White Sox interested in SS Ian Desmond

[LittleHurt05]

I went to five games in September of 2012 and I never waited in line in the bathroom during a pennant race. I was there when Sale and Quintana ran out of gas and the offense dissipated. I'm sure you were there every game given your rhetoric, but there was no crowd excitement, no 75% filled stadium or anything.

 

That season changed my perspective. The fan support was no existent that year, I went to a game vs. the Tigers and the Tigers fans were the only ones who seemed to realize there was baseball game going on.

[LDF]

Why are you so concerned with what the Cubs attendance is? Who cares?

 

b/c the topic was the sox will never have the most fans and will always be second best. the topic was, ok if that is the case, fix the team and the fans will come back out, maybe not enuf to ever beat the other team, but enuf to make the FO happy. fiscally speaking.

[103 mph screwball]

That season changed my perspective. The fan support was no existent that year, I went to a game vs. the Tigers and the Tigers fans were the only ones who seemed to realize there was baseball game going on.

Adam Dunn in 2011 was a huge let down that led to 2012 apathy. I'm sure there are more factors, but to me, Adam Dunn damaged the Sox more than his WAR would suggest.

[southsider2k5]

That season changed my perspective. The fan support was no existent that year, I went to a game vs. the Tigers and the Tigers fans were the only ones who seemed to realize there was baseball game going on.

 

100% totally agree. Both 2008 and 2012 did that for me.

[Bigsoxhurt35]

This thread went off track quick lol

 

 

[Saufley]

I don't think we're a terrible fan base. I think that we've been burned. Whether, before really my time of following, threatened to move team. To one of the most unappealing (to the eye) stadiums (functionality aside). To never really being a player in the FA market. Abreu at $68mm is our top signing ... I mean ...

 

You take those things into consideration and I call us a fan base that gives back what is given to us.

You expect me to buy 14 or 28 game plan?? I think not.

a) I went on this morning to explore it -- and they are telling me the best seats available start at Section 147 on the 3B side. I know very well that there are a ton of seats from dugout to dugout. I've had season tickets before, they keep them blocked off for possible FULL season buyers. Plus, 6% or 12% discounts on prices when you buy 28 games? Screw that.

You know where else I can get that discount? Scalping, when they offer the Ballpark Pass again and I just sneak down to the lower concourse ..., from company tickets for free, from discount codes for every game, etc. There is absolutely no incentive to buy partial or full season tickets to this team. Again, I've done it in the past for 3-4 seasons - and been burned money wise each year.

 

Open up good seats for me, with incentive and I'd buy. But when your best incentive is opportunity to buy Playoff tix? First you have to make the playoffs ..... and then everybody knows, if doing well, the Sox will allow you to buy in July/August and still get that incentive. Dumb.

Marketing folks are terrible.

 

I'm a diehard, but I'm also smart. No reason to piss money on this product. I'll walk up and scalp or buy tix last minute via stubhub or craigslist.

 

 

Rant over.

 

Your rant makes a lot of sense! This ownership has had their one World Series championship. Now sell to some investment group that is not afraid to spend money to put a #1 caliber team on the field. I'm just tired of my team shopping at the $5 and under store. My rant.

[MHizzle85]

Your rant makes a lot of sense! This ownership has had their one World Series championship. Now sell to some investment group that is not afraid to spend money to put a #1 caliber team on the field. I'm just tired of my team shopping at the $5 and under store. My rant.

 

So did last offseason not happen? Did this team not make moves to try & win now? I understand the frustration, but let's not say that the FO has just sat around and only looked to sign bargains.

[OmarComing25]

Your rant makes a lot of sense! This ownership has had their one World Series championship. Now sell to some investment group that is not afraid to spend money to put a #1 caliber team on the field. I'm just tired of my team shopping at the $5 and under store. My rant.

Sox payroll rank in MLB over the last 10 years:

2015: 15th

2014: 20th

2013: 8th

2012: 11th

2011: 5th

2010: 7th

2009: 12th

2008: 5th

2007: 5th

2006: 4th

So that's only 1 year in the bottom half which was a rebuilding year, 6 times in the top 10 and 4 times in the top 5. Not bad for a team that struggles with attendance as much as the Sox do. I will be upset if the Sox don't spend money for another upgrade or two before Opening Day, but this idea that the Sox are cheap is exaggerated.

[Quin]

Sox payroll rank in MLB over the last 10 years:

2015: 15th

2014: 20th

2013: 8th

2012: 11th

2011: 5th

2010: 7th

2009: 12th

2008: 5th

2007: 5th

2006: 4th

So that's only 1 year in the bottom half which was a rebuilding year, 6 times in the top 10 and 4 times in the top 5. Not bad for a team that struggles with attendance as much as the Sox do. I will be upset if the Sox don't spend money for another upgrade or two before Opening Day, but this idea that the Sox are cheap is exaggerated.

 

Stop using facts.

 

[Hatchetman]

Cheap would be better than incompetent.

[Dunt]

I went to five games in September of 2012 and I never waited in line in the bathroom during a pennant race. I was there when Sale and Quintana ran out of gas and the offense dissipated. I'm sure you were there every game given your rhetoric, but there was no crowd excitement, no 75% filled stadium or anything.

