What should the Sox do with James McCann?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Here's an idea no one mentioned  because not many are going to like it.

Trade Grandal . He's worth way more than McCann . See if you can get a LH OF with decent pop and OBP and plus defense but who has more years of control.

At the same time make sure you resign McCann to same years but less money you paid Grandal.

[Balta1701]

Just now, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Here's an idea no one mentioned  because not many are going to like it.

Trade Grandal . He's worth way more than McCann . See if you can get a LH OF with decent pop and OBP and plus defense but who has more years of control.

At the same time make sure you resign McCann to same years but less money you paid Grandal.

Not with that contract he isn't. 

[vilehoopster]

4 hours ago, SonofaRoache said:

Yeah Grandal is considered a top 3 catcher in baseball and we act like he is trash. 

That may, even probably, is true about Grandal. But right now, when it comes to both hitting and defense, Grandal is the 2nd best catcher on the Sox. 

With that said, there's no reasonable way that McCann will be on the Sox next year. 

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

3 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Who was the better fit? We needed OBP. We needed power. We needed a left handed batter. Who was the better fit? Grandal is and was literally a perfect piece for this roster. Again, a punchless 15 game stint in which he is still bordering on elite at getting on base doesn’t change that, no matter how much you try to speak it into existence. 
McCann mostly regressed back to the guy he had always been after the ASB last year. I like James. Dude is a great ball player. But he’s no where close to as good or valuable a player as Grandal. 

Have you seen what the Sox are running out in RF? And this team is still short on starting pitching. Ultimately, starting pitching wins in the playoffs and right now the Sox are barely scrapping together 3 quality starters on a consistent basis.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

2 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Not with that contract he isn't. 

He's getting paid what he was worth. It's not an over pay when compared to top 3 tAlents at other positions.

[ChiSox59]

2 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

Have you seen what the Sox are running out in RF? And this team is still short on starting pitching. Ultimately, starting pitching wins in the playoffs and right now the Sox are barely scrapping together 3 quality starters on a consistent basis.

So who has this magical RF solution in FA you speak of? The Sox tried to sign SP. He took less money to sign in Philly and they ended up getting Keuchel instead. I agree they need to add another SP next offseason; but not at the expense of Grandal. 

[Balta1701]

Just now, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

He's getting paid what he was worth. It's not an over pay when compared to top 3 tAlents at other positions.

But that means he's not worth anything in a trade. 

[southsider2k5]

6 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Here's an idea no one mentioned  because not many are going to like it.

Trade Grandal . He's worth way more than McCann . See if you can get a LH OF with decent pop and OBP and plus defense but who has more years of control.

At the same time make sure you resign McCann to same years but less money you paid Grandal.

Who is going to be willing to take on that deal right now?

[ChiSox59]

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Who is going to be willing to take on that deal right now?

I think plenty of teams would be “willing to take on” that deal right now. I don’t think he has much surplus value but let’s not act like 4-6 fWAR catchers suddenly grow on trees. 

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

I think plenty of teams would be “willing to take on” that deal right now. I don’t think he has much surplus value but let’s not act like 4-6 fWAR catchers suddenly grow on trees. 

After COVID and the start that Grandal has been off to?  I don't buy it.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

4 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

So who has this magical RF solution in FA you speak of? The Sox tried to sign SP. He took less money to sign in Philly and they ended up getting Keuchel instead. I agree they need to add another SP next offseason; but not at the expense of Grandal. 

Well, Bryce Harper was the magical RF solution. You want to talk about the perfect fit, he was the guy. 

But...if we’re giving them a pass on that brutal miss from two years ago then I’d have preferred Castellanos over Grandal last winter if they could only afford one. Despite Castellanos shitty defense, he’s still a 3 WAR player. Meanwhile, this is what the third straight season the Sox have run out a negative WAR player in RF?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

Who is going to be willing to take on that deal right now?

I never said it would be easy

 Perhaps in the off season if we make major strides with the pandemic and it gives more time for him to be his usual self and McCann to continue proving the doubters wrong.

But it would be quite difficult to tell McCann to wait unless you have a handshake agreement that becomes effective when Grandal is traded otherwise it will hurt the offers for Grandal.

[ChiSox59]

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

After COVID and the start that Grandal has been off to?  I don't buy it.

I honestly don’t think a 20 game sample of any kind is enough to make MLB gms ignore a decade sample size of being elite. 

this whole topic is comical to me. 

[tray]

What about possible regression and durability of Grandal?

Remember how some of us were concerned about McCann regressing ?

What if Grandy tweaks his back again and has more time on the DL?  He missed ST games with a calf or leg issue.

Will he be ready for this important Cub series?

Can we rely on him to  catch 120+ games next season?

