Texsox

For a higher payroll and being competitive in the free agent market? I'll contribute.

@Balta1701 very good points. Here's where I'm just not understanding based on decades of watching him. The premise is forcing him to spend money on a stadium will force him to spend even more money on players? I see us turning into the Pirates with a bottom five payroll. You have way more faith in JR than I do. Again, in general I'm against taxpayers funding stadiums. I'm just saying as a Sox fan buy us everything and I want the franchise locked into a long term Chicago lease. I'm also thinking a lucrative lease arrangement increases the value of the franchise and might help convince the shareholders to sell sooner.

@Balta1701 if your argument is it's better for society if teams built their own stadiums or it's unfair to non fans for tax payers to fund stadiums, I agree. As a selfish Sox fan, I'm going to say buy them a stadium, a couple free agents, and a manager.

Probably not very well so they cut payroll. How has shareholder value gone since the present stadium deal has been in place?

He could. I'm looking at this as a Sox fan. We've had a top five to ten payroll fairly recently and I'd like to think we would do that again. I also would prefer the team was locked into a long term deal in Chicago.

He also has a responsibility to the share holders. He's not the sole owner, he's not even the majority owner. I like the idea of the club locked into a long term Chicago stadium. Where would the money come from to pay for the stadium? Cut payroll? Raise ticket prices? It seems like a tax payer funded stadium benefits Sox fans.

I agree. The only route I see is a very long shot. Do it as a package. Would the Cubs vote for JR to Nashville and an expansion Sox team in Chicago?

And . . . Are we really opposed to Jerry getting us a new stadium in the greater Chicago area? I really don't mind if he leverages Nashville and we wind up playing in a new stadium with a long term, can't leave Chicagoland, lease. But admittedly I'm not paying as much Illinois taxes as I used to.

I think there are people here who have posted variations on the "fine, leave b****", including myself, who really don't want that. It's a way to defuse the frustration. I would also believe that there are true Sox fans that given the choice of an expansion team with new owners in Chicago or JR and family for another couple decades would have a hard decision to make.

Handicap with top 5 to 10 payroll? I think we both want to see that. I agree cheaper bench and better free agent starters is a better way to catch lightening.

The post above mine said it's easy to spot Cub fans pretending to be Sox fans. Also to keep supporting the team. The post also went on to claim that anyone who posts go ahead and move is a Cub fan. I think those folks who post then leave a**hole type posts are really frustrated Sox fans who say it as hyperbole and don't really mean it. But since we really don't know most posters it's easy to make generalizations. Most companies hire social media folks to write things like "you should keep supporting the team and stop being so negative. And "you're probably a Cub fan." TL:DR not everyone who is negative is a Cub fan. Not everyone who posts something positive is a paid shill. We're all Sox fans here.

I hope not. But isn't it always not happening until it does?

At the risk of being called a troll I'll be happy on the day we close this thread and welcome a new manager. I'll even be happy if he proves me wrong and can manage a winning club.

It's easy to imagine things about people you've never met. For example I could say it's easy to spot that JR finally hired some interns to post to social media. Although I doubt that's true. Folks say things when they are upset that they don't mean. Fucking leave then is one of those statements that probably shouldn't be taken literally.

Everyone is negative around here right now. Be careful what we wish for about Jerry selling. The devil we know may be better than the one we don't. Selling to a group that wants to relocate the team is something that hasn't been mentioned but probably a possibility. Is it trolling to say? Our owner is horrible. Our GM failed his way into the position. Our manager won't get another chance anywhere after this. Our players are horrible at every level. Our luck in the draft was bad. We make the playoffs once a decade We win a WS once a century. If I'm trolling we're in the majority. It's a shitty period in Sox history and there isn't any positive to talk about.

Jerry is working hard to sell the team to a group who will move it to Nashville. It's the ultimate JR move.

Jerry selling the team yeah!! To a group from Nashville. The perfect ending that franchise in Chicago. Then an expansion team moves into the suburbs with a clean start and a fan base that could be ex pat Sox and casual Cub fans.

I would hope that's true, but I'm pessimistic based on the franchise history. I've learned to not get my hopes up.

With their one WS win in a century? Tied with us. We've had back to back playoff appearances how many times? Make a criteria that this isn't a bottom ten franchise? @Balta1701 had a great summary, I wish I could find it. Wins, playoffs, you name it, we're just not a successful franchise.

Good for him.

A change in ownership isn't going to guarantee success. The next owner will have a ton of debt from the purchase to deal with. Historically this is a really normal period. Make the playoffs once a decade. Win a WS once every century. That's what we signed up for as baseball fans in Chicago. It doesn't really matter which team.

Jerry is an owner with a lot of influence and tenure. The mayor could have asked him to meet to discuss what is necessary to have a successful expansion franchise. The mayor could be lining up support from owners for their expansion bid. After that Jerry will use it to his advantage.

Of course with Nashville being considered for an expansion team Jerry could be acting on behalf of MLB.

I do. If they tell him no, then they limit themselves if they ever want to move. Why would owners stop each other? They may charge him a few million and line their pockets a little more.

I'd like to see baseball expand with two more teams. Nashville would be a good location.