Just now, peavy44 said:

Harper and bryant going opt out together and go wherever they want together

This isnt the NBA. Unless Harper/Bryant are taking significant discounts there just arent many teams who can pay 70mil+ per year for 2 players. Also it would be a nightmare for Boras. Boras is both of their agents. His negotiating power would be extremely limited if you have to take both players. Also its not ideal for him to have 2 star fas in the same year. Its better for him that they are staggered.

I get that they are friends, but with no max salary/no salary cap its just unlikely that they end up playing together on the same team in 3 years. 

3 minutes ago, The Sir said:

Yep. In October 2000, I was 13 and had just woken up in Paris when I found out the Sox got swept out of the playoffs by the Ms. Spent most of the weekend on vacation and totally butthurt by sports. Not anymore. This is supposed to be fun, and if it's not fun anymore, go do something else.

God I hate this response so much. It's the "if you don't like the way we do things here then get out of our country!" response. Just because you want some things to change doesn't mean you can't enjoy it when it is happening. Baseball needs to change alot. 

Edited December 13, 20187 yr by Baron

1 minute ago, Baron said:

I dont think it does actually. Say Harper signs during NFL Playoffs...who do you think is wining there on ESPN? 

True but they can't control that now. If the signing s were completed already there is no news until Spring Training. This leaves a long absence of news until February. The current system at least allows news throughout the off season. Right now would you be looking at MLB if there weren't at least the possibility of deals happening?

Well, I asked

1 minute ago, Soxbadger said:

This isnt the NBA. Unless Harper/Bryant are taking significant discounts there just arent many teams who can pay 70mil+ per year for 2 players. Also it would be a nightmare for Boras. Boras is both of their agents. His negotiating power would be extremely limited if you have to take both players. Also its not ideal for him to have 2 star fas in the same year. Its better for him that they are staggered.

I get that they are friends, but with no max salary/no salary cap its just unlikely that they end up playing together on the same team in 3 years. 

This is the limitation. In the MLB the deals are just too long and expensive when they need to have a roster of 25 and pay for a minor league system with at least 5 teams. The NBA doesn't have all that overhead.

3 minutes ago, GreenSox said:

That makes some sense. They won't get rid of Heyward for Happ, but they could get rid of Chatwood for him.  And if the Sox weren't in the Harper race, I'd go for that; Chatwood is a rebound candidate (he can't walk that many again).  

Something to consider if they sign Harper prior to unloading guys.  

3 minutes ago, Baron said:

God I hate this response so much. It's the "if you don't like the way we do things here then get out of our country!" response. Just because you want some things to change doesn't mean you can't enjoy it when it is happening. 

It's all about perspective. It's just a game. You can enjoy it and have it drive you nuts at the same time. 

13 minutes ago, ptatc said:

Because you know them so well. This speculation is as bad as the ones saying either is coming here.

Of course I don't. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you want to come here? 

Just because I've been reading this all day and thinking about it way to much, I will throw out another crazy thought.

What if Machado is the target?   What if the Sox are using Boras as a smokescreen the way Boras used the Sox when ARod was a free agent and signed with Texas? 

1 minute ago, ptatc said:

It's all about perspective. It's just a game. You can enjoy it and have it drive you nuts at the same time. 

Indeed. It's a tad bit frustrating atleast optically MLB seems to be dragging it's feet when it comes to progressing the game. 

 

As far as the news getting spread out over time. I'm not sure if that helps anyone but the die hard fan to be honest. 

15 minutes ago, Baron said:

I think what we've learned from these past few offseason is that the MLB needs deadlines. Not only does the game drag on but so does the offseason. 

 

A high profile free agent like Harper should have been signed already and the team would now be preparing for the "down time". 

I’m totally on your side. 

6 minutes ago, Baron said:

God I hate this response so much. It's the "if you don't like the way we do things here then get out of our country!" response. Just because you want some things to change doesn't mean you can't enjoy it when it is happening. Baseball needs to change alot. 

You took my comment the wrong way, buddy. I want baseball to be great. I want the White Sox to be great. Childhood me was totally capable of moping through a vacation or anything else fun if that didn't happen. Adult me is a lot more laid back. If this isn't fun, whatever, I'll spend more time playing with the kids and doing things with the wife. No sense getting bent out of shape about it in the long run.

