Orioles DO NOT Sign Fowler

[BlackSox13]

I was thinking, doesn't it seem like at this rate we could be nearing Opening Day and the Sox still haven't added an OF yet because there is still 1 or 2 guys left on the market that they are waiting to steal a sweetheart deal from? I feel like they are playing with fire right now with the waiting game and at some point some team is going to say "f*** it, here" and sign these guys because they are tired of seeing the holes on their roster. I just feel like the Sox are trying to squeeze every last penny out of these players to hope a sweet ass deal falls in their lap in it makes me extremely nervous that nothing gets done.

Takes two to tango. While the Sox are likely to be looking for a potential bargain, these free agents are likely waiting for the best offer to emerge due to the small amount of teams interested in them. Can't force a FA to sign if they are playing the waiting game in search of the best offer they can get.

[Thad Bosley]

Takes two to tango. While the Sox are likely to be looking for a potential bargain, these free agents are likely waiting for the best offer to emerge due to the small amount of teams interested in them. Can't force a FA to sign if they are playing the waiting game in search of the best offer they can get.

True - see Cespedes, Upton, and Gordon.

[2nd_city_saint787]

I'm hoping they just have Yadiel Hernandez in their back pocket waiting for him to post. He's a former teammate of Jose's and they're around the same age, so it wouldn't surprise me if they're friends or still talk so hopefully there is some recruiting going on to make sure the Sox don't lose that bid.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

I'm hoping they just have Yadiel Hernandez in their back pocket waiting for him to post. He's a former teammate of Jose's and they're around the same age, so it wouldn't surprise me if they're friends or still talk so hopefully there is some recruiting going on to make sure the Sox don't lose that bid.

 

It's at the point where I can't even see the Sox outbidding anyone for anything or if cheaper guys come to the market like Kang they either don't bid or don't think the talent from whatever league won't translate. We haven't heard of the Sox for any of the Korean signees. For that matter none of the Cubans since they got expensive .It's a fail fail system.

Edited February 7, 2016 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[caulfield12]

Hernandez, at best, is months away from playing in the big leagues...

 

They need to be looking at Jackson, Fowler, Jennings, Victorino, Guerrero/Hernandez, etc.

 

And/or Ian Desmond.

[southsider2k5]

Takes two to tango. While the Sox are likely to be looking for a potential bargain, these free agents are likely waiting for the best offer to emerge due to the small amount of teams interested in them. Can't force a FA to sign if they are playing the waiting game in search of the best offer they can get.

 

It is obvious to me that the team is up against the wall in terms of budget, which is what is holding them up.

[fathom]

It is obvious to me that the team is up against the wall in terms of budget, which is what is holding them up.

 

Makes you wonder if they were ever serious candidates for Cespedes, etc. Also, it's depressing how much of an albatross LaRoche's salary is for this year.

[Whisox05]

It is obvious to me that the team is up against the wall in terms of budget, which is what is holding them up.

 

But then they dont have the prospects or least some they aren't willing to deal to get the impact players they need. What would solve all this is actually being able to develop their own position players.

[Thad Bosley]

It is obvious to me that the team is up against the wall in terms of budget, which is what is holding them up.

Well, this cannot even be remotely true. If there is some sort of budget constraint preventing us from being able to meet whatever Fowler's demands are at the moment, how in the world could we have even been remotely competitive for Cespedes, Gordon, and Upton, which Hahn assured us all last week the team was up until the times those players signed with the teams that they did. A bit of a disconnect there to say the least.

 

Unless someone actually has access to the financial records of the Chicago White Sox, speculating on their budget and/or available resources seems to be a fool's errand.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I was thinking, doesn't it seem like at this rate we could be nearing Opening Day and the Sox still haven't added an OF yet because there is still 1 or 2 guys left on the market that they are waiting to steal a sweetheart deal from? I feel like they are playing with fire right now with the waiting game and at some point some team is going to say "f*** it, here" and sign these guys because they are tired of seeing the holes on their roster. I just feel like the Sox are trying to squeeze every last penny out of these players to hope a sweet ass deal falls in their lap in it makes me extremely nervous that nothing gets done.

 

 

I don't think they're playing with with fire at all. They have a price that they are willing to pay for Fowler. Fowler hasn't agreed to that price yet. The White Sox should not up that offer just to get something done if they've established the value that they feel comfortable signing him for with the forfeiture of a top 30 pick.

[caulfield12]

Hasn't that same exact statement been made about 10-12 times this offseason...that Hahn was just craftily playing some version of poker under his own unique set of rules?

 

Otherwise, why take the risk from the fallout if you had little to no intention of actually pulling the trigger on a significant acquisition?

[southsider2k5]

Well, this cannot even be remotely true. If there is some sort of budget constraint preventing us from being able to meet whatever Fowler's demands are at the moment, how in the world could we have even been remotely competitive for Cespedes, Gordon, and Upton, which Hahn assured us all last week the team was up until the times those players signed with the teams that they did. A bit of a disconnect there to say the least.

 

Unless someone actually has access to the financial records of the Chicago White Sox, speculating on their budget and/or available resources seems to be a fool's errand.

 

Hmm, I wonder what that constraint could be...

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I don't think they're playing with with fire at all. They have a price that they are willing to pay for Fowler. Fowler hasn't agreed to that price yet. The White Sox should not up that offer just to get something done if they've established the value that they feel comfortable signing him for with the forfeiture of a top 30 pick.

