Thank You Jerry Reinsdorf!

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

11 hours ago, Ross Gload Fan said:

The man with the most creative username here has just come up with the most creative thread post. Surely this will lead to good things.

Reinsdorf read the OP and said " Time to fuck with that bastard. I'm going to put it out there that that Sox fans will be very happy right after Hector Tweeted about Cruz and the Sox and watch this schmuck it eat it all up with a big ol' spoon. Muhahhahaha !"

[Dick Allen]

Got the payroll up to league average. If that doesn't scream totally committed,  I don't know what does. 

[poppysox]

9 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

Got the payroll up to league average. If that doesn't scream totally committed,  I don't know what does. 

As you know...we are not done yet.?

[thxfrthmmrs]

2019: The money will be spent.

2021: The money has been spent.

[The Grinder]

On 1/17/2021 at 2:55 PM, Chicago White Sox said:

I felt it was time to celebrate our great owner Jerry Reinsdorf and applaud him for going all out amidst a financially crippling pandemic.  Times are tough, even for billionaires, but that’s not stopping Jerry from playing at the top of free agency and doing what needs to be done to deliver us a World Series caliber product.  Come October and we’re holding that beloved trophy, don’t forgot moments like when Jerry won that bidding war for Adam Eaton despite the financial duress it likely caused him.  We truly are lucky to have an owner who puts winning above all else atop our organization.  Thank you Jerry from the bottom of all our hearts!!

Looks like great minds think alike as Paul Sullivan wrote a fantastic piece about this very subject.  I recommend everyone read this and thank Paul for this excellent, though-provoking article.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/white-sox/ct-chicago-white-sox-liam-hendriks-jerry-reinsdorf-20210116-rhgupqhn5rhivlpu7xh5jyqnxq-story.html?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true

Like my cousin Jeff said, "everything is relative" ?

I guess when your the cheapest of the cheapest and you bring yr payroll up to average, some accolades are in order

All this money and hype in signing players etc and the hire TL as manager?? WTF? 

[ron883]

It's comical how some of the local reporters will bend over backwards for Jerry. Apparently Paul Sullivan is one of those. 

[Sleepy Harold]

10 hours ago, thxfrthmmrs said:

2019: The money will be spent.

2021: The money has been spent.

2021: 

[caulfield12]

18 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Reinsdorf read the OP and said " Time to fuck with that bastard. I'm going to put it out there that that Sox fans will be very happy right after Hector Tweeted about Cruz and the Sox and watch this schmuck it eat it all up with a big ol' spoon. Muhahhahaha !"

Be careful, we know from Hendricks that players/agents are reading... and the White Sox posters were labeled as more positive than most. 

[Chicago White Sox]

After passing on Quintana at $8M and hearing some talk that Garrett Richards might be out of their price range, it’s time to bump this thread.  Lynn & Hendriks were nice additions, but the Sox can’t afford to stop adding now, especially in the starting pitching department.  We’re going to find out soon enough if Jerry actually cares about winning, because if this is the roster we end up going to war with it’s clear his primary concern is will always be the bottom line.

[Sarava]

It would be crazy to not add a solid SP. They've come so far to build a potential championship roster...you can't blow it now by cheaping out on the #4/#5 starter.

Edited January 23, 2021 by Sarava

[Texsox]

On 1/17/2021 at 6:30 PM, South Side Hit Men said:

Current 2021 Payroll Data (Includes Hendricks Signing)

Chicago - Metro Population 9.5M

• Chicago Cubs Tanking = Current Payroll $133M (11th)
• Chicago White Sox "All In" = Current Payroll $126M (14th)

San Diego - Metro Population 3.3M

• San Diego Padres = Current Payroll $159M (7th)

Saint Louis - Metro Population 2.8M

• Saint Louis Cardinals = Current Payroll $128M (13th)

 

And when the White Sox do pry the checkbook out of Jerry's cold still alive hands, there have been too many swing and misses. Hopefully the current deals pan out.

