Rick Hahn on budget / Twitter / "The money will be spent..."

[Lipman 1]

Sox GM Rick Hahn had an interview yesterday where he defended the Sox financial restraints and took umbrage over comments from fans who are upset they haven't really spent in their minds.

Jim Margalus took a close look at his comments:

https://www.soxmachine.com/2021/02/2...will-be-spent/

https://www.southsidesox.com/2021/2/26/22303207/white-sox-gm-rick-hahn-steps-in-it-again

[HomeFish]

Big PR blunder by Hahn here.

[shingo10]

Big PR blunder by Hahn here.

It's rare for him to not be measured and cautious with his words...or maybe it just seems that way after his predecessor. In any event hopefully we come out of the gate hot and make it a non-issue.

[Noneck]

Ive been reading for years here and elsewhere how first Williams was in demand years ago and now how Hahn is in demand in other organizations. If they were in demand would they lower themselves the way they do for the chairman? Another one that was put on a pedestal was Coop, where is he now? Tons of bs is put out by the media and I think its because of the power reinsdorf wields.

[vegandork]

It's rare for him to not be measured and cautious with his words...or maybe it just seems that way after his predecessor. In any event hopefully we come out of the gate hot and make it a non-issue.

It's about winning championships, and if they don't do it this year without exceeding their historic budget limitations, they'll deserve the "cheap" and "phoning it in" monikers they've been getting.

[Mohoney]

Big PR blunder by Hahn here.

This was done to appease an audience of one. PR problems never even crossed Hahn’s mind.

[ChiSoxNationPres]

Sox Machine and a number of people on this site don't seem to understand Hahn's position/statement and what has transpired since. I posted this previously about this subject:

"This line Hahn said didn't mean that they were going to instead sign another player to a $250M contract, or that the budget would be $30M more than it is. The budget was always going to be the same with or without Machado. If they did sign Manny, they wouldn't have signed Grandal and Hendriks. The Sox are spending that money, but in 3-4 year contracts. Once Grandal and Hendriks contracts are up, they'll get 2 more similar contracts. Whether you agree with this line of thinking/spending or not, doesn't matter. They are spreading the risk out on multiple positions. The Sox are fortunate enough to be in a different position now than they were in before the '19 season, when they didn't have any of their young players break out yet and were in more need of a Machado.

The spending this particular offseason, unfortunately is a product of uncertain revenue for this upcoming season because of the pandemic. Hopefully once we are back to 100% capacity at stadiums mid season, the Sox can fill holes at the deadline more effectively. At the same time, they will know a lot more about what Cease, Kopech, Vaughn are bringing to the table."

[Noneck]

Hopefully once we are back to 100% capacity at stadiums mid season, the Sox can fill holes at the deadline more effectively.

The problem with deadline deals is in order to get quality you usually have to give prospects.

[Mohoney]

Sox Machine and a number of people on this site don't seem to understand Hahn's position/statement and what has transpired since. I posted this previously about this subject:

"This line Hahn said didn't mean that they were going to instead sign another player to a $250M contract, or that the budget would be $30M more than it is. The budget was always going to be the same with or without Machado. If they did sign Manny, they wouldn't have signed Grandal and Hendriks. The Sox are spending that money, but in 3-4 year contracts. Once Grandal and Hendriks contracts are up, they'll get 2 more similar contracts. Whether you agree with this line of thinking/spending or not, doesn't matter. They are spreading the risk out on multiple positions. The Sox are fortunate enough to be in a different position now than they were in before the '19 season, when they didn't have any of their young players break out yet and were in more need of a Machado.

The spending this particular offseason, unfortunately is a product of uncertain revenue for this upcoming season because of the pandemic. Hopefully once we are back to 100% capacity at stadiums mid season, the Sox can fill holes at the deadline more effectively. At the same time, they will know a lot more about what Cease, Kopech, Vaughn are bringing to the table."

Right. They are trying to twist team-friendly extensions designed to save money long-term as an example of spending. Neat little trick, but it’s just more of the same bull**** as yeateryear. The time came, and the money was most certainly not spent.

[ChiSoxNationPres]

Right. They are trying to twist team-friendly extensions designed to save money long-term as an example of spending. Neat little trick, but it’s just more of the same bull**** as yeateryear. The time came, and the money was most certainly not spent.

Literally none of my post said anything about extensions.

The money was/is being spent. It's laid out pretty easily to understand. The Sox didn't just decide to pocket the $31M a year they were going to spend on Machado.

[ChiSoxNationPres]

The problem with deadline deals is in order to get quality you usually have to give prospects.

It's yet to be determined what holes they will have at the deadline that need to be traded for. There is a decent likelihood that all they will need is a lefty UTIL bench bat, backup C and a reliever (the pen is loaded, but all teams pick up a reliever).

[34rancher]

The FA market at the end of 2021 has vastly more players than last offseason. I think it’s why teams are reluctant to go crazy this offseason. Saving money for what could be the biggest FA market in years.

[vegandork]

The FA market at the end of 2021 has vastly more players than last offseason. I think it’s why teams are reluctant to go crazy this offseason. Saving money for what could be the biggest FA market in years.

There is no reason - none supported by existing evidence - to believe that we'll be in the conversation for any of the players that make that market better.

[voodoochile]

There is no reason - none supported by existing evidence - to believe that we'll be in the conversation for any of the players that make that market better.

And none to suggest they won't. Not like they haven't signed a TOR starter (I realize you disagree with that sentiment), best closer and best catcher in baseball in the last few years.

[vegandork]

And none to suggest they won't. Not like they haven't signed a TOR starter (I realize you disagree with that sentiment), best closer and best catcher in baseball in the last few years.

Are you kidding? Voodoo there's nobody in baseball that views Dallas Keuchel as a top of the line starter. I mean...there's a lot of leeway in belief. But that's...that's beyond preposterous. Even if you believe he isn't "done", nobody on earth viewed him at the top of a rotation anytime in the last half decade. It's just you on that hill.

Signing closers and catchers goes along with their cheap mentality. Spend only where the market is depressed in lesser roles. Best catcher in baseball is nowhere near as valuable as the tenth best right fielder. Best closer isn't as valuable as the 30th best starting pitcher.

There's nearly forty years of evidence that Reinsdorf will never spend to win, and no evidence that he will.