SoxBlanco

I like Bassitt for around 3 or 4 WAR. I think he is getting better and better each year. Your point about pitching in Oakland is definitely valid, though. The problem with Rodon is that he is such an unknown in my eyes. I could see him also putting up a 3/4 WAR season, but I could just as easily see him get injured and put up close to nothing. Gun to my head, I'm taking Bassitt to have the better season (without much hesitation).

I actually have no problem with signing Rodon. I just prefer Bassitt based on how I think they will perform. If we signed Rodon, I would try to trade Keuchel for salary relief.

The projections are fine to look at, but what do you actually believe will happen? Do you think Rodon or Bassitt will have a higher WAR next year?

If you take everything else out of the equation (cost, trading prospects, etc.), I would rather have Bassitt on the team than Rodon.

This is how I feel. I am fine "losing the trade" if it makes us better this year. Obviously, there's different degrees of losing a trade, so you can't be stupid, but I think another starting pitcher that will pitch one of the first three games of a playoff series is a must.

What about the Lynn trade? Are you happy we made that trade?

By “outta here”, do you mean off the message boards or off to Nashville? ?

I respect that opinion. I’m just not high on Kikuchi, and Rodon’s health scares me. Perhaps I’m too high on Bassitt, but I have been very impressed watching him the past few seasons. I think he would really improve the rotation and would make a difference for this team in the playoffs.

This has nothing to do with what you said. Sure, it means a lot when deciding whether or not to make the acquisition, but I was simply responding to your comment that what Oakland has to offer isn’t much better than what we can get in free agency. This has everything to do with what you said, and I don’t agree. I would easily take Bassitt over both of them.

I would easily take Bassitt over any of the free agents still available.

I'd be absolutely shocked if we didn't trade Kimbrel. He's as good as gone.

A is Conforto, B is Bryant, and C is Castellanos. And I'm taking Conforto all day.

Player A has to be Conforto, but I don't think B is Castellanos.

Bryant an option if we don’t convert on those guys? Or is he too expensive?

If that happens, I think we’ll make a push for Castellanos or Bryant.

More of an established vet. I think Chris Bassitt is a possibility.

If there were good ones available, then yes. But I think a trade for a SP makes more sense.

And now the Bears just traded Mack. This is going to be a crazy/fun weekend of sports.

This thread is about to blow up. HELL. YES.

What percentage of the 1200 need to vote yes?

The pre-arb gap is down to $125M. So will the players now counter with an offer that starts at $60M and increases by $5M per year?

So the MLB wants $200M over five years for pre-arb, and the players want $375. Split the difference, and you are at $287.5M. Start it at $50M in year one, and increase by $5M each