 

I remember going to a Sale-Verlander matchup that September that was maybe a 1/3 full. I couldnt believe it.

[Saufley]

Sox payroll rank in MLB over the last 10 years:

2015: 15th

2014: 20th

2013: 8th

2012: 11th

2011: 5th

2010: 7th

2009: 12th

2008: 5th

2007: 5th

2006: 4th

So that's only 1 year in the bottom half which was a rebuilding year, 6 times in the top 10 and 4 times in the top 5. Not bad for a team that struggles with attendance as much as the Sox do. I will be upset if the Sox don't spend money for another upgrade or two before Opening Day, but this idea that the Sox are cheap is exaggerated.

 

Yea, I guess my bad about the $$$. I should have just said we needed better judgement over the past years, in terms of player ability and potential. Maybe now with RH we have that.

[The Beast]

Sorry if this is off the White Sox payroll discussion, but can someone point me to where the tweet was where the Sox offered Desmond 2 years at $11 million dollars?

[bmags]

Sorry if this is off the White Sox payroll discussion, but can someone point me to where the tweet was where the Sox offered Desmond 2 years at $11 million dollars?

 

Sorry, knew that would get someone. That 2/11 is referring to the date this report came out.

[Thad Bosley]

I went to five games in September of 2012 and I never waited in line in the bathroom during a pennant race. I was there when Sale and Quintana ran out of gas and the offense dissipated. I'm sure you were there every game given your rhetoric, but there was no crowd excitement, no 75% filled stadium or anything.

This team hasn't won 90 games in a decade, has come in first only once during that time (and that, it took them 163 games to do), with only one playoff appearance, and a meek and brief one at that. And so when the fan base is slow to react to that rare team in recent years that is competitive for a change as was the case in 2012, it's all of a sudden a bad fan base of sorts. Give me a bleepin' break. And again the question, was the fan base "fickle" and "weak" these past three seasons when there was also "no crowd excitement" at the 'ol ballpark? Or is this fickle & weak argument just pointed towards the 2012 season?

 

 

[he gone.]

I apologize, I kind of got us in this rabbit hole, back to Ian Desmond!

(though surprised about the payroll stats... FWIW, I can't think who made those payrolls so expensive! ... in 06 or 07? Wasn't like there were superstars on the teams.)

 

 

Ian Desmond is such a Sox player -- KO's, low BB's, declining numbers, "should be able to improve his 20-25 HR coming to hitters ballpark", not the biggest hole on the team, actually makes the defense worse ... it just has the ChiSox written all over it. Watch them give 2-3 years, and then they'll move our #1 prospect in Anderson to CF, screw with his mind learning a new position, he'll hit terrible, we'll have a chance to trade him for Adrian Gonzalez and turn it down. And round and round the circle of trust we go.

 

 

That being said, the school kid in me will dream about how he is going to bounce back - hit .280 with 30hrs because he has "something to prove" -- (even though last year he had something to prove and laid an egg)

 

 

Give me Austin Jackson. That's who I want. Or if someone can just look into the Magic 8 ball and tell me if JB Shuck can produce at a .275 clip I'll take him and no improvements until mid-season if we're in it.

[iWiN4PreP]

Give me desmond + OF'r (any) and I'm in.

 

[bmags]

I don't htink anyone is relying on his power to improve, 20-25 hrs from the SS position means we are looking at 115+ home runs from this infield.

[BlackSox13]

dang, i forgot about that.... ref the bold. i was looking at him since the beginning of the off season as well as 2 team players.

Just my opinion but of the remaining free agents, Jackson makes fhe most sense despite being a RHB. I certainly wouldn't complain if the Sox signed Fowler or Desmond but from the sounds of it I'm thinking the Sox are out on those two. Jackson, however, I've read nothing indicating the Sox have moved on or that the ship has sailed so its still a possibility. How much of a possibility I'm sure I don't know, but still possible.

 

I googled Desmond again and still can't find anything new. Someone check the power cord for the rumor mill and make sure its still plugged in.

[bmags]

I frankly haven't read anything at all about Sox and Jackson.

[Dick Allen]

I frankly haven't read anything at all about Sox and Jackson.

Have you read about Jackson and anybody? I read some speculation but no actual talks. Considering Boras got Kennedy $70 million, I would think Jackson's price is still quite high right now.

[bmags]

I don't recall anything. Maybe possibility of Cubs re-signing him? But no, no rumors.

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

So, are the "Desmond to the White Sox" rumors all but dead at this point?

 

I haven't been following this thread as much lately.

[bmags]

So, are the "Desmond to the White Sox" rumors all but dead at this point?

 

I haven't been following this thread as much lately.

 

Pretty much. Last Wednesday night we got those tweets, then the Knightengale denial, then silence.

 

One thing of note was Bucket came on and said that we were still probably going to add a bat but more likely through trade, and he wasn't sure how much of an impact bat it would be.

[oldsox]

You realize some projections have him as the second best SS in baseball in 2016...?

No, I didn't. Desmond #2 ?? How can that be when you have Correa of Houston, Crawford of SF, Seager of LA, Tulo of Toronto, Russell of Cubs, Espinoza of KC, Whatshisname in Boston? and others