Regarding this notion that we shouldn't be following this Harper free agency, because we are only setting ourselves up for another huge disappointment, I have a completely different perspective. My interest in these details is not merely to know whether, or not, the Sox acquire at least one super star, out of this crazy off season. I really want to know what kind of an organization it is, to which I have given my allegiance, as a fan. Is the owner really not interested in winning, but only in making money? Is Hahn really disingenuous and, or incompetent? The answer to those questions can only be discerned with some knowledge of how these negotiations are being conducted. So, here I am, still following "Harper's Folly". Don't waste your breath, cautioning me not to set myself up, to have my heart broken. At this point, I don't care as much about acquiring Harper, as I do about acquiring some understanding of what the Hell is going on, here!

I've been wondering since Black Tuesday if this horrible PR backlash would change the Sox minds on pursuing Bryce Harper. I still have the smallest glimmer of hope, but in the end, I think this is probably down to the Padres and Phillies. It sounds like he doesn't want to play for the Phillies - but will anyone come close with an offer? My guess is he ends up signing in San Diego.

2 hours ago, Lillian said:

Regarding this notion that we shouldn't be following this Harper free agency, because we are only setting ourselves up for another huge disappointment, I have a completely different perspective. My interest in these details is not merely to know whether, or not, the Sox acquire at least one super star, out of this crazy off season. I really want to know what kind of an organization it is, to which I have given my allegiance, as a fan. Is the owner really not interested in winning, but only in making money? Is Hahn really disingenuous and, or incompetent? The answer to those questions can only be discerned with some knowledge of how these negotiations are being conducted. So, here I am, still following "Harper's Folly". Don't waste your breath, cautioning me not to set myself up, to have my heart broken. At this point, I don't care as much about acquiring Harper, as I do about acquiring some understanding of what the Hell is going on, here!

well said

19 minutes ago, Sarava said:

I've been wondering since Black Tuesday if this horrible PR backlash would change the Sox minds on pursuing Bryce Harper. I still have the smallest glimmer of hope, but in the end, I think this is probably down to the Padres and Phillies. It sounds like he doesn't want to play for the Phillies - but will anyone come close with an offer? My guess is he ends up signing in San Diego.

If the Padres sign both guys, it will make Hahn, KW, & Jerry look like the biggest jokes ever.  Machado was already bad enough, but getting Harper would have to be those guys’ personal nightmare.  How can you even pretend your were serious when baby San Diego came in stole both of these guys from under you?  Hopefully our front office & Jerry wake the fuck up and do what’s right for the franchise.

Has to be the Phillies, Giants/Padres and then the White Sox...if you’re going to buy the story that the Phillies and Sox deliberately underbid because they both were more interested in Harper, well that sorta makes sense (especially if Harper wasn’t signaling a strong interest), but it’s also a risky move on the part of Philly.  Simply, the only thing they have that works in their favor is the ability to compete this year and familiarity with the NL East, but that didn’t seem to influence Machado very much.  That said, Harper seems to be built a different way, but we’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out.

From a White Sox perspective (and the Phillies too), it’s a nightmare scenario if he ends up with the Padres at around $320-330 million...with the Phillies losing with the likely higher bid, and White Sox not bidding at all (if they’re in this they better just keep their damn mouths shut if they come up short, as no good will come of it getting out.)

 

https://www.thegoodphight.com/2019/2/21/18234803/yes-the-phillies-should-pay-bryce-harper

Yes, the Phillies SHOULD Pay Bryce Harper

Edited February 24, 20197 yr by caulfield12

The only way that I see the Sox getting Harper is if all his offers are around 10-years, $300 million, and we blow him away with something like 10-years, $350 million.

7 hours ago, chw42 said:

lol where did the Padres get more than half a billion dollars from 

Don't question our fathers like that. 

4 minutes ago, KnightsOnMintSt said:

The only way that I see the Sox getting Harper is if all his offers are around 10-years, $300 million, and we blow him away with something like 10-years, $350 million.

