42 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said:

And Yonder Alonso made both a post and a story about Manny Machado on Instagram today as well.

True, but we already know they are family and hang out a lot. Just hope Alonso has got his ear as well.

1 hour ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

We heard an unnamed bartender say Machado was at O'Hare on Tuesday. Not really hard proof.

And I haven't heard anything about Abreu's whereabouts during that time, but lay it on me.

No offense Joe, but the fact no one reported something as significant as Machado spending an extra full day & night in Chicago is proof enough.  The rumor behind the unnamed bartender just confirmed what the silence already told us.

Edit: And I’m not accusing you of lying, but I just don’t believe what you were told is actually accurate based on what’s happened over the past week or so.

Edited December 28, 20187 yr by Chicago White Sox

4 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

No offense Joe, but the fact no one reported something as significant as Machado spending an extra full day & night in Chicago is proof enough.  The rumor behind the unnamed bartender just confirmed what the silence already told us.

Edit: And I’m not accusing you of lying, but I just don’t believe what you were told is actually accurate based on what’s happened over the past week or so.

We also haven't heard when Manny arrived in NY, or when he left Philly. Both would be things of note.

My source didn't confirm he stayed until Wednesday, but that was his plan as of Monday. It's possible they decided to leave Tuesday night instead, I have no idea and I haven't heard anything one way or the other, outside of the random bartender. 

I'll ask my guy for clarity, but he's gone completely dark since the first bit of info, so he's either upset that it has gotten out there, or he's been told to stop talking. I'll be seeing him in person in the coming weeks, so maybe I can get an answer by then. Hopefully Manny will have signed anyway.

2 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

We also haven't heard when Manny arrived in NY, or when he left Philly. Both would be things of note.

My source didn't confirm he stayed until Wednesday, but that was his plan as of Monday. It's possible they decided to leave Tuesday night instead, I have no idea and I haven't heard anything one way or the other, outside of the random bartender. 

I'll ask my guy for clarity, but he's gone completely dark since the first bit of info, so he's either upset that it has gotten out there, or he's been told to stop talking. I'll be seeing him in person in the coming weeks, so maybe I can get an answer by then. Hopefully Manny will have signed anyway.

Someone tweeted out that Manny will decide after the New Year

6 minutes ago, GGajewski18 said:

Someone tweeted out that Manny will decide after the New Year

Yup. Hopefully when I see him we are celebrating the Sox getting a whale for once!

It really doesn’t matter whether he left Tuesday or Wednesday. Once he left and took the other visits, the point was moot. 

5 hours ago, Baron said:

Perfect because I've made it clear before that I want zero free agents added this year. There are a dozen question marks with the young players right now. A ton of bad play combined with guys making their debut this year. I want them to stay the course and continue to add pieces in the draft/trade. 

And wait until the next time two massive 26 year old free agents are available?  No thanks, get me one of these guys and turn this thing around.  There is minimal interest in this team as is with the fanbase and it needs a kick.

This is Pirates Of The Caribbean without a pirate or Caribbean, a knockoff to suit prejudiced audiences like cricketer Virat Kohli who prefer to exclusively admire the locally made. In this 1810-set adventure, Aamir borrows the Jack Sparrow eyeliner, while Amitabh is literally given the bird, his entrances on screen preceded by a noisy hawk. Bachchan plays a rebel, a freedom fighter rallying troops against the colonisers, while Khan is a two-faced rogue on the Company payroll sent to infiltrate Bachchan’s squad and bring him down.

For those who remember the Q-Rating battle royale over Harper, a mention of our new SoxTalk-favorite Indian cricketer in a review of Bollywood film The Thugs of Hindustan, lol.

4 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

This is Pirates Of The Caribbean without a pirate or Caribbean, a knockoff to suit prejudiced audiences like cricketer Virat Kohli who prefer to exclusively admire the locally made. In this 1810-set adventure, Aamir borrows the Jack Sparrow eyeliner, while Amitabh is literally given the bird, his entrances on screen preceded by a noisy hawk. Bachchan plays a rebel, a freedom fighter rallying troops against the colonisers, while Khan is a two-faced rogue on the Company payroll sent to infiltrate Bachchan’s squad and bring him down.

For those who remember the Q-Rating battle royale over Harper, a mention of our new SoxTalk-favorite Indian cricketer in a review of Bollywood film The Thugs of Hindustan, lol.

 

40 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

This is Pirates Of The Caribbean without a pirate or Caribbean, a knockoff to suit prejudiced audiences like cricketer Virat Kohli who prefer to exclusively admire the locally made. In this 1810-set adventure, Aamir borrows the Jack Sparrow eyeliner, while Amitabh is literally given the bird, his entrances on screen preceded by a noisy hawk. Bachchan plays a rebel, a freedom fighter rallying troops against the colonisers, while Khan is a two-faced rogue on the Company payroll sent to infiltrate Bachchan’s squad and bring him down.

For those who remember the Q-Rating battle royale over Harper, a mention of our new SoxTalk-favorite Indian cricketer in a review of Bollywood film The Thugs of Hindustan, lol.

Huh?  I haven't been here long, but this is the most random nonsensical thing I have seen.  And I lived through the Peavy44 era.  

20 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

Huh?  I haven't been here long, but this is the most random nonsensical thing I have seen.  And I lived through the Peavy44 era.  

