Bob Nightengale Reports that Rick Hahn is New Sox GM; Kenny Williams to President

[Lip Man 1]

Spivak:

You are confusing me with someone else.

My bottom lines for success are in order (lowest to highest)

1. Have a winning season
2. Make the playoffs

Anything above that is gravy to me. I've never said it's World Series title or bust, that's ludicrous.

That's saying a 95 win season in 2000 was a failure, that's ridiculous.

Double:

Glad I can entertain you. At least I do it without personally insulting people which is by far your M.O. It must be a burden being smarter than anyone else and having all the answers all the time isn't it?

Lip

[russ99]

Originally Posted by TheOldRoman

My point was, it's a little disingenuous to go back to 1996 to say the Rangers are a bad franchise. Since Ryan became president, the team has improved every year. After missing the playoffs the first two years, they will have made it the last three (with two pennants). The Rangers in 2012 are a completely different franchise than the Rangers of 2004. The only thing they share are hats.

And yes, they results need to come on the field for the expected impact of the Rangers to be realized, but difference here is they have more resources than the Sox and leverage those resources better than the Sox. TV deals are now a big part of it. Any word on if the Sox are going after that?

The Rangers go after the very best players and invest in their minor league systems, while the Sox mostly do it on the cheap, and blame the fans for not coming to the park.

And sadly, it doesn't seem that changing the GM will really change any of that.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by russ99

The Rangers go after the very best players and invest in their minor league systems, while the Sox mostly do it on the cheap, and blame the fans for not coming to the park.

This is the first year since 2003 the Rangers have outspent the White Sox on payroll

[kobo]

Originally Posted by doublem23

This is the first year since 2003 the Rangers have outspent the White Sox on payroll

Payroll is just one aspect of the MLB franchise. I think what Russ was referring to was the lack of money being spent on the minor league system and player development, and not going after many high priced free agents. In that regard, the Sox are cheap.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by kobo

Payroll is just one aspect of the MLB franchise. I think what Russ was referring to was the lack of money being spent on the minor league system and player development, and not going after many high priced free agents. In that regard, the Sox are cheap.

The irony, of course, is that I think the White Sox and Rangers have about an equal number of exclusively homegrown players on their roster.

[Noneck]

Originally Posted by kobo

Payroll is just one aspect of the MLB franchise. I think what Russ was referring to was the lack of money being spent on the minor league system and player development, and not going after many high priced free agents. In that regard, the Sox are cheap.

Thats a good point the Sox should be able to keep their payroll in the top 1/3 and spend on minor league signings and of course scouting and player development.

[Tragg]

Other than perhaps some of the current year trades to prop up this team of declining veterans, Williams hasn't made a quality trade in years.
Time for a change.

Originally Posted by doublem23

The irony, of course, is that I think the White Sox and Rangers have about an equal number of exclusively homegrown players on their roster.

The Rangers have far more usable or marketble prospects, and a superior current team.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by doublem23

The irony, of course, is that I think the White Sox and Rangers have about an equal number of exclusively homegrown players on their roster.

That is true but the Rangers were also able to identify and trade for young prospects like Feliz, Harrison, and Andrus, when was the last time the White Sox were able to identify and trade for young players? Part of the White Sox problem isn't just the inability to develop young guys we draft but also an inability to identify and trade for young prospects in other organizations. As such the Sox are forced to rely on free agents (who are usually in their 30s) or failed prospects and washed up veterans.

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by WhiteSox5187

That is true but the Rangers were also able to identify and trade for young prospects like Feliz, Harrison, and Andrus, when was the last time the White Sox were able to identify and trade for young players? Part of the White Sox problem isn't just the inability to develop young guys we draft but also an inability to identify and trade for young prospects in other organizations. As such the Sox are forced to rely on free agents (who are usually in their 30s) or failed prospects and washed up veterans.

Funny you mention those three together! All acquired in that Mark Teixeira trade. Man, would the Braves love a do-over on that one. How good would the Rangers be without those three?

[Brian26]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

Funny you mention those three together! All acquired in that Mark Teixeira trade. Man, would the Braves love a do-over on that one. How good would the Rangers be without those three?

That's one of the great trades of the last 20 years when you consider they also got Salty who is now with Boston.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

Funny you mention those three together! All acquired in that Mark Teixeira trade. Man, would the Braves love a do-over on that one. How good would the Rangers be without those three?

Seeing as how the Braves have a playoff spot all but locked up and made the playoffs two years after making the trade, I would argue it hasn't hurt them terribly. It was a terrific trade by the Rangers and an excellent job by their scouting department.

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by Brian26

That's one of the great trades of the last 20 years when you consider they also got Salty who is now with Boston.

It reminds me the Randy Johnson to Houston trade. Help build another team for a 3-month rental. Teams don't undervalue their prospects anymore like that.

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by WhiteSox5187

Seeing as how the Braves have a playoff spot all but locked up and made the playoffs two years after making the trade, I would argue it hasn't hurt them terribly. It was a terrific trade by the Rangers and an excellent job by their scouting department.

They gave up 4 good, if not great, prospects, for a 3-month rental. I'd say that's a pretty disastrous trade for Atlanta.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

They gave up 4 good, if not great, prospects, for a 3-month rental. I'd say that's a pretty disastrous trade for Atlanta.

That was a bad trade but it didn't destroy the future of the franchise. They were back in the playoffs within two years. Most organizations couldn't recover from a trade like that, that was my point.

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by WhiteSox5187

That was a bad trade but it didn't destroy the future of the franchise. They were back in the playoffs within two years. Most organizations couldn't recover from a trade like that, that was my point.

Of course not, but the Braves certainly would have had a much better last few years had they never made that trade.