Hahn the Dumbass Again

[caulfield12]

“AJ Pollock's second plate appearance today will give him 500 for the season, which means his option for 2023 will be $13M, which will make it harder to take a $5M buyout, which prolongs the consequences of exercising Craig Kimbrel's option.”

 

There we go with that $1 million again that could have gotten us out entirely from Kimbrel.

But not no escape is possible.

Now we have a fourth outfielder nearing age 35 paid like a starter (when at best a platoon player going forward) hopelessly out of position if do choose to leave Eloy in LF, along with “You’ll Love Him Eventually” Joe Kelly, Leury, Moncada, Diekman, Grandal…this is the definition of insanity, and doesn’t even encompass Bummer, Graveman or Hendriks.

So now they’re basically forcing Pollock back on the 2023 roster. Congrats. Stellar work!

Which means they’re likely going to have to trade the younger and (potentially) more valuable pieces like Vaughn or Jimenez, Crochet, Giolito, TA, Lynn, to clean up the currently poorly-constructed roster and significantly reduce payroll.

They’re acting like the A’s or Reds and attempting to deliberately alienate their fanbase, aren’t they?  If this was a publicly traded company, there would be a massive investor-driven lawsuit…what next, Abreu for $20 million with another pointless option year tacked on for every possible perspective but Jerry Reinsdorf’s?

 

If that’s not bad enough, we can’t even manage to reward the players who actually showed up to play down the stretch like Cueto and Andrus.  Instead, we massively overplay guys who don’t even want to be members of the White Sox pr even professional baseball players any longer.

Only in the AL and NL Central would this be possible.  I mean, I might actually take Pittsburgh’s Cruz Missile, Suwinski, Hayes and Reynolds over this nonsense.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by caulfield12

[Timmy U]

I know I'm just adding to the problem, but does this really require its own thread?

[maloney.adam]

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[caulfield12]

59 minutes ago, maloney.adam said:

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It’s pretty nice to be a clown who was allowed into HLS Class of 1996, Michigan and NU/Kellogg.

Personally, I’d rather have Quin Snyder, though. 

[Chick Mercedes]

The Diekman acquisition too locked them into wasted money for next season as well. They sure make odd decisions, based on chasing their tails it seems

[caulfield12]

https://theathletic.com/1845734/2020/06/02/meet-mike-mcneive-the-one-constant-tasked-with-gathering-intel-for-hawks/
 

Included on the list, lol.

I will nominate one of my two best friends from grad school for Hahn’s position because while he “only” went to Monmouth University in Illinois and Georgia Southern, he’s 10x the hard worker and perfectionist, while Hahn cares more about how is perceived in the media and avoiding blame.

From Freeport, played around the same time as the same time as Jamal Meeks.

Unfortunately a Cubs’ fan.  My signature quite came from him. 
 

Unlike Hahn, he played baseball, basketball and football and actually understands athletes and not just contract law.

[Balta1701]

1 hour ago, Timmy U said:

I know I'm just adding to the problem, but does this really require its own thread?

I think that Pollock increasing his option by hitting his contract incentives is entirely worthy of a thread 

[caulfield12]

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-players-with-tough-2022-seasons

Feels like Dominic Smith the targeted LH "buy low" bat this offseason over Nimmo, Conforto, Gallo, Pederson, Rosario, Bellinger, etc.

Giolito and Madrigal mentions.

Chapman/Crochet/Lopez replaces Hendriks/Graveman.  That won't be particularily popular.

[Bob Sacamano]

16 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-players-with-tough-2022-seasons

Feels like Dominic Smith the targeted LH "buy low" bat this offseason over Nimmo, Conforto, Gallo, Pederson, Rosario, Bellinger, etc.

Giolito and Madrigal mentions.

Chapman/Crochet/Lopez replaces Hendriks/Graveman.  That won't be particularily popular.

Ah yes, another 1B/DH to add to the OF mix.

[SonofaRoache]

So much money wasted on scrubs. Should have just paid Manny or Harper to be honest. We all knew that though, we aren't the cheap bastards. 

[South Side Hit Men]

Make stupid trades, win stupid prizes.

Weeeeeeeeee!

 

[ChiSox59]

While paying Pollock $13M isn’t ideal, a they owe him $5M regardless. A net cost of $7M to have a solid OF on the roster that doesn’t have to play everyday ideally isn’t the worst thing in the world. Pollock is going to come in handy when Robert and whatever OF we sign get hurt. It’s not ideal, but of all the issues, a net $7M to Pollock isn’t the worst one. 

While unlikely, I have always gotten the feeling that Pollock just didn’t fit in on this roster. He is a wealthy man; he may be willing to take a small pay cut, and that is all it would be, to choose his team for next year.

[Bob Sacamano]

12 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

While paying Pollock $13M isn’t ideal, a they owe him $5M regardless. A net cost of $7M to have a solid OF on the roster that doesn’t have to play everyday ideally isn’t the worst thing in the world. Pollock is going to come in handy when Robert and whatever OF we sign get hurt. It’s not ideal, but of all the issues, a net $7M to Pollock isn’t the worst one. 

While unlikely, I have always gotten the feeling that Pollock just didn’t fit in on this roster. He is a wealthy man; he may be willing to take a small pay cut, and that is all it would be, to choose his team for next year.

I was thinking the same. Maybe he would want to opt out for whatever reason it may be: the atmosphere of this team, wanting to go play back out West, whatever. Not crazy to think he could land a 1 year $5 million deal somewhere.

[A-Train to 35th]

6 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

While paying Pollock $13M isn’t ideal, a they owe him $5M regardless. A net cost of $7M to have a solid OF on the roster that doesn’t have to play everyday ideally isn’t the worst thing in the world. Pollock is going to come in handy when Robert and whatever OF we sign get hurt. It’s not ideal, but of all the issues, a net $7M to Pollock isn’t the worst one. 

