ChiSox59

I think non-tendering Avi had more to do with the fact they wanted to give Cordell and Palka a shot at RF in what was going to be a lost season. Maybe you find a cheap controllable asset out of nowhere. Avi was an impending FA, so even if he had a good year, he was gone. Obviously Palka and Cordell and the other cast of characters (Delmonico, Tilson, Jay) all flopped, but I think trying to find a nice piece for the future out those guys the plan. Which honestly I guess made a little sense based on Palka's 2018. It didn't work, but I didn't hate the thought process at the time.

I hated the comment too, but I mean, the guy gets asked about it constantly, with a mic in his face and without prepared comments. I think he was just trying to say the Sox have spent some money, and more money will be spent. But I agree that mentioning Eloy and Abreu in that context was super gross, but I also think when quoted in text it looks worse than what he was really trying to say. But Hahn deserves little benefit of the doubt, so I can't fault anyone for roasting him those comments.

Sure, but he's still has a career .776 OPS against LHP. I suspect Grandal will get his days off against LHP, but you're going to have to mix him in at DH/1B on a good number of the days McCann is catching.

Oh, it definitely won't be straight platoon. But McCann is going to get most of his starts against LHP, which he hits well. Which means there are only 2 open spots for Abreu, Grandal and EE. Abreu and EE murder LHP, and I am not sitting Grandal on the bench every time McCann catches. I would think EE is the guy that ends up on the bench alot, and then you're wasting his best attribute. I am also guessing that his representation is bright enough to see this as well. I still think EE goes to the Rays.

So when McCann catches against LHP, which lefty masher is sitting on bench - Jose, Grandal or EE? Having to sit one of those guys against LHP is so silly - I don't think EE is a fit. teal: unless the Sox want to put EE at 3B against LHP, and Moncada in RF.

I just don't think there is any realistic chance he's around 3/$45M with where this pitching market is. But ya, I do that deal.

This cat and Mazara make no sense on the same roster, so probably not.

He'll pitch like once per week in AAA, probably short starts slowly building up to 5 IP in late May, and then he'll be recalled. I am not a medical professional like you, so I am sure you will take some exception to that plan (I believe we've had this discussion previously), but I think that is what the Sox will do. So you're really only "wasting" like 25-30 innings in AAA.

Can we realistically project Keuchel to be anything more than slightly above replacement level #5 SP making close to $20M AAV in the backhalf of a 4 year deal?

Depending on definition of TOR arm, I don't think this team needed to sign Cole or Strasburg to win 85 games. And 85 wins could actually win this dogshit division in 2020. I doubt the Sox sign Ryu, but he certainly is a TOR arm, and he's still available.

I don't really care to type this out again. Short story - he'll be on an innings limit, and I'd rather have him pitching in Aug/Sep than April/May. Getting the year of control back is gravy. Furthermore, Hahn has alluded to Kopech starting in AAA many times.

Yah, I know everyone is freaking out right now, but I think the bolded is a bit much to declare on December 13th. But yes, having Wheeler would make things a lot better.

I agree.

Well you didn’t say 10% more after taxes. That’s a different story. Im not gonna do the math, but that offer is likely over $135M. I don’t blame the Sox for not going there.

Yah, I suppose Santana would be kind of interesting if he'd sign a 1 year deal. Terrible OF, but at this point, there aren't many options.

Kopech will not be in the OD rotation. Happy to wager any amount of money you'd like.

You really think $4.8M more would have made the difference? After the difference in tax rate, the take home pay is still only negligibly more than what he got from Philly. I am sure there is a price where Wheeler would have said "fuck it - I can't turn that down", but it definitely wasn't $130M when he turned down $125M. And, at some point. you're just making a super risky investment even more risky when $125M is already $7M more than the next highest bidder. I too wanted Wheeler - but I don't fault the Sox for not giving the guy a blank check.

No, you didn't mention them by name but you said "go find strong bench bat to platoon with him", and frankly there really aren't any on the market that won't require a significant commitment. Unless, like I said, Zobrist, Pence or Avi tickle your fancy. I'd rather give at bats to Leury than those three.

I see very little reason to believe that Leury and Engel won't be the platoon mates for Mazara. More Leury than Engel, IMO. They aren't spending $80-90M to platoon Ozuna or Castellanos with Mazara. Dickerson bats from the same side as Mazara. The best options for Mazara's platoon mates on the FA market that could be possible had on a 1 year deal are legitimately like Ben Zobrist, Hunter Pence and Avi. Giant meh from me.

That trade is fantasy land man.

Sox going to be hard pressed to eclipse $120M at this point. $86M committed today including all arb and pre-arb players. Even if you add Ryu/Keuchel at $20M and then a backend guy like Wood for $10M, still only at $116M. So much for those $160M payrolls some people wanted to believe would happen in 2020. I was hopeful for $130M range, but that's going to be tough to get to at this point.

I mean, Benintendi is going to cost more than $22M the next htree years. His arb projection is $5M this year, likely $8-10M in 2021 and then $15M+ in 2022. So its more like $130M for those two. But yah, I guess maybe its close if they literally just dumped Price and Benintendi on us for no return. But that is not going to happen.

True, but apparently there is a line of teams interested in Price, so clearly Hahn doesn't have THAT much leverage. Bloom can just tell him to get bent. I just don't see this as anywhere close to a realistic deal for the Sox.

Yah, Abreu deal was a fucking joke. Made my blood boil when Hahn cited that as part of the Machado money. At the end of the day, the Sox are never going to be free spenders, so overpaying our 1 dimensional DH never made any sense unless blowing by $150M payroll during the window was no longer an issue. Pretty obvious that isn't the case after the WM.

I will believe any deal involving price to the white sox when it happens. I think its more likely the Red Sox kick in a bunch of money and the Sox send along Vaughn than it is that the Red Sox just hand us Price, Benintendi, pay down the price deal AND we only give up scraps. Just seems way too good to be true, IMO.