Tony

That has the makings of a very funny conversation. "YOU TOLD ME WE WERE TRADING ROBERT FOR CASH!" "I mean, we did. We got Kash back." "NO, CASH!" "Right...Kash."

Houser officially scratched

There is almost zero upside in starting Houser. He's 32 and having a career year, in 11 starts. Small sample size. He's also facing a playoff team in the Phillies. If he gets shelled today, which would be the first time that has happened for him in 2025, that would give me pause as a GM looking to bolster my team for the stretch run. The entire premise is built on him being able to pitch in the post season for someone. Could he add to his value by shutting the Phils down? Sure, but I think he do more damage to his value than help it today. Sit him.

I've got an idea...

I think it looks the way it’s supposed to look. In most cases, good players cost more money. More good players = More wins. But I think we’re drifting from the main point. What problem are we trying to solve here? I think that needs to be identified first. Because we talk about small market teams not being able to compete. If MLB puts in a salary floor and cap…are the Pirates going to re-sign Paul Skeens then? I have serious doubts they invest that much in a player of that caliber. So it doesn’t help the Pirates, but it limits the suitors in the market for Skeens and a huge deal because of the cap, hurting the player. I understand the issue that we DO have the normal teams in FA that are always the big spenders and don’t seem to give any mid market team a shot….but I don’t think there is enough evidence to tell us a salary cap is going to dramatically change how the Pirates or Marlins operate

I think it's fair to be able to separate the two. He gave a lot of people (myself very much included) a ton of great memories growing up, he was an icon in his sport, I was fortunate to meet him a handful of times as well, always was very nice in interactions. Doesn't mean he didn't have some serious bagage that understandably upset a lot of people. However, I agree that when he dies, I'm not going to rag on someone from memorializing the person. If you didn't like them, maybe keep it to yourself this go around, really no need to bring it all back up when they die.

Division leaders as of July 29th, 2025 AL East: Toronto (5th overall in payroll) AL Central: Detroit (17th overall in payroll) AL West: Astros (6th overall in payroll) NL East: Mets (2nd overall in payroll) NL Central: Brewers (24th overall in payroll) NL West: Dodgers (1st overall in payroll) That doesn't scream "broken" to me. Again, there are things that need to be fixed and adjusted, but a salary cap also isn't going to fix all of baseball's problems.

It was a very big story at the time.

To be clear, I don't think everything is perfect, and I'm as guilty as anyone of getting incredibly annoyed when were watching our phones in November and every alert seems to be the Dodgers signing another free agent. That's not great for the game and I'd like to find a solution on that. But even in your reply here, you referenced the Nats and Arizona as not being "small market teams" and cited their metro area ranks. Where do the White Sox fall on that ranking list? Why does a team in the third largest metro market act like a small market team? There are problems that need to be fixed. I don't believe a salary cap solves those issues.

Are you going to argue that a imposing a salary cap doesn't ultimately suppress what players can earn?

Players should not have their salaries artificially suppressed because owners don't want to spend. In the last decade, the Royals and Nationals have won a World Series, the Indians have been to a World Series, as have the Rays and Diamondbacks. The best record in baseball, today, is held by the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the 23rd highest payroll in the league. Spendings the most doesn't equal an automatic World Series Championship. It certainly helps, but there are plenty of ways to successfully build a team. But if a salary cap going into affect is from ownership groups saying they can't compete with other teams in their own league...then get the f*** out and let someone in who wants to compete.

Good. This isn't a player problem, it's an ownership problem. It's going to get ugly, but I hope the players stick to their guns.

Heard Jesse on the radio on Friday talking possible Sox moves, he said for this reason, he actually doesn't think Tauchman gets moved. The FO seems to really like what Tauchman has done inside the room with a lot of the young guys that have been called up. We have no way to know if that's true or not, but I don't have any reason to doubt it...so given that he has one more year on control and where this team is at, I'm probably not moving him unless a team out there wants to really overpay for a Mike Tauchman, which I doubt.

Hard not to look at Kurtz, who was a 1B drafted 4th overall, and not compare him to Vaughn, who was drafted 3rd overall in 2019. All the talk was "You don't draft a 1B that high unless you know the bat is going to really play at an ML level" and you just see the differences in results by the organizations. The A's historically draft and develop very well....and then there is the White Sox.

It would seem stupid not to, no? Granted, even if he's good again for the Sox, no one is going to trade for him again, and it's not like you got a kings ransom the first time around...but would make sense for both the Sox and Fedde.

