I think he just became a free agent at the same time as Cespedes. There was not enough money to sign both. There is some word that he is going to hold off this year and sign with the Sox next year. He will play in some other foreign league this year.

It doesn't sound like either of these guys are a no doubt MLB player but its good to have well thought of talent in the system.

Definitely.

And treat 'em right and keep this goldmine in operation.

For some reason I thought Springer was younger than he is.

It does not seem like he has been around that long.

Sox - Cubs 2021 finances/payroll are fascinating. Cubs 123 mil, Sox 119. Theo spent over 100 mil a year on pitching each last 5 years (Levine) due to dismal drafting. Rickets buying up Wrigleyville then blindsided by covid. Theo leaves a mess.

Reinsdorf has to be the mastermind of all the Sox team friendly contracts mostly on impoverished Latin players. Reinsdorf gets mocked for being a senile old codger. Theo is a genius.

Who ever said Reinsdorf is senile. He's a great businessman. He just invented a new way of screwing with players in the Hendriks contract. He said he had been toying with the concept for a couple of years before finding his first victim.

JR will give you all the money you want if you are willing to wait 20 years for it. He isn't going to end up paying so you gave him free services. Word is he loved Popeye as a kid and thought Whimpy was a genius.

That's the key. They've found a well they can keep tapping. Exploit it for as long as you can.

Who ever said Reinsdorf is senile. He's a great businessman. He just invented a new way of screwing with players in the Hendriks contract. He said he had been toying with the concept for a couple of years before finding his first victim.

JR will give you all the money you want if you are willing to wait 20 years for it. He isn't going to end up paying so you gave him free services. Word is he loved Popeye as a kid and thought Whimpy was a genius.

He definitely is.

I wonder how he compares to today's tech billionaires, both in non-business dealings and in how he made his fortune?

He's a complex guy. He is sentimental, he supports at least one pretty progressive charity, and he's loyal to people he likes. He's respectful of tradition--until he's not. He's hard-headed--until he lets a member of his inner-circle change his mind. But he's always shrewd and hard-nosed. Is there a biography on the guy? That old book Stealing Home talks about him and Eddie Einhorn a little, but I'd think he would make great fodder for a bio. And that's just me thinking of the Sox side of him.

He's horrible on the pr side of business and always has been.

He's horrible on the pr side of business and always has been.

Who ever said Reinsdorf is senile. He's a great businessman. He just invented a new way of screwing with players in the Hendriks contract. He said he had been toying with the concept for a couple of years before finding his first victim.

JR will give you all the money you want if you are willing to wait 20 years for it. He isn't going to end up paying so you gave him free services. Word is he loved Popeye as a kid and thought Whimpy was a genius.

At least that one is a good deal for the player too. You either get the money right away or you get it over 10 years and can go sign a contract somewhere else or sit at home. I wish someone would pay me $15 million to not work even if I have to wait a little bit for it.

All I know, in a division of nothing but small markets, with the exception of one free spender in Detroit for about a decade, he's come up short. Overall, he's been a failure in the Winning business.

I think you are looking at it incorrectly. You can have the $15 million today or you can have the $15 million in 10 years and let JR hold they money for you, interest free, in the mean time.

This assumes JR isn't paying above market to equalize everything for the player. I think that's a safe assumption but I could be wrong.

But you have to work for that $15 million to get it right away. He can sign another contract if they cut him or go home and watch tv.

But you have to work for that $15 million to get it right away. He can sign another contract if they cut him or go home and watch tv.

Not saying JERRY is right or wrong or whatever or implying anything on Hendricks' part but with the way some of these meathead athletes blow through money, perhaps having a few million bucks as future income isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Same would be true with a conventional contract. All this does is allow the money to be deferred, possibly

No it wouldn't. A buyout in year 3 of 4 would almost certainly not be for the same value as year 4. Why even have it then? It's just a 4 year guaranteed contract then.

they don't buy out contracts in baseball. They are guaranteed.

That's not true. Tim Anderson has a $1 million buyout if they decline his option in 2023 or 2024.

That's not really a buyout though. That's a penalty for declining an option. I know it probably looks like semantics. I'd consider a buyout to be a payment made to get out of the guaranteed years of the contract.

I'm trying to think of a true buyout in baseball and all I'm recalling is the union rejecting ARod trying to get out of the guaranteed years of his deal when both he and Texas wanted to part ways.

The penalty for the Sox is paying the full amount over 10 years. Good deal for the player.

And if the player refuses and demands it in year 4, does JR walk away? I don't think so. Jr probably sweetens years 1-3. But we'll never know.