iamshack

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 11:37 PM) That's pretty much my dream scenario right there, it would mean the end of Scott Podsednik which is always a good thing to think about, it would add a young high upside talent to a team that needs as many of those as possible and would fill a couple needs for the team. I highly doubt Jose has that sort of trade value, however. I continue to enjoy the constant ripping of the main cog in our wheel. I know you repeat that all teams tend to do well when their leadoff hitter is hitting well, Kalapse, but in an organization that has absolutely no prospect of a leadoff hitter whatsoever, one might think that the guy would be appreciated a bit more. He is not Rickey Henderson, I understand that, but one might think that someone who's success seems to correlate so much with the success of the team would have a few more backers. I, for one, don't take it as a coincidence that the White Sox offense has awoken somewhat since Scottie has returned to the lineup.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 05:06 PM) 5:00 update and the Score is still at it. "The Score has learned that the deal is close." They're just going to keep saying it's close and hope it actually happens...

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 04:56 PM) African Elephants are in fine shape. The number of African Elephants tripled in the 6 months from Jan to June 2006. They're still being hunted by poachers though. They have to be protected by armed guards, many of whom have died trying to protect them. Mark Buehrle pays the salaries of those armed guards.

QUOTE(WCSox @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 04:23 PM) For somebody who doesn't know Mark at all, you sure pretend to know a lot about him. LOL, yes, I actually care about people that I grew up with, but don't live around anymore. If somebody gave me $70 million, you can bet that my old high school would have a brand new football stadium and weight room. And you can bet that I'd offer to supplement the pensions of some of my old teachers. Trust me, if Mark wants to buy his old high school a brand new football stadium, he will be able to. AND a weight room. And he could supplement all of his old teachers, not even just some of them. I don't think you understand how much interest accumulates on $12.5 million dollars annually when invested wisely. If he really is such an altruistic gentleman, he should never have been doing those tarp slides. He could have injured his arm, ruined his career, and jeopardized the well-being of all African Elephants.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 04:33 PM) You didn't, chiguy79 did. Regarding the financial assumptions, probably best to just wait and see. I agree that Mark is a "simple" man, but from experience I have seen that money brings out a different side to people. He's got to do what works for him. And God bless him for it. Don't you think we would have seen these changes by now? The $30 million he has now sure doesn't seem to have changed him... I don't think he's suddenly going to go Pac Man Jones on us and making it rain on the strippers all the sudden.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 04:16 PM) You tried to compare it to mark's situation. I did not. The only way your "point" is valid is if Mark himself told you the things you are repeating. You don't know what is important to mark. You don't know hom much $ is enough to Mark, and again, it's uninformed and an OPINION to think you do. He does..? He told you this? Or did you mean to say, "it is my opinion that Mark want's to stay close to MO"? You're the one who entered your own situation into the discussion. I did not. I'm just sort of curious why you brought it into the discussion if not for comparison's sake? I apologize, I never, ever tried to claim I was speaking for Mark. But money is money, and it applies to just about everyone breathing in generally the same way. Now I don't know about you, but Mark doesn't strike me as the Barry Zito or Alex Rodriguez type. He likes to drink beer in bars and hunt deer. I suppose I am speculating, but it isn't entirely uninformed. When I stated you missed the "point" of the discussion, I was referring to "the most important essential in a discussion or matter." Whether my "point" was opinion, fact, or pure conjecture, it doesn't matter. We were having a discussion revolving about $ and the most important essential to that discussion is that the difference between having $50 million or $70 million on one's daily life is entirely negligible. Now Mark may indeed have grandiose plans to save the whales, or to eliminate poverty, and I am not aware of that. If that is indeed the case, you have my full apologies. He should go for the $90 million in that case. Otherwise, I think it's very possible he likes his current team, home, life, etc, and may somehow find a way to survive on $13 million a year instead of $16 million annually.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 04:09 PM) Because it backs up my opinion. Not Mark's. Mine. But your point is flawed because you are a fan and don't know anything about Mark's personal or financial life. Your point is not a point.. it's an OPINION. But your opinion is based on a situation not even in the same galaxy as Mark's, so why is it at all relevant? And no, my point is not flawed. It has nothing to do with Mark personally. It has to do with money. And as with anything else, you can only have so much of it before it becomes redundant. Once it becomes redundant, other considerations enter the equation, which is what I am suggesting.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 04:02 PM) I don't know what you imagined, but my work situation and Mark's are so far from comparable they aren't even in the same galaxy. And if you'd like me to more clear, I would never leave Chicago so even further the comparison of Chicago and NY does not apply. Nor should it. Not quite sure why you brought up your work situation at all then. And I agree, I wouldn't want to leave Chicago either. If someone offered me $50 million and told me I could live in Chicago for the next 5 years or $70 million and I would have to live in New York for the next 5 years, I would take the $50 million. That is the ENTIRE POINT we are trying to make here.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 04:01 PM) Not to mention the 3 walkoffs, .450 SLG% and 25 X-base hits. He put up near 30/30 numbers in a pitcher's park at Birmingham at age 21 and a near .900 OPS as a 22 year old in AAA last year. Incredibly impressive stuff. So why aren't you a Chris Young fan?