It's only going to make sense to those of us who spent 2-3 days battling over the "marketability" of Bryce Harper about 3-4 weekends ago and what it would mean to the Sox franchise...didn't even bring Katie Ledecky back into it, lol.

For "non-insiders" to that particular insane thread, it will be coated in meaninglessness.

9 hours ago, Chi Town Sox said:

And wait until the next time two massive 26 year old free agents are available?  No thanks, get me one of these guys and turn this thing around.  There is minimal interest in this team as is with the fanbase and it needs a kick.

Neither of these players "will turn this thing around." It's not basketball. If 5 or 6 of our prospects hit, this thing will turn around. 

3 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

Neither of these players "will turn this thing around." It's not basketball. If 5 or 6 of our prospects hit, this thing will turn around. 

And if 5 or 6 of our prospects hit, it’ll be very nice to have Harper or Machado on the team. 

7 hours ago, turnin' two said:

Huh?  I haven't been here long, but this is the most random nonsensical thing I have seen.  And I lived through the Peavy44 era.  

Everyone needs to cut Caulfield some slack. The Chinese opium is really superior to anything else.

9 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Everyone needs to cut Caulfield some slack. The Chinese opium is really superior to anything else.

Fever dreams are something else

8 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

This is Pirates Of The Caribbean without a pirate or Caribbean, a knockoff to suit prejudiced audiences like cricketer Virat Kohli who prefer to exclusively admire the locally made. In this 1810-set adventure, Aamir borrows the Jack Sparrow eyeliner, while Amitabh is literally given the bird, his entrances on screen preceded by a noisy hawk. Bachchan plays a rebel, a freedom fighter rallying troops against the colonisers, while Khan is a two-faced rogue on the Company payroll sent to infiltrate Bachchan’s squad and bring him down.

For those who remember the Q-Rating battle royale over Harper, a mention of our new SoxTalk-favorite Indian cricketer in a review of Bollywood film The Thugs of Hindustan, lol.

Enough time had passed where I was able to effectively block Q Score from my memory, but this post triggered that whole fiasco right back into the forefront of my brain...thanks caulfield.

11 hours ago, Chi Town Sox said:

And wait until the next time two massive 26 year old free agents are available?  No thanks, get me one of these guys and turn this thing around.  There is minimal interest in this team as is with the fanbase and it needs a kick.

It needs a kick because so far the rebuild isn't going as planned. 

Just now, Baron said:

It needs a kick because so far the rebuild isn't going as planned. 

How so?

 

6 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

How so?

 

I think without a major step forward from the players Rick Hahn brought in the past few years this year we're going to be in "uh oh" territory. Kopech being out for a year certainly doesn't help and who knows how his play will be when he returns. But let's see what happens. 

Edited December 28, 20187 yr by Baron

2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

How so?

 

I would agree it hasn’t gone quite as planned. Injuries (Kopech, Burger, Robert, Burdi) disappointing starts to careers (moncada, Giolito) have gotten this off to a bumpy start for sure

13 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

How so?

 

It's not off the rails but it hasn't gone according to plan. 

2 minutes ago, Baron said:

I think without a major step forward from the players Rick Hahn brought in the past few years this year we're going to be in "uh oh" territory. Kopech being out for a year certainly doesn't help and who knows how his play will be when he returns. 

You could also add how great Hansen looked one year then how terrible he looked the other, Fulmer implosion, Giolito the same, Moncada  looking not like a superstar or even a star so far, Burger's injury, Roberts lack of playing time due to a series of injuries, Burdi's injury and Collins  hit tool and defensive problems.

Even an optimist would consider those things worrisome.

12 minutes ago, Baron said:

I think without a major step forward from the players Rick Hahn brought in the past few years this year we're going to be in "uh oh" territory. Kopech being out for a year certainly doesn't help and who knows how his play will be when he returns. But let's see what happens. 

 

10 minutes ago, beckham15 said:

I would agree it hasn’t gone quite as planned. Injuries (Kopech, Burger, Robert, Burdi) disappointing starts to careers (moncada, Giolito) have gotten this off to a bumpy start for sure

 

5 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

It's not off the rails but it hasn't gone according to plan. 

Bumpy start I can agree with, but “not going to plan” sounds like almost panic inducing levels of worriedness to me and it’s not even close to that point yet.

2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

 

 

Bumpy start I can agree with, but “not going to plan” sounds like almost panic inducing levels of worriedness to me and it’s not even close to that point yet.

Oh goodness. We're not at panic yet. But there wasn't a whole lot of good last year. I wouldn't call a huge amount of injuries and poor play "part of the plan". 

 

I liked where Lopez and Tim Anderson where last year. That's about it. 

Edited December 28, 20187 yr by Baron

11 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

You could also add how great Hansen looked one year then how terrible he looked the other, Fulmer implosion, Giolito the same, Moncada  looking not like a superstar or even a star so far, Burger's injury, Roberts lack of playing time due to a series of injuries, Burdi's injury and Collins  hit tool and defensive problems.

Even an optimist would consider those things worrisome.

All valid points, but it excludes some positives that were unexpected like Luis Gonzalez’s breakout, Aldofo’s power breakout (while hurt), Rutherford showing signs of improvement, some solid seasons from unexpected minor league pitchers like Flores, etc. I don’t think the rebuild is at the point of failure. If Eloy comes up and looks like crap, that’s when I would begin to worry.