Reports swirling that Astros and Verlander never finalized deal prior to lock out. Uncertainty what that means but Verlander may be in play again coming out of the lock out. 
 

Had agreed to a 2yr 50M (2nd yr option) deal agreed to 2 weeks ago. No clue what hold up was but this would be good news. I still think Verlander would be a nice take a swing move at the rotation. 

3 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

Reports swirling that Astros and Verlander never finalized deal prior to lock out. Uncertainty what that means but Verlander may be in play again coming out of the lock out. 
 

Had agreed to a 2yr 50M deal agreed to 2 weeks ago. No clue what hold up was but this would be good news. I still think Verlander would be a nice take a swing move at the rotation. 

Expensive swing!

Maybe his medicals are bad and that’s why it’s not finalized?

I saw this on MLB tv so hopefully this isn’t stale or fake news. 

24 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

I saw this on MLB tv so hopefully this isn’t stale or fake news. 

Now that there’s a lockout we can’t read any official MLB content… at least their cable network isn’t dark.

You read this one?

https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/a-letter-to-baseball-fans
 

Manspread is such a toting garbage can.

Nothing in the Houston Chronicle yet.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/astros/article/Astros-Sara-Goodrum-director-player-development-16665849.php

Astros hired a female exec and there's a 2024 option for reliever Hector Neris, that was it.

Even if this does fall through. It's probably safe to say that he won't fall in to Jerry's dollar store range. So he's not coming here.

As if this has any effect on the White Sox “plans” 

This would be wild. I assume if his medical are terrible Astros would at least give him 1/18. I don’t remember if his timing was exact same as syndegaard but felt they chose early to have QO as fall back.

3 hours ago, Sarava said:

Even if this does fall through. It's probably safe to say that he won't fall in to Jerry's dollar store range. So he's not coming here.

Fun fact, White Sox are currently 5th in payroll.

 

I of course would like them to add more, and I think they will, but the cheap narrative is old and tired. 

1 minute ago, scs787 said:

Fun fact, White Sox are currently 5th in payroll.

 

I of course would like them to add more, and I think they will, but the cheap narrative is old and tired. 

5th in payroll on December 2nd doesn’t exactly mean anything. Let’s see where they are sitting on opening day (whenever that is).

Edited December 2, 20214 yr by Bob Sacamano

4 minutes ago, scs787 said:

Fun fact, White Sox are currently 5th in payroll.

 

I of course would like them to add more, and I think they will, but the cheap narrative is old and tired. 

It's December 2.

Somehow I have a feeling the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Dodgers, Astros, Angels, Mets, Padres, Blue Jays, Nats (maybe), Mariners, Cardinals, Rangers, etc., will have something to say about those rankings before Opening Day.

Also, Braves being so low is pretty impressive for a WS winner, Brewers, Rays, etc.

It also goes to show how far from automatic the addition of Conforto is at this point.

So is it too early to praise the Sox for their high payroll, but not too early to rip them for their incomplete roster?

The answer, of course, is it's too early to praise or trash the Sox for their work this offseason, but folks should probably pick a lane.

1 hour ago, Bob Sacamano said:

5th in payroll on December 2nd doesn’t exactly mean anything. Let’s see where they are sitting on opening day (whenever that is).

 

1 hour ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

It's December 2.

So wait.....you mean to tell me teams are still adding players? 

Hope Hahn signs Ichiro to start in Right Field on a three year deal.

 

Just now, scs787 said:

 

So wait.....you mean to tell me teams are still adding players? 

Post lockout yes. Off-season technically isn’t over.

3 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Post lockout yes. Off-season technically isn’t over.

It was sarcasm. Lol. 

 

I don't know if they'll end up top 5 in payroll at the start of the season but right now there is a 53 million dollar gap between 5th and 10th. Of course I'd like to see them still operating in the top 5 as they should, but let's not act like they're super cheap.

 

Still would like to see a Giolito extension happen soon as well. 

