Eminor3rd

But yeah, don’t stress over kevan Smith

I’m guessing that McCann was not plan A

I don’t think it’s “quit being a fan”-worthy, in terms of rooting for my team, but I do think I’d have a really hard time rooting for his success. And I would feel very uncomfortable if he was, say, leading us to a World Series. So overall, i hope he doesn’t end up with the White Sox. I think I have a softer stance than most think I should, but let me be clear that it is NOT because I am not outraged at the idea of him molesting a child. Rather, I think it’s because I just don’t know what really happened. At the end of the day, it is hard to believe something bad didn’t happen, but... I don’t know maybe it’s just how my brain works that I tend toward neutral on things where I don’t feel like I know all the facts. Like - it is PLAUSIBLE that the child made stuff up for any number of reasons and that he did just follow bad advice pleading guilty. I accept it isn’t likely. But it is possible. And... I don’t know, I guess I sort of liken it to not being comfortable with capital punishment because of the fact that we know SOME people on death row are actually innocent, even though most aren’t — my brain just has trouble supporting vengeance in an instance where I can’t be totally sure that the vengeance is actually warranted. It just. It give me pause. I think if we actually had details about what happened, I would very easily and clearly be more on the “don’t even let this guy play” side — not because criminals don’t have a right to live their lives after they do their time, but because if it’s all true, the guy should be in jail doing time right now. And it’s weird because I objectively know that whatever happened probably deserves that, but I just cant commit to it emotionally because I can’t be sure that it’s really true. It’s a nuanced thing that I can’t feel comfortable with and I wish the whole thing simply didn’t happen.

It’s just reshuffling relief innings to the only point in the game where you know you’re going to face the best hitters. It makes sense because there’s a ton of evidence that suggests that the “times through the order” effect is more about hitters becoming familiar with the pitcher arsenal than it is about pitcher fatigue. So if you protect your starter against the top of the lineup the first time around, now when he faces them in the third or fourth inning it’s still it’s the first time they’re seeing him. The advantage is even more significant when your starters is a guy with a limited arsenal, as he should theoretically be hurt by the times through the order effect even more, since he has fewer “tricks” to show. And that’s essentially exactly what you’ve seen the Rays/A’s do — use it before they throw a swingman type who has good stuff but lacks a third pitch or good enough command to go deep. The opener would have had to relieve the guy anyway, but this way he cuts out the top of the order, instead of waiting to have to bail the “starter” out of trouble in an unpredictable situation. The inning you “burned” early is really just racked on to the other side of the starter’s outing. All that said - no, the Sox shouldn’t use it this year. It’s a win-now strategy that covers deficits in a rotation. This is still development time, where we seek to limit those deficits in the future.

Is it time to break this thing out again? I’ve only ever used it sarcastically, but now I feel like I want to join:

I can tell you with 100% certainty that dwindling attendance and viewership makes it extremely difficult to sell and renew corporate sponsorships. The team will never be close to going broke, but a substantial increase in fan apathy will absolutely hit the bottom line.

This is exactly what got us to the point of needing to rebuild in the first place. Targeting second and third rate talent, refusing to step up for elite talent.

How do you figure? Look at all the offers that leaked. Both players signed for the highest guaranteed dollars. This stuff isn’t rocket science. For once, the old analogy works backward: Hahn is trying to play 4D chess in damn game of checkers!

By then they’ll have signed four or five average players for $40-60m apiece, and Hahn will point to it and tell us that the “money was spent.” Then Eloy is going to sign with the Tigers and lead their next window of contention.

They were damn near unwatchable last year, when I still felt like the franchise was at least trying to win. I can’t imagine I’ll feel like spending much time on them this season. Sure as hell am not buying merchandise.

Shoot - Based on the way inflation works and the probably larger % of the financial pie the players who’ll be lobbying for in the coming decades, the PHILLIES might not even have that albatross. $25m could very well be what a 2 WAR player makes in... 2090 or whenever the hell that contract ends

Machado and Harper signed for $300m and $330m respectively, with one opt-out combined between them. Neither AAV sets a record. And the White Sox didn’t get either of them. The White Sox have a total of $15m committed to next year’s payroll.

How do you know this?

And yet it wouldn’t even have been the biggest currently active contract in baseball. It wouldn’t have been the biggest currently active AAV in baseball. In a few days, it won’t even be the biggest contract or AAV in this current free agent period. Despite the fact that Machado was, considering age, premium position, and track record, the second best free agent in history, behind Alex Rodriguez. And the White Sox payroll commitments, I’m guessing, are by far the lowest of all the Chicago sports teams, at least in terms of rank in the league. Adjusted for era, they might even be the lowest in the history of the franchise. If you’re going to contextualize an event, you have to look at all of it.

The amount of innings they complete is irrelevant — it’s an arbitrary number the pitcher can’t control. It’s about the amount of effective pitches they can throw. It’s about building mental and physical endurance. If Lopez throws 100 great pitches, but only gets through four because Palka ran the wrong direction on a pop up, it’s a still positive outing. If that leads to the bullpen being taxed, well then we call up fucking Chris Volstad again. Unfortunately, the W’s just don’t matter yet.

The coaches should take them out of the game before that becomes a concern.

It won’t make enough of a difference to affect the pitchers’ development. Might affect their ERAs a bit, make them throw a few more pitches here and there, but they’ll need to tough through that if they’re going to eventually be good anyway. Jones/CarGo aren’t good OFers either at this stage of their careers.

They don’t want to attract free agents. Hold him down — they need every extra minute they can get if they’re ever going to have a prayer.

Nothing. Give players development time. Signing a rando just to add one or two wins does the franchise harm at this point.

Shields is your ace.

Four million bucks to keep Dylan Covey from having to pitch.

This ^ He’s an extremely frustrating player. The talent is enticing but we shouldn’t be giving up any high upside prospects for him. Especially since we’ll never sign a good free agent. The way to do this now is pure, mass numbers on the farm system. Gotta get like the Rays where you have more decent guys than you can even play, even if none of them are stars. Then we can sign veteran role players to fill the gaps. Heavy platoons, specialized bullpens, etc.

You guys are missing the point. The rebuild didn’t hinge on Manny Machado, but it DOES hinge on the team being willing to spend money on the stuff they need the most. There will never be an opportunity to do so that was easier and made more sense than this one. So if not now, when? On an older player? When bidding against the Yankees and Dodgers? This isn’t about them missing the player, this is about them fucking up the process. And, specifically, in a way that just happens to be “cheap” as opposed to simply incompetent. This does not bode well, my friends.

OK EVERYONE, THIS IS GOING TO BE MY LAST FACEBOOK POST. MY PERSONAL VIEWS ON PRIVACY SIMPLY CANNOT ALLPW ME TO CONTINUE TO BE VICTIMIZED BY ADVERTISERS. PLUS YOU GUYS HAVE ALL SEEN MY POSTS AND OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW IMMJUST KILLIN IT WITH MY LIFE AND I DONT NEED TO KEEP CONVINCING YOU. MANY OF YOU WONT BE SURPRISED BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW EDGY AND ABOVE EVERYTHING I AM. SO IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IN TOUCH, MESSAGE ME FOR ME PERMANENT CONTACT INFORMATION. UM BUT YEAH, I WONT DEACTIVATE THE ACCOUNT UNTIL SUNDAY IF YOU GUYS LIKE WANT TO TALK ME OUT OF IT OR WHATEVER

I'm not saying he won't make any, just that he shouldn't.