AJ'S Cousin

Well we wait and wait, Musgrove gone, Quintana gone. Odorizzi is left out there. Do they go for him now?? Are we saving the money for Bauer? Cruz? Ozuna? Only time will tell if we roll the dice with Vaughn at DH, and hope Cease?Kopech or Lopez emerge.

I’d give Bauer 35 million for 1 year just to beat the Yankees and Dodgers. Worth every penny, especially if they allow fans in the stands in the second half of the season. I don’t see fans in the stands before July 1st. Avenge 1959 and kick the Yankees ass.

Here's my take, why Trade?? We need assets for the trader deadline in case of Covid, Injuries, A key player becomes available. There are more than enough stop gap 4th and 5th starters as free agents available. BAUER!!!!! Q, Ordorizzi, Kluber to name a few. We need to see what Kopech can do. He has Chris Sale potential, IF HE GETS HIS HEAD ON STRAIGHT. A BIG ASK, I KNOW. I Think we need the new pitching coach to judge Kopech, Cease, Lopez before we rush to trade assets. These assets could be used to get Benetendi also. Covid is going to play a BIG part this season. It would be nice to have a Kopech, Cease, Lopez ready to step up if one of the Big 3 or 4 gets sick or injured. I don't know if you've read other platforms, but they say one the reasons we got Hendriks is because of the fans lobbying Hendriks and the Sox begging for him to come here. Liam acknowledged that White Sox Fans Tweeting him and the Sox saying he's guy!!! We should start doing the same with Bauer before he signs!!!! Leave no stone unturned. Tweet, text, call and write the White Sox. Tweet, call and email Tony La Russa, JR, RH, KW. Whatever it takes. We are so deep in now with the Big 3 starters and an unbelievable bullpen. One more UPPER END starter and #1 like Bauer would clinch a date with destiny and the Dodgers to AVENGE THE 1959 LOSS IN THE ws. LOL. Social Media helped to get Hendriks, lets use it again to get another starter!!!!

Musgrove? Only if he’s cheaper than Q. 4.5 million? Ok. Leaves 10.5. Go get the best defensive left fielder you get for 10 million or the best DH for 10 million. Nelson Cruz? I know everyone going to point to the Encarncion deal last year, but Cruz is a better hitter, power and average for 1 year with an option for a second year. I don’t think we need La Stella. Not crazy about any ex Cubs. Before you say it, Q don’t count. Mendick can do the job for 10th of the price. We have plenty of power. Mendick did a great job, stick wise and defensively when Nick went down.

This is my last post on this subject because we have to move on. Liam officially is signed sealed and delivered. As a term used in football “ shut down corners”. We’ve now built a true lily shutdown bullpen. With our offense Liam will not get burned out because we could have some big leads going into the 8th and 9th 😀😀😀😀 We can stay in every game when a starter faulted early. With this bullpen and our offense that can comeback at will, Tony will not let a game get out of hand. Cordero and Lopez in long relief, if Lopez can’t develop into a #5 starter will give the offense time. And as I’ve read, Tony may use Liam in a crucial 6th or 7th inning to shut down a rally with guys like Bummer and Heuer to help out later on. Don’t know if we’ll get another starter or outfielder/DH. I can live with our current options and let Vaughn bat 7th, 8th and grow with occasionally playing 1st to spell Abreu and let him DH in the hot summer days and nights. I can live with Collins as a backup catcher and occasional DH. We Adam Eaton in Right so Robert won’t have to run over like he does left. Worst case senerio Eloy DH and Engel plays left who is no slouching defense infield defense is solid, Abreu’s defense greatly improved, Madrigal if healthy is a good second basemen and a great contact hitter, nothing needs to be said about SS AND 3rd, 😀😀😀. looking for the next move, trade or signing!!!! waiting for the next interesting topic or trade or signing!!!!