All-time $6M + AAV Chicago White Sox Free Agent Signings

1. $18.5M Dallas Keuchel 2.1 (2020) (2021 & 2022 - Hoping he fails to vest for 2023)
2. $18.3M Yasmani Grandal 0.8 (2020) (2021-2023)
3. $16.7M Jose Abreu 3.1 (2020) (2021-2022)
4. $14.0M Adam Dunn -0.1 (2011-2014)
5. $14.0M Melky Cabrera 1.6 (2015-2017)
6. $13.5M Liam Hendriks (2021-2024)
7. $12.5M Adam LaRoche -0.7 (2015 - Jerry's All Time Favorite Player for giving him $12.5M back for 2016).
8. $12.1M Paul Konerko 2.0 (2006-2013)
9. $12.0M Edwin Encarnacion -0.3 (2020)
10. $11.5M David Robertson 0.5 (2015-2017 2 1/2 seasons before trade)
11. $11.0M Albert Belle 4.3 (1997-1998)
12. $9.0M Kelvin Herrera -0.3 (2019-2020)
13. $8.0M Adam Eaton (2021)
14. $7.5M Wellington Castillo 0.2 (2018-2019)
15. $6.0M Derek Holland -1.6 (2017)
16. $6.0M Steve Cishek -0.2 (2020)
     

 

If the team really nailed this we'd have the best lineup in baseball with the lowest payroll. If the team really fucked this up,  we'd have the highest payroll with the worst players. 

So how to fairly judge the current state? Position by position we are kicking the Cubs and Cardinals asses and doing it for less money. That's great. Win for the front office. 

What happens next is where I start complaining. In this position it should be money over potential. Based on those other teams there is room to take on a bad year contract to fill a mid season need. Over pay a few million,  you're saving it elsewhere. 

But congratulations to the front office for putting together a better roster than most teams and having a lower payroll. 

[Texsox]

2019 wins per payroll dollar. It's an interesting read 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.twinkietown.com/platform/amp/2019/10/10/20906889/mlb-minnesota-twins-best-buck-in-2019-rays-athletics-analysis-yankees-still-suck-dollars-per-win

[NWINFan]

I will never thank Paul Sullivan for anything. 

[South Side Hit Men]

1 hour ago, Texsox said:

 

If the team really nailed this we'd have the best lineup in baseball with the lowest payroll. If the team really fucked this up,  we'd have the highest payroll with the worst players. 

So how to fairly judge the current state? Position by position we are kicking the Cubs and Cardinals asses and doing it for less money. That's great. Win for the front office. 

What happens next is where I start complaining. In this position it should be money over potential. Based on those other teams there is room to take on a bad year contract to fill a mid season need. Over pay a few million,  you're saving it elsewhere. 

But congratulations to the front office for putting together a better roster than most teams and having a lower payroll. 

Fair points, I’m in agreement. My take on the current state of the White Sox:

Congratulations:

1. Tanking trades
2. Home of the Cuban Connection
3. Locking in core

Improvement / OK with: 

1. Scouting/drafting has improved past few seasons.
2. Analytics is now a consideration, Sox have moved to the 21st century (hopefully Crony LaRussa hire of Dave Duncan’s son doesn’t upend that).

Concerns / Regression:

1. Consistently poor free agent signings.
2. Jerry is all in on pushing FO aside to employ LaRussa after Renteria extended, Hahn has had zero say on any manager during his 8 years.
3. No evidence through today JR is all in on winning with middle of the road payroll.
4. Tony is now running the show, upending the process and structure which brought us to the very good season of last year.

[Texsox]

1 hour ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Fair points, I’m in agreement. My take on the current state of the White Sox:

 

1. No evidence through today JR is all in on winning with middle of the road payroll.

I understand what you are saying, but just looking at the total seems misleading. Here's what I'm mulling in my head, and thank you for your input. What does Tim get if we signed him as a free agent this off season? He's getting paid about half of Eaton's contract. Would we have Louis at his contract if he was a free agent? We have some really strong players at cheap prices. That shouldn't be a criticism. 

I think the criticism I have with this is small today versus what it may be in June when we know where the holes are. That payroll should allow the team to swallow a shitty, over priced contract for a one season fix where the rain comes in. 

[South Side Hit Men]

32 minutes ago, Texsox said:

I understand what you are saying, but just looking at the total seems misleading. Here's what I'm mulling in my head, and thank you for your input. What does Tim get if we signed him as a free agent this off season? He's getting paid about half of Eaton's contract. Would we have Louis at his contract if he was a free agent? We have some really strong players at cheap prices. That shouldn't be a criticism. 