Is Collins going to be as  good of a catcher as McCann in the rest of the games  and  be as productive offensively?

What if Collins hits under the Mendoza line for 50 games and plays substandard D ? 

No sense worrying about any of that if you sign McCann.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Just now, ChiSox59 said:

I honestly don’t think a 20 game sample of any kind is enough to make MLB gms ignore a decade sample size of being elite. 

this whole topic is comical to me. 

Grandal was a full market value contract over last winter when everyone was flush with cash.  Now everyone has taken huge dollar hits as organizations.  The start is just another reason to put on a list.

[ChiSox59]

1 minute ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

Well, Bryce Harper was the magical RF solution. You want to talk about the perfect fit, he was the guy. 

But...if we’re giving them a pass on that brutal miss from two years ago then I’d have preferred Castellanos over Grandal last winter if they could only afford one. Despite Castellanos shitty defense, he’s still a 3 WAR player. Meanwhile, this is what the third straight season the Sox have run out a negative WAR player in RF?

Mazara is and was a stop gap. I didn’t like the move then and I don’t like it any more now. But I know it’s just a stop gap. 
Signing Castellanos, who is a low OBP and bad defensive slugger wasn’t the answer. He would have fit right in with the rest of the team tho! Let’s run out 9 poor defensive free swinging right handed sluggers and see how it works out! That should work our great for a young pitching staff. 

[Chicago White Sox]

3 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

No offense but this is a small sample size season. If u stick with a cold player too long it might cost you games. Mazara sample size is small and everyone hates him. You accuse JGB of confirmation bias but someone could say the same about you and Marzara. Only difference is you got the whole board on your side with Mazara while JGB has a minority opinion .

The difference is Grandal has put up 25 fWAR over the past five years while Mazara has put up less than 2.  One deserves the benefit of the doubt, while the other clearly doesn’t.

[Chicago White Sox]

2 hours ago, gusguyman said:

Well, that and the fact that Grandal has a years long track record of excellence to offset his SSS performance while Mazara has a years long track record of being a slightly above average hitter against RHP while being a black hole against LHP and a major defensive liability to complement his SSS. 

Just saw this, but thank you!

[Balta1701]

6 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I honestly don’t think a 20 game sample of any kind is enough to make MLB gms ignore a decade sample size of being elite. 

this whole topic is comical to me. 

But they'd look at anything of a 60 game season and think "Wow the White Sox got a bargain on him I should have paid $90 million"?

The White Sox got him because they paid more than 29 other teams. You're telling me that there are teams now that would pay substantially more than they would last offseason? Not just the same amount, substantially more? 

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

3 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Mazara is and was a stop gap. I didn’t like the move then and I don’t like it any more now. But I know it’s just a stop gap. 
Signing Castellanos, who is a low OBP and bad defensive slugger wasn’t the answer. He would have fit right in with the rest of the team tho! Let’s run out 9 poor defensive free swinging right handed sluggers and see how it works out! That should work our great for a young pitching staff. 

Why are you making excuses for the organization to have gone through two winters with a glaring need in RF and to not address it with anything more than “stopgap” Mazara? Why are they turning a blind eye to a position that has haunted the team for 2+ seasons now? And by the way, despite the huge bust that Wellington was the Sox have pretty much rated league average at catcher by WAR over the two seasons leading up to this one. You don’t want to look up how they’ve rated in RF.

[tray]

If there are signs of regression or lack of durability during this season, that could change the equation.

Edited August 21, 2020 by tray

[ChiSox59]

5 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

But they'd look at anything of a 60 game season and think "Wow the White Sox got a bargain on him I should have paid $90 million"?

The White Sox got him because they paid more than 29 other teams. You're telling me that there are teams now that would pay substantially more than they would last offseason? Not just the same amount, substantially more? 

Where did I say someone would pay substantially more? I said there would be teams willing to take on the balance of the existing contract. 

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

8 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

The difference is Grandal has put up 25 fWAR over the past five years while Mazara has put up less than 2.  One deserves the benefit of the doubt, while the other clearly doesn’t.

I fully agree Mazara sucks but what better options do the Sox have? Unlike RF, the Sox have another viable option at catcher.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

12 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

The difference is Grandal has put up 25 fWAR over the past five years while Mazara has put up less than 2.  One deserves the benefit of the doubt, while the other clearly doesn’t.

Yes that's true and I already addressed that when another poster answered in your defense.

HOWEVER, I think we would all be happy if Mazara was the same guy against RH pitching he has always been, which he also has a track record of. The hope with Mazara was that he would take a step forward not a step back. Both taking a step back for either one didnt seem likely given both track records.

Edited August 21, 2020 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[tray]

Then there is this  basic point.  The Grandal and McCann tandem has been working perfectly.

If it ain't broke, why fix it?