Of all the early teams, one of my favorites was the Southside Hit Men, 1977. Soderholm, Zisk, Gamble, a lot of fun that year but they ran out of gas. Stone was part of that team also, Wilbur Wood, Kessinger, Alan Bannister, tough clutch hitter. Still had 90 wins, which today gets you into the playoffs. A lot of washed up pitchers that tried hard but faded. Still have the T-shirt.

I stand corrected. Had a brain cramp in my old age. But I believe the rest of what I said is correct. GREAT catch. Loved Tony B. If Jerry Dybszinski’s base running error doesn’t happen in game 4, the Sox win in 9 and don’t go into extra innings and then there would have been a game 5. if anybody remembers Greg Luzinski also had a terrible playoff and was not clutch. Loved that team. Lamar Hoyt fell apart after he left to go to San Diego, Britt Burns bad legs finally gave out, Juice Cruz turned out to a piece of shit after about a season or 2. Floyd Bannister, Richard Dotson, Baines, Kittle, Hairston ( great pinch hitter) Rudy Law. Tom Paciorek!!!

The 4th year of the Hendriks deal is similar to 2 deals that us older fans will remember. The Bobby Bonilla deal that was with the Mets, he’s getting paid until 2035, and Julio “Juice” Cruz, he got paid until 2009. 5.64 million spread out over 15 years starting in 1994, ending in 2009. Nice pensions!!! So Hendriks 4th year, if they buy him out is nothing new to the White Sox. If you remember the Julio Cruz deal was met a lot of resentment. We traded away a very popular Jorge Orta in 1983. The Sox did it at the trade deadline to WAKE UP the team and prove that nobody is untouchable. The Sox went on to win the Division in 1983 only to lose to the Orioles. Juice Cruz score the winning run in the Clinching game in September. just a bit of boring history for you youngsters. LOL. I was there for the clinching game and game 4 in the playoffs the Britt Burns pitched his heart out on 1 leg. I’d be interested to see if anyone remembers these events. i believe Hendriks will have 2 GREAT YEARS!! Why? Because we are so deep and we may not need a closer every night because hopefully we’ll up in the 8th and 9th in non save situations, HOPEFULLY.

No way would I trade Heuer. He’s a backup fire baller that could step in an emergency as a closer if Liam works 2 or 3 straight games and needs a night off. Too many decent FA starters still available like Ordizzi as an example or Q for one year if Kopech, Cease or Lopez don’t pan out. I doubt all 3 will fail. Lopez may become a Cordero. Out of Cease and Kopech one or both will develop. i think LF is more important to get Eloy to DH I’m a no on trading any bullpen arms, I’d rather trade Lopez or Cordero if I have to make trade

Well they overpaid, gave him the 4 year deal I was opposed to. Shocked the hell out of and never thought JR had the balls to do it. BUT I WILL SLEEP GOOD TONIGHT KNOWING BUMMER STILL PITCHES THE 8th AND ALL THOSE GREAT YOUNG ARMS ARE THER TO PITCH THE 6th and 7th innings. We are the odds on favorite to not only win the Central but win the AL. Still see the Dodgers now as the obstacle to win it all. Are the Sox done?? Hopefully not. Still would like Brantley or Ozuna and a 4th Starter and let Cease and Kopech battle it out for #5. Crochet can now develop as either a starter or Hendricks eventual replacement. I could even live now with the Vaughn experiment as a DH/1st Base rotation with Abreu.

I’ll take any of the three. Colome, Hand or Hendricks. Then another starter, then a DH. Colome or Hand would be cheaper and leave some room for another player. Ozuna, Brantley or another bat. Preferably someone who could actually play left and make Eloy the DH. Vaughn needs at least a year in AA Ball Abreu has 2 years left on his contract. He could fill in a DH for a year and Vaughn play first in a couple of years

