Oscar Colas declared free agent

[Sox80]

2 hours ago, thxfrthmmrs said:

Since Colas has officially declared, MLB Pipeline has updated their rankings. Colas is now ranked #2 behind Cespedes. However Colas has 55 hit 60 power 55 Run, while Cespedes has 50 hit and 55 power 60 run. Their defensive grades are the same. Colas looks to be the better prospect on paper and is a full year younger.

Another reason to not read the Pipeline rankings too closely.

In a perfect world.  The sox get both and eventually the corner outfield spots are filled.   I understand neither are sure things.  It's fun to dream though. 

[tray]

Sox may have screwed the pooch by signing Cespedes  and not leaving room for Colas, who may very well be a superior prospect.

Was this Rick Hahn's decision?

 

 

[Chicago White Sox]

9 minutes ago, tray said:

Sox may have screwed the pooch by signing Cespedes  and not leaving room for Colas, who may very well be a superior prospect.

Was this Rick Hahn's decision?

 

 

Lol...yup, let’s renege on a previously agreed upon deal to sign a guy who might be slightly better of a prospect if at all.  I’m sure LatAm will guys would love to do business with us after that move.

[southsider2k5]

1 hour ago, tray said:

Sox may have screwed the pooch by signing Cespedes  and not leaving room for Colas, who may very well be a superior prospect.

Was this Rick Hahn's decision?

 

 

Who else can sign him and for how much? 

[Middle Buffalo]

Is it possible to backload these international contracts so he can get the full amount he’d expect, but the Sox would only pay what they have left of this year’s budget.

[ron883]

4 minutes ago, Middle Buffalo said:

Is it possible to backload these international contracts so he can get the full amount he’d expect, but the Sox would only pay what they have left of this year’s budget.

I'm pretty sure these are just bonus amounts, and they get some standard minor league contract. Could be wrong though. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by ron883

[southsider2k5]

37 minutes ago, Middle Buffalo said:

Is it possible to backload these international contracts so he can get the full amount he’d expect, but the Sox would only pay what they have left of this year’s budget.

No.

[tray]

45 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Who else can sign him and for how much? 

LA Angels

Boston Red Sox

NY Mets

Yankees

Not sure how much pool money they have, but there is interest from other teams.

 

[Quin]

36 minutes ago, tray said:

LA Angels

Boston Red Sox

NY Mets

Yankees

Not sure how much pool money they have, but there is interest from other teams.

 

Those are all fansided/BR articles saying their teams should pursue him.

Some of them — the Mets one in particular — seem to be unaware that many, many free agent deals are already done deals. That or they don't think the Mets have committed any of their salary. Which is a possibility, but would be awful baseball operations.

The Yankees are intriguing because Jesus Galiz left the Yankees, which will likely free up cap space for them. At the same time, their space is severely limited because of signing Cole - so if the Yankees were already maxed out, it's doubtful that Galiz alone would free up enough to fulfill Colas' $2M price tag.

[tray]

 

Those are all fansided/BR articles saying their teams should pursue him.

Which  does not suggest that they won't.

"Colas' market will come into focus post-workout, likely well into seven figure area, 8-10 clubs keeping close tabs, including White Sox and Astros."

@JesseSanchezMLB and  @BenBadlerhave been on both stories.

Colas wants to play and does not want to spend another year in limbo after what he went through in Japan.

" After a tumultuous year away from baseball, powerful outfielder Oscar Colas said he is now ready to sign with a big league club thanks in part to the lessons he learned from his time in Japan. "

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/12/19/baseball/japanese-baseball/oscar-colas-mlb/

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by tray

[Springfield Soxfan]

8 hours ago, Middle Buffalo said:

Is it possible to backload these international contracts so he can get the full amount he’d expect, but the Sox would only pay what they have left of this year’s budget.

I would bet that the Sox have quietly discussed an expedient effort toward a long term extension like with some of the others.  

[tray]

13 minutes ago, Springfield Soxfan said:

I would bet that the Sox have quietly discussed an expedient effort toward a long term extension like with some of the others.  

I don't think they would risk severe penalties from major league baseball for that.

As far as the agreement with Cespedes, it might not be a signed contract and if it is , it still might be an executory contract that can be voided by either side (since the technical date that they are authorized to sign is January 15, 2021). 

In any case, the Sox did not have all of the facts when they made the "agreement' with Cespedes, so they would be justified in calling it a mutual mistake and then recalculating their signing priorities.

If it is a matter of choosing Colas or Cespedes, the Sox should get the player they want.  I have heard of the Sox being interested in Colas before they expressed interest in Cespedes.  Cespedes is never going to have the power that Colas has.  Colas could be a monster at the plate and fit  perfectly  in the Sox outfield with Robert and Eloy.  That is what a lot of us thought the plan was all along.

[Springfield Soxfan]

26 minutes ago, tray said:

I don't think they would risk severe penalties from major league baseball for that.

As far as the agreement with Cespedes, it might not be a signed contract and if it is , it still might be an executory contract that can be voided by either side (since the technical date that they are authorized to sign is January 15, 2021). 

In any case, the Sox did not have all of the facts when they made the "agreement' with Cespedes, so they would be justified in calling it a mutual mistake and then recalculating their signing priorities.

