WBWSF

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Feb 13, 2018 -> 07:38 PM) Hmmm, interesting that the Tribune Company executed the exact opposite strategy when they sold the Cubs. And why does having no money on the books increase the team’s overall value? 90% of potential owners are buying a team because they want to actually win a championship. Therefore, I’d think most of these guys would prefer having a quality team in place rather than having limited payroll commitments. And do you know what would really improve the team’s value? How about a new TV deal that provides this new owner with significant fixed income. That’s going to be nearly impossible if their plan is to cut payroll even further next season. The good news is your theory makes zero sense and I’m 99.9% it will never happen. What makes you think this team is going to get a big TV deal? They can't even get a radio deal now.

In case some people don't understand what I think about the future of this team, this is how I see this playing out. JR is not going to spend any money on this team the next 2 seasons. The White Sox will have one of the lowest if not the lowest payrolls in MLB. He will put the team up for sale sometime in 2019 and the new owner will takeover in 2020. The new owner will be buying a White Sox team with a low payroll and no big long term contracts on the books. The value of the team increases with no big money on the books. JR bought the White Sox in 1981 with those same circumstances. In the meantime the next 2 seasons the team is going to be "Mired In Mediocrity" again.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Feb 13, 2018 -> 03:48 PM) You were also saying ad naseum that JR was going to be selling the team. How's that worked out for you? We'll see how your latest "prediction" turns out. My guess...you come out wrong again. I said he's going to sell the team and we will have a new owner in 2020. We'll see. In the meantime the White Sox payroll will continue to go down the next 2 seasons.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Feb 13, 2018 -> 10:28 AM) Some concerns that haven't been addressed. If the Sox do spend next off season because of the amount of quality free agents on the market shouldn't they be taking advantage of the market now while it's cold and prices are down? I don't know who might benefit the Sox the most at this time but free agents next year will want 2 things, money and to be on a winning team. Should n't the Sox do something to make the team more competitive to next years crop of free agents ? Shields should be off the books next year so might another starting pitcher benefit them ? Relying only on young starting pitching even if the target date is 2020 is risky business, Also if the target date is truly 2020 isn't it also risky business to expect next years good crop of FA's to wait a year or even possibly longer to be on a winning team? The Phillies might be thinking along those lines with the signing of Santana and still are rumored to have interest in a starting pitcher. The Sox might end up with too many holes to fill when they actually do decide to spend and the competition for the top free agents will be fierce so being a competitive team would surely work in their favor just as being a few years away will work against them. Other concerns for the rebuild is what happens if JR dies suddenly or the players strike after the 2021 season which would be right in the middle of the supposed window of competitiveness if all goes right ? Obviously the 1st concern is the most pressing but these other 2 things could easily happen and in the event of JR's sudden death how does the rebuild survive ? We should all remember 1994 when Frank Thomas was having a career year and the players strike possibly robbed the Sox of competing for a World title. I think your post is wonderful. Problem is, I don't expect the White Sox to spend any money this 2018 season nor in 2019.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 13, 2018 -> 09:59 AM) I always get a kick out the posts a new owner will spend, spend, spend. What did Ricketts do right away? What did Jeter's group do right away? What happened to the Padres when an ex agent bought them? Your contacts are wrong. He isn't selling. When JR bought the team the first thing he did to stimulate interest was sign 2 big free agents, Fisk and Luzinski. The White Sox took over the city during the early part of 1981. They were having walkup crowds of 20,000. The franchise was going to draw over 2 million people for the first time. Then there was a players strike and that killed all the momentum that was built up by the new owners.

QUOTE (Tony @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 09:58 PM) So going into the 2016 offseason, the offseason where the Sox traded Eaton and Sale, and eventually Quintana...what would you have done differently? Because up until that point, “JR” has financed competitive payrolls that haven’t worked out (Williams and Hahn being bad at their jobs is a totally different subject). So what would you have wanted “JR” to do that offseason and beyond? Lay out some details. . I was hoping JR would sell the team. The sooner the team is sold the better the franchise is going to be. New owners will spend money on quality free agents not Adam LaRoche. Secondly new owners will show Rick Hahn the door. He has been the GM for over 5 years and the team is still "Mired In Mediocrity". If Hahn had been the GM in Boston, New York or the Cubs he would have been gone by now. I'm told by my contacts that JR is going to put the team up for sale sometime in 2019 which means the new owners will be running the team in 2020. I hope this is true.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 08:23 PM) If they have a lower payroll in 2019 than in 2018 you may brag and consider yourself vindicated because I'm going to be seriously pissed off too. I do not believe that will happen at all. I will not brag or feel vindicated if I'm right. Frankly this whole situation stinks as far as I'm concerned.