Why would the White Sox be interested in signing Bryce Harper? We now have Preston Tucker.

Just now, Saufley said:

Why would the White Sox be interested in signing Bryce Harper? We now have Preston Tucker.

And Brandon Guyer...

15 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

And Brandon Guyer...

Preston Tucker and Brandon Guyer!! This front office is hard at work assembling a championship team!! Cost be damned!

Edited February 24, 20197 yr by Saufley

4 hours ago, Lillian said:

"CWSpalehose" expressed his suspicion that Middleton and Reinsdorf have colluded, by agreeing that the Sox would not pursue Harper, if the Phillies promised not to pursue Machado. That scenario is intriguing because it provides a plausible explanation for, what otherwise is their inexplicable abandonment of their determined attempts to sign Harper.    

I've been reading the rules regarding MLB collusion. They are not the clearest, or easiest set of rules to understand. Would a "gentlemen's agreement" between 2 owners, regarding their respective player acquisition targets, clearly be considered collusion? It's one thing to conspire regarding limiting the length, or value, of contracts, but quite another for one owner to simply say, I won't pursue X, if you won't pursue Y. Is there a legal mind here, who could clarify this issue?

That is absolutely collusion. 

If they colluded though it would have been the dumbest strategy that they could possibly have done , not even considering its wrong and if they were caught. It would have just been dumb as other teams are not colluding with you and are paying to get their man. Someone may swoop up and get Harper from the Phils too. 

5 hours ago, KiwiSox said:

I think were all pretty well emotionally prepared for it.

With all do respect I could not disagree more. Read the Machado from front to back and you'll see what I mean.

4 hours ago, Lillian said:

Regarding this notion that we shouldn't be following this Harper free agency, because we are only setting ourselves up for another huge disappointment, I have a completely different perspective. My interest in these details is not merely to know whether, or not, the Sox acquire at least one super star, out of this crazy off season. I really want to know what kind of an organization it is, to which I have given my allegiance, as a fan. Is the owner really not interested in winning, but only in making money? Is Hahn really disingenuous and, or incompetent? The answer to those questions can only be discerned with some knowledge of how these negotiations are being conducted. So, here I am, still following "Harper's Folly". Don't waste your breath, cautioning me not to set myself up, to have my heart broken. At this point, I don't care as much about acquiring Harper, as I do about acquiring some understanding of what the Hell is going on, here!

They didn't pay less than Harper is likely to get for the better player (Machado). It's safe to say they won't be signing Harper. 

7 minutes ago, BlackSox13 said:

With all do respect I could not disagree more. Read the Machado from front to back and you'll see what I mean.

I think he means it's only so much pissed we have left in us.

What I don’t think Jerry understands is that Harper would only improve the organization’s worth, put butts in the seat, make it more marketable, and show fans he’s serious about this. If they truly are out on Bryce which I believe they are then it goes to show everyone they clearly do not value us as fans and only in for the money. The way the negotiations went with Manny was a shit show, to think your future, having his brother in law and good friend here was more valuable than money guaranteed money to the player goes to show you they don’t understand this market. 

6 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

I think he means it's only so much pissed we have left in us.

That would make sense.

I never really had my hopes set too high so it was very easy for me to take the bad news and move on. I literally shrugged my shoulders when I first read Machado signed with SD.

5 minutes ago, BlackSox13 said:

That would make sense.

I never really had my hopes set too high so it was very easy for me to take the bad news and move on. I literally shrugged my shoulders when I first read Machado signed with SD.

I'm never letting my hopes get high again for a big signing. And for anyone who does, I will refer them to the Machado thread.

Honestly, no one should until there is a new owner.

Edited February 24, 20197 yr by soxfan2014

6 minutes ago, BlackSox13 said:

That would make sense.

I never really had my hopes set too high so it was very easy for me to take the bad news and move on. I literally shrugged my shoulders when I first read Machado signed with SD.

