WBWSF

I hate the Cubs but I must admit that it must be nice being one one of their fans now. It has to feel good to have a ownership that wants to win now.

QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Feb 9, 2018 -> 03:25 PM) That trade was more about clearing Frazier/Robertson off the books, Whether we'd like to believe it or not, I think that the return was affected by it being a combination of Robertson/Frazier/Kahnle rather than Kahnle alone. Truly believe that because of the money with the other two guys, they got less. I think we could have finagled Sheffield or Andujar without them having to take on Frazier and Robertson's money. For some reason clearing them from the books was more important to Hahn than the extra prospect. 1) Trading Robertson was simply a salary dump. 2) The White Sox now have one of the worse bullpens in MLB. 3) Not only was it a bad trade for the White Sox but Dave Robertson is not happy about being traded to the Yankees. He's in his last year of his contract and he wants to be a closer. That is not going to happen in New York as long as Chapman is there. I wouldn't be surprised to see Robertson traded soon.

Another year "Mired In Mediocrity". Wait Til Next Year!!!!

I'm not all doom and gloom. I like to think positive in life, especially when it comes to the White Sox. I'm not the second coming of Jay "Woman Beater" Mariotti. There is a chance that the 2018 starting rotation of the White Sox could actually turn out to be good. Rodon, Kopech, Lopez, Fulmer and Giolito could actually become a good rotation. Wouldn't you want Robertson closing these games instead of what they have in the bullpen now? I don't find anything good about young pitchers pitching good games and have a useless bullpen blowing those games. Then again if the objective of the team is to lose as many games as possible in order to get a high draft, I can understand that thinking.

Hate to bust everybodys bubble but I talked to Scott Merkin at Soxfest. He claims as long as Machado wants to play shortstop the White Sox as of now have no interest in him. The White Sox like Tim Anderson at shortstop. So unless Machado wants to play 3rd base the White Sox have no interest in signing him to play shortstop..

This could turn out to be the worse bullpen in the history of the franchise. Trading David Robertson was nuts.

I met and talked with Ed Farmer at Soxfest yesterday. He has had serious health problems. I can't help but wonder how much longer he's going to be working. He actually had to have someone helping him walk off the stage at the seminar he was at. This getting old is no fun.

Both the Pirates and Marlins are going to have very low payrolls the next few years. Isn't that the same situation the White Sox are going to be in? After this season the White Sox will not have any long term contracts on the books and will probably have a lower payroll than either the Pirates or Marlins. I realize that people don't like to hear this but this White Sox franchise has become a goldmine for JR.

QUOTE (JUSTgottaBELIEVE @ Jan 15, 2018 -> 03:55 PM) I guess I'm just a Reed fan so I disagree. I also think the bullpen is still a hot mess even after accounting for the additions of Soria and Avilan. I don't think adding a guy like Reed "blocks" anyone else either. Not for the next 2 years at least. Reed is easily better than anybody the White Sox have in their bullpen now. With the young starters the team has now you would think the organization would want somebody like Reed to close out the games. As of now this 2018 White Sox bullpen is really looking bad.

Neither Shields nor Gonzalez. Instead sign Jake Arrieta and have him be the White Sox Opening Day pitcher.

If the White Sox make a major move I would think it would happen before Soxfest which is in 2 weeks. I'm hoping something is done to make this team better for the 2018 season and beyond.

1) Does anybody really think that the White Sox are going to out spend the other teams in signing Machado next year? 2) Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to sign Moustakas?. 3) Is there anybody who wouldn't want to see a 2018 White Sox infield of Moustakas, Anderson. Moncado and Abreu?

1) A White Sox infield of Moustakas, Anderson, Moncada, and Abreu sounds good to me. 2) I don't think the White Sox will sign Moustakas.

Looks like another season "Mired in Mediocrity".

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Dec 15, 2017 -> 12:05 PM) Right....because Rick (The Cub Fan) Hahn is trying to destroy the team for all eternity! Robertson sure would have propelled the Sox into playoff contention in 2018...you betcha! I've heard Steve stone and Frank Thomas both say that they think the White Sox starting rotation could really be good AND soon. If Fulmer, Kopech, Lopez, Giolito and Rodon actually all pitch well in 2018 this team could be a team that can surprise people. That being said, who does the team have in the bullpen to save games? I viewed the Robertson trade as nothing but a salary dump. I would had Robertson stay on the team instead of what the team has in the bullpen now.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 15, 2017 -> 09:25 AM) https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/941689422109659136 Dang. Pretty sure we are only going to go after the bullpen scraps left in january. Trading David Robertson was another stupid move by Hahn last summer.

I listened to the WSCR BB show this morning. I usually don't listen to the station but when I found out White Sox manager Rick Renteria was going to be on the show, I decided to listen in. I got the impression he wouldn't be too thrilled with either Garcia or Abreu being traded. It should be a interesting week coming up at the winter meetings.