QUOTE (Tony @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 09:42 PM) It’s fine to have a different opinion, but at least back it up with SOME substance. It’s not asking a lot.JR has said numerous times in public and privately that his baseball teams are more profitable when they have the low payrolls. That's what I see here. I don't really think at his stage in life he is going to change now. I'm expecting low payrolls for as long as he owns the team.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 08:18 PM) What should they be spending on right now? They're not going to spend anything now, so there really is no point in saying what they should spend now. Keep in mind this ownership took Sanchez to arbitration over a small amount of money. They're doing the same thing to Ave Garcia.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 07:37 PM) What does this even mean? LolIt means the White Sox are going to have a very low team payroll in 2018. And it also means the 2019 team payroll will be even lower.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Feb 10, 2018 -> 02:44 PM) 1) they are rebuilding 2) they are rebuilding 3) they are rebuilding, and nobody cares about David Robertson’s feelings when he is a reliever making 10+ million a year 1) They are rebuilding as cheaply as possible. 2) They are rebuilding as cheaply as possible. 3) They are rebuilding as cheaply as possible.

Looking at this list of bullpen pitchers has to frighten the most optimistic White Sox fan.

I hate the Cubs but I must admit that it must be nice being one one of their fans now. It has to feel good to have a ownership that wants to win now.

QUOTE (Jack Parkman @ Feb 9, 2018 -> 03:25 PM) That trade was more about clearing Frazier/Robertson off the books, Whether we'd like to believe it or not, I think that the return was affected by it being a combination of Robertson/Frazier/Kahnle rather than Kahnle alone. Truly believe that because of the money with the other two guys, they got less. I think we could have finagled Sheffield or Andujar without them having to take on Frazier and Robertson's money. For some reason clearing them from the books was more important to Hahn than the extra prospect. 1) Trading Robertson was simply a salary dump. 2) The White Sox now have one of the worse bullpens in MLB. 3) Not only was it a bad trade for the White Sox but Dave Robertson is not happy about being traded to the Yankees. He's in his last year of his contract and he wants to be a closer. That is not going to happen in New York as long as Chapman is there. I wouldn't be surprised to see Robertson traded soon.

Another year "Mired In Mediocrity". Wait Til Next Year!!!!

I'm not all doom and gloom. I like to think positive in life, especially when it comes to the White Sox. I'm not the second coming of Jay "Woman Beater" Mariotti. There is a chance that the 2018 starting rotation of the White Sox could actually turn out to be good. Rodon, Kopech, Lopez, Fulmer and Giolito could actually become a good rotation. Wouldn't you want Robertson closing these games instead of what they have in the bullpen now? I don't find anything good about young pitchers pitching good games and have a useless bullpen blowing those games. Then again if the objective of the team is to lose as many games as possible in order to get a high draft, I can understand that thinking.

Hate to bust everybodys bubble but I talked to Scott Merkin at Soxfest. He claims as long as Machado wants to play shortstop the White Sox as of now have no interest in him. The White Sox like Tim Anderson at shortstop. So unless Machado wants to play 3rd base the White Sox have no interest in signing him to play shortstop..

This could turn out to be the worse bullpen in the history of the franchise. Trading David Robertson was nuts.

I met and talked with Ed Farmer at Soxfest yesterday. He has had serious health problems. I can't help but wonder how much longer he's going to be working. He actually had to have someone helping him walk off the stage at the seminar he was at. This getting old is no fun.

Both the Pirates and Marlins are going to have very low payrolls the next few years. Isn't that the same situation the White Sox are going to be in? After this season the White Sox will not have any long term contracts on the books and will probably have a lower payroll than either the Pirates or Marlins. I realize that people don't like to hear this but this White Sox franchise has become a goldmine for JR.

QUOTE (JUSTgottaBELIEVE @ Jan 15, 2018 -> 03:55 PM) I guess I'm just a Reed fan so I disagree. I also think the bullpen is still a hot mess even after accounting for the additions of Soria and Avilan. I don't think adding a guy like Reed "blocks" anyone else either. Not for the next 2 years at least. Reed is easily better than anybody the White Sox have in their bullpen now. With the young starters the team has now you would think the organization would want somebody like Reed to close out the games. As of now this 2018 White Sox bullpen is really looking bad.

Neither Shields nor Gonzalez. Instead sign Jake Arrieta and have him be the White Sox Opening Day pitcher.

If the White Sox make a major move I would think it would happen before Soxfest which is in 2 weeks. I'm hoping something is done to make this team better for the 2018 season and beyond.

1) Does anybody really think that the White Sox are going to out spend the other teams in signing Machado next year? 2) Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to sign Moustakas?. 3) Is there anybody who wouldn't want to see a 2018 White Sox infield of Moustakas, Anderson. Moncado and Abreu?

1) A White Sox infield of Moustakas, Anderson, Moncada, and Abreu sounds good to me. 2) I don't think the White Sox will sign Moustakas.