/Davidson/Palka/Burger for the cheap DH option or go out and grab a Nelson Cruz. Add Brantley or Pollock at 3/$45, Grandal at 3/$42, god knows what Puig will get. CF Robert 2B Madrigal 3B Moncada DH ??? 1B Abreu RF Puig LF Brantley/Pollock C Grandal SS Anderson That gives you the best lineup in the Central, you go out and then add one veteran starting pitcher and two relievers over the next couple of offseasons. You don’t need to put all your eggs in Harper, Machado, Arenado. You can have a much more effective impact with Grandal, Brantley/Pollock, Puig and the three veteran pitchers to go with our young stable of prospects. Heck, you can even add Nelson Cruz for good measure, too. All of that for the same total spending as one Harper signing.

Because obviously they’re going to sign Yasiel Puig next year...all the Cubans (after Grandal, whose value was diminished by the postseason)! In all seriousness, Puig in terms of name recognition/marketing and at a much lower price tag is more of a Sox move than Harper. He’s somewhere between Belle and Machado on the character scale. And he would only be 28 next offseason, so that would work as well with the timeline. I’m not sure who else would move the scale. Arenado, maybe. Definitely not Rendon. Paul Goldschmidt, perhaps. We’re obviously not getting Trout. Ohtani would be another due to the Japanese media/marketing. I only mention Puig because he seems 5x or 10x more likely from a “Sox historical perspective” than Harper. He’s closer to the competing in 2020/21 timeline, too. 18.6 fWAR over 6 seasons, average of 3.1, with incredible variance...much like Harper, ranging from 5.1 to 1.1. Also similar to Harper, some of his biggest numbers were in his first couple of seasons in the big leagues. The problem is the last 4 years of Puig gives you a 2.4-2.5 average, but the last two an improved 3.2, which is worth how much to the White Sox? If you eliminate Harper’s 10 fWAR outlier season, he’s just 17.5 fWAR for 6 seasons, which is 1.1 less than Puig’s, actually. And 3 of Harper’s 7 best seasons were in his first four, another troubling sign. Yet Harper will get $400 million...it would seem MUCH wiser to sign the equivalent of 4 Puigs (one veteran starting pitcher, one elite reliever and someone like Grandal.) That way you’re adding 10-12, hopefully 15 fWAR at the same price in terms of total contract dollars as one Harper...and you’re spreading out that risk (or at least mitigating it) across 3-5 guys instead of putting all your eggs in one basket. Even a lineup with Grandal and Puig at $120-150 million should put up the bigger numbers than Harper at $400...and you still have roughly $250 million to play with, Rodon left to trade, maybe Abreu and the #3 pick in the draft.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/15/us/couple-homeless-man-gofundme/index.html Go Fund Me Scam "homeless guy loans $20 scam" revealed

Dodgers $204 M 25/$8.35 B 2014 2038 100% LINK Angels $118 M 20/$3 B 2012 2031 25% LINK Yankees $98 M 30/$5.7 B 2013 2042 20% LINK Red Sox $80 M 2006 80% LINK Mariners $76 M 18/$1.8 B 2014 2031 71% LINK Cubs $65 M 2004 2019 20% LINK Phillies $60 M 25/$2.5 B 2016 2040 25% LINK Astros $60 M 20/$1.6 B 2013 2032 No LINK Rangers $56 M 20/$1.6 B 2015 2034 10% LINK Tigers $55 M 10/$500 M 2009 2018 No LINK Giants $54 M 25/$1.75 B 2008 2032 30% LINK White Sox $51 M 2004 2019 20% LINK

I was simply talking about the INCREASE from our current numbers. The following post lists the regional (CSN Chicago/NBC-Universal) deal for the White Sox, which is at $51 million before it's renegotiated next year (includes WGN/WCIU, etc.) Then you have MLB Advanced Media, the BAM Tech deal...the Fox national deal, then ESPN/TBS/TNT/FS-1, etc. Just guessing, but we SHOULD be somewhere around the Mariners at $75 million...and that's not even considering the bump up with a Bryce Harper signing. While it's a bit strange to believe we'll have the 6th best deal in baseball after (we'll slot in after the Cubs) despite the rebuild and our terrible ratings over the last five years, it's actually quite possible and even logical because of the Chicago market's value. Another narrative to bust is the idea that fans are paying players’ salaries with tickets and hot dog sales (NODS AT GREG775). Look at how much baseball is making just from ONE national rights holder. It doesn’t include what ESPN pays MLB or what individual teams’ cable rights are worth. Those pay teams around $100 million annually on the high end and $20 million on the low end. Half the league is nestled between $35 million and $60 million. In 2018, total league salaries, according to Spotrac, were $4.1 billion — so you can see how TV rights alone give teams a decent headstart toward covering their payroll. And that doesn’t include all the other revenue streams like merchandise, digital rights and the money that MLB Advanced Media makes. For example: Every team got $50 million last year after BAM sold some of its assets to Disney. So with free agency about to kick up and the Winter Meetings around the corner, let’s use the new Fox-MLB deal as a reminder: MLB is healthy and has plenty of money. When players start landing eight -and nine-figure contracts, remember how much the league is bringing in. It’s just the players getting their fair share. https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-fox-strike-new-5-1b-tv-deal-proves-baseball-isnt-close-dying-183048053.html

So basically the White Sox are looking at conservatively $40-50 million coming in per year...beginning with the new local broadcasting rights deal in 2020 (combined with the FOX upgrade). Optimistically, that turns into $50-75 million MORE per year with a Harper signing.