Well, that's why we get treated like this. We need to take it personal and not just shrug it off. Accountability is necessary in sports to keep owners trying to win. 

4 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

Well, that's why we get treated like this. We need to take it personal and not just shrug it off. Accountability is necessary in sports to keep owners trying to win. 

Im just not willing to get emotionally charged up over something that's out of my control. If people want to rant and rave, go for it and get it out of your system if it makes you feel better. But know this, it won't make a damn bit of difference to the owners regardless of what people think.

7 minutes ago, BlackSox13 said:

Im just not willing to get emotionally charged up over something that's out of my control. If people want to rant and rave, go for it and get it out of your system if it makes you feel better. But know this, it won't make a damn bit of difference to the owners regardless of what people think.

Cubs fans got pissed and look what happened. They brought in Theo and have a great team for a decade. Owners listen when fans get angry and hurt their bottom line and reputation. Owners don't listen when fans are quiet and passive. 

10 minutes ago, soxfan2014 said:

I'm never letting my hopes get high again for a big signing. And for anyone who does, I will refer them to the Machado thread.

Honestly, no one should until there is a new owner.

Exactly. History has shown this would be the most likely outcome with the current owners. This is also why I'm not taking shots at Hahn and KW because in the end their handlers determine the allowance Hahn and KW have to play with. 

And ill be honest, there are much more important things in life worthy of getting emotional over. 

As a fan there really isn’t anything you can do. As it is, the White Sox fan base has sent a message loud and clear. Declining attendance every season since 2007 except one year when it was up slightly when they slashed ticket prices. Lowest TV ratings in the league. Radio station gets rid of them in bankruptcy because hardly anyone listens. 

All these things, plus 6 losing years in a row. No playoffs in over a decade. 

These clowns still think the White Sox are a destination. How the fuck are they going to get a player to take $50 million less in guaranteed money to come to their park when they cannot even get a fan to come to a game? 

KW took over in 2001. The Sox had one of the youngest teams in baseball. Won the division. Farm system ranked first...ESPN even knew they existed. Peter Gammons said not onky would they own Chicago, they would own MLB. One season they did. Other than hat mostly mediocrity. The one constant has been the decision makers. Anyone  who thought they would actually pay Harper after they didn’t pay Machado wasn’t paying attention. Anyone who thinks these guys can oversee a team that wins consistently for years, didn’t pay attention. The team needs to change. Hahn has admitted that. But what he hasn’t admitted is th biggest change needed, is not trading with the Cubs, or going over your international money pool. It is getting new people to make decisions. These dopes have had more than thei share of chances.Sell the team JR. Spare yourself the embarrassment 4 years from now when the Sox sneaks to the second wild card spot and you have to tell everyone they were wrong the Sox needed to sign a superstar in his prime. The new owner will know what to do with your partners in crime.

1 minute ago, SonofaRoache said:

Cubs fans got pissed and look what happened. They brought in Theo and have a great team for a decade. Owners listen when fans get angry and hurt their bottom line and reputation. Owners don't listen when fans are quiet and passive. 

If you're going to bring the cubs into this then you win the internet for the day. I'm not about to sit here, on SoxTalk, discussing the cubs.

Tell ya what. Go protest outside the park and give the owners hell blasting Twisted Sister and see how much of a shit they give. 

9 minutes ago, BlackSox13 said:

Exactly. History has shown this would be the most likely outcome with the current owners. This is also why I'm not taking shots at Hahn and KW because in the end their handlers determine the allowance Hahn and KW have to play with. 

And ill be honest, there are much more important things in life worthy of getting emotional over. 

With all due respect, you have nearly 10k posts in 5 years on a Sox message board. You are emotionally invested whether you see it or not. I invest heavily financially in this team for myself and my family. They ask for my money and my emotional support nearly every day. So, when they don't hold their end of the bargain, I will hold them personally accountable. Of course we all know they fail in FA, but they damn near promised us things are different now. Hahn specifically asked for our trust again and it backfired.