Lip Man 1

Very good article at MLB.com looking back at which teams exactly are signing players to "mega-deals". Losing teams often are getting these guys as much as winning ones it seems: https://www.mlb.com/news/harper-machado-and-history-of-mlb-mega-deals/c-301873580?tid=282421090

According to MLB.com the Cubs are now interested in Tulo.

There's nothing wrong with Palka coming off the bench in late inning situations to pinch hit because he is a long ball threat plus maybe playing in the field or at DH once or twice a week. If they were to get Harper there would still be some at bats for him.

Interesting move. What it means for the possibility of getting Machado and what this could mean for Jose' (trade in the works?) remains to be seen. But there is also one other connection here that could come into play. Alonzo is tight, very tight with Grandel. In fact Grandel was quoted as saying about Alonzo, "it seems we're always a package deal..." The two both left Cuba at a young age, both started in the Reds organization where they became friends, both were traded to San Diego for Matt Latos (LOL). Alonzo called him and Grandel "bros." Just another thing to watch for moving forward.

Considering they don't want to rush the kid catchers this is an OK move. Needed to get someone.

All you need to know about the Sox bullpen last year is this. They blew and lost 16 games where they had the lead going into the 7th inning or later. With the Sox needing to show some improvement in 2019 both in the win / lose column and with players considered a vital part of the rebuild, the quickest and easiest way to disillusion both the fan base and said players is to start blowing games left and right yet again. Fix the damn bullpen and if you have to give guys two / three year deals you do it. That way assuming the team is ready to go in 2020 you'll have one less thing to worry about and if the rebuild blows apart, you can deal these guys perhaps for prospects. Win / win to me.

Gio

https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/tampa-bay-rays-owner-ybor-city-stadium-deal-dead-for-now/1653264558 Looks like the Rays are staying in the Tropicana Dome at least for the next few years.

Harold's Best White Sox Moments: April 17, 1980 - Future Sox star Harold Baines collected his first major league hit. It came off Yankee pitcher Mike Griffin in New York. Baines would have an outstanding career with 2,866 hits. His number #3 was first retired by the team in 1989 when he was traded to Texas. May 9, 1984 - Harold Baines ended the longest game, inning-wise, in American League history when he blasted a home run in the 25th inning to give the Sox a 7-6 win over Milwaukee. The 8:06 length of the game set a Major League record. Tom Seaver got the win in relief in the marathon contest which started on May 8 and was suspended, then came back and won the regularly scheduled game later that same evening when the Sox won 5-4. For the night Seaver threw a little over nine innings allowing only four hits. May 26, 1996 - For the first time in franchise history the Sox hit four home runs in an inning. It happened in a 12-1 rout over the Brewers at Comiskey Park. In the eighth inning Frank Thomas, Harold Baines, Robin Ventura and Chad Kreuter all found the seats. July 7, 1982 - It was the coming out party for Sox outfielder Harold Baines. In a game in Chicago against the Tigers, Baines blasted three home runs in the Sox 7-0 win. One of his blasts was a grand slam. He’d drive in six of the Sox seven runs. Later that week at Toronto in a 16-7 win, he’d hammer two more home runs including a second grand slam and knock in five more RBI’s. No wonder he was named A.L. Player of the Week! September 17, 1983 - Before a packed house at Comiskey Park, Harold Baines hit a sacrifice fly driving in Julio Cruz with the run that won the American League West title for the Sox as they edged Seattle 4-3. The Sox went to the playoffs for the first time in 24 years, drew a then record, season attendance of over two million fans and had the best record in baseball at 99-63. They’d win the division by a record 20 games over second place Kansas City. September 17, 1984 - Harold Baines became the only player in franchise history to have more than one game with three home runs. Baines had his first three homer game in July 1982. On this day at Minnesota, he’d club three more in the 7-3 win. He’d drive in four RBI’s.

Congrats to a very good player and his family.

This does cause some concern for me: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1530943-ex-red-sox-trainer-mike-reinold-injected-players-with-controversial-substance He's now the White Sox senior medical advisor. I hope the Sox did their due diligence on him.

Gio Gonzales

At least it's not with the Yankees!

Glad the Sox made the decision and hope that he moves on elsewhere.

MLB.com has a story that says Corbin is now in Philly, touring the ballpark.

Certainly possible although Hahn has been quoted as saying he is still on-board with everything. If JR is getting impatient then he needs to open the checkbook big-time, raise the payroll to 130 million or so and sign every available guy who can contribute because that's the only way you can make that quick of a jump next season.

Again I can only contribute to this discussion by posting what I was told via e-mail by a high ranking member of the front office namely the Sox have got to show "progress" next season either in the win column or by measurable improvement by the key rebuild pieces or the fan base is going to start turning on the rebuild and the pressure on the front office to make this thing work is going to be increased a lot. I'm not saying the Sox are going to be .500 or better (they aren't), nor am I saying they are going to be in the hunt for a playoff spot (they aren't) but if they lose 95-100 games again next season there are going to be serious and sober questions being asked by the fan base about the organization. For the reasons a previous poster brought up including a new TV deal after next year that has to be negotiated, future advertising revenue, future season ticket sales, and just having the fan base react in a positive manner overall the Sox need to win more games next year. Yes, 75 wins while still poor would show meaningful progress in my opinion. I hope that Hahn follows through on his public comments and starts assembling pieces that can supply some veteran leadership AND make meaningful contributions in two years when the Sox figure to be (or damn well better be) good again. It shouldn't be an either / or situation...if the Sox aren't good in 2019 (they won't be) then you trade all those guys at the deadline for whatever you can. You need to start building some quality and some depth. In my mind that starts with pitching, specifically the bullpen first which was absolutely atrocious last year.

Didn't know where to put this so I started a new thread. ESPN apparently "forget" about the White Sox yet again in a tweet. Frank Thomas saw it...and let them know about it: https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/white-sox/espn-forgot-about-white-sox-again-and-big-hurt-let-em-hear-about-it It is remarkable how that network keeps getting the details wrong. You'd think they'd have researchers and basically an unlimited data base to check facts. Shameful journalism.

Brian Cashman to MLB.com: "I don't think it really matters what we wind up doing, as long as we do well enough that we become the best team in baseball. We're capable of being big-game hunters. We've reset our luxury tax." Be afraid people...be very afraid.

Ricketts has said he does not want to go into the Luxury Tax penalty. The only way they can do that and sign Harper is to get someone to take a number of their bad deals.

He won't

Doesn't mean it is the ONLY thing in life. It's not a "all or nothing" proposition...you separate things like family and health and reality in life. But in my case, when it comes to sports and the teams I have followed all my life, White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks and Bulls, to me its about winning as I said. And your perspective is YOUR perspective...that's OK, that's who you are. I don't presume to say your "philosophy" is right or wrong, it works for you. That's great. Others have a different look at things and that's who they are. "If it doesn't matter if you win or lose why do they keep the damn score?" - Bobby Knight.

Personally just one man's opinion, what makes me happy in sports isn't the cold beer, the pretty girls in the stands, the funny hats, fireworks or sunshine. It's winning.... period. That's why they play the game and in the last 12 seasons Sox fans have seen damn little of that commodity.

So much for the Girardi talk. Loyalty remember... "it just means more" with the White Sox.

There were some reports to that effect by Levine I think. So with him, you have to take that with a grain of salt....if true, it reduces the Sox options even more.