I think the criticism I have with this is small today versus what it may be in June when we know where the holes are. That payroll should allow the team to swallow a shitty, over priced contract for a one season fix where the rain comes in. 

The past few years, the Sox jumped in early on middling options (Parrot, Eaton / Mazara). Will have the same RF hole for the third straight year next year. We also need(ed) more pitching, though I believe internal options will improve / gain experience and do fine (Cease, Kopech) over the next few seasons.

I disagree with the general consensus here the Sox should have pursued Machado, Springer, or God Forbid Bauer, unless the team was dedicated to permanently increasing payroll by $30M-$50M. You can't tie up 1/3-1/2 of payroll to 3-4 guys, and it's not required to win a WS.

The Sox are already at risk in 2023 /2024 if Keuchel vests ($20M) + Grandal's $18M.  I fear Tony will convince Jerry to extend Eaton and Lynn beyond this year, giving us four declining guys eating nearly half of payroll, and forgoing extensions to Anderson and or Giolito. 

Ricky Renteria wasn't responsible for having one legitimate starter last playoff. If the Sox followed their plan, and allowed him to manage one more year, Hahn would have more flexibility IMO. Based on conjecture, because that is all of us have at this point, it appears Tony is driving the off-season, picking up guys he is familiar with vs. considering a broader range of Free Agents and considering a time frame longer than 1-2 years.

[Jerksticks]

2 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Fair points, I’m in agreement. My take on the current state of the White Sox:

Congratulations:

1. Tanking trades
2. Home of the Cuban Connection
3. Locking in core

Improvement / OK with: 

1. Scouting/drafting has improved past few seasons.
2. Analytics is now a consideration, Sox have moved to the 21st century (hopefully Crony LaRussa hire of Dave Duncan’s son doesn’t upend that).

Concerns / Regression:

1. Consistently poor free agent signings.
2. Jerry is all in on pushing FO aside to employ LaRussa after Renteria extended, Hahn has had zero say on any manager during his 8 years.
3. No evidence through today JR is all in on winning with middle of the road payroll.
4. Tony is now running the show, upending the process and structure which brought us to the very good season of last year.

No evidence is a great lead-in to your 4th point. 

[NWINFan]

I have been a critic of Reinsdorf, but I even know that he has done some good things during his ownership. And if this rebuild works out like it appears it will, his overall legacy will be intact.

I have been a Sox fan for much longer that I want to admit. The late '90's was the worst time to be a fan of  the team. And the previous decade with eight losing seasons was not an enjoyable experience, either. We certainly have hope now, but we will see if the FO will make a future significant move to put this team over the top. The team is close, very close, but it isn't there, yet.

[fathom]

I can’t even imagine how little Jerry would have spent this offseason if someone besides Tony was the manager 

[Jack Parkman]

3 minutes ago, fathom said:

I can’t even imagine how little Jerry would have spent this offseason if someone besides Tony was the manager 

It probably would have been Eaton or Lynn and that's about it. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Jack Parkman

[Dick Allen]

To be fair, Jerry is hamstrung a bit. What with the moratorium on trading bonus pool money for buyout relief.

[Chicago White Sox]

33 minutes ago, fathom said:

I can’t even imagine how little Jerry would have spent this offseason if someone besides Tony was the manager 

It really is terrifying.  Are we even above last year’s payroll right now?  Like how did we get stuck with this cheap fuck for our entire lifetime’s as Sox fans?

[RagahRagah]

49 minutes ago, fathom said:

I can’t even imagine how little Jerry would have spent this offseason if someone besides Tony was the manager 

I mean... really, not that much was actually spent.

[Jose Abreu]

32 minutes ago, RagahRagah said:

I mean... really, not that much was actually spent.

I expect this to change, but as of now, they've actually cut more salary than they've added

[Chicago White Sox]

29 minutes ago, Jose Abreu said:

I expect this to change, but as of now, they've actually cut more salary than they've added

I was thinking that might be the case, but glad someone confirmed it.  There better be more coming or I hope he gets ridiculed and not celebrated by clowns like Sullivan.