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 02:29 PM) But it would prove that he likes it here... waa, waa, waa, bla, bla, bla, yadda, yadda, yadda... Good grief. I like it at my job too but I aint working for less than my decided value. I must have imagined this post then.

QUOTE(WCSox @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:50 PM) Especially when one considers that Mark may want to use that extra money to set his great-grandchildren for life, build a new baseball stadium for his old high school, build a new library in his hometown, donate more money to charity, etc. The more money that Mark makes, the more money he has to give. I may be waaay off here, and this is entirely speculation based on my observation of Mark throughout his career here, but I would tend to believe that Mark would rather play where he wants to play than worry about the rare books section of the St. Charles, MO library. Regardless, we'll just have to wait and see what he does. I won't hold it against him one way or another.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:46 PM) And I don't recall anyone stating differently so don't know what you're arguing about. I recall you stating that you don't care where it is, you're going where they pay you the most. That is when we brought up how the situations are entirely different.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:45 PM) Then that begs the question, why wouldn't he sign the extension last summer before the ridiculous contracts were passed out? It certainly wasn't for much less than what the Score is reporting. Umm, because he wasn't on the verge of getting dealt last season, and the constant subject of trade rumors every day? It's more of a reality that his White Sox days are coming to a close and that may affect his decison.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:33 PM) I understand my point just fine. To think just because someone has $50M they don't care about another $10M is simply put, imo retarded. You don't agree, fine. Soon enough everyone will know how Mark feels about it. No one has stated that he doesn't or shouldn't care about that money. We're stating that it is conceivable he may want to play in Chicago and have $50,000,000 rather than play in New York and have $70,000,000.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:19 PM) And you know an additional $10 million or $20 million doesn't mean anything to Buerhle how? Oh, I just give up. Ridiculous.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:15 PM) So now Mark's agent is the liar.. Yikes. CC, my heard hurts, too. Right, because an agent has never lied to anyone, right? Give me a f*cking break. If Hahn's flying out there, something is up. I don't care if they've talked or not talked or what. But if he's heading out there, something is in the works, and that's all that really matters.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:14 PM) Maybe Hahn is going to Tampa to ask the Count face to face to waive his no trade. I hope he speaks spanish.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:05 PM) I can see him saying no deal is done....but if Hahn is on his way out than its likely they have already had some discussion and the rest will be finished up in person. You think Hahn would just fly out knowing the agent is out there??? My guess is they have talked, both sides are optimistic based on initial discussions and as a result the two sides agreed to meet in Tampa to get an official deal done. I have to agree. There are such things as phones and fax machines. There would be no need for him to fly there today, if this weren't reaching some level of seriousness. Especially considering KW has said he will not negotiatie with a player during the season unless the agent comes to him, or the organization has an "epiphany." It appears one or both of the two have occcurred, and Hahn is flying out to get this done.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 03:02 PM) Many lottery winners have done exactly that. Do you know who the average lottery winner is? I would imagine that as Mark has progressed through his mlb career, his level of financial sophistication has increased. Let's give the guy a little credit here. And the previous poster is correct, if he blows through $50 million, he's probably blowing through $60 million as well. You're either a complete irresponsible jackass, or you're not. An extra $10 million isn't saving you there.