 

 

If I need a hotel for a night but I say I only want to get a sweet deal of $15 for the night, there is a damn good chance I am going to end up sleeping in my car that night, regardless of if hotels will have unused rooms that night or not.

[Thad Bosley]

Hmm, I wonder what that constraint could be...

It doesn't exist.

[oldsox]

Sox are waiting for Courtney Hawkins to get ready.

[BlackSox13]

It is obvious to me that the team is up against the wall in terms of budget, which is what is holding them up.

Agreed. The budget was the main point I was addressing in the "2016 payroll " thread. It was rumored early in the off season that Hahn had 2015's budget to work with and the main reason why I felt the Sox wouldn't sign one of the big four. Plus, Hahn had said a few times that the team would need to get "creative " to make it work and that's probably why they were shopping LaRoche.

 

The FO never said they were raising the payroll so I never assumed they would sign a big FA. Just didn't want to get my hopes up too high and suffer a huge let down.

 

With Houston have so many outfielders, I'm hoping the Sox kick the tires on Andrew Aplin. LHB, OF, high OBP potential and solid defense. I dont know what the cost would be but Houston doesnt need him so maybe he could be had for a reasonabke price in a trade. Rather try that route than sign one of Victorino, DeJesus, Joyce, Venable etc.

 

[Y2Jimmy0]

If I need a hotel for a night but I say I only want to get a sweet deal of $15 for the night, there is a damn good chance I am going to end up sleeping in my car that night, regardless of if hotels will have unused rooms that night or not.

 

 

This is a bad analogy.

[cabiness42]

It is obvious to me that the team is up against the wall in terms of budget, which is what is holding them up.

 

When has budget really been an issue? The Sox apparently had a higher bid for Gordon but he chose to stay home. Even if the Sox had the money to outbid the Mets for Cespedes I'm not convinced I want the burden of that contract.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Hmm, I wonder what that constraint could be...

 

 

If Fowler didn't have a pick attached, he'd be on a team. We've been over this numerous times. It sapped his value. He's going to take way below market value now or he'll wait until midseason and be a free agent again next year.

[caulfield12]

In the end, most typical fans don't care very much about excuses or rationalizations.

[Balta1701]

When has budget really been an issue? The Sox apparently had a higher bid for Gordon but he chose to stay home. Even if the Sox had the money to outbid the Mets for Cespedes I'm not convinced I want the burden of that contract.

If no further moves are made, then 3 out of the last 4 seasons the White Sox will have had an opening day payroll within a couple percent of $120 million.

 

They may not have a hard ceiling on their payroll, they may be able to push through it if someone winds up being a bargain, but their actions so far have sure been consistent with it being a "soft ceiling".

[Thad Bosley]

Agreed. The budget was the main point I was addressing in the "2016 payroll " thread. It was rumored early in the off season that Hahn had 2015's budget to work with and the main reason why I felt the Sox wouldn't sign one of the big four. Plus, Hahn had said a few times that the team would need to get "creative " to make it work and that's probably why they were shopping LaRoche.

 

The FO never said they were raising the payroll so I never assumed they would sign a big FA. Just didn't want to get my hopes up too high and suffer a huge let down.

 

With Houston have so many outfielders, I'm hoping the Sox kick the tires on Andrew Aplin. LHB, OF, high OBP potential and solid defense. I dont know what the cost would be but Houston doesnt need him so maybe he could be had for a reasonabke price in a trade. Rather try that route than sign one of Victorino, DeJesus, Joyce, Venable etc.

Was Rick Hahn lying at Soxfest when he said there were no financial or contractual restraints when they were negotiating with the big FAs, right up until the day those players signed with the teams that they did? Because whatever "budget constraints" you and SS2K5 imagine are in place today would have been place a few weeks ago when those players all upped up the way they did.

 

To listen to you and SS2K5 go on and on about these alleged budget constraints that, unless you are an employee of the White Sox Finance dept., you would have zero way of knowing, is ridiculous. Unless you're suggesting Hahn is a bold-faced liar, you can probably put all of this budget nonsense to rest, once and for all.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Thad Bosley

[Dick Allen]

Was Rick Hahn lying at Soxfest when he said there were no financial or contractual restraints when they were negotiating with the big FAs, right up until the day those players signed with the teams that they did? Because whatever "budget constraints" you and SS2K5 imagine are in place today would have been place a few weeks ago when those players all upped up the way they did.

 

To listen to you and SS2K5 go on and on about these alleged budget constraints that, unless you are an employee of the White Sox Finance dept., you would have zero way of knowing, is ridiculous. Unless you're suggesting Hahn is a bold-faced liar, you can probably put all of this budget nonsense to rest, once and for all.

From the Tribune at Soxfest. All the quotes you pin on Hahn seem to be figment of your imagination.

 

 

Hahn said he is in constant contact with Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf about the flexibility remaining in the club's budget and acknowledged he needs to be creative in structuring potential contracts to fit within the constraints.

 

 

Edited February 8, 2016 by Dick Allen

[caulfield12]

So all the money to pay Tanaka $125 million, or Shark $90 million for his extension at this time last year, has simply disappeared?

 

I guess we should be grateful, because those would have been two more debacles, but not because the White Sox didn't have the resources. And Shark, by definition, wasn't really in the true prime of his career either, although I suppose they would argue his lack of innings pitched and concentration on football made him more like a 27-28 year old pitcher in terms of wear and tear.

Edited February 8, 2016 by caulfield12

[Bigsoxhurt35]

As it stands now, this is a fourth place squad. We'll see what they do by the end of spring training. Starters need to play a lot more and get some continuity going.