caulfield12

There was an assumption somewhere along the way that the Sox were getting $100 million in revenue sharing...there's no evidence to support that.

But zero plus tools...that was always the downside, when college hit tools have to carry a player.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42622206/mlb-offseason-2024-25-free-agency-willy-adames-shortstop

Well, they don't have a quality fielding SS to anchor the infield...assuming the scouting on Montgomery holds. Will be interesting to see what HaSeong Kim gets in free agency coming off shoulder surgery but a 6 fWAR two seasons ago.

The problem as always been JR weighing in on first round draft picks. It's not a shocker that one of our recent Top 15 picks in Jacob Gonzalez is nowhere to be found on the BA top prospects list. That pick was second guessed from the very beginning by nearly everyone.

Or a social worker in the medical/hospital field lol...

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42821944/rhp-clay-holmes-new-york-mets-reach-3-year-38-million-deal Clay Holmes 3/$38 million to start for the Mets...

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42819816/shane-bieber-cleveland-guardians-reach-1-year-14-million-deal You're leaving out a $4 million possible buyout coming off TJS...so guaranteed a minimum of $14 million. $16 million player option for 2026. Danny Jansen also signed for $8.5 million/1 season...with the cash-poor Rays of all teams.

How many indoor stadiums do you enjoy watching baseball in? You want a dome and to cut off all views of the lake and downtown...then the only thing that would be special about the experience would have to be the (theoretically) successful Sox teams of the future playing to a home field advantage like the Blue Jays and Twins back in the day.

So Robert saying he actually haf thoughts of retiring in the middle of this season isn't as bad as Kopech? Kopech has already taken off the Covid year partially to deal with mental health/personal issues...his life has been a fish bowl existence even as a legendary high schooler in Texas. A number of his dating/relationship choices weren't ideal... But by this argument Tim Anderson was the "weakest" for being completely out of the sport at age 31/32 partially due to mental health/off-field issues.

Graveman and Mr. Steak and Potatoes hardly seemed to care if Liam Hendriks was living or dead. Were they any better? Lots of dirty laundry in 2023 spilled out. The 2024 team just did a better job of not turning on each other because there were a lot more unproven younger players and the majority of vets were already out the door. Are the Sox really any better off now, though? They are younger and cheaper and more profitable or loss-averse from a financial standpoint.

But then that’s nearly everyone. A team-wide infection. Anderson, Grandal, pretty much the entire pitching staff after spider tack, all the veteran bullpen guys but Hendriks, the only common denominator is the White Sox. The one who guy with a really positive outlook and persistent approach was Burger, but we got rid of him, too. The somewhat likable players like Vaughn and Sheets are/were average to below average…so doesn’t leave you much to build around other than 3 pitching prospects and Quero/Montgomery, if they can actually stay healthy and live up to their potential.

Outside of Quero/Montgomery, it would almost be a miracle if any of those second/third tier guys ended up at 2.0 or higher. Maybe Baldwin could come close if he at least played a major league average SS, but that would be largely unexpected IMO.

The number of fans going to see Severino specifically would probably cancel out Benintendi-specific fans in Chicago. The willingness to spend/invest is the key aspect here, as noted. And at least they have the makings of a young offensive core out there...Rooker picked up some MVP votes.

Think of all the money saved from twenty years of Sox second round busts, though... They would have accumulated enough to fix their hypothetical (dating back to 80s threat to move) St. Pete dome roof that wasn't exactly hurricane-proof.

The Athletics' move to southern Nevada is expected to take a major step forward Thursday when the 30-year lease, non-relocation and development documents are likely to be approved by the Las Vegas Stadium Authority following a rise in the estimated cost of the ballpark by $250 million to $1.75 billion. Those agreements could be the last major hurdles before construction can begin in the spring on a Las Vegas Strip stadium projected to open for the start of the 2028 season, a ballpark in which underseat cooling is planned. https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/oakland-athletics/construction-athletics-las-vegas-ballpark-major-step-cost-rises/1809939/

BREAKING: Right-hander Luis Severino and the A’s are in agreement on a three-year, $67 million contract, sources tell ESPN. It is the largest guarantee in the history of the A’s franchise. And even with the qualifying offer attached, Severino got well over market expectations. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 5, 2024 The deal is the largest free-agent contract in Athletics franchise history, and it included a $10 million signing bonus and opt-out clause following the second season, per Passan. https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/oakland-athletics/ 2024 3.91 ERA/1.24 WHIP

They were the only team behind the White Sox in revenues in 2024...and are going into a AAA stadium for at least the next three seasons. Puts the White Sox plight under the microscope even more, when trading Fedde was also about shedding future salary to an extent. So Jessie Scholtens...please come back. Or Flexen.

Feels like every time the Mets needed a big hit down the stretch either Iglesias or Lindor were coming up like clockwork...that kind of thing is serendipity in baseball.

*And made a concerted run at Judge as well...like the Bulls, never able to land the marquee franchise-altering superstar. ***Red Sox and Cubs no longer considered legitimate compensation for every big name FA.

https://nypost.com/2024/12/03/sports/dodgers-signing-juan-soto-and-roki-sasaki-would-be-devastating-for-mlb/ Dodgers signing Sasaki AND Sota would be devastating (competitive balance) Or would it actually threaten the Dodgers' financial standing, at least the Soto $600-700 million theoretical contract? (we haven't seen any consequences as of yet)

Watch out for a Ray-Ray missive on the evils of cable monopolies coming in 3-2-1.... He's not wrong, it's just probably not the most powerful US capitalistic monopoly to be confronting at this point.

Looks like we should hire their father/high school coach, lol... CARY, N.C.—Phillip Maton ran track at Eastern Illinois, and his wife Ellen played volleyball there. While their second-oldest son, Marc, ran track at Southeast Missouri State, the other three boys, Phil, Nick and Jacob, have turned the Matons into a baseball family. “I kind of stuck to baseball from an early age, and they kind of in turn followed,” said Phil, the oldest Maton boy. On June 11, the Matons gathered around a computer at their home in Indiana and watched as Phil, a righthanded reliever, made his MLB debut with the Padres. They traveled to Wrigley Field the next week to see him pitch in person. Two days after Phil made his debut, Nick, the third-oldest, was drafted in the seventh round by the Phillies. In his pro debut with short-season Williamsport on June 27, he made a diving catch at shortstop for the last out of the game. Jacob, the youngest, just finished his junior season at Glenwood High in Chatham, Ill. He had his moment competing at the Tournament of Stars at the USA Baseball National Training Complex this week. https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/maton-brothers-work-together-to-shine-on-diamond/

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/42760649/dodgers-deferred-payments-top-1-billion-7-players Meanwhile, the White Sox, if they keep deferring improving the team in any appreciable way via FA might only be worth a valuation of $1 billion over the span of the next five to ten years without a new stadium...

Not to be confused with LHP Phil Maton...fwiw.