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 02:58 PM) It was $20M, silly facts... and I don't know what the hell you are doing on this message board if to you $10M is not a significnt financial impact. No one is claiming $20 million isn't a sh*tload of money. Maybe the guy would rather have $50 million and play for the White Sox than $70 million and live in New York. Why is that so difficult to imagine? It's not like we're offering him 6 figures and they're offering him 8.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 02:48 PM) Who are you and I to say a player should give up an extra 20 million on the open market or 40 million. Yeah, he already has a lot of money but wouldn't you or I take an extra 50,000 (say I make 120K per year and someone offers 170K). I'm damn well entitled to that even if I could obviously still live a solid life on that other salary (and this is being modest). I won't get into politics, but its the same reason I think it is ridiculous to assume that just because someone makes more money they should pay a higher % in taxes as opposed to just the same % everyone else pays based on that same amount of money. You and I would maximize our income and its no different for an athlete. If they take less, more power to them, but I don't think of them any less for taking the best offer. You are misunderstanding my point. I would not hold it against Mark if he wanted to maximize his value on the open market. If he wants to go get $90 million from someone dumb enough to do it, more power to him. I'm merely saying that it isn't analogous to compare the average person needing to maximize their earning potential to Mark needing to maximize his earning potential. The effect it would have on his lifestyle would be neglible, assuming he isn't the most fiscally irresponsible person in the world (Mike Tyson comes to mind). From everything I have ever read, heard, or seen about Mark, he isn't. He appears to be a fairly simple person.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 02:40 PM) To you and I, it seems like no difference at all. Today versus tomorrow I would agree there is not one. However, in 10 years when Mark is 38 and his arm is s*** and he can't "work" anymore and must rely on that $$ to last him the rest of his life it will make a difference. Are you kidding me? If he can't make the money he has earned during his career last for 5 lifetimes, he has a seriously pathetic financial advisor. Mark's already made, what, $30 million roughly in his career, with another $50-60 coming in this deal, and probably another substantial contract left. He'll be fine, I trust.

QUOTE(WCSox @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 02:26 PM) Mark signing a contract that's $20 million+ under market value could create some very serious problems. This ain't the mid-80's anymore, where guys are making $150,000. I'm sorry, but the courts would laugh at the MLBPA bringing a collusion suit against MLB owners right now, especially with Mark as the lead plaintiff. I can see it now....Mr. Reinsdorf only offered Mr. Buehrle $50 million over 4 years! This current market is ridiculous, and using it as some sort of measuring stick is erroneous. When you're looking long-term like we are right now, you have to take yourself out of this current landscape for a moment. Paying players, especially starting pitchers, at current market rate, will not last.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jun 27, 2007 -> 02:29 PM) But it would prove that he likes it here... waa, waa, waa, bla, bla, bla, yadda, yadda, yadda... Good grief. I like it at my job too but I aint working for less than my decided value. I'm assuming there is an actual difference it would make on your lifestyle. At some point, you're making so much damn money it doesn't really matter anymore, you just want to be in the place you want to be. What's the damn difference between having $50 million and having $60 million in your bank account on your daily lifestyle? Not much. But what might the difference be in living where you are comfortable and living where you aren't? I would imagine it could be quite substantial.