White Sox have shown interest in Machado

[bmags]

To clarify, while I don't believe in the long-term doom and gloom over parity in MLB, I do think we have seen some NBA-ification in the MLB where players are going to the richest teams even as they aren't offering the best money, but just because they know they will be relevant during the contract and they were CLOSE ENOUGH.

[Balta1701]

Any chance we could do a heavily front-loaded deal with an opt out after a few years?

Yes, although most opt-out deals are slightly back-loaded.

[Balta1701]

To clarify, while I don't believe in the long-term doom and gloom over parity in MLB, I do think we have seen some NBA-ification in the MLB where players are going to the richest teams even as they aren't offering the best money, but just because they know they will be relevant during the contract and they were CLOSE ENOUGH.

If Manny Machado doesn't think we're going to be relevant in 2020 then I look forward to beating whatever team he chooses to play for in the playoffs.

[bmags]

Any chance we could do a heavily front-loaded deal with an opt out after a few years?

 

I 100% believe he will try to double dip on his terms. As much as people say 400 is gonna happen, I think 10 for 350 with the first 5 years paying 200 million with a player optout is highly likely.

[caulfield12]

Too early to be drinking, even in China.

 

You apparently have forgotten the bullpen nightmares of 2006 and 2007.

 

Just wait until we have to watch Nate Jones for a half season, if he doesn’t fall apart again. Count me skeptical about how easy it will be to put together a competent bullpen without spending a lot of money to do it.

 

It’s easy to say Fulmer/López/Cease/Burdi/Stephens...someone has to make it and eventually stick. It’s just a lot easier said than done.

 

Look at all the Cubs problems despite their abundant resources. If they didn’t get the Royals to bite on Soler, they would have been totally screwed this year.

[steveno89]

Any chance we could do a heavily front-loaded deal with an opt out after a few years?

 

I just think the money might get to staggering amounts that the Sox will not feel comfortable going to. Mlbtraderumors guessed during a weekly chat Machado's deal ends up being $350-400 million over 10+ years on the open market.

 

Is that something we really want to risk? We could theoretically sign 2-3 still very high quality players for that same money.

[Balta1701]

I 100% believe he will try to double dip on his terms. As much as people say 400 is gonna happen, I think 10 for 350 with the first 5 years paying 200 million with a player optout is highly likely.

I would be very surprised to see him at $40 million annual value in the first 1/2 and then have an opt-out after that. The team would want it backloaded to offload a little bit of that risk onto him, and to take advantage of revenue inflation. That'll happen for every team out there, even the Yankees.

[Chicago White Sox]

Left out of a ton of this conversation is whether it is a good idea for the White Sox franchise to pursue a free agent like Machado, who is predicted to end up with a $300-400 million contract over 10+ years.

 

We all would love to have Machado, but I really wonder if it is in the club's best interest to sign a player to mega money for 10+ years, full NTC, multiple opt outs, etc. It looks like a great idea now, but paying a player $30-40 million when he is over ago 30 might not look so good. Thoughts?

I fully expect any contract to have an opt-out after year four or five, so I’m not overly concerned about paying him into his 30’s. Our goal should be to maximize our competitive window of 2019 to 2023 and Machado should be in his prime all those years.

[Dick Allen]

It's the weirdest logic I've seen.

 

Money & contract details is 99% of it. If the Sox aren't planning on making/matching the best offer they have no chance at him whether he plays half a season here or not.

I agree. With very few exceptions, it's always about the money. And I don't blame them a bit. There are a lot of MLB cities I could be very happy in if I had $300 million + coming my way.

 

Ironically, Albert Belle left the White Sox to go to where Machado would be coming from after 2 years with in White Sox culture. Got paid more money.

 

 

[Balta1701]

I just think the money might get to staggering amounts that the Sox will not feel comfortable going to. Mlbtraderumors guessed during a weekly chat Machado's deal ends up being $350-400 million over 10+ years on the open market.

 

Is that something we really want to risk? We could theoretically sign 2-3 still very high quality players for that same money.

If we have done our rebuild correctly we should not need 2-3 quality players as much as we would a top flight player.

 

We've done the "needing to sign 3 quality players on the FA market" experience recently, we signed 3 in 2015. Robertson, Cabrera, LaRoche. That was nearly $40 million per year. Haven't we learned from this experience? The FA market is loaded with busts and if you sign 3 guys you expect 1 or 2.

[Kyyle23]

Guys, we have a long long ways to go before we hit CespedesTalk or ChavezTalk. Im kind of disappointed in all of you. speculate more please

[southsider2k5]

JR signed Belle to the biggest contract in MLB history. He's not going to shy away from it if that's what it takes.

 

To be fair, Manny Machado was 4 years old when that deal was signed.

[OmarComing25]

Guys, we have a long long ways to go before we hit CespedesTalk or ChavezTalk. Im kind of disappointed in all of you. speculate more please

Chavez?

