caulfield12

Christian Walker? For?

Only if Balta, Rabbit and SS2k5 are the guest moderators...

Selling XX amount of season tickets over two months. Of course, using logic I only see in the local tourist industry, if they lost 10-15% the following year in renewals, they’d simply increase prices 10-15% and it would balance out. Or they planned on spending in 2019-20 all along and felt it would be easier to get those fans already invested with ticket packages to follow through with a renewal when they finally signed Gerrit Cole, for example. Exposure to product, bringing in new customers instead of making their loyal, long time ticket holders happy...because those guys who are really loyal are stuck with the Sox brand for better or worse. Now that’s a conspiracy theory for you. Basic incompetence or arrogance or lack of preparation/research, though, seems even worse.

One can only wonder if Robert, Moncada and Abreu were Dominican...would it have made the difference, or a difference? Because obviously Alonso, Jay, Castillo, Nova and Herrera on short term deals wasn’t going to cut it....just seems that all we hear (or used to hear, until Jose fell off a cliff offensively) about is that we have to keep Abreu around to mentor the younger Cubans and be a mentor/role model for them. I know everyone will say it’s only about the Benjamin’s, but not sure it’s so cut-and-dried as that.

So why waste all that time and energy if they were so confident in Moncada and Anderson at third and SS? Seems strange they were invested in Machado at third for $250 million (keeping Moncada at second) but not for $300 million...which was the WELL-KNOWN asking price all along. The only conclusion is that they didn’t have a firm handle on how committed the Padres were 1) to spend more even with Myers and Hosmer deals on the books, 2) to pair Tatis and Machado together as early as Opening Day and 3) their pledge to put the best 25 players out there regardless of service time. Along with the weather (Manny was already familiar with SoCal due to Dodgers’ stint) and the Padres having the best farm system, a nicer stadium and better attendance, it wasn’t that hard to choose.

You have coined a new name for SoxFest...if they similarly strike out again in the free agency market, it will instead be Torches&PitchforksFest for Rick “Gaston” Hahn. They must have been convinced by the San Diego Union Tribune team finance articles that the Padres didn’t have the money...and were bluffing.

Stole and Cordell last two days...sigh. Poor Mendick.

https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds Currently projected to be in a battle with the Mariners for the 6th pick, 69-93. First time this season their predicted win total has fallen under 70. Luckily the NL is all bunched up together except for the Marlins...Mets and Reds attempted to compete, etc.

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/milwaukee-brewers/chase-anderson-12082/ Some were speculating Chase Anderson was a FA option this offseason...he’s likely still under Brewers’ control for two more years.

Those last eight words of your second sentence are what many of us are afraid of...allocated, but not altogether wisely.

1985-88esque when Calderon was one of the better hitters

4-16, outscored 104-55 if this score holds up. Sox “second wave” bullpen will probably add on 2-4 runs. Nice in-person audition for Wheeler. Someone should really interview Cooper for his thoughts on Zach after the game.

Don’t cancel the postgame show, Wheeler’s earning another $25 million by padding his stats against this AAAA lineup...

Same problem with López despite throwing as hard as he does...

The White Sox/Hahn apparently don’t believe in any of those three or Mendick would be up now and Castillo/Reed DFA’ed.

You’re forgetting another Top 4-6 pick in 2020...seems we say that every year now.

They’re almost back in the WC hunt...look at the standings. Unfortunately, after next series, their schedule turns really difficult. White Sox outscored 100-55 during this 4-15 stretch since ASB. Abreu 0 for his last 31.

Greg could have volunteered in the front office and opined...”please compare his stuff from 2014-15 to present day and past overuse in KC.” Not hard to foresee that he was on the downside. If you’re betting on rebounds, go after someone like Carl Edwards, Jr., that won’t cost much more than a Tilson, Engel or Cordell. Find four guys like that and one will have a Kahnle-like season and three will stumble. Still better risk that $15-20 million on “established” veteran setup guys.

That’s still far from $200+ million for a pitcher and $300+ million for a position player (Rendon won’t get nearly that much due to age and injury history)...and reported offers and deals signed are two quite distinct things. Anything over $75 million for one player would be shocking because this time around none of the free agents are 26 years old and in their primes.

Too much talent surrendered from our depleted farm system to acquire...and they’re stuck with Cano, for those still trying to get rid of Madrigal...just not a fit. They have Alonso, no need for Vaughn. Dunning isn’t healthy.

