OmarComing25

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 10:13 PM) I wouldn't be so certain. Bautista and Encarnacion are free agents after this seasn. Eh, they'd still be better served going after a pitcher with any money they have.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 05:56 PM) Makes me think the Sox are sitting pretty well. If Detroit is our biggest competition for Cespedes, I like our chances of beating them.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 03:40 PM) Not if it's a simple Parra to Rockies, Cargo to Cardinals. That would actually be bad for the Sox, as Parra is more likely a possibility for Nats/Angels Still takes the Cardinals out of the running at least

QUOTE (sammy esposito @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 03:30 PM) The 18 and 1/2 million a year for someone who is not known to perform well outside of mile high. No prospects and 18 million cash coming back to the sox . How many times can the sox make the same mistake and still expect different results. The Sox traded for a high profile Colorado OF in the past that failed? News to me.

QUOTE (Swingandalongonetoleft @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 02:57 PM) So Upton has gone from being uninterested in playing for the Sox to intrigued, now? When was it said that Upton was uninterested?

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 02:02 PM) Are they not always in the mix for a playoff spot? And don't the Pats win it all every few years? He was making an even year joke.

QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 01:59 PM) CarGo makes sense in that he will be the least expensive option is younger than Cespedes, plays RF, and fits in the three year window that the Sox supposedly do not want to surpass. I imagine a package would be built around Anderson and Fulmer to get the deal done with some other pieces thrown in there. What makes you think the Sox would give up more for CarGo than they did for Frazier when Frazier's younger, has been the better player for the last two seasons, doesn't have the health concerns that CarGo does and will cost $25 million less than CarGo over the next two seasons?

QUOTE (WhiteSoxLifer @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 01:32 PM) Not only the contract but also the injury concern. I can see trying for Q of its the other 2 outfielders but not cargo Hard to imagine they could even get a similar package to what Frazier went for, considering Frazier had considerable more trade value than CarGo does right now given the relative salaries, injury histories and current OF market. That asking price is going to have to come way down.

QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 11:47 AM) Yes. That the Angels (and WAS) are even in on these guys makes it seem like they are only in on YC/JU if the price comes back to their neighborhood. Definitely the case with the Angels imo. Let's say this all happens: LAA signs Parra STL trades for Cargo BAL signs Davis Wonder what the market for Cespedes would look like at that point.

QUOTE (Sockin @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 11:43 AM) Rockies being aggressive with Parra, Nationals & Angels also in the mix Angels getting him would be huge for us.

I can see some being a bit surprised at the number of years, but what were people expecting Span to sign for? If he was a FA last year he would have been in line for a huge payday, and the injury this year suppressed his cost, but the upside he has when healthy means it wasn't going to suppress it down THAT much.

QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 10:59 AM) It's got to drive it up in some regard imo, or at very least it doesn't help the Sox position. Any healthy FA outfielder now makes the obvious argument that if Span gets that much guaranteed in $$ and years, then I deserve more as in theory I give you a more dependable chance at success. Meh, with the Giants out they have less leverage now, that has a much bigger impact. And $10-11 million is really not that much, at least not enough to really move the needle, I wasn't expecting Span to sign for $6-8 million per year.

Effective CF might be stretching it, he's not a very good defender.

I don't see this as driving the market higher at all. Span when healthy has been a 3-4 WAR player, and he still put up 1.4 WAR in just 61 games last year. $31 million over 3 years is a drop in the bucket to most MLB teams these days, and even if he just repeats last year's production he'll easily live up to that contract.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 8, 2016 -> 09:44 AM) If Upton signs a one year deal before Cespedes signs, that could really put the Sox into a bind as it will put teams interested in Upton back into the Cespedes market. Which teams are interested in Upton that aren't also interested in Cespedes?

How much would it take for a 1-year deal? $30 million?

QUOTE (Baron @ Jan 7, 2016 -> 09:48 PM) Solid defensively he is not...atleast not anymore If healthy he should at least be solid in LF.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Jan 7, 2016 -> 09:11 PM) Cmon man this is pure toilet dick. Cespedes' agent reportedly said that Yo doesn't like deep dish pizza, won't sign with the Sox unless they offer a minimum of 7 years.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 7, 2016 -> 07:30 PM) Is it better if I naively cheerlead with all my posts that we actually are going to get Cespedes or Upton? You'll notice that most of the mods aren't getting overly optimistic either... So you're on record as being how confident that we sign either or them? You'll notice that many times in the last few weeks I've put forth alternative/Plan B scenarios in anticipation. There's nothing wrong with the fallback options if you can find the right values. That's going to remove some of the sex appeal or marketing sizzle but it's the more pragmatic approach unless the contract terms are reasonable. Usually in FA they're not, as we learned last off-season. PS: In the end, I'm sure every agent like Jay-Z looks at the tv and radio ratings and considers the White Sox 30th place standing in those two categories a positive for their client's endorsement potential. You know there's a middle ground between cheerleading and looking for every reason under the sun that Cespedes/Upton won't sign here, right?

I would be really worried about the Nats, but I just can't see them committing all that money to have Cespedes play CF, and I don't see them moving Harper to CF. Who knows though, they definitely have the cash.

I like this deal for them, Span seems a better fit than Cespedes did.

I still don't see the Tigers as a huge threat given they have no history of willing to go over the tax limit, and any big deal with Cespedes puts them way over for several seasons in a row, with the penalty going up every year. I think we could outbid them if it came down to it.

He also started hitting the ball a lot harder. Hardhit% by year: 2011: 28.8% 2012: 26.2% 2013: 34.1% 2014: 43.3% 2015: 42.3% He led all qualified hitters in hard-hit% this year.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 6, 2016 -> 03:25 PM) Greg, where are you getting $30 million from? The only rumors are the White Sox offered 4/$80 and the Cardinals were roughly in the same ballpark as the Royals but clearly unwilling to go five years. Much like the Heyward situation (Cubs vs. StL), we're talking likely differences of $5-15 million in all likelihood and nothing close to $30 million or the player's association/union really would have had an issue with it for depressing FA salaries. That's well beyond a hometown discount. Where is the source on the rumor that the Sox offered 4/$80?

QUOTE (blackmooncreeping @ Jan 6, 2016 -> 03:10 PM) I think it's not only possible, but more possible than not that we don't land one of the big guys at this point and end up bringing in 2nd tier guy(s). Hopes and fears would officially come crashing down only if Avi is our starting RF come April. And after seeing that KC gave Gordon not only 4 guaranteed years but also threw in a 5th year mutual option, I feel much better that we didn't end up in the mix to sign him. Too many years for my liking, whether we end up with YC or JU in the long run. There are so many OF still available and all of them are better than Avi. If the Sox miss out on the big guys I still highly doubt Avi will be the starting RF.