[southsider2k5]

If you're locking him up for 10 years 300+ million there's no opt out. It would probably be a dealbreaker for me. Having an opt out at say 28 would be brutal. He'd almost assuredly take it and would leave the Sox holding all the downside risk on the deal and none of the upside.

 

These opt outs are poison pills.

 

Then you are not getting him. Opt outs are something that are happening in MLB today. Though ironically enough the first one I can remember was in the Albert Belle contract.

[steveno89]

If we have done our rebuild correctly we should not need 2-3 quality players as much as we would a top flight player.

 

We've done the "needing to sign 3 quality players on the FA market" experience recently, we signed 3 in 2015. Robertson, Cabrera, LaRoche. That was nearly $40 million per year. Haven't we learned from this experience? The FA market is loaded with busts and if you sign 3 guys you expect 1 or 2.

 

I was referring to players significantly better than those guys ($100+ million contract guys), not guys in the tier you referenced

[Kyyle23]

Chavez?

 

Eric. The previous standard bearer for ridiculously long threads that ended with absolutely nothing happening

[caulfield12]

If we can get to 100 pages about Jesse Chavez, SoxTalk should get some type of reward.

 

 

[Lillian]

I'm just wondering how many on this board really want to pay him $35 million per year, through his age 36 season. Personally, that notion doesn't sound very appealing to me, even if it isn't my money. But seriously, is it really necessary? Remember, if they signed him, they could still need to shell out another big contract, for a middle of the order, left handed bat. You all know that I want Moncada as a dynamic lead off hitter. That means that the organization will still lack the balance, provided by a potent left handed bat. Unless you have confidence that Collins will be that guy, who is going to fill that role? I guess that I might be a little more enthused, if Machado hit left handed, but not much more.

 

Paying $35 million per year, to one guy on a 25 man roster, is just something that is awfully hard for me to get used to. I know that he started very young, but it's also hard to justify paying $350 million, for that lifetime .329 OBP. He is not the kind of hitter that Miguel Cabrera has been, or that Joey Votto still is.

[OmarComing25]

I was referring to players significantly better than those guys ($100+ million contract guys), not guys in the tier you referenced

You're not getting 3 players significantly better than those guys for a combined $40 million a year, it's going to cost a lot more.

[Bob Sacamano]

I have so much on my plate at work right now but it's so hard not to check this site.

[Lip Man 1]

Just a clarification on the Albert Belle deal. The clause that everyone was referring to stated that he had to be among the top 3 paid players in baseball or he had the right to leave if he wished.

 

By the time his clause kicked in, he was no longer among the top three...so he left.

[Chicago White Sox]

How do teams including the White Sox ever sign free agents if they need to play with them for a season to get the lay of the land?

 

Won't these other teams you are worrying about have the same issue?

What teams have traditionally signed all the major free agents? Pretty sure you’ll notice a trend.

 

That’s not to say we can’t sign a major free agent, but trying to sign a generational talent like Machado will be an uphill battle given the demand and players involved. I’m willing to give up a small package of talent now if my odds increase significantly.

 

[Balta1701]

I'm just wondering how many on this board really want to pay him $35 million per year, through his age 36 season. Personally, that notion doesn't sound very appealing to me, even if it isn't my money. But seriously, is it really necessary? Remember, if they signed him, they could still need to shell out another big contract, for a middle of the order, left handed bat. You all know that I want Moncada as a dynamic lead off hitter. That means that the organization will still lack the balance, provided by a potent left handed bat. Unless you have confidence that Collins will be that guy, who is going to fill that role? I guess that I might be a little more enthused, if Machado hit left handed, but not much more.

 

Paying $35 million per year, to one guy on a 25 man roster, is just something that is awfully hard for me to get used to. I know that he started very young, but it's also hard to justify paying $350 million, for that lifetime .329 OBP. He is not the kind of hitter that Miguel Cabrera has been, or that Joey Votto still is.

It's worth replying to this to say with regard to sticker shock - "get over it".

 

Salaries in baseball have more than doubled in about the last 10 years. 10 years ago ARoid got himself 10/$280. Machado getting $300 million in todays' dollars is comparable to someone like Soriano getting his contract in 2006, and we tried to trade for him too, and the Cubs went to the playoffs several years in a row after signing him (and got the team sold).

[Dick Allen]

What teams have traditionally signed all the major free agents? Pretty sure you’ll notice a trend.

 

That’s not to say we can’t sign a major free agent, but trying to sign a generational talent like Machado will be an uphill battle given the demand and players involved. I’m willing to give up a small package of talent now if my odds increase significantly.

Yes, I have noticed the teams that pay the most money sign the most and best free agents.

[Bob Sacamano]

Yes, I have noticed the teams that pay the most money sign the most and best free agents.

 

Eventually, the Sox need to be one of those teams. And I would hope it would be on a player that is a 26 year old free agent than one that is at least 30 likes the M's did with Cano.