almagest

I think this is true. Lozano took final bids, White Sox fell short. I don't necessarily fault them for that particular sequence of events, its just everything leading up to it. We should never have been in a situation where the Padres could jump in and make a fair offer and beat us.

It's honestly under fair value if you price WAR ~$9m and wouldn't cripple the franchise because they have few other commitments. This was their best opportunity to buy a superstar and they failed. They also brought in two guys who shouldn't be on this team and still failed. Now they look like idiots. I honestly don't know how you're able to spin this into a positive.

If it's not Bryce Harper then don't even bother mentioning it.

How is 10/300 insane?

It's also absolutely mind-boggling that the White Sox signed Jay and traded in-division for Alonso and ended up without Machado. I just can't get over it. What a disaster.

I agree. There's no need for either of them right now, so swallow your pride and find partners or DFA/trade them both. Let them sign somewhere better for them and for us.

The White Sox absolutely have to sign Harper now. There's really no other option. It's not even just the talent he has and the value he has on and off the field at ~35 mil/yr. It's also the perception value here. This franchise right now is as low as I can remember it being. They need a redemption badly, and nothing like Harper is coming any time in the next few years.

That obviously didn't matter to Machado. Know who you are trying to sign a contract with and adjust your offer accordingly.

If they're so loyal why not guarantee the last 2 years? He'll have absolutely given you his best in the previous years so take care of him 100% from the get go.

Those options would likely never vest because no way he'd be worth that much when he's 35/36 and he knows it. Otherwise god damnit that offer is SO CLOSE. If they guaranteed those two years he'd be a White Sox now. Make the same offer to Harper but at 10 guaranteed with 31.25/yr and 35 in the last two and you're at 320 million.

It's not even that. It's nice to know you are able to fail. People who don't think they can fail are going to be super conservative. The problem is the Sox apparently don't hire people who take real risks and don't have a culture where you (apparently) can even do that.

It's not even winning tbh. That obviously doesn't matter. It's getting shit on by media and fans. It's proving that this team deserves to be an irrelevant laughingstock. I'm hoping that's what pisses Jerry and the front office off enough to push them to sign Harper. He won't be getting some absurd 10/400+ number like some speculated. I really think if we push above 10/325 or something we get him and that should be plenty palatable to the White Sox, especially knowing what the market has been set at and what they obviously misunderstood about it.

It's well-deserved unless its someone in the same tier as Harper or Machado.

Failing to sign a game-changing free agent when everything has lined up in your favor is absolutely an organizational failure. This isn't just on Jerry.

I'll care more about what TA thinks when he's putting up Manny numbers.

Well he lost to fucking SAN DIEGO. The team we all heard was buried in debt and couldn't reasonably sign a top tier free agent. The team that had never had a payroll close to what the Sox had. Maybe sit this next one out, Jerry. Just sign the god damn Harper contract when it comes across your desk.

Yeah, youre right. I thought I saw 70+ on him but I can't find it now. That's still great. He'll need to hit for more power and draw more walks though for sure. Let's see what he can do in a full season with no prior injuries and fatigue. If he's still a 300/315/390 type then I'll be alarmed.

The more I think about it the more I think this is key. You are incredibly lucky to see TWO franchise talents in the prime of their career in one free agent class. We never thought this would happen. You horribly blew one, so now make sure the other doesn't get away. If Harper signs to anything resembling a reasonable deal with another team I think I'm gonna start a "Sell the teams, Jerry" billboard fund for right outside GRate & the UC.

I wouldn't put Madrigal in that boat yet. Yeah he's a high floor guy but that's because he's got a 70 or 80 hit tool and plays good D up the middle. That's super rare and you bet on him being able to develop a little power and/or some better selectivity to walk more.

I have a huge backlog of video games I'll be working through!

That's fine, you trade from that depth to fill other holes. And not every one of those guys is going to hit, much less put up the kind of numbers Bryce Harper can.

I know. None of you know me very well because I seldom post but I have been defending this organization and trusting them to be working to put the best product on the field throughout this rebuild. Today shows me that either that's not true or it could never be true because of their organizational philosophy (or just general incompetence). I would be one of the last people to say "I'm not watching or attending any games" yet here we are. This is absolutely not where this organization should be right now and its really sad.

Where?

It's not spite. It's not supporting a product that doesn't provide any value to us. The Sox are entertainment. I can find other ways to enjoy myself that aren't an embarrassment to a whole industry.

This is exactly what needs to happen but it won't and that makes me sick to my stomach.