Sox sign Adam Eaton 1 year, $7m plus option

[caulfield12]

3 minutes ago, fathom said:

It was more about you saying it would be something if Tony messes up and gets booted from the HOF. 

I was joking (knock on wood), but, with all that said, even if it blows up in their faces completely, one would never in a million years expect a mea culpa out of either LaRussa or Reinsdorf.

With all that said, would love to have been a fly on the wall in the Hahn and Kenny Williams households over the last month or so.

[fathom]

3 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

It's going to be impossible to separate Eaton and LaRussa from the jobs they're doing between the lines to the various opinions people have about them politically...but that's the society we now have to deal with.

Frankly, I think most would forgive a LOT if we get another White Sox World Series championship out of it.

That said, if they don't perform or are underwhelming, that's when the political angle will certainly come out.

What political angle does Eaton have?

[Stealth G.O.A.T.]

1 hour ago, SoCalChiSox said:

Lulz @ the team using players as a human shield to hide behind in order to justify the signing. 

Truly reprehensible.

Yes, because guys like TA have an issue speaking their mind... 

What's reprehensible are some of these overdramatic takes over a low risk/high upside, $7M free agent signing. ?

[Chisoxfn]

9 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

It's going to be impossible to separate Eaton and LaRussa from the jobs they're doing between the lines to the various opinions people have about them politically...but that's the society we now have to deal with.

Frankly, I think most would forgive a LOT if we get another White Sox World Series championship out of it.

That said, if they don't perform or are underwhelming, that's when the political angle will certainly come out.

I don't even know Eaton's politics?  I just know Drake LaRoche situation with Eaton and some of that stuff. I know that before the Drake LaRoche fiasco Eaton was pretty well liked by Sox fans although there was some commentary around his time in Arizona and maybe he had too much of an ego or something for being such a young player. Either way - that was a long time ago and he's been a professional with the Nats ever since and people mature.  

And yes - I actually am human enough that I don't think someone is a (good or bad) person because of who they voted for. I may not agree with that person - but it DOES NOT make someone a good or bad person because you voted for Biden and/or Trump.  I'm going to end with that but enough is enough on the TLR stuff and the Eaton stuff. Its absurd. I've made it clear - people have an issue with TLR - put it in the thread from when he's hired - don't dump it into every thread out there.  

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

15 minutes ago, fathom said:

I think Timmy would have no problem saying he doesn’t want Eaton around.  And if Abreu had an issue with him like WSD mentioned today, he would probably speak up as well.   FWIW, James Fox said today the Sox players were asked and didn’t want Puig last year.

I agree on your first sentence I just dont think tim strikes me as a guy whose gonna hate on a fellow player to his bosses. Lets grind and get it done seems more up his alley. Could be way off base though as I've never met the guy.

[caulfield12]

13 minutes ago, fathom said:

What political angle does Eaton have?

He's so constantly lumped in with the LaRoches that it has become popular opinion he must be similar...

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/nationals/why-controversy-surrounds-adam-eaton-and-minor-league-pay-problem

 

The reality is that a lot of his opinions are more nuanced than that...but most people only focus on the headlines.  I think he's simply outspoken, and he offers up an opinion on nearly anything he's asked.

Edited December 9, 2020 by caulfield12

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

More than 50% of mlb players are conservatives. Can we stop with that stupid narrative that Republicans and conservatives aren't prevalent and welcome in the game. They're everywhere, and no one cares. It's a job and it's baseball.

[caulfield12]

2 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

I don't even know Eaton's politics?  I just know Drake LaRoche situation with Eaton and some of that stuff. I know that before the Drake LaRoche fiasco Eaton was pretty well liked by Sox fans although there was some commentary around his time in Arizona and maybe he had too much of an ego or something for being such a young player. Either way - that was a long time ago and he's been a professional with the Nats ever since and people mature.  

And yes - I actually am human enough that I don't think someone is a (good or bad) person because of who they voted for. I may not agree with that person - but it DOES NOT make someone a good or bad person because you voted for Biden and/or Trump.  I'm going to end with that but enough is enough on the TLR stuff and the Eaton stuff. Its absurd. I've made it clear - people have an issue with TLR - put it in the thread from when he's hired - don't dump it into every thread out there.  

Okay fair enough, I haven't been posting much in the last 3-4 months or so so I haven't really read most of the threads...just popped in because so many newsworthy things were happening together.

[Stealth G.O.A.T.]

13 minutes ago, fathom said:

What political angle does Eaton have?

It's weird people bring up politics regarding players/managers... Honestly, who cares. There's likely a relatively high percentage of players in MLB that agree with TLR's views and a high percentage that don't --- good, bad, or indifferent. 

