Lip Man 1

Hahn was directly quoted by the mainstream media during the Jay press conference via phone (I believe it was the Jay presser) that "he'd sleep better at night" if the Sox added another arm to the rotation.

That is more than likely a recipe for disaster.

Ed is a terrific analyst...as a play by play guy...not even close.

They are signing everybody in the league it seems. So much for that Luxury Tax being a deterrent for them.

This morning broadcaster Marty Brennaman announced this year will be his last season as the voice of the Cincinnati Reds. Brennaman will retire after 46 seasons as the Reds lead broadcaster. He first took over for Al Michaels who left for ABC Sports in 1974. (Michaels by the way was the preferred choice of Roland Hemond and Chuck Tanner to take over as the lead White Sox broadcaster when Bob Elson was let go after the 1970 season. Owner John Allyn felt that Sox fans wouldn't respond to someone that young being in that position. When Harry Caray became available he got the job. Michaels was the voice of the Hawaii Islanders the Sox Triple A affiliate which is how he knew Hemond and Tanner) Throughout his Hall of Fame career Brennaman called Pete Rose’s record-breaking 4,192nd career hit, Hank Aaron’s record-tying 714th home run and three World Series victories. He also worked 11 Final Fours and the infamous Kentucky-Duke 1992 Regional Final. He also a few years ago had that diatribe against Cub fans which was well received by folks on the South Side! ?

Jayson Stark is tweeting that what he and Ken Rosenthal have heard consistently this week is that the Harper / Machado derby could drift into February before being resolved.

Just for the record it was 10 straight losses to open the 1968 season. let's not make it any worse than it was.

Just for the record it was 10 straight losses to open the 1968 season. let's not make it any worse than it was.

Don't know if this was posted but Heyman tonight on the MLB network said that he has been told Machado will not sign for anything less then Stanton's record breaking deal and that if he has to wait until the season starts, or even sit the year out, he will. Personally I find that hard to fathom but that what he said.

Unless they somehow seriously upgraded their starting rotation they aren't contending for anything in 2019 let alone win 80-90 games. 2019 is for the continued development of the young players while trying to show gradual improvement in terms of wins until the prospects start coming up in boatloads. The vets can help stabilize this process while being possible trade pieces if everything goes badly south.

30 home runs? Really? OK then.... I can say he's still a butcher in the outfield Yea there is something to watching Avi make a fool of himself in the outfield or on the bases. Comedic relief. Look the guy had his chances, he had one good fluke season, other than that he's been out of shape or hurt and he admitted publicly a few years ago that he was out of shape to one of the mainsteam newspapers and vowed it wouldn't happen again. That lost me right there...a pro athlete who has all the incentive in the world to be in top shape to perform...and he didn't. No thank you. John Jay is not going to move the needle that much in all probability... OK, I get that. But he's here for one year tops and maybe not even that depending on how fast the Sox prospects advance but frankly I'd rather see him for one year then the same outfield garbage we've been seeing for the past several years. Guys who can't stay healthy (the Garcia boys), guys who can't hit (Engle) or guys who need to be full time DH's (Palka) At least in Palka's case the jury is still out on him. He may be a valuable player off the bench in a few years if the Sox are good. We'll see.

I have a hard time thinking Sale will return given the issues between him and the front office. They seem personal not professional to me. Always a chance if the Sox drastically overpay (which JR doesn't do for pitchers usually) but the odds seems to me to be vvvvvveeeeerrrrryyyyy long.

Three names on that list who I don't think will succeed or remain healthy. Would like to see the Sox bring in one more solid guy if they can.

Then the Sox have nothing to worry about...they won't be in any pressure games for awhile longer.

I have to agree with this. Eventually I assume it will come out what Machado signed for, what the Sox offer was and if they were given a chance to submit something to match the winning offer. Depending on those figures then everyone can fairly judge Hahn regarding his comment on "the money will be there." If the Sox made the best offer and Machado (or Harper) sign elsewhere for less then one has to assume the other factors surrounding this franchise were the difference.

This story also says the Sox are looking at Martinez of the Cardinals, who has no real position now and started in the Sox organization I believe: https://www.mlb.com/news/2018-2019-mlb-free-agents-and-trade-rumors/c-297641124?tid=282421090

It's possible Manny takes less to play for the Yankees but somehow I think their offer is going to top everyone's. The questions then would be what did the Sox offer? How much less? and were they given a chance to match or beat the Yankees offer in the negotiations.

We won't know for sure until it eventually leaks what Manny signed for and what the Sox offered. Sox always seem to be in the mix (A-Rod, Tanaka) but always wind up short. Until we know the figures though you can't say anything one way or the other about Hahn / JR (but I'm guessing when the numbers do come out the Sox will probably be significantly short. Then they'd have some explaining to do to the fan base as to why given Hahn's public comments about "the money being there..."

Please...no Covey.

No

Kenley Jensen of the Dodgers has already been quoted as talking about the possibility of a strike and I recently read a story talking about the same thing because of the issues that are coming to a head between the MLBPA and the owners. And naturally, the next labor deal expires just at the time the Sox are supposed to be good. 1981, 1994 and ? It figures in a White Sox sort of way....doesn't it? ?

Don't know if it was a decade, more like six years wasn't it? Regardless again just my opinion, I'd take six years of great play with one or two World Series appearances like Detroit had any day of the week. Beats the shit we've basically been dealing with for the past 12 years. A run like that, would help solve a lot of the issues surrounding this franchise.

Would have been better if he had alluded to a source on this as opposed to a very blase' generic tweet that most Sox fans figured was still in play.

#1 easily. The Sox have already accomplished #2. The state of this franchise right now is that they badly meed a run of sustained success even if that doesn't mean a title simply multiple playoff appearances. TV ratings are rock bottom, fan interest is iffy, and they are the only one of the original 16 major league franchises to have never made the playoffs in consecutive seasons. (To say nothing of trying to become relevant again in their own home market) Having four or five good years in a row will solve a lot of their problems and issues.