1 minute ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Bowden did put that quote in his Athletic article last night about where the top 15 remaining free agents would go.  How Jim Bowden has connections to Manny’s friends and whether there is any truth to those statements remain to be seen.  My guess is this is simply a game of telephone ad Bowden is taking what someone else “heard” and acting like it’s first hand knowledge.

Did Bowden predict anyone to Sox?  Where he have Bryce going?

2 minutes ago, TheTruth05 said:

I really do think Padres are 2nd if Dodgers are 1st. Same situation as Sox but they have location advantage.

Do they though?  San Diego is barely a top 30 media market and he’d have to pay the ridiculous California state taxes for half his games.  I just don’t see it, even if it’s close to Las Vegas.

I maintain that we shouldn't sign anyone if we fail on Harper and Manny. At that point we're screwed next year anyway. Might as well get another top draft pick. 

2 minutes ago, G&T said:

...but the Dodgers don't have the money without moving players, and the rumors to the effect that he wants to go there only serve to lower any offer they make. It's the same with Machado and the Yankees. I get that the players wanted big money teams that are immediate contenders, but those teams aren't spending right now. These rumors make for easy sports writer fodder, but they are superficial claims. Obviously if they want less money to play in those places, then more power to them.

Not that I think it will happen (and I doubt the Sox would spend the money), but both players coming to the Sox makes the team an immediate contender and they both get paid.

 

I wouldn't say they "don't have the money." They just don't have room to spend without going over the luxury tax.

2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Bowden did put that quote in his Athletic article last night about where the top 15 remaining free agents would go.  How Jim Bowden has connections to Manny’s friends and whether there is any truth to those statements remain to be seen.  My guess is this is simply a game of telephone ad Bowden is taking what someone else “heard” and acting like it’s first hand knowledge.

Or somebody in Manny's camp leaked that in an attempt to get the Sox/Phillies to increase their offer.

1 minute ago, fathom said:

Did Bowden predict anyone to Sox?  Where he have Bryce going?

No one for Sox.  Bryce to Dodgers and Machado to the Phillies.

Just now, Baron said:

I maintain that we shouldn't sign anyone if we fail on Harper and Manny. At that point we're screwed next year anyway. Might as well get another top draft pick. 

Theres really no one else worth signing, unless they want to grab pen pieces to possibly flip at the deadline or offseason.

Just now, Chicago White Sox said:

Do they though?  San Diego is barely a top 30 media market and he’d have to pay the ridiculous California state taxes for half his games.  I just don’t see it, even if it’s close to Las Vegas.

I'm just going off the premise that he really wants to be on the West Coast. If it's true he's waiting for the Dodgers to make some moves to sign him then he really wants to be on the WC, I can see the Padres jumping on that. 

1 minute ago, soxfan2014 said:

I wouldn't say they "don't have the money." They just don't have room to spend without going over the luxury tax.

Both the Dodger and Cubs have been too quiet. Especially Dodgers, they still have plenty of moves to make.  I think the Kluber and Realmuto deals have slowed down everything.

Just now, soxfan2014 said:

Theres really no one else worth signing, unless they want to grab pen pieces to possibly flip at the deadline or offseason.

Exactly. Maybe I'm just extremely cynical about our position now. But I think it'll be more of the same next free agency too if we do miss out this go around. 

1 minute ago, soxfan2014 said:

Theres really no one else worth signing, unless they want to grab pen pieces to possibly flip at the deadline or offseason.

Use that payroll to take on a one year bad contract like Kemp, as well as a good prospect.

1 minute ago, TheTruth05 said:

I'm just going off the premise that he really wants to be on the West Coast. If it's true he's waiting for the Dodgers to make some moves to sign him then he really wants to be on the WC, I can see the Padres jumping on that. 

Wanting to play for the Dodgers automatically means he wants to play on the West Coast?

Thome is gonna come through.

#MrIncredible

Just now, fathom said:

Use that payroll to take on a one year bad contract like Kemp, as well as a good prospect.

Honestly that would be something I would definitely do. Mentioned it a few week back. Grab Kemp if Harper wants to go to the Dodgers. Get some more pieces back. 

2 minutes ago, SoxBlanco said:

Or somebody in Manny's camp leaked that in an attempt to get the Sox/Phillies to increase their offer.

Which is the most likely scenario.  I still maintain all the Yankees (Machado) & Dodgers (Harper) hype/speculation is agents using the typical big spenders to force the team eager to spend to up their bids.

Just now, fathom said:

Use that payroll to take on a one year bad contract like Kemp, as well as a good prospect.

We always talk about this but I don't think we've ever seen the Sox do this unfortunately.

4 minutes ago, fathom said:

Use that payroll to take on a one year bad contract like Kemp, as well as a good prospect.

If we miss out on both, I'm down for that. Or some combo Pederson, Puig, and Wood. If you land Pederson and Puig, you suddenly have an MLB-caliber OF when Eloy comes up with Eloy-Pederson-Puig LF-RF.

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by soxfan2014

1 minute ago, Baron said:

Honestly that would be something I would definitely do. Mentioned it a few week back. Grab Kemp if Harper wants to go to the Dodgers. Get some more pieces back. 

They need to do something. Sitting on your ass two straight offseasons doing nothing to advance the rebuild would be so disappointing.

That comment contains nothing new. The question has always been how much money would the Yankees really spend. The fact that the Yankees havent signed him makes me think its not as much as usual. I dont normally think of the Yankees as a team who waits in the weeds hoping to get a good deal. They are usually the ones who set the market and spend right away. 

3 minutes ago, fathom said:

Both the Dodger and Cubs have been too quiet. Especially Dodgers, they still have plenty of moves to make.  I think the Kluber and Realmuto deals have slowed down everything.

But there is reason to believe both of these teams are adhering to budgetary issues in the short-run.  The Dodgers also seem unwilling to take on a massive long-term commitment, which aligns with Friedman’s history as a GM.

 

7 minutes ago, Baron said:

Exactly. Maybe I'm just extremely cynical about our position now. But I think it'll be more of the same next free agency too if we do miss out this go around. 

I think you're just extremely cynical, yes. 

1 minute ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

 

I think you're just extremely cynical, yes. 

The White Sox and this front office have earned it. 

15 minutes ago, G&T said:

...but the Dodgers don't have the money without moving players, and the rumors to the effect that he wants to go there only serve to lower any offer they make. It's the same with Machado and the Yankees. I get that the players wanted big money teams that are immediate contenders, but those teams aren't spending right now. These rumors make for easy sports writer fodder, but they are superficial claims. Obviously if they want less money to play in those places, then more power to them.

Not that I think it will happen (and I doubt the Sox would spend the money), but both players coming to the Sox makes the team an immediate contender and they both get paid.

 

You're not wrong about a lot of this but the Sox internally don't like their chances. That's more than just mediaplay. 

15 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Do they though?  San Diego is barely a top 30 media market and he’d have to pay the ridiculous California state taxes for half his games.  I just don’t see it, even if it’s close to Las Vegas.

Hell, most teams in the NL West will play over 100 games in Cali. Home is home though. Marketing opportunities, winning and proximity to family can definitely bridge that gap though.  

1 minute ago, raBBit said:

You're not wrong about a lot of this but the Sox internally don't like their chances. That's more than just mediaplay. 

I could easily be wrong, but I’ve never thought Harper was considering the WSox. Always felt they were being used to set a market for him.