While unlikely, I have always gotten the feeling that Pollock just didn’t fit in on this roster. He is a wealthy man; he may be willing to take a small pay cut, and that is all it would be, to choose his team for next year.

I wouldn't put it past him to say so long to this sorry organization and take the buyout.  If he takes the 5 mil and signs with a contending organization for 5-8 million he'll be in a better situation and will make nearly the same money.  Who wouldn't take the buyout to get themselves away from the Chicago White Sox.

 

 

[Bob Sacamano]

24 minutes ago, A-Train to 35th said:

I wouldn't put it past him to say so long to this sorry organization and take the buyout.  If he takes the 5 mil and signs with a contending organization for 5-8 million he'll be in a better situation and will make nearly the same money.  Who wouldn't take the buyout to get themselves away from the Chicago White Sox.

 

 

Honestly, he could even go back to the Dodgers in a platoon role.

[Tnetennba]

Hahah, TLDR, but isnt the ‘again’ part with Hahn a little redundant?

[bmags]

rewarding Andrus for his play really is how you end up paying Leury Garcia 3 yrs 15 million.

[Tnetennba]

33 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

I was thinking the same. Maybe he would want to opt out for whatever reason it may be: the atmosphere of this team, wanting to go play back out West, whatever. Not crazy to think he could land a 1 year $5 million deal somewhere.

Yeah a small monetary hit for the chance to be where he wants to be might have serious appeal at this point in his career.  He gets $5M regardless and might just want to get as far away from this mess as possible, and honestly who could blame him. 

[ChiSox59]

14 minutes ago, Tnetennba said:

Yeah a small monetary hit for the chance to be where he wants to be might have serious appeal at this point in his career.  He gets $5M regardless and might just want to get as far away from this mess as possible, and honestly who could blame him. 

Yeah, I go back and forth on it.  Pollock is a solid major league OF on a team with only 1 other at this moment, and he (Robert) is proving unable to stay healthy.  Pollock had a s%*# season, but he could easily bounce back next year.  I don't see him being any worse against RHP, to be honest.  If used to fill in until Colas is ready, and then used as the 4th OF thereafter getting a couple starts a week and filling in for injuries, he could be well worth the net $8M.

Now of course, saving $8M on 2023 payroll (really $13M because the buyout is due in 2022) gives the Sox some much needed breathing room under $200M.  It probably gives them the ability to sign Nimmo and a solid 5th SP and be around $190M.  But will that $ actually get reinvested?  We're also looking at Sheets playing the OF for 4-6 weeks until Colas arrives in that scenario.

I honestly don't hate the thought of Pollock coming back.  In the scheme of things, this isn't a big deal IMO.  

[HOFHurt35]

Despite having a bad offensive season, Pollock is very far down on my list on guys I have issues with returning for 2023.  The guy was available to play most nights (which for this team is already a win).  And when he plays, he plays 100% both running the bases and in the OF.  

Assuming Abreu walks:  Pollock in LF, Eloy as DH, and Vaugh as 1B is the way to go.    Get rid of of no use Engel also. 

[Greg Hibbard]

Oh my lord people, stop rationalizing. I would rather take my chances with any minor league right fielder who is defensively above average for league minimum than being back a 0.6 WAR player for $8 million. It is sheer, senseless, boneheaded, stupid general managing. 

[TheFutureIsNear]

Hahn deserves a lot of blame in many other places, and I’d rather he not be back to retool the roster…BUT when a GM trades for a 10 year vet with a career slash of .277/.332/.477 (probably better but don’t feel like looking up what it was before this year) and that player suddenly hits .247/.293/.395 is it REALLY the GM’s fault? I suppose it was fair to expect some regression switching to the AL, but who honestly could have seen AJ being a completely incompetent hitter coming? I know Hahn is a (deservedly) easy target, but I’m honest enough to admit that I thought bringing in Pollack was a solid move before the season. And I think most agreed if they are being honest.

[chw42]

7 minutes ago, TheFutureIsNear said:

Hahn deserves a lot of blame in many other places, and I’d rather he not be back to retool the roster…BUT when a GM trades for a 10 year vet with a career slash of .277/.332/.477 (probably better but don’t feel like looking up what it was before this year) and that player suddenly hits .247/.293/.395 is it REALLY the GM’s fault? I suppose it was fair to expect some regression switching to the AL, but who honestly could have seen AJ being a completely incompetent hitter coming? I know Hahn is a (deservedly) easy target, but I’m honest enough to admit that I thought bringing in Pollack was a solid move before the season. And I think most agreed if they are being honest.

Part of this is true. Pollock was coming off a career year and didn't really show many signs of decline. But the guy is 34 and the fact the Dodgers were willing to let him go despite him putting up a  .900 OPS last year tells you that they clearly didn't think that highly of him. It's clear no team won the trade this year, but the fact the Sox are gonna be saddled paying a 35 year old Pollock $13 million next year probably means we'll lose it. 

[southsider2k5]

5 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Part of this is true. Pollock was coming off a career year and didn't really show many signs of decline. But the guy is 34 and the fact the Dodgers were willing to let him go despite him putting up a  .900 OPS last year tells you that they clearly didn't think that highly of him. It's clear no team won the trade this year, but the fact the Sox are gonna be saddled paying a 35 year old Pollock $13 million next year probably means we'll lose it. 

Sure, and they paid Bellinger $17 million instead.

[Balta1701]

10 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Sure, and they paid Bellinger $17 million instead.

Mumbles something involving the words Trayce Thompson.