'23 -'24 Free Agency

[Sleepy Harold]

2 hours ago, Tnetennba said:

I didn’t particularly want Castellanos because of his D, but the Sox sure chose every cheap internal worse option. 

The Sox really do know how to pick em ehh? 

[Bob Sacamano]

5 hours ago, Sleepy Harold said:

No argument from me on the team not signing a real RFer. I would've rather signed him than trot Gavin and the rotating mess of suck out there, but he's still a poor defender at the position, which is something that a couple nice plays in October doesn’t wash away. 

It doesn’t but they literally got to the playoffs with 2 of the worst OFs in the corners in Schwarber and Castellanos.

[Balta1701]

2 hours ago, Bob Sacamano said:

It doesn’t but they literally got to the playoffs with 2 of the worst OFs in the corners in Schwarber and Castellanos.

They were so desperate for defense last year that they had to trade a top 75 prospect for Marsh because they needed an OF who could catch the ball. If they didn’t have a top prospect to spare, this doesn’t work.

[Balta1701]

9 hours ago, nrockway said:

How many millions of dollars does Tim bring into the team just by being Tim Anderson? I feel like this board is disconnected from reality by thinking Tim isn’t a fan favorite and ultimately good for business. I assume he has the top selling jersey on the team, at least it’s the only one I see around town unless it’s a guy who hasn’t been on the team in 15 years. 

Are you kidding? They had an attendance last year that was right with the rebuild years and I’m certainly hoping it goes lower next year. The last month of the season the number of people actually coming to games was probably in the 100s, the only reason they beat 2019s total attendance was they gave up and did a $1 ticket day. There’s a thread here about their already low ratings dropping by 40%, to one of the lowest in the sport. Anderson has become a tabloid issue for the team. The only benefit is that he occasionally takes the focus off of people being shot in the ballpark when his private life leaks out.

[nrockway]

5 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Are you kidding? They had an attendance last year that was right with the rebuild years and I’m certainly hoping it goes lower next year. The last month of the season the number of people actually coming to games was probably in the 100s, the only reason they beat 2019s total attendance was they gave up and did a $1 ticket day. There’s a thread here about their already low ratings dropping by 40%, to one of the lowest in the sport. Anderson has become a tabloid issue for the team. The only benefit is that he occasionally takes the focus off of people being shot in the ballpark when his private life leaks out.

I'm not kidding and I don't dispute anything you say but frankly this team is on the south side of Chicago and people do like Tim. I don't want to derail the topic so I'll leave it at this post, but personally, I like his spirit and what he represents but could take him or leave him as a ball player, even when he was good. He's a guy I want to root for and a lot of people feel the same way. And so the fact that this board thought Jake Burger was more of a fan favorite than Tim is, to me, emblematic of that disconnect I mentioned and absurd enough of a sentiment to write a post about. I'm dead fuckin serious when I say I never see a Sox jersey that isn't Tim Anderson's, including Luis Robert or Harold Baines or Konerko or Dye or whoever else. 

Frankly, I don't give a f*** about TV ratings and I don't think any sports team does either. It declined at that rate for us because we as fans anticipated the team to be good last year and it wasn't. And of course we were even worse this year. What is there to even watch unless you're an obsessive type that talks about sports on online message boards? That isn't the fanbase. I'll be concerned when this team is making the playoffs and is showing tr*picana field numbers. games 3 and 4 of the 2021 ALDS were packed. 

I pay closer attention to the NBA than MLB, and TV ratings decline on a yearly basis in that sport yet basketball related income increases steadily (everybody gets paid more, the sport gets worse, I pay more attention to a different sport). these loser teams are making money hand over fist regardless of the fact that nobody watches tv anymore. if jerry wants to make money again, he'll do it by developing a new park and a surrounding "district" because that's how they make even more money nowadays beyond their typical con artistry. I have more to write about the attendance thing and I'll do it in the other thread some time tomorrow.

[Southwest Sider]

29 minutes ago, nrockway said:

I'm not kidding and I don't dispute anything you say but frankly this team is on the south side of Chicago and people do like Tim. I don't want to derail the topic so I'll leave it at this post, but personally, I like his spirit and what he represents but could take him or leave him as a ball player, even when he was good. He's a guy I want to root for and a lot of people feel the same way. And so the fact that this board thought Jake Burger was more of a fan favorite than Tim is, to me, emblematic of that disconnect I mentioned and absurd enough of a sentiment to write a post about. I'm dead fuckin serious when I say I never see a Sox jersey that isn't Tim Anderson's, including Luis Robert or Harold Baines or Konerko or Dye or whoever 

I dunno man. I was one who got a TA Jersey- he was amazing and seemed like a great example and a leader for this team. What has transpired the past few years has been discouraging. Flipping off Cleveland fans? Please dude...leave that to us. All the distracting baby mama nonsense. The complete 180 on his power... its completely gone. Remember his wife would make him spaghetti when he hit a home run? Now he doesnt hit home runs... I wonder why. I admit that's a ridiculous theory but kind of fun lol he dont like his wife anymore so he doesnt hit home runs so she wont make him spaghetti.

