Pasqua's Mailman

Last night, after I came across some Twitter discussion indicating that Stone and Benetti might not be back, I texted a good friend of mine who is extremely close to the situation and asked him about it. In 99% of the situations like this (rumors, breaking news, random Sox chatter etc.) he gets back to me quickly with what he knows. This time it has been silence. This might mean something or it might mean everything... who knows. Thought I would pass it along.

I agree with what everyone is saying with regard to Stone's condescending tone on Twitter but he is pretty plugged in with the Sox front office. While there is always a possibility that something comes together out the blue, if Stone says "no" about Puig its because the front office isn't planning on making an offer. Sure something could change but I doubt it. Stone doesn't like to be wrong so if he's saying something definitive its because he's heard it directly from Hahn or Williams (or even the Chairman).

Just be clear, he is looking to be part of an ownership group... the ship has sailed long ago on the GM thing.

Stone is the one that wants a three year deal while the Sox are looking for a longer term deal. This isn't about money at all... its about contract length and a few lesser issues. No one is being cheap here. Stone is looking for some flexibility in order to potentially take advantage of any ownership opportunities that may (or may not) arise over the next five years. He wants one more crack at baseball management and he's not getting any younger. This will get done eventually.

Stone will be back. The only sticking point is the number of years on his next deal. Stone wants a 3 year deal which ends when he will be 75. There is still an interest on his end in being part of an ownership group - either for an expansion team or an existing team. This will get done, its a matter of when not if.

Not predicting the Sox will get Machado or that MLB Network will ultimately be proven right but the hosts on MLB programs rarely come to the table with any useful inside information. They are just regurgitating the conventional wisdom. Predicting Machado to the Yankee really doesn't require much imagination.

BA's Top 10 1 (3) Vlad Jr 2 (1) Acuna jr 3 (6) Torres 4 (28) Soto 5 (4) Jimenez 6 (5) Robles 7 (7) Bichette 8 (8) Senzel 9 (9) Tatis jr 10 (10) Whitley

5 (4) Eloy Jimenez 11 (11) Michael Kopech 52 (53) Alec Hansen 53 (54) Luis Robert 66 (77) Dane Dunning

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 02:52 PM) The Ricketts are honestly paying a huge amount of debt down from their purchase of the team from TribCo. I don't think any reluctance is due to profits, but due to that debt being a big burden. Very good point... hadn't thought about the debt issue from the original purchase. My comment is based on some personal business I have had with the family about a decade ago (non-baseball, pre-Cub). Ricketts are genuinely decent people but they are very conservative and risk adverse. This comes from the father and this business philosophy has been imprinted on the kids. The debt issue confirms in my mind that there is no way they will let the payroll get anywhere near the luxury tax.

QUOTE (FT35 @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 02:27 PM) I mean...I agree...but Theo is creative and he could find ways to make it happen. More years/less per year, moving Lester/Heyward/maybe even Zobrist, talking a player down to make a championship run. My guess is that he's not THAT concerned with the luxury tax--given that his Red Sox were usually over when he was there and and his main competition was ALWAYS over it in NY. The luxury tax threshhold for 2018 is $197 million. If Machado and Harper made $30m each, that leaves $137 million to build the rest of their roster--a number that would have been 16th in MLB--right above teams like Cleveland and Houston. A payroll of $197 million would still only be 5th overall in MLB (using 2017 MLB numbers) and about $45 million LESS than the Dodgers. First off...It's insane money, I get it...but I bet Theo could write Machado's and Bryce's checks, bump his remaining salaries by $13 mil to spend $150 million on the remaining roster (only about $20 million less than his payroll from last year--for a total of $210 million). He'd be $13 million over the luxury tax line, costing him a whopping $2.2 million (lol) in luxury tax penalties...and STILL NOT have the highest payroll in MLB by a longshot. He would have Machado, Harper and a $150 million dollar roster around them. There may be some revenue benefits that follow that type of move. Theo may not be that concerned about the luxury tax but you can bet the Ricketts are. The old man is running the show over there and has absolutely no interest in touching the luxury tax. They are currently making boatloads of money and project to make more... the Ricketts didn't get to the position they are by walking away from profits. There is no way they are going to lower their profit margin when they don't have to.

Ken Rosenthal reporting the Tigers are in discussions with Upton https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/689269785692090370

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 14, 2010 -> 02:58 PM) Where did you get that partial list? Merkin twittered it about two minutes ago.

QUOTE (tommy @ Dec 6, 2008 -> 06:32 PM) I still there is no way Cabrera accepts arbitration and I think Kenny knows. Doesn't Cabrera have until Sunday to decide whether to accept arbitration?

QUOTE(Elgin Slim @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 03:34 PM) I absolutely despise this trade. KW talks about these guys as being too much to give up for Cabrera and then trades them for Swisher? That is bulls***. The Sox needed to be doing what the As and Marlins are doing, stockpiling prospects and trading away overpriced veterans. I don't know if Swisher can even play CF, meaning that the Quentin trade was stupid. The Sox will be challenging the 1962 Mets for worst team ever in 2010. There is no one, at the moment, in the minors that is ready to play in the majors. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Nein. Aaron Poreda is an injury waiting to happen. I doubt Lance Broadway will do anything at in the majors once he faces a team other than the Royals. Most of the guys that project to be major leaguers are HS guys who were drafted in 2007, meaning they are at least 3 years away. KW is on crack, acid or needs to be put in the looney bin if he had any hope or prayer of the Sox competing before 2010 before this trade, because Detroit and Cleveland are that much better than us. Now, we'll be lucky if we're competing by 2013. Here's to 5 seasons in last place. I still love the Sox and will support them through this terrible play, but I hope that JR sees the light and fires KW before he runs the franchise into the ground, to the point that we're the laughingstock of MLB. Hell, the Marlins will compete before us. 1. Swisher played almost 60 games in CF last year. 2. How is Aaron Poreda an injury waiting to happen? Based on what exactly? 3. If none of the guys in the minors will be anything for three year, how will the Sox be the worst team in the world in 2010? 4. Why shouldn't KW try to compete? What is he supposed to do? Trade all the veterans away and field a Marlin's type team? 5. How does this trade make it less likely that the Sox will compete THIS year? None of the players the Sox traded would really have helped this year, so how does this impact 2008?

QUOTE(Allsox @ Jan 3, 2008 -> 01:56 PM) The White Sox officially have zero prospects in the minors now. Swisher's not a bad ballplayer (Love the OBP) but he's not a CF nor a leadoff man so what need is he filling for '08? And past Buehrle and Vazquez, relying on the combo of Danks, Floyd and Contreras to fill the rotation out is nothing short of praying for a miracle. If one of them failed, at least there was a backup plan. Now there isn't any. We'll be lucky to see 70+ wins this yr and beyond. And how exactly would the Sox be better than 70 wins if they hadn't made the trade? Would De Los Santos have helped this year? No... In 2009? Doubtful... Sweeney was not in the plans at all and Gio is an open question.... The Sox may only win 70 games this year but their chances of winning more games this year improved with this trade... they did not decrease...