Like this past year, honestly. I've watched Sox games every summer almost my entire life. I moved to Spain before the internet and MLBTV were a thing, and I had relatives still in the states mail VHS tapes to me so I could watch games. So I'm dedicated and have been for a long time. I bought MLBTV just like I do every year. But gradually, I drifted away (with a few exceptions, like Kopech starts). I had other things to do, and this just wasn't fun enough. I want it to be fun again, because I do like watching and following box scores and so on, but if it's not, I'm not going to mope about it. That's all.

2 minutes ago, The Sir said:

You took my comment the wrong way, buddy. I want baseball to be great. I want the White Sox to be great. Childhood me was totally capable of moping through a vacation or anything else fun if that didn't happen. Adult me is a lot more laid back. If this isn't fun, whatever, I'll spend more time playing with the kids and doing things with the wife. No sense getting bent out of shape about it in the long run.

Like this past year, honestly. I've watched Sox games every summer almost my entire life. I moved to Spain before the internet and MLBTV were a thing, and I had relatives still in the states mail VHS tapes to me so I could watch games. So I'm dedicated and have been for a long time. I bought MLBTV just like I do every year. But gradually, I drifted away (with a few exceptions, like Kopech starts). I had other things to do, and this just wasn't fun enough. I want it to be fun again, because I do like watching and following box scores and so on, but if it's not, I'm not going to mope about it. That's all.

Ok cool. 

I got to experience the Sox in 2005, and nothing will ever top that. What I want now is for them to be relevant for my kids as they grow into their fandom years.  Harper and/or Machado would be a great step.

I think atleast like what the NBA and NFL do....a short period where teams can legally "tamper" might get the ball moving a little bit more. Then have a hard deadline to get the signings going the first few days. It doesn't seem like there's really any need for the Winter Meetings. 

Edited December 13, 20187 yr by Baron

15 minutes ago, Baron said:

God I hate this response so much. It's the "if you don't like the way we do things here then get out of our country!" response. Just because you want some things to change doesn't mean you can't enjoy it when it is happening. Baseball needs to change alot. 

I don't think he meant anything negative towards you.

7 minutes ago, Baron said:

Indeed. It's a tad bit frustrating atleast optically MLB seems to be dragging it's feet when it comes to progressing the game. 

 

As far as the news getting spread out over time. I'm not sure if that helps anyone but the die hard fan to be honest. 

Whether a player signs now, or in a month really doesn't matter as long as you sign them. It's still the offseason afterall. 

Full rebuilds like the Sox take years, and we are still at least a full season, if not two, away from true contention. 

Just now, steveno89 said:

Whether a player signs now, or in a month really doesn't matter as long as you sign them. It's still the offseason afterall. 

Full rebuilds like the Sox take years, and we are still at least a full season, if not two, away from true contention. 

Well it does and it doesn't. It doesn't strategy wise in some ways for the team. But for the overall sport I think it does. 

 

6 minutes ago, fathom said:

I got to experience the Sox in 2005, and nothing will ever top that. What I want now is for them to be relevant for my kids as they grow into their fandom years.  Harper and/or Machado would be a great step.

Same here, which is exactly why Harper is the more strategic get.

3 minutes ago, steveno89 said:

Whether a player signs now, or in a month really doesn't matter as long as you sign them. It's still the offseason afterall. 

Full rebuilds like the Sox take years, and we are still at least a full season, if not two, away from true contention. 

Yeah maybe not to the team but to the fans it would be a lot more fun to have a flurry of activity. 

People like the trade deadline! What if we got rid of that? It doesn’t really matter, players could move whenever.

but it’s fun! Fans having fun can be a consideration.

Just now, Chicago White Sox said:

Same here, which is exactly why Harper is the more strategic get.

Harper is far more marketable than Machado, and makes a better face of the franchise. 

That doesn't mean I wouldn't really like Machado on my roster though

Did anyone hear one sports writer this week at the winter meetings say it was enjoyable that rumors flew around and yet nothing really happened? 

Hey instead of a fireworks grand finale let’s just shoot one firework per hour over next 30 days. Enjoy everyone.

Just now, soxfan49 said:

Kopech changed his number in his twitter handle from 34 to 5.

It was always 5

Just now, Jose Abreu said:

It was always 5

Jinx