More than anything, Dye wanted an opportunity to play everyday...remember, those A's teams he was on were REALLY good back then, but he was getting more expensive for a cash-strapped team. At any rate, that's hardly an indictment, that a player kept his word. The White Sox treated AJ Pierzynski fairly, kept him around for something like 8 years, and still bring him back to be around the broadcast booth even though 1/2 the people in baseball hate his guts. Lee is the definition of a LF with big numbers in the traditional categories who would be around a 2-2.5 fWAR player today...he wasn't worth huge, superstar money, as teams like the Astros discovered later. There's no point to list all 8 or 9 players they exchanged, basically, for those 3. Jay's piddling $4 million contract is a lot less than Herrera's two year deal for a lot more money (albeit it has been terrible) Every team goes through a backlash with a popular veteran when they leave....arguably, the White Sox held onto guys from 2005 like Konerko, Contrera and Paulie well beyond their shelf life...at any rate, if the Cardinals kept Pujols or the Yankees kept Robinson Cano, just to placate their fans...they woudn't have been competitive as they were without those players. Of course, this requires investing or spending those "saved" contractual dollars wisely, which hasn't exactly transpired with the exception of the Luis Robert signing, and McCann for 3 months.

Why did they let Belle walk? Why did they put a diminished skills clause in Thomas' contract? Why did they let Ventura leave as a player? Why did Dye/Pierzynski take less money in 05 to come to the Sox? Well, because Dye was coming off a broken leg and AJ was run out of SF because he completely alienated himself in less than one season from nearly every pitcher and member of the coaching staff. Why did they trade Lee before the 05 season? They traded Lee and let Valentin and Ordonez go in order to fit in all of hte 2004-2005 additions that would lead to a World Series winner in 2005, specifically to change the top of the line-up with Pods/Iguchi and fit Freddy Garcia/Jose Contreras onto the expense report. Why did they go to Paulie and AJ when trying to get Dunn and have them delay their salary to sign him? Why do they seem to trade for guys with 2-3yrs left on their contract rather than singing a guy for 5-6yrs in FA? Why did you just dump money with the Nate Jones trade? What happened in this past offseason? Jon Jay was your biggest FA acquisition Well, no, Herrera was... Let that sink in. We met with Bryce at the beginning of FA, had the United Center photo leaked and never another word. The amount of Jersey sales/ticket sales would of paid at least half his salary this is not true because that amount is shared/split with the rest of teams and wouldn't come close to $15 million...ticket sales included, we're talking $5-7.5 million if it's anything like what Philly experienced and that is not counting the endorsement money from being on the cover of gamesthat in and of itself has no impact on the Phillies. And the Machado thing... He literally said he wanted $300M and the Sox literally had no competition all offseason until it was leaked their offer was under $200M. And what did he do? Signed for $300M like her he said. They saw early on backlash from the fans, and then they had better play from Moncada/Giolitto and the rest of the team. And people got excited and went to games. And they are trying to sell us the same garbage as last offseason. And people are not gonna buy it. And we are gonna go into next season with the same results, but this time Robert and Madrigal are going to be on the team doing what Eloy/Moncada/Giolito did this year. And it is just a big circle jerk. This teams problem is pitching, and they REFUSE to pay more than 3yrs to a pitcher John Danks and Mark Buehrle had 5 and 4 year contracts, but yeah....6+ years would be shocking, and they generally haven't take huge risks with free agent pitchers coming from outside the organization So you are not being "objective" by thinking this is gonna change. People DO NOT CHANGEif you look at the Sox payrolls from 2006-2013, you'll discover that they were in the Top Ten, even Top 5 a couple of times, but probably averaged 8-10th in baseball (not saying that all that money was spent WISELY), they just don't. Jerry cares about money. There is a reason FAs do not sign with the Bulls, and it is not because they have to live up to MJ. It is because he is cheap and puts dumb clauses in contracts. Why? Because Jerry is cheap! Mostly, they've been terrible at talent identification and development...and equally poor with major league scouting (at least ever since they acquired Eaton, Floyd, Danks and Quentin before 2008) Luis Robert, Moncada, Giolito, Anderson, Jimenez, Vaughn and Madrigal are who they're going "all in" with...if they're wrong, they won't have jobs 2-3 years from now.

This is why the Lester move was so important to the Cubs...it proved to fans they were of the mindset to go out and compete with the best for talent. Obviously, Epstein already had an “in” there, but we all have the money, theoretically.

Oh-uh...no energy to counter this in a positive way but there are about 5-6 inaccuracies or embellishments here. Someone else can take you to task.