I'm not really sure what Eaton's politics are, and I don't care.?

Edited December 9, 2020 by Stealth G.O.A.T.

[caulfield12]

Just now, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

More than 50% of mlb players are conservatives. Can we stop with that stupid narrative that Republicans and conservatives aren't prevalent and welcome in the game. They're everywhere, and no one cares. It's a job and it's baseball.

I'd say it's probably closer to 75%, because so many professional athletes are naturally looking to pay the lowest amount of taxes possible.  That's the foremost issue for many "normal/common/ordinary" players who have obscure 3-5 year careers around the league minimum and barely qualify for pension benefits.

I worked for an NFL football player who tried to convince me about the "Prosperity Gospels" on an everyday basis, and I find it somewhat ironic he ended up serving a long term in Federal prison (Miami) for real estate fraud because he got too greedy.

In fact, at that time I lived in Augusta, Georgia, and roughly 90-95% of the PGA golfers back in the 1990's were GOP voters.

[ron883]

This thread done got Caulfield'd

[KrankinSox]

26 minutes ago, Yearnin' for Yermin said:

This thread done got Caulfield'd

In fairness, it was already a shitshow before he showed up.

[bmags]

4 hours ago, Yearnin' for Yermin said:

This thread done got Caulfield'd

sigh, he must be some reinsdorf secret agent. Just 15 minutes of caulfield posting and now I'm sympathetic to adam eaton.

[Balta1701]

6 hours ago, Stealth G.O.A.T. said:

It's weird people bring up politics regarding players/managers... Honestly, who cares. There's likely a relatively high percentage of players in MLB that agree with TLR's views and a high percentage that don't --- good, bad, or indifferent. 

I'm not really sure what Eaton's politics are, and I don't care.?

People aren’t bringing up LaRussa’s politics. He did that himself.

No one made him speak at Glenn Beck’s Rally in DC that was a Trump rally before Trump did them. No one made him repeatedly call out Kaepernick as insincere, as recently as February of this year (and then fail to live up to his own important standard of sincerity while yelling at a cop). No one made him stay silent after the murder in Minnesota.

Apparently Tony LaRussa expects you to care about his opinion. He’s a hall of fame type guy.

[Capital G]

I hope Eaton rakes and then you all forget about his personality.

The guy plays hard and is outspoken. I couldn't care less about the Laroche thing. So what? He was probably just backing up his buddy and due to him being outspoken it came out.

The interview yesterday. Did anyone actually watch it or just read the headline? 

I'll save my hate if it comes out he's racist, beats women, diddles kids, etc.

 

As of right now, if we sign a nice closer, a SP and a DH to keep the seat warm for Vaughn I'll be happy. If Eaton sucks or gets injured we can trade for something at the deadline. Our O should be so good that even 2020 Eaton shouldn't keep us down. 

I'd be excited with a postseason of:

Lynn

Eaton

Hendriks 

Kluber, Richards, Q, Odorizzi 

Brantley (doubt it bc of playing time), Duvall, Schwarber, Shaw, etc. Cruz! Lol

[caulfield12]

But they’ve hardly broken the bank with their additions so far. Writing on Tuesday before the Eaton deal was reported, FanGraphs’ Craig Edwards estimated that the White Sox projected 2021 payroll was about $30 million below this year’s total. Accounting for Eaton’s salary puts Chicago about $22.5 million shy of that mark -- aka one Springer-sized contract.

We’re rounding here, and potential arbitration raises for players like Giolito, Engel and Evan Marshall are still pending. Springer is not a perfect payroll fit, even before one accounts for the potential financial losses the White Sox suffered from the coronavirus pandemic. And we’re not blind to the fact that Chicago could use more bullpen help, the kind of need that Hendriks (on a cheaper salary than Springer) would help solve.

Except there’s no guarantee that Hendriks (whom the A’s rode hard this past October) or Hand (already seeing declining velocity on his fastball and slider) would solve the White Sox bullpen shortcomings. Relievers are the sport's most unpredictable players, and this year’s market might be flooded with more of them (see: Matt Wisler’s reported $1.15 million deal with the Giants) than ever before. Springer seems like a surer bet to remain valuable alongside the White Sox young stars as they mature. He’s also a proven postseason performer who could help Chicago learn how to win in October.

