ChiSox59

You guys find a video feed?

Every single team in major league baseball would do the same thing that the White Sox and the Blue Jays are going to do. Every. Single. One. Eloy may not like it, but I doubt he's going to hang it over the Sox heads 7 years down the line. If he is as good as people hope he is, he isn't resigning with the Sox anyhow. The Sox also reportedly offered Eloy a contract extension late last summer and would have brought him up then. He, understandably, rejected that. So, it was partially his call.

That would literally be the dumbest thing this organization could possibly do.

No stream even for mlb.tv customers (which I am), as far as I can tell. Audio only. shitty.

Big time typo from FS. Must be a hold over from last years article. Santiago signed a minor league deal with the Mets. Cedeno with the Cubs. Gomez with the Rangers. Rondon is still a FA.

Win, Win. Obvious loss.

Fair point. The third (and highly unlikely) option is they're willing to pay the price, but originally preferred Machado, for obvious reasons. They thought they had Machado sealed for the deal that's been rumored, and SD swooped in and stole him at the closing table. That's obviously on the White Sox and they done fuc*ked it right up....but its still conceivably possible that they're willing to go to $330M or whatever the number for Harper. But yah, i'd be floored if it happened, and I think its far more likely Harper told them from the get go that they'd need to pay a hefty premium for him to even consider an offer.

It just doesn't add up to me that the Sox were one of the few teams interested enough to meet with him in Vegas in December when the price tag was rumored to be $400M, apparently host him in Chicago (never officially confirmed, but UC Harper banner, etc.), and then he sits on the FA market for 75 more days without getting his ask, and now they're not interested? Doesn't make any sense. I don't think they'll offer what it would take to get him, but they're either still interested, or Harper has outright told him there is no interest on his end.

Other people have reported in recent days that the sox are in still contact, etc.

This actually gives me more confidence that the Sox are still involved.

Yah, I said that. I am as pissed as anybody that they missed out on Machado. But the fact that they did offer a quarter of billion to one player with the chance for the deal to end up $50M higher than the one he ultimately accepted, it gives me at least a sliver of hope that eventually this team will land a marquee free agent. I prefer that they were in the race and seemingly in 2nd place than sitting in out completely like other teams in similar spots to the Sox like the Twins, Blue Jays, Rays, A's, Mets, Brewers, etc...

It doesn't mean anything - to use one of Hahn's favorite words, it is binary - but they DID bid more than 28 other clubs.

Is there any real reason some of you seem more hopeful as it pertains to Harper this morning?

Sure, it’s inoortant in the context that it’s $8M (his buyout is $1M). But it’s not some huge sum hamstringing any org, and it won’t prohibit teams from being interested trading for him this summer. I bet Hahn could trade Alonso now if he wanted to, but I highly doubt we see them admit failure like that.

Alonso may be a tad overpaid, but the dude makes $8M. It’s nothing.

I hope we just roll with Gonzalez or Basabe for July-September in CF.

Jose can still really hit. Would have no problem with a 3 year extension in the $45M range.

No one here really thinks that, though. Maybe a couple hopefuls is all.

You can’t convince me that those gloves weren’t made in anticipation of signing with the Sox. Impossible.

Disgusting, really.

I think it would be awful, but I wouldn’t be that surprised at this point. Never been super negative towards this front office and felt they turned a corner, but this offseason has just been terrible. Ervin is a fine milb deal guy. The $4.3M is whatever. But Hahn and Co have literally done nothing to improve this rebuild process this offseason. That’s the real bummer about the last week.

Sure, but adding flexibility to a young guy that’s at least a little interesting and out of options isn’t a bad idea.

That would help, but I just don't see it.

FFS, why even bother with Jones or Gonzalez. This place is going to explode.

Machado has also been described as a lazy, has exhibited dirty behaviors on the field and seems like the type that could coast once getting a huge payday. Harper seems just the opposite. Also important factors.