58 minutes ago, Highland said:

I never expect this team to spend. I also don't expect this team to win much for the next few years.  Another 100-loss season next year. 

Also spending for a couple years when contracts come off the books shortly is a lot different than signing the Harper’s of the world to ten year contracts.  The former is not a credible business model in the business of baseball.

21 minutes ago, Frank the Tank 35 said:

Since we can't sign any $100M players, can we just sign new scouting and development departments to record contracts? The product on field is going to be awful for the foreseeable future, so give me an A's player budget but spend multiples of that on the analytics and development side in the meantime.

This is what kills me.  If you want to be cheap, that's fine.  There are routes to success on that path.  Tampa has done a great job there, as had Cleveland. WTF are we doing?

28 minutes ago, greg775 said:

The Sox are not going to win ever by spending money. We all know they won't do it. However they probably can spend as much as they did this season which apparently was top half of baseball. They'll have to figure a way to contend like some other cheapskate teams in our division. Just figure it out. Just do it. 

Pedro getting axed is one big yawn BTW. Yes he's horrific but he's just 1/10 of the problem. Top to bottom the organization is the worst 3 probably in all of sports. Definitely the worst in MLB. But yes Pedro is a clown obviously.

Sure feels like it.

12 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

This is what kills me.  If you want to be cheap, that's fine.  There are routes to success on that path.  Tampa has done a great job there, as had Cleveland. WTF are we doing?

It’s “old school” and “new school.”

Just the worst parts of both.

22 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

This is what kills me.  If you want to be cheap, that's fine.  There are routes to success on that path.  Tampa has done a great job there, as had Cleveland. WTF are we doing?

He doesn’t want to invest.  That’s the problem.  Tampa and Cleveland invest in the minors and analytics, Jerry does neither.   Gotta spend that money to coach up and develop the these kids 

and he won’t spend on big contracts lol.  So we are stuck in the tiny pool of “somehow this guy made it through our minors/traded for this other teams guy who is out of options” and “free agents that are the last guys left”

3 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

He doesn’t want to invest.  That’s the problem.  Tampa and Cleveland invest in the minors and analytics, Jerry does neither.   Gotta spend that money to coach up and develop the these kids 

and he won’t spend on big contracts lol.  So we are stuck in the tiny pool of “somehow this guy made it through our minors/traded for this other teams guy who is out of options” and “free agents that are the last guys left”

I use the term invest loosely, as it is infinitely cheaper than what we have been doing.  I promise you for the price of Nicky Lopez we could have a top notch front office operation from top to bottom.

32 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

This is what kills me.  If you want to be cheap, that's fine.  There are routes to success on that path.  Tampa has done a great job there, as had Cleveland. WTF are we doing?

JR is a new level of cheap.  Tampa and Cleveland dont spend on the roster, but they invest in development, analytics, drafting and the international free agency.  They take raw talented players and get the best out of them.

Its not that JR doesn't spend money.  He doesn't spend it anywhere.  They have the smallest analytics department in the MLB.  We dont have a large amateur and professional scouting organization.  Its still the good old boys network there.  Ancient ideas.  The GMs are focused on short term returns.  We let the guy we fired shortly after the draft make the first pick, he picked someone who was probably not the best player available but someone who would be able to fill the MLB roster quickly. The current GM probably picked Hagen because they figured Crochet was on his way out. Our free agency is filled with mediocre B level players that we sometimes have to overpay to be here.  So if you go to Walmart and buy a 100 dollars worth of Chef Boy R Dee, yes you spent a 100 dollars but that doesnt immediately turn that Chef into a 100 dollar steak because you spent the same.  Sure you have more meals, but its not a quality meal.  Its just numbers.  We dont have a pipeline to fill the ball club at this point.  We hire low cost managers.  Everyone is wasting their time looking for a replacement, Sizemore is it.  JR loves his low cost first time guys.   TLR is probably whispering in his ear and Getz is doing whatever TLR says is a good idea.  

During the "window" we spent oddly.  No superstar.  Just an assembly of parts, lots of relievers.   The owner then imposed his will and put his buddy in charge and then closed the wallet up.  Then he stripped this thing to the studs and now is going to anchor attendance before he is going to spend.   Sorry you didnt spend to get a superstar to push us over the top or spend wisely the last time.  We are not going to be tricked again.  I can wait him out, time is on my side.   

 

Edited August 8, 20241 yr by southsideirish71

26 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

He doesn’t want to invest.  That’s the problem.  Tampa and Cleveland invest in the minors and analytics, Jerry does neither.   Gotta spend that money to coach up and develop the these kids 

and he won’t spend on big contracts lol.  So we are stuck in the tiny pool of “somehow this guy made it through our minors/traded for this other teams guy who is out of options” and “free agents that are the last guys left”

Very true and JR's ego is such that he won't admit things are failing badly. He still thinks his way to win will work. 