 

By Matt Kelly  @mattkellyMLB

December 8, 2020

https://www.mlb.com/news/george-springer-free-agency-case-for-white-sox?partnerId=zh-20201209-156906-MLB&qid=1026&bt_ee=cSZo3oyy55BDXSe%2BlmAwiqb0YUL72zFpP9u3ki6XzTwlLvVNnmfGo8oyJzOspV6R&bt_ts=1607517407145

[poppysox]

10 hours ago, macsandz said:

I'm not the world's biggest Eaton fan but he's a productive player that plays his ass off and wants to win every game.

He was far down the list of toxic douchebag offenders on that 2016 team starting with Frazier, Latos, Sale, LaRoche, Lawrie and Rollins..etc. 

It's a wonder they didn't kill each other while Ventura was surfing his phone in his office. 

Eaton was fan-friendly..., particularly with the kids.  I think he is a get the uniform dirty type who plays to win.  Having an edge to him probably works well with this team of young fun-loving guys.  

[fathom]

Anyone else read Greenberg’s article about Eaton in The Athletic?  What a pathetic attempt by the writer to make Eaton seem worse than he is.  It was a hit piece that made me actually want to root for Eaton.

[SonofaRoache]

8 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

I'd say it's probably closer to 75%, because so many professional athletes are naturally looking to pay the lowest amount of taxes possible.  That's the foremost issue for many "normal/common/ordinary" players who have obscure 3-5 year careers around the league minimum and barely qualify for pension benefits.

I worked for an NFL football player who tried to convince me about the "Prosperity Gospels" on an everyday basis, and I find it somewhat ironic he ended up serving a long term in Federal prison (Miami) for real estate fraud because he got too greedy.

In fact, at that time I lived in Augusta, Georgia, and roughly 90-95% of the PGA golfers back in the 1990's were GOP voters.

I'm shocked. 

[flavum]

Adam Engel was just in the Score. Wow, what a good guy. Sounds like he’s ok with Eaton signing and he said he called Jon Jay to ask about La Russa...Jay raved about Tony. 

[bmags]

6 minutes ago, flavum said:

Adam Engel was just in the Score. Wow, what a good guy. Sounds like he’s ok with Eaton signing and he said he called Jon Jay to ask about La Russa...Jay raved about Tony. 

Engel is awesome

[fathom]

Former Sox Legend Jon Jay

[Harry Chappas]

24 minutes ago, fathom said:

Anyone else read Greenberg’s article about Eaton in The Athletic?  What a pathetic attempt by the writer to make Eaton seem worse than he is.  It was a hit piece that made me actually want to root for Eaton.

YEs, I kind of thought it was a nothing story but see what you are saying.

The whole Eaton signing is bringing to light the shitshow that was the 2016 White Sox.  While I am a White Sox fan I will shit on them when i feel it is appropriate and while not a TLR fan I get that move and the Eaton move.  I am not dancing around the house because of it but I am ok with all three moves and especially the Lance Lynn move.

From JR's seat just about every manager since Gene Lamont has not been a good hire.  Ozzie was until he wasn't and Renteria proved he was a bit over his skis when things got serious but for the rest of the hires there was massive shortfalls and teams not reaching their expectations.

I use the term rose colored glasses often when talking about he White Sox and they are really needed here but for the same reason that Dane Dunning was considered the next Shane Bieber yesterday, the TLR signing makes sense to me regardless that his politics are now in question, he has a professional staff and has had teams often exceed expectations.  We can go find stories of what kind of person he is and debate how we should all feel about these stories and if we should continue being fans because of it.

I say all of that because I think Eaton may have ended things poorly in 2016 but I think the whole thing was a clown show because there was nobody managing the team.

Would Sam Fuld or Willie Harris or some other bench coach have been a better hire....maybe...and maybe things would have worked.  There is also an equal chance that this coaching staff will put players in the best chance to succeed and Cairo takes over.  The is equal a chance that a new manager and his staff fail and the Sox take two steps back.  Even if it is Hinch or Cora.  

Eaton is a low paid platoon RF.  If he is as big an assclown as 95% of this site thinks, I do not believe that Hahn or Williams signs him.  Hopefully he has learned a thing or two and TLR uses him appropriately.  We know Renteria would have him in RF every day.

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by Harry Chappas

[Harold's Leg Lift]

13 minutes ago, flavum said:

Adam Engel was just in the Score. Wow, what a good guy. Sounds like he’s ok with Eaton signing and he said he called Jon Jay to ask about La Russa...Jay raved about Tony. 

Nope.  Doesn't fit the narrative.  Sorry

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

8 hours ago, KrankinSox said:

In fairness, it was already a shitshow before he showed up.

Yea but Yearnin' for Yermin isn't the only thing he's yearnin' for. He also yearns for those laughy emots. and winning the day. Doing it at the expense of Caulfield will always get you those.