WhiteSox2023

Could it be possible that there are Sox fans that are upset with how Jerry has run his team over the years, and which has absolutely nothing to do with joining Cubs trolls? Afterall, the Sox and Hahn completely blew their first multi-year rebuild with poor free agent choices and Jerry hand-picking his relic of a best friend as his manager. After all that, they just started yet another multi-year rebuild with a GM that looks as bad as Hahn at player assessment. They are now coming off of a season in which they set an MLB record for futility. But it’s just miserable Sox fans teaming up with Cubs trolls? The Cubs have their own problems — they can’t seem to get over the hump, hover around a .500 record, and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2020. They aren’t happy with their ownership and front office right now either.

All MLB teams receive $200+ million a year through revenue sharing. I believe caufield’s post above about the Pirates receiving only $100 million was off by an additional $100 million. https://www.thetribune.ca/sports/mlb/ It would be very difficult for an MLB team to lose money overall, just local profits, which are composed of ticket sales, parking, concessions, etc. So an owner just slashes payroll to cover these losses and milks revenue sharing dollars. This is what Jerry’s strategy is now, starting with Hahn and now starting again with Getz. If the team does actually develop some good young players again, I’m sure Jerry will approve a higher payroll again. But just like last time, the Sox will never go the extra mile to bring in a star player and will wind up with underperforming B class free agents.

Jerry dips his toes in and squeals, “TOO SPENDY!!!” and meets Getz over by the dumpster as he lights up a cigar to discuss what cheap vet they can add.

Lose money that they could normally be earning but still in the green with overall earnings. Just slash payroll to account for your losses.

There it is.

All the talk is what a big return Cease or Fedde will require and then we end up with a mediocre to bad return. So Getz does shoot for the stars and talks a big game but then does end up accepting a lower offer.

Link? Lost $130 million over what they usually earn? They are still in the green with revenue. He just slashes payroll to account for the losses.

The Sox have been pretty bad over the years and just set the futility record. They seem to now be in a perpetual rebuild. Meanwhile, Jerry still made $288 million in revenue in 2023. So where is his incentive to actually win? To make even more money? “In 2023, the Yankees made $679 million in revenue and the Dodgers made $549 million. The teams with the lowest revenue were the Oakland Athletics — now just the Athletics — with $241 million and the Chicago White Sox with $288 million.”

You don’t want to blame Jerry’s “alleged frugality”; however, the fact is that the payroll for 2025 is currently at around $66 million after arbitration raises for players. Yes, Getz will sign some guys but likely not any large contract free agents. You posted this in another thread… ”Yes, WSox need some hitters/position players so add them through FA ...but don't rob from Peter to pay Paul so to speak. Spend some damn money on FA instead of trying to go on the cheap by trying to outsmart other teams with trades and "developing" prospects while we watch another painful rebuild. Fvk that.” So if the Sox trade some combination of Crochet/Robert/Benintendi and the payroll drops even lower, even with some minor additions by Getz, who in your opinion is to actually blame for this lack of spending? The Sox are more than likely going to have a bottom five payroll in the MLB, next to teams like the A’s, Pirates, Rays, and Marlins. There’s one person that controls these decisions and that’s Jerry.

Jerry hasn’t even played in the shallow pool the past couple years, and when he did we wound up with Benintendi. And 5-years, $75 million is only a big signing to a handful of teams, the Sox being one of them.

Then good luck on the team ever having a decent lineup anytime soon. Cuz we know the Sox aren’t going to be hitting on multiple position player draft picks or signing anyone good.

They are probably both sunk costs at this point. The Sox are bad the next two years with Benintendi or Walker. I’d take the guarantee of freeing up $14.5 million in 2027. Maybe the rest of the team will have improved enough in two years that it would be nice to have that money in the offseason?

Not so sure on that. It’s a matter of money. I’d probably take Walker’s contract over Benintendi’s just to get out from under it a year earlier. Benintendi (3-years, $47.5M) 2025: $16.5M 2026: $16.5M 2027: $14.5M Walker (2-years, $36M) 2025: $18.0M 2026: $18.0M

The teams trying to compete make more local money and also get the same revenue sharing money. The Sox and other teams not trying to win are just another easy opponent for the teams trying to win.

A down year kills a player’s value. See Dylan Cease and Luis Robert.

Actually only 4 years of control for Casas and Wong. Let’s help the Red Sox re-tool their lineup and get younger while we get older!

Wow. I understand the risk of Robert getting injured or tanking again in the first half. Then you are facing a $20 million dollar option for 2026. But is there no end to this team’s cheapness? Their guaranteed payroll for 2025 is at like $66 million right now. Selling him low doesn’t do much for this team either.

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden reported that the Red Sox could include Triston Casas in a trade package for White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet. While Bowden is speculating on the exact trade package the Red Sox would offer for Crochet, it’s interesting to note his mention of Casas since there has been lots of reporting this offseason that the Red Sox are looking to move Rafael Devers off of third base. If the Red Sox were to sign a third baseman and move Devers to first base then they may view Casas as a palatable trade option if it nets them a potential difference-making starter like Crochet. Bowden suggested that “a package of Casas, Wilyer Abreu, and Connor Wong probably gets close to landing Crochet. The Red Sox could then replace Abreu with prospect Roman Anthony in right field, replace Wong with Kyle Teel at catcher.”

This place will be in meltdown mode if the Sox trade Crochet for #53 prospect Justin Crawford and whatever the prospect return is for Alec Bohm.

Getz apparently being delusional. Robert may be worth top prospects if he has a massive first half. I can’t see a team meeting that high of a price until he proves himself again.

Since when do trades work like that? Maybe if they had huge bloated contracts and were bad players. But Bohm and Lux are both worth their salaries so it’s not like they have negative trade value. Bohm is projected to receive $8.1 million via arbitration for 2025, which isn’t bad for a 3 WAR player last year. Lux is projected to receive $2.7 million for 2025 and he was a 2.1 WAR player last year. So they aren’t bad players, but what does Getz think 4 to 5 more wins is doing for this team in 2025 and 2026? And you would be losing Crochet and/or Robert’s WAR/production, which could be a net loss. Either guy included in a Crochet or Robert trade isn’t going to increase the prospect returns. It will decrease them.

Yep, more ridiculous trade targets. Two years of these two guys does absolutely nothing for this team.

I mean, we already know Getz isn’t spending much this offseason in free agency. He said so himself two months ago. ”The Kids Can Play.”

Yep, pretty crazy. Jerry is going to be banking those savings. Yet another long rebuild means more $$$.