If it is a matter of choosing Colas or Cespedes, the Sox should get the player they want.  I have heard of the Sox being interested in Colas before they expressed interest in Cespedes.  Cespedes is never going to have the power that Colas has.  Colas could be a monster at the plate and fit  perfectly  in the Sox outfield with Robert and Eloy.  That is what a lot of us thought the plan was all along.

Good post. Maybe I should have said that the precedent is there to get young players extensions early if they perform to entice them to sign now. 

[oldsox]

9 hours ago, Middle Buffalo said:

Is it possible to backload these international contracts so he can get the full amount he’d expect, but the Sox would only pay what they have left of this year’s budget.

Then everybody would be doing it.

[Flash]

Can we make it worth it to Colas to wait until next signing period by offering him (through apprpriate channels) more than $2M or is $2M some kind of league imposed limit? 

[Y2Jimmy0]

6 hours ago, Quin said:

Those are all fansided/BR articles saying their teams should pursue him.

Some of them — the Mets one in particular — seem to be unaware that many, many free agent deals are already done deals. That or they don't think the Mets have committed any of their salary. Which is a possibility, but would be awful baseball operations.

The Yankees are intriguing because Jesus Galiz left the Yankees, which will likely free up cap space for them. At the same time, their space is severely limited because of signing Cole - so if the Yankees were already maxed out, it's doubtful that Galiz alone would free up enough to fulfill Colas' $2M price tag.

This is a good point. I'm guessing Galiz left because the Yankees were banking on acquiring international space from someone and now they can't do so. 

[Y2Jimmy0]

24 minutes ago, Flash said:

Can we make it worth it to Colas to wait until next signing period by offering him (through apprpriate channels) more than $2M or is $2M some kind of league imposed limit? 

Sure they can. Sox will have like $5.4 million to spend. They could offer him $5 million if they wanted to. They won't because he isn't worth that but they could. 

[Quin]

22 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

This is a good point. I'm guessing Galiz left because the Yankees were banking on acquiring international space from someone and now they can't do so. 

If that's the case, then we can safely cross the Yankees off.

[Flash]

18 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Sure they can. Sox will have like $5.4 million to spend. They could offer him $5 million if they wanted to. They won't because he isn't worth that but they could. 

Can they float say a $2.5M offer now (to convince him to wait) or would that be a violation? 

[Y2Jimmy0]

38 minutes ago, Flash said:

Can they float say a $2.5M offer now (to convince him to wait) or would that be a violation? 

What do you mean by float? Colas will work out in January. Clubs will pitch him with their available money. There's a chance that $1 million is the most he can get from anyone. The White Sox can absolutely say "if you wait, we'll give you $3 million in January 2022". That's not against the rules necessarily, they just can't announce it until January 2022. He could agree to a deal with Sox that becomes official in 2022 and then go live at the DR facility and play backfield games and workout. We'll see what he decides to do. 

[Flash]

56 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

The White Sox can absolutely say "if you wait, we'll give you $3 million in January 2022". That's not against the rules necessarily, they just can't announce it until January 2022.

Thanks. Seems like a reasonable approach.

[tray]

1 hour ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

The White Sox can absolutely say "if you wait, we'll give you $3 million in January 2022". That's not against the rules necessarily, they just can't announce it until January 2022. He could agree to a deal with Sox that becomes official in 2022 and then go live at the DR facility and play backfield games and workout. We'll see what he decides to do. 

 

There is no way any competent agent/attorney representing Colas would agree to a handshake deal predicated on future compensation. That is pure folly. Furthermore, such a scheme would be exposed as a thinly veiled attempt to conspire to violate the applicable rules.

Also, despite whatever the Sox may want, Colas may want a deal done this this year, not next.

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by tray

[Quin]

1 minute ago, tray said:

 

There is no way any competent agent/attorney representing Colas would agree to a handshake deal predicated on future compensation. That is pure folly. Furthermore, such a scheme would be exposed as a thinly veiled attempt to conspire to violate the applicable rules.

 

It's how pretty much all of the deals work.

[tray]

 

Look, if the Sox want Colas, there is a legal path to sign him on Jan 15 that would not violate mlb rules or the law, as I set forth above.

I doubt Oscar is going to wait to sign until Jan 2022 because he really wants to play for the White Sox more than another team.

and  in the meantime, he sees that Cespedes is getting 2 Million.. Not going to happen.

OK, if that is what you think..wait and see what happens in January. Maybe that wink and a nod /sit tight/ see you next year strategy will work.

I doubt it.

 

 

 

[Bob Sacamano]

1 minute ago, tray said:

 

Look, if the Sox want Colas, there is a legal path to sign him on Jan 15 that would not violate mlb rules or the law, as I set forth above.

I doubt Oscar is going to wait to sign until Jan 2022 because he really wants to play for the White Sox more than another team.

and  in the meantime, he sees that Cespedes is getting 2 Million.. Not going to happen.

OK, if that is what you think..wait and see what happens in January. Maybe that wink and a nod /sit tight/ see you next year strategy will work.

I doubt it.

 

 

 

It sounds like if he wants to sign for a 7 figure bonus, he will have to wait.