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https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/whitesox/ct-xpm-2013-07-28-ct-spt-0728-white-sox-chicago-sports-20130728-story.html I don't think JR really has to worry about facing any of the other investors. From the way this article makes it sound, there is basically a company that owns a majority share of the White Sox and JR owns the majority share of that company. In that way, he does not have to own a majority of the team, but he controls the whole team.

Some notes from the new FG UMP podcast for anyone who didn't have time to listen yet: Rutschmann is good. Like really good. Vaughn is a top 5 player even though he has the worst profile (R/R 1B). Eric comped him to Paul Konerko. Said he might only be a 50 or 55 at max, but will get there quickly. Bryson Stott has seemed to bounce back after a bad summer. CJ Abrams put on some good weight and now might be a plus hit, plus power guy. Compared to Turang he probably has more hit, more speed, less defense. Might not be a shortstop, but can definitely play center or likely second. Still behind Rutschmann, but definitely in that next group with Witt and Vaughn now. KC had scouts at his games. Quick hitters: Busch at UNC had a good first week; Toglia at UCLA did not; Stinson at Duke was down on his velo. Langliers should still be a first rounder even with the injury, but could drop. Carter Stewart's velo was down. A scout had a really bad report on him. Also couldn't really throw strikes. Matthew Thompson, HS P from Texas, had a major velo drop. It might just be the cold, but something to keep an eye on. Wallner has a forearm issue so he is only DHing right now. Reports that some teams like him more as a pitcher, which seems to be an indictment on how bad his hit tool is. Geore Kirby of Elon, Seth Johnson of Campbell, Jackson Rutledge of San Jacinto JC, Daniel Espino HS in Georgia are all pitchers whose stuff is up and could rise up draft boards, though none likely to the top 10 level. There were a couple other pitchers mentioned, but seems mostly like guys between our first and second round picks, so I'm not going to write those. Kiley mentioned Misner as a toolsy guy who could be a second rounder or top 10. Probably corner OF, but could play center in a pinch. Comp is Greyson Jenista with more upside. Range right now is 10-60. Eric mentioned Hunter Bishop as another guy with a large range. Ultra toolsy, but limited production first two years.

I am almost certain is was to manipulate them. Why else would those last two years be at a higher AAV than the rest of the contract? To me the only answer is because they had no intent on actually paying them.

Its almost guaranteed that the Sox were going to take out an insurance policy too. That is just like standard practice for contracts nowadays. Its actually kind of a point of contention with the owners about what counts as expenses with the owners basically saying that the insurance policies count as money spent on players even though the players don't see money from it.

I really don't see how people are upset about this move. If he somehow turns back into the good pitcher he was before, then we put him on the roster and maybe flip him when the deadline rolls around and we suck. If he is still terrible, then we leave him in the minors until there is that veteran opt out date thing in case someone gets injured. Basically the only way we are going to be paying him any substantial amount of money is if someone gets hurt or if he looks like he is actually worth the money.

I was thinking about this and I can't think of anything that can be done this offseason besides a trade and even that is somewhat problematic because we should probably continue to sell off short term contracts. So I guess we could flip some shorter term assets for longer term assets or maybe get a sign and trade with someone who would be a free agent next year and that might satisfy people. But Hahn probably won't feel the pressure to do that. Even with another season of bad attendance, JR will still probably make the same amount of money because of the new TV contract and if they sign anyone big next offseason then everyone will come crawling back. That said, the pressure might be on him next offseason. If its another offseason of everyone waiting around maybe they try to go out and target their one guy and get it done before others are really ready to move even if it means paying a little more than necessary.

More like CarNo

Listening to the fangraphs podcast Eric mentioned that Hahn was at the Vandy game that was broadcast on mlb network. I'm not 100% sure, but I think that would be the game they played Virginia. JJ Bleday seems to be the only top 50 guy in that game, but there are also a couple other guys on the fangraphs draft board including UVA SS Tanner Morris, UVA CF Cameron Simmons, and Vandy C Phillip Clarke. There were also a couple 2020 and 2021 players and if went to other games at the tournament TCU and Cal Fullerton were there also.

You mean like all the Sox fans who said they didn't care if Machado signed with us if it just ended already and then were super pissed when he didn't sign with us?

LOL Harrison signed with the Tigers like 3 hours after he said that.

I think thats why they mention him maybe switching to just getting a record AAV. Lets him say he broke a record even though its less than he wanted.

Fangraphs had an article saying Harper might not have a deal to match Machado. It basically said that since Harper and Machado are projected to be so similar with Machado maybe being a bit better, teams' valuations of Harper are probably below Machado and the Phillies said Machado went above their valuation so they didn't match the Padres offer. If that is the case, then they are likely offering less than $300m, the Nationals moved on from their $300m offer, the Sox said we were out, and the Giants seem to only want him on a short term deal. So they said Boras might try to save face and get a record AAV instead of breaking $300 if those offers aren't out there. Honestly, a deal like we offered Machado might actually get it done for Harper. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/it-seems-unlikely-scott-boras-has-a-300-million-bid-for-bryce-harper/

If we don't make any other additions to the roster, we might be picking top 5 in 2020 again anyway! Be careful with his numbers this year though. According to the fangraphs write up on him, ASU moved their fences in this year. I just don't think there is a guy there for it. Stinson seems to be the top guy now, but he might be a reliever, and then the other top guys seem to be a high school righty (Espino), which I would steer clear of the type, and Carter Stewart who had some issue last year so that is also kind of risky. I really think its another draft where the difference between the top of the board pitchers and the guys we could get in the second round isn't big enough to justify using the third pick on one.

I agree. I think Dave knows as much as the other team reporters, which is to say not much more than the org is willing to let out. When was the last time he really put out a scoop from his guy like he used to? When he had info he would be very specific about it. Now he is mostly very vague so he has deniability if he is wrong but can gloat if he is right, or worse he just regurgitates info that is already out there.

Manny Mismanagement?

Jerry isn't going to sell because he is too cheap to pay taxes on the sale. He is going to make us suffer until he dies while also depriving the government of necessary tax dollars so his children can have a few extra million dollars to add to their billion dollar bank accounts.

LOL people around the league are laughing at us, or worse they just feel sorry for us. No one thinks things are looking up. Half the cornerstone prospects for our rebuild don't look nearly as good as they did a year ago. And on top of that we still can't draft or develop guys and we don't really have anyone left to trade so we are basically stuck where we are.

They aren't going to spend. Every year we get further into the rebuild the closer we are to them needing to sign players to extensions or at least that will be their rationale.

They aren't bad questions, but there is no follow up or pushing him.

They really need to push him on that money thing. Where are we going to spend this money? What free agents are they going to target that they can realistically get? Where else in the organization are they going to spend that money because it seems we are far behind in development and analytics. We have had chances of spending money and we chose not to. We are going to spend the money on a new yacht for JR or for some of the literal young person blood for his cheap ass to live forever.

"That money is going to be spent" is going to be one of his new lines he repeats every time he talks.

The reasoning he gave is right, but that is the exact reason you have to do it. It is a non-monetary way to make it more enticing to the player.

Said the 8/250 was basically accurate. Kind of called out Bruce about the out clause thing when asked about it. Said its not true. Edit: My posts are very much going to be paraphrase and cutting through the talk. Definitely not direct quotes.

https://player.radio.com/listen/station/670-the-score

Well I guess we found the new thing everyone is going to say they have sources on