I just read where 53 year old Rafael Palmeiro wants to make a comeback this upcoming 2018 season. Hahn will sign him for his MLB leadership abilities. Hahn likes having a team with ex Cubs on it.

QUOTE (kwill @ Dec 5, 2017 -> 07:43 PM) Does anybody else think they may look at the market on Mike Moustakas? As it stands the White Sox really don't have a 3rd baseman. He is going into free agency on the younger side at 29 years old and won't command a long contract. If the price gets dropped to 5/70 million maybe with some dollars front loaded to add more appeal wouldn't the White Sox have to consider. The last year he would be playing at age 33 which means you should be getting mostly prime years. He was an above average defender until last year when he became just slightly below which could have been an off year defensively. Travis Sawhik wrote an interesting article coming to the conclusion that his power is real and could probably play even better in our park compared to a stadium like Kauffman that is a pitchers park. Next years crop of 3Bs to me is not very good beyond Machado and Donaldson. I never put any stock in us actually being contenders next year for Manny Machado as the dollars and years would scare the Sox off. Josh Donaldson would be going into the following year at 33. I think this would allow Jake Burger to take his time in the minors like we are doing with Collins. The White Sox could see how he develops, move either Burger or Moustakas when Abreu's contract is up. It would be a wonderful move to sign him. But the fact is they're not going to spend any big money on any quality free agent. The objective for 2018 is to have the lowest payroll in MLB.

1) Hahn trades both Garcia and Abreu. 2) Hahn then announces that he will bring back Adam Laroche and Jeff Keppinger and they will bat in the middle of the order for 2018.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Nov 27, 2017 -> 05:10 AM) Manny Machado isn't exactly low hanging fruit.The next time the Sox give out a huge contract for many years without an out of some kind will be their 1st. We'll all see what Reinsdorf is made of when the time comes, if he is still alive. I wonder what happens to the rebuild if Reinsdorf suddenly passes away ? Anyway it's really hard to make an argument for a 10 yr deal because it usually ends up crippling the team financially while all the prospects are now grown up and leaving. The window of opportunity is small . Houston and the Cubs made it look easy but failures are much more prominent since only one team a year is the ultimate winner .We'll see how the Sox go about the business of filling remaining holes or if they will perpetually keep creating new ones or do the whole 2nd tier FA thing and hope for better luck than before. It's one thing to give Luis Robert money, you get all his minor league years and major league time for 6 years so that's about 10 years and relatively cheap if he is productive in his time in the majors. It's quite another thing to pay for past performance and expect it to continue for another 8-10 years when half the contract ends up being in declining/injury years . If JR suddenly passes away OR decides to sell the team the new owner will try to sign some free agents to try and stimulate some interest in the team. JR did that when he bought the team in 1981 when he signed Fisk and Luzinski.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 15, 2017 -> 09:03 AM) LMAO. Go check out how well DeBartolo's Pittsburgh Penquins did while he owned them. They did win one championship, then he sold. They were Bill Wirtz Blackhawks for most of his 14 years. But I'm sure if he had bought the White Sox, everything would have been peaches and cream. I wish DeBartolo would have bought the White Sox. His ownership could not have been as bad as JRs ownership. Amongst other things DeBartolo was going to build a new stadium for the White Sox with his own money. It probably would have been next to a new shopping center. He made his money building shopping centers. He was also aware of how popular Harry Caray was with White Sox fans. Caray would have finished his career with the White Sox if DeBartolo had owned the team.

I don't know when Hahn said the team wouldn't be contending until 2020. But if he actually said that and meant that I just want it to be known that statement actually depresses me. That just confirms my thoughts that this team is going to be crummy for the next few seasons. And it will be a team with a very low payroll. Always remember, low payroll = more moola for JR and his investors.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Nov 24, 2017 -> 01:00 PM) You are probably right about that, and I think that would be a mistake. This team should be ready by 2019. Trading Garcia and Abreu would seem to indicate that the team has no intentions of competing for anything the next few years. Instead we'll have lousy teams with low payrolls and mucho profits for JR and his investors. Then in another 4 years the team will start another 5 year rebuild. Always remember what Bill Veeck said, "5 year plans usually lead to a new 5 year plan".

1) White Sox Opening Day Payrolls. 2017=$95 million. 2016=$98 million. 2015=$115 million. 2014=$91 million. 2013=$119 million. 2012 = $96 million. 2011= $129 million. 2010= $108 million. 2009=$96 million. 2008= $121 million. 2) I keep reading that the 2018 White Sox payroll will be around $75 million. Forbes magazine has said that the White Sox franchise brings in about $250 million dollars. The 2018 White Sox will be one of the most profitable teams in MLB. More moola for JR.