WestEddy

Yeah, I think this is the "core" going forward. I agree with adding Vasil to the rotation. There's really no other position players on the horizon for OD 2026, and I don't think any of these trades bring in more than, maybe, one OF project to compete with Will Robertson and Dru Baker. Maybe Bryan Ramos gets a good long look in the back third this year. But I think this is their team. Maybe they add a more substantial OF and 1B, maybe a starter and closer, and viola! They're a 70 win team waiting for the 24/25/26 drafts to filter up through the minors and challenge some of these guys. I wouldn't hazard a guess at individual stats, but I don't think it's crazy to look for 70 wins in 26, and a .500 + team in 2027. As far a true "core", maybe the two Montys, Teel/Quero and a couple of Hagen Smith, Schultz, Grant Taylor, Tanner McDougal, Burke, Thorpe - and that's the team you build around for the back part of the roaring 20's. I think Vargas has an amazing ceiling and maybe could be a Mark Grace kind of 1B. Hits, fields, and has a little pop. Brooks Baldwin could be all sorts of things. Meidroth is nice and maybe hangs onto 2B, while one of Bonemer/Carlson move Monty to 3B or eventually 1B.

Civale has made about $15M in his career, so far. Any of us would retire this morning with that much in the bank, but that's not what these guys signed up for. Yes, I'm sure it's nice to be in a pennant race, but it's also nice to triple your insanely comfortable net worth over a winter. He's looking at about 11 more starts against MLB hitters to hone his arsenal and create a bit of a resume heading into free agency. If he stayed with the Brewers, he rots in the bullpen pitching garbage time, and there's not even a guarantee that he's on the major league roster September 1, let alone pitching in the playoffs.

I'd imagine that they're pretty busy with getting the draftees signed, assigned, and the TDL; nobody has time for anything. In three weeks, it wouldn't surprise me to have one of the assistants pick up the phone and more thoroughly answer a question somebody felt compelled to call the front office and ask.

Why? He gets to start every five days, work on his pitches and build his value for free agency.

Yeah. Jewel carries it.

Will Robertson with 2 HRs tonight in Charlotte, so we know he can at least see the baseball.

I don't think 4 runs is going to win this game. Especially because both teams have that many.

Or it was Hahn in a high pitched voice.

I think the White Sox and Dodgers got what they wanted. The Dodgers, in spades, and the Sox got the opportunity to develop a guy or two with talent. The Cardinals .... got what they paid for.

It's actually true. Talked to a lady named Nancy who went and asked somebody. She put me on hold to check to make sure Tauchman wasn't a free agent. It's pretty cool. They'll answer any questions you have, I guess, within reason.

Okay, they called me back. (They get calls like this all the time.) Flexen had free agency written into his contract last year. Tauchman doesn't, therefore, Tauchman will not be a free agent after this season. So, Mike Tauchman has an arbitration year to go in 2026 before he reaches true free agency.

No, that gets me put straight through to Reinsdorf. Dude babbles.

Okay, I have a call into the front office about this. A lady said they're in meetings and she might not get back to me today. I do this from time to time, just call the front office with a question, sometimes somebody just gets on the phone and shoots the s%*#. I once talked to Dan Evans about the White Flag trade for about 10 minutes.

It's very easy to say that obtaining Vargas, Perez and Albertus have moved the White Sox closer to playoff contention than keeping Fedde, Kopech and Pham. Because there's probably not a sentence that is more slam dunk true than that.

He'll probably clear waivers. Curious if the Cardinals outright or just release him. He's been pretty bad in his last 5 starts. Colorado just touched him up for 6 earned runs in 3 innings.

I guess they're not trading him for a better package than Getz received.

Here's one of the clearer allusions to this practice. I'm unsure if it's a rule, or agents just ask for it. I can't find anything that refers to it directly, even reading MLB's site on the MLBPA. White Sox Sign Chris Flexen To One-Year Deal - MLB Trade Rumors

There's a rule that players over 25 who have played in foreign professional leagues for a certain amount of time aren't subject to the 6 years of control. I can't find a specific paragraph that spells out the rule, just references to it in other stories.

I don't think that holding onto Robert for a spring trade expands his value much. He's still fragile and subject to season long slumps. Robert looked good this last spring training, then went into a months-long slump that he may still not be out of. I just think the Sox have been burned by him too many times and are ready to move on.

I believe Tauchman will be a free agent after the season, just as Flexen was last year. Returning from a yearlong stint in a foreign league grants a waiver of some sort. Civale will be a free agent.

There is the roster spot and playing time. Losing a DH from the 26-man does free up space for a 3rd catcher to get Teel and Quero in the lineup every day.