We have to remember it is Nightengale.. so take it with a grain of salt. 

Yes, the same Nightengale who called the Phils favorites for Corbin and he signed with Nationals. However, they’re already to trying to let the fans down gently lol. 

Edited December 12, 20187 yr by Bigsoxhurt35

Wouldn’t think they would come out and  say “we’re the favorites” so I don’t necessarily interpret that tweet as bad news.  

My worry is that they make offers to both players but at much less than highest bid and when these guys sign elsewhere they can tell the fan base that they “went all in” but came up short.   With that said, this scenario could be the farthest from the truth but this is how I’ve been programmed to think being a Sox fan for so long.

53 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

The only way Hahn is getting off the hook now is if it somehow comes out the White Sox has the biggest offer on the table for Harper and/or Machado and he/they passed.  Anything else is going to be a punch to the gut, as it would call into further doubt their commitment to add a franchise-altering star going into the 2019-20 offseason.

God help us if it’s the Cubs for Harper, somehow.  (Note:  no Cubs’ fans are fretting about potentially losing him to the Sox.)

It would’ve let them off the hook with me. There would be a reason they didn’t take that offer, and that reason is KW,RH, and JR’s fault. 

They cannot let it get out that they weren’t truly serious in the bidding if that’s what happens. But that tweet, albeit from Bob, doesn’t make me happy. I’m not freaking out but that seems like a message to the fans through KW’s mouthpiece. They’ve yet to sign a player to a $100 mil contract...in the Chicago market. This off-season won’t look good for Hahn, puffing your chest out about going after these guys and then whiff.

Edited December 12, 20187 yr by Bigsoxhurt35

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

One thing’s for sure, KW didn’t offer that quote.

If Ivan Nova is the biggest acquisition of this offseason (reminiscent of Derek Holland, maybe even less excitement), Brooks Boyer better dust off his best sports marketing books.

The JR legacy in Chicago could easily be lucking into Michael Jordan and two imperiled rebuilds...and one flukey WS title in terms of its place in history.  

Hahn’s popularity will be somewhere between May and Macron’s numbers.

You have to have some serious pessimism and depression to consider 6 NBA championships luck. 

People are going far too overboard on this one signing or lack thereof.

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

The only way Hahn is getting off the hook now is if it somehow comes out the White Sox has the biggest offer on the table for Harper and/or Machado and he/they passed.  Anything else is going to be a punch to the gut, as it would call into further doubt their commitment to add a franchise-altering star going into the 2019-20 offseason.

God help us if it’s the Cubs for Harper, somehow.  (Note:  no Cubs’ fans are fretting about potentially losing him to the Sox.)

I would have no issues if the Cubs got Harper (with the Sox offering more money) and the Sox got Machado.

That would probably be the Sox getting the better situation overall. Spend less money on the player that's probably a better fit for them.

Edited December 12, 20187 yr by ptatc

9 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

It would’ve let them off the hook with me. There would be a reason they didn’t take that offer, and that reason is KW,RH, and JR’s fault. 

That's some serious acrimony toward management when you blame them eventhough they offer the most money, which you've always insisted is the only reason a player signs anywhere.

It's fairly well documented how closely he is tied to the Cubs and none if the reasons have anything to do with Sox manageme.

15 minutes ago, ptatc said:

You have to have some serious pessimism and depression to consider 6 NBA championships luck. 

People are going far too overboard on this one signing or lack thereof.

Think he’s saying JR lucked into getting Jordan.  Not that the titles were luck.  

We’ve all seen what the Bulls have been in the 20 years after Jordan retired.  

14 minutes ago, jblastick said:

Think he’s saying JR lucked into getting Jordan.  Not that the titles were luck.  

We’ve all seen what the Bulls have been in the 20 years after Jordan retired.  

That's what he said but he also said that it is the only thing thing that JR would be known for. Implying that the NBA championships mean nothing because he lucked into Jordan. Even if they did luck into Jordan, part of JR legacy will be 6 championships.