I don't think it's a thought, I think it's a given at this point. Not that Robert is suddenly going to be a .400 hitter with any club he goes to, but that talented players are not in a good situation with the White Sox and that classic "change of scenery" cliche holds a lot of water here. There is just too much evidence at this point to really believe otherwise. Especially as it relates to players that are still here that played under Grifol. I think A LOT of damage was done during the 2022-2024 seasons with players attitudes and culture. As we have discussed before, I don't care if you're playing professional baseball or an accountant..people go to work everyday and company culture plays a huge role for a majority of people. You come in wide-eyed and want to do your absolute best, but when everyone around you isn't putting in the effort, management doesn't give you the proper tools to succeed and your boss seems in way over his head...people check out. And it works the other way too. I don't think Andrew Vaughn is suddenly the best hitter in baseball, but you spend 5 years in a circus, then get traded 90 miles up the road to a team that has a strong foundation, players with experience winning and are in the middle of a playoff race, you adapt to that culture as well. You know you have to bring your A game every day, because being lazy or giving minimal effort isn't going to cut it here, like it did at your other place. And I'm all for personal responsibility, it's on the player to bring that level wherever they play...but we've seen in all walks of life, that always isn't the case.

I mean......the elephant in the room you leave out is what if it's a White Sox problem? Robert has not been a very productive player in 2024 and 2025. He had a very good year in 2023. He's making 15 million this season and will probably be about a 1 WAR player in 2025. He serves very little purpose for the White Sox in 2025, and this team certainly doesn't project to be very good in 2026...so an interested team probably doesn't have to give up a ton to acquire him. Now, if he's traded for very little and goes on a rampage for the team that acquired him...White Sox fans shouldn't be at all upset that their favorite team couldn't get that type of production out of him? Because clearly we haven't seen that on the South Side in two years, and doesn't seem like we're in for a prolonged stretch of Luis Robert domination. So I think both things can be absolutely true.

Is someone paying you to be here? If so, can you let me know who, because I'd love to get in on that action. If not...door is over there. Feel free to leave at anytime. We never lock it.

Honestly wonder if what Vaughn is doing in Milwaukee helps the case of Robert. Maybe getting out of Chicago cures all?

It's not about "giving up on them" because I don't think anyone has. And I think of the names you listed in that group, most will probably be somewhat positive contributors at a ML level. The problem is of that group, ideally two of them are becoming 3/4 WAR players on a season by season basis. And I don't know if we see that with them right now. There are just SO many holes to fill in this organization. As you look at things right now, almost everyone can agree 2026 is going to be another bad season. While Getz was hired in August of the 2023 season, fair to say his job really started in 2024. So 2024, 2025, 2026 were his rebuild seasons. 2027 shouldn't have the expectations of a World Series, but in normal circumstances, I'd like to think you should expect to see some vast improvements by that time. Looking at that potential roster today: C - Teel/Quero 1B - Vargas? 2B - Meidroth SS - C. Montgomery 3B - ? LF - ? CF - ? RF - B. Montgomery DH - ? SP - Shane Smith SP - Schultz SP - H. Smith SP - Burke SP - ? That's a lot of actual question marks, and is anyone in the projected lineup better than just "ok"? They just don't have the horses right now. It would take A LOT of money to fill those holes with "good" players, something ownership has simply not done.

1. A lot of words doesn’t make it a “thoughtful” post. In this case, it gave you more of an opportunity to say things that were rooted in craziness. 2. I’ll make it easy. Say MLB decided to shake things up, and said every team is getting a new GM. Each team submits a list of 5 GM’s they want, any team can select any executive they want. How many lists does Stearns make, how many does Getz make? The guy that was the GM for 4 straight playoff appearances for the Brewers and a .536 winning percentage? Or the guy currently rocking a .293 winning percentage and currently holds the distinction of being the GM behind the worst team of all-time? And to be clear, YOU made the comparison of Stearns vs. Getz. Not sure what measurement system you’re using to evaluate GM performance. I’d say I’d love to hear it, but that would be a lie.

What is happening to this place? When did everyone go insane? what are we even doing here?

Who is the current owner of the White Sox? The answer is Jerry Reinsdorf. Justin Ishbia isn’t even on the front office page on the team website. You are a colossal waste of time. A true imbecile

This is objectively false

It has nothing to do with the location of the team. It has everything to do with the people working at that location who you now report to. No one wants to sign up for that