10 minutes ago, scs787 said:

It was sarcasm. Lol. 

 

I don't know if they'll end up top 5 in payroll at the start of the season but right now there is a 53 million dollar gap between 5th and 10th. Of course I'd like to see them still operating in the top 5 as they should, but let's not act like they're super cheap.

 

Still would like to see a Giolito extension happen soon as well. 

Yeah they’ll definitely add themselves (maybe extend Giolito or someone else like you said) but I don’t think they will be top 5.

7 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yeah they’ll definitely add themselves (maybe extend Giolito or someone else like you said) but I don’t think they will be top 5.

If they are still Top 5 on Opening Day I will officially join Ron’s Cubs quest.  
 

It’s not going to happen with Kimbrel removed…and it would take a lot even with Conforto because they might try to dump Keuchel as well and reinsert Lopez into the rotation.

Worth even less of note right now, but the Sox have the 2nd highest payroll on the books going into 2023 and that's without a Giolito extension. Gotta figure that puts adds at least 20 schmill which gives them the top payroll in the league going into 2023. 

 

Certainly not saying they should stop now or anything but they are far from cheap right now. 

3 hours ago, scs787 said:

Fun fact, White Sox are currently 5th in payroll.

 

I of course would like them to add more, and I think they will, but the cheap narrative is old and tired. 

The Sox had the 15th ranked payroll last year. Mid-winter salary's don't mean much, especially when they have $34 mil tied up in salary's that will or should be dumped (Kimbrel and Keuchel) before next season starts.

I'm not implying they are Pittsburgh Pirates cheap. But they promised over and over that the money would be spent and it's been underwhelming to this point.

25 minutes ago, Sarava said:

The Sox had the 15th ranked payroll last year. Mid-winter salary's don't mean much, especially when they have $34 mil tied up in salary's that will or should be dumped (Kimbrel and Keuchel) before next season starts.

I'm not implying they are Pittsburgh Pirates cheap. But they promised over and over that the money would be spent and it's been underwhelming to this point.

Dallas ain’t going anywhere my guy 

4 minutes ago, ShoeLessRob said:

Dallas ain’t going anywhere my guy 

There's lots of ways he could. If there was a CBA that added a minimum team payroll, a guy on a 1 year deal who had an excellent but short 2020 is the kind of guy you would pick up - he either helps you get to your minimum payroll and you let him go or he's tradeable at the deadline if he gets off to a good start. Alternatively, the White Sox's system is weak, but they certainly could do something like what Milwaukee did with the $17.5 million apparently remaining on Jackie Bradley Jr's contract, pair Burger and another prospect with him and ship him somewhere else.

2 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

There's lots of ways he could. If there was a CBA that added a minimum team payroll, a guy on a 1 year deal who had an excellent but short 2020 is the kind of guy you would pick up - he either helps you get to your minimum payroll and you let him go or he's tradeable at the deadline if he gets off to a good start. Alternatively, the White Sox's system is weak, but they certainly could do something like what Milwaukee did with the $17.5 million apparently remaining on Jackie Bradley Jr's contract, pair Burger and another prospect with him and ship him somewhere else.

Then you have to replace two SP in the rotation, with who? Kopech and Lopez? I’m not banking on either of them, maybe Kopech for half a season but expecting anything more is I’ll advised. 

1 hour ago, Balta1701 said:

There's lots of ways he could. If there was a CBA that added a minimum team payroll, a guy on a 1 year deal who had an excellent but short 2020 is the kind of guy you would pick up - he either helps you get to your minimum payroll and you let him go or he's tradeable at the deadline if he gets off to a good start. Alternatively, the White Sox's system is weak, but they certainly could do something like what Milwaukee did with the $17.5 million apparently remaining on Jackie Bradley Jr's contract, pair Burger and another prospect with him and ship him somewhere else.

Between the whole grip/no grip thing, and now the whole dueling baseballs thing, I wonder how much Dallas was hit by some of this.