Saw this this morning on YardBarker also. Went to MLB Trade Rumors but no mention. Not sure if a relationship with La Russa is enough to get him over to us but who knows, stranger things have happened. If this DOES HAPPEN, it would be great, then the only MAJOR HOLE I see is who's our #4 or #5 starters. Cease, Kopech and Lopez are currently our choices. Don't believe Crochet would be stretched out enough until maybe after the ALL STAR break, if ne exists this year. Kopech has to get his head straightened out after what happened in his marriage, Cease may just need more time and who knows which Lopez shows up. Q or Ordorizzi or Musgrove wouln't hurt. DH can be filled by Collins or Vaughn or by some miracle Brantley or even Schwarber LOL.

don't worry, you'll see the Met's or some other idiot team pony up 100 million. There's a sucker born every minute. The Met's new owner wants to make a BIG splash. Dodgers, Padres, Yanks and Red Sox and maybe even the Angels will spend that much. Look at how stupid the Cubs were bidding against themselves for Heyward. Hendricks is a bargain at 2 years 40 million in todays climate. Nobody has pulled the big trigger because nobody knows if fans will be in the stands to buy those $9/$10 beers and $8 hotdogs. As soon as we are vaccinated and can spend money, then you'll see the contracts get doled out. Maybe what would be a $100 million contract becomes 50 million because of no fans. Or a prorated contract for this year and then escalates for 2022 and forward. Think of it this way, 2021 15 million, 2022 30 million and so on. 15 million with no fans is like paying out 25 or 30 with fans. By the beginning of Spring Training we'll know more

I'd love to have Hendricks, 2 years 25 million, yes, 2 years 30 million, yes. 4 years 100 million, no!!! Very few closers lately have stayed at the top of there game for 4 years. I believe that our goal is to win in either 2021/2022. The Sox have the money, Colome will take 2 years, Hendricks will not. Now, if thats what it takes to wim and give Hendricks 100 million, than do it. Just don't complain in that 3rd or 4th Year that we overpaid and now have 50 million on the books and can't sign a superstar because of this weight around the payroll. If we win in 2021 vand or 2022 and have to eat he extra 50 million of year 3 and 4 of Hendricks contract so be it. To wfor 2 yearsin it again before the Cubs can win again is worth every penny JR is willing to spend. We beat them to win first in 2005, now we cqn do it again. Colome? Hendricks? either one would be good for 2 years. Is Hendricks better?? Absolutely. We still need an insurance policy-- a 4th decent starter in case Kopech or Cease or Lopez are not ready. Collins should be the backup catcher or trade him and go with one of the 2 senior citizens we have in the minors. Ordizzi for 2 years or Q for 1 year as an insurance policy won't hurt. Schwaber would probably hit 40 home runs, but then we have 2 shitty defensive left fielders. Brantley is a little better defensively, but not much better. The only other DH i could see would be Ozuna, but he;s going to command way to much. We need a closer, and a starter 1st. then go get the outfielder/DH. Remeber, Vaughn has not player above A Ball. Is he a future superstar and Abreu's successor??? ABSOLUTLEY!!!! Can't wait to see him after a year in Birmingham!!

A Hard Salary Cap might, and only mean might even things and create more parity. There is a luxury tax that doesn't seem to stop The Met's, Boston, Dodger, Angels etc. Hockey and the NBA are the toughest. Exceptions to sign your own free agents is a good thing to give more years and money. The White Sox will not go into the luxury tax until this Covid is over and fans can return. Even when there was no covid we don't draw 3 million like we need to do to have JR open his wallet. Hendricks/Colome and Bauer along with Brantley should still be targets. A Brantley/Colome combo may be more realistic. We can afford that pair. Bauer may want to go home to California(Angels) or the Mets will make a Godfather offer. Hendricks i believe will get a 4 year 55 to 60 Million offer from someone. No Closer today is woth that much. Would i spend Jerry's money and give it to him?? Hell yeah because its not my money and i want to win!!! This is a Hendricks forum so he needs to get his props. Colome at 20 milllion for 2 years with Brantley/Ozuna or another good starter would be a nice conselation prize. A Happy and HealthyNew Year to everyone!!!! We will be in the playoffs just standing pat. But i want to it all!! We need a few more pieces to complete the puzzle, almost there though.