No matter what happens with this free agent decision that will either end world hunger or cause an extinction level event, articles will be written about how JR is the most successful owner in Chicago sports history with 7 championships when his time on earth is done.

 

Edited December 12, 20187 yr by ptatc

Right, obviously Pippen and Grant were great picks and they made some excellent veteran acquisitions for the second run, but they’re just fortunate not to have those titles ending up with the Trailblazers.

Fine...the Bulls COULD have won behind a healthy DRose, but it certainly wasnt guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Edited December 12, 20187 yr by caulfield12

4 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Right, obviously Pippen and Grant were great picks and they made some excellent veteran acquisitions for the second run, but they’re just fortunate not to have those titles ending up with the Trailblazers.

Fine...the Bulls COULD have won behind a healthy DRose, but it certainly wasnt guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination.

 

I'm not saying anything other than he will be known for winning those championships. That's a great run for any organization in any sport. That will be part of his legacy not just that he single handedly caused the next ice age because they don't sign Harper.

That we are in the Nightengale cold bucket phase makes me kinda optimistic we sign one today.

Isn't Nightengale known to be Sox FO's mouthpiece when they want some misdirection out there for people to read? 

Just now, TheTruth05 said:

Isn't Nightengale known to be Sox FO's mouthpiece when they want some misdirection out there for people to read? 

It wasn’t always the case but this has definitely been the role like clockwork the last three years.

1 minute ago, bmags said:

It wasn’t always the case but this has definitely been the role like clockwork the last three years.

Between Merkin's tweets last night and this, I agree with you, I think Sox get one of these guys signed today.

9 minutes ago, TheTruth05 said:

Isn't Nightengale known to be Sox FO's mouthpiece when they want some misdirection out there for people to read? 

100%.  To me, that’s clearly a tweet intended to make other teams think we haven’t some crazy huge offers.

I've already seen several Sox fans on Twitter start to push the panic button. I'm just going to wait and see where these guys sign before coming a conclusion.

18 minutes ago, bmags said:

That we are in the Nightengale cold bucket phase makes me kinda optimistic we sign one today.

Yup, I really think a Harper signing could be happening soon if the Sox have hit Boras’ magic number.  That’s probably not today, but I could see it before Christmas.

Edited December 12, 20187 yr by Chicago White Sox

1 minute ago, Whitesox27 said:

I've already seen several Sox fans on Twitter start to push the panic button. I'm just going to wait and see where these guys sign before coming a conclusion.

Because of the Nightengale tweet?

I'm exhausted trying to keep up with the rumors.  But, I can't help myself checking SoxTalk constantly and refreshing my Twitter feed.  I've come to the conclusion, though, that there's not much of a chance of Harper or Machado signing this week.  I'd be surprised to see either happen before January.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check Twitter.

One thing of interest during the MLBN coverage yesterday was an insider said that Phillies have indicated they don’t need to land a Harper or Machado, won’t wait around forever for them, and will not let their agents bully them into bidding against themselves.  I’ll keep repeating, but neither agent will want to lose the Phillies (or Sox) from the bidding process, so there’s only so much of a long game Boras can actually play until it becomes counter-productive.  Unless Harper is willing to forego large sums to avoid playing for us or the Phillies, I think Boras has to love with a sense of urgency and capitalize on the desperation of these two teams before one moves onto Machado or other things.

5 minutes ago, hogan873 said:

I'm exhausted trying to keep up with the rumors.  But, I can't help myself checking SoxTalk constantly and refreshing my Twitter feed.  I've come to the conclusion, though, that there's not much of a chance of Harper or Machado signing this week.  I'd be surprised to see either happen before January.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check Twitter.

Yeah I mean obviously it would be after the Machado meetings which...I don’t even know are this week. Strap yourselves in, and whatever you do, do not strap it on.

I mean is it really not plausible to think that they dont view themselves as the favorites? 

20 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Because of the Nightengale tweet?

Yep. And also because of Merkin's tweets late last night. Honestly the Sox don't deserve the benefit of the doubt in situations like these but I will reserve judgment until the process plays out.