 

 

[Balta1701]

14 hours ago, nrockway said:

I'm not kidding and I don't dispute anything you say but frankly this team is on the south side of Chicago and people do like Tim. I don't want to derail the topic so I'll leave it at this post, but personally, I like his spirit and what he represents but could take him or leave him as a ball player, even when he was good. He's a guy I want to root for and a lot of people feel the same way. And so the fact that this board thought Jake Burger was more of a fan favorite than Tim is, to me, emblematic of that disconnect I mentioned and absurd enough of a sentiment to write a post about. I'm dead fuckin serious when I say I never see a Sox jersey that isn't Tim Anderson's, including Luis Robert or Harold Baines or Konerko or Dye or whoever else. 

I will go to the point of agreeing that people used to like Tim. 2018-2021 he sure seemed like the kind of guy you could cheer for.

Now he loves forever as a meme being knocked out by Ramirez.

[ScootsMcGoots]

15 hours ago, Southwest Sider said:

I dunno man. I was one who got a TA Jersey- he was amazing and seemed like a great example and a leader for this team. What has transpired the past few years has been discouraging. Flipping off Cleveland fans? Please dude...leave that to us. All the distracting baby mama nonsense. The complete 180 on his power... its completely gone. Remember his wife would make him spaghetti when he hit a home run? Now he doesnt hit home runs... I wonder why. I admit that's a ridiculous theory but kind of fun lol he dont like his wife anymore so he doesnt hit home runs so she wont make him spaghetti.

 

 

In all fairness...I never saw Tim as a leader. His interviews were often cringe...and he always seemed to be very focused on himself. Which is fine, but his demeanor and language never screamed "leader" to me. 

[Lip Man 1]

21 minutes ago, ScootsMcGoots said:

In all fairness...I never saw Tim as a leader. His interviews were often cringe...and he always seemed to be very focused on himself. Which is fine, but his demeanor and language never screamed "leader" to me. 

The so called "face of the franchise" is perfect...if you want your "face" to flip off fans, get suspended for confrontations with umpires, get dropped because of an on-field fight and has a bunch of off the field exposes. 

Oh and has on-field performance has collapsed badly too. 

I agree with you, that's no leader.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Flipping off opponent fans is legitimately hilarious. Who cares

[Balta1701]

23 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Flipping off opponent fans is legitimately hilarious. Who cares

If you ever wanted a sign that a guy isn’t focused on the game and is letting fans get under his skin, there you go.

[Buehrle>Wood]

11 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

If you ever wanted a sign that a guy isn’t focused on the game and is letting fans get under his skin, there you go.

Reach. 

[ron883]

16 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

If you ever wanted a sign that a guy isn’t focused on the game and is letting fans get under his skin, there you go.

Racist 

[ScootsMcGoots]

14 hours ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Flipping off opponent fans is legitimately hilarious. Who cares

Lots of families with kids. I am not one of them, but if I had a child, I wouldn't want them seeing Tim as a role model.

[nrockway]

23 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

I will go to the point of agreeing that people used to like Tim. 2018-2021 he sure seemed like the kind of guy you could cheer for.

Now he loves forever as a meme being knocked out by Ramirez.

we'll see. people like a comeback story too. I don't know that people turned on Tim like you say. I think you're right that getting KO'd by high-talking fat boy hurt his image more than his s%*# play, but I think fans have a longer memory than social media would have us think.  

personally, I care more about the state of the baseball team than the storylines surrounding it or how much money the team is bringing in though. I care about the revenue insofar as I don't want the team to leave, but my personal feeling is that it's going to happen regardless. I also care a little bit too about how baseball and the Sox are an analogy for society and our city. In the latter sense, I wouldn't write off Tim. I think he represents the city well and is not the cancer some imagine. He's never criticized a coach or a teammate, he gets offended by internet criticism and I don't blame him, I would too, 14 million dollar contract or not.

I would rather write off the guys who respond with a laugh emoji but don't write a post...at least make it look like a thumbs down.

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by nrockway

[Balta1701]

1 hour ago, nrockway said:

we'll see. people like a comeback story too. I don't know that people turned on Tim like you say. I think you're right that getting KO'd by high-talking fat boy hurt his image more than his s%*# play, but I think fans have a longer memory than social media would have us think.  

personally, I care more about the state of the baseball team than the storylines surrounding it or how much money the team is bringing in though. I care about the revenue insofar as I don't want the team to leave, but my personal feeling is that it's going to happen regardless. I also care a little bit too about how baseball and the Sox are an analogy for society and our city. In the latter sense, I wouldn't write off Tim. I think he represents the city well and is not the cancer some imagine. He's never criticized a coach or a teammate, he gets offended by internet criticism and I don't blame him, I would too, 14 million dollar contract or not.

I would rather write off the guys who respond with a laugh emoji but don't write a post...at least make it look like a thumbs down.

 

Even if there was a comeback story...the best possible scenario is that it's a comeback story that lasts 1 year. He's not likely to be retained by this franchise, if he has a strong 2023 he'll be signing the best free agent contract he can, and the White Sox have a young SS coming up so they have a very good reason not to be the highest bidder. 

Imagining a comeback story that gets the White Sox a few more ticket sales and gets them all the way up to 74 wins before the guy walks as a free agent for the low price of $14 million is exactly what I mean when I say that would be classic White Sox behavior, that's exactly what Hahn would have done. Imagine everything rosy, turning out well, and go for that while spending money or talent in the process.

More than anything else, that's why I would want them to do something different. Keeping him isn't the biggest waste of money in human history, there's some small chance he could be worth more than a pittance in a trade, but overall the upside is limited and unlikely. Stubbornly insisting it could work well and spending $14 million in the process is classic White Sox, and it turns out that those dollars add up.