There is a motto: "You have to spend money to make money." It doesn't mean you overspend or throw money away. It means you have to spend something. They will have to spend a little money in the offseason. If they don't, we fans will get to watch another minor league team.

16 minutes ago, Highland said:

There is a motto: "You have to spend money to make money." It doesn't mean you overspend or throw money away. It means you have to spend something. They will have to spend a little money in the offseason. If they don't, we fans will get to watch another minor league team.

That appears to be the case next season, another dismal year of ineptitude. 

What kind of shake with they introduce next season?

It’s never under JR…..not to ever sign a player to 100 million dollars contract in a big market like Chicago is beyond absurd!

7 minutes ago, Big Hurtin said:

What kind of shake with they introduce next season?

“Jerry’s Cheapskate Strawberry Shake”, made with strawberry Kool-Aid powder, powdered milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and ice.  It will be half the price of the $15 dollar Campfire Milkshake because as Kenny always said, you can’t spend a dollar if you only have 50 cents!

The other spending problem is that JR does not want to spend time or energy either.

Investing in a revamped analytics and development system is a foundational organizational change that I can’t imagine he’s even remotely motivated to make happen.

3 hours ago, FloydBannister1983 said:

I mean if you want to overpay bums I suppose you can get high paid players.  I don’t think you can get credible players to sign here.

I agree. Next question, is Jerry really cheap or do guys just not want to play here? 

 

5 hours ago, joejoesox said:

AJ said on foul territory today that Getz was 100% on board to hire Grifol, from conversations he's had with ppl inside the Sox FO

Yeah he was definitely on board. He also recognized that it was a terrible hire and wanted to fire him much sooner than he was able to. 

I don’t think it makes sense to spend yet anyway. They should spend on stopgaps, flippable veterans and relievers to trade at the deadline. The Sox will be awful again in 2025. There’s no reason to spend a bunch of money to win 70 games when you can just win 60 games instead. They’ll be in contention for the #1 pick in 2026 draft. Should be pretty obvious now. 

6 hours ago, joejoesox said:

just looked up Juan Soto's age, I thought he was like 29. 

he's 25.

imagine at least having him on the roster for the next 13-14 years (that's what it's gonna take i'd imagine)

i'll say this, by the time this team is good again, jerry probably won't be around to see it and it's all his own damn fault

Jerry is like a cockroach and will outlive all of us June Bugs. 

1 hour ago, Texsox said:

I agree. Next question, is Jerry really cheap or do guys just not want to play here? 

 

Both. 

1 hour ago, Texsox said:

I agree. Next question, is Jerry really cheap or do guys just not want to play here? 

 

Both.  He is cheap and signing guys to expensive four year deals is not the same as intelligent ten year deals to stars.  Reinsdorf’s version gets him off the hook in a couple years.  That’s very temporary spending.

Also based on things we’ve read and surveys done guys do not want to come here, I think that’s pretty obvious.  I don’t think a change in ownership does much to change that… What star wants to come to Chicago’s forgotten team?   Stars want to be seen.  The damage Reinsdorf has done the last ten years can’t be undone, IMHO.

3 hours ago, Highland said:

There is a motto: "You have to spend money to make money." It doesn't mean you overspend or throw money away. It means you have to spend something. They will have to spend a little money in the offseason. If they don't, we fans will get to watch another minor league team.

This is going to be a terrible baseball team next year, no question.   A 20 game improvement over what they are doing now gets us back up to a 100 loss team.  We need 40 games to get back to .500

1 hour ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I don’t think it makes sense to spend yet anyway. They should spend on stopgaps, flippable veterans and relievers to trade at the deadline. The Sox will be awful again in 2025. There’s no reason to spend a bunch of money to win 70 games when you can just win 60 games instead. They’ll be in contention for the #1 pick in 2026 draft. Should be pretty obvious now. 

I do agree with this.  Fill out the pitching and be done with it.

8 hours ago, joejoesox said:

AJ said on foul territory today that Getz was 100% on board to hire Grifol, from conversations he's had with ppl inside the Sox FO

Getz was a key part of the process per Merkin.

36 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I do agree with this.  Fill out the pitching and be done with it.

And trade for position player prospects, not busts with less than 6 years of control and no defensive position.

8 hours ago, Chisoxfn said:

I took it as - we aren't going to spend big next year; I don't think that is the wrong decision. I don't think that is the year to start spending like crazy.  Now I do think they should be making targeted signings to try and be able to flip people at the deadline and build up assets. I also think they should be looking at ways to help teams who are trying to save luxury tax dollars and acquire assets, etc. Now I will caveat - none of the above is anything the Sox have done well - but I think those are things they should do to try and accelerate the window.

Now if it was - going and signing some guy to a 5yr 150M deal...I'd probably say why bother to be honest (cause they are just that bad).  

That’s 100% what he said.  They will obviously spend some money, and likely quite a bit given our limited payroll commitments, but it’s going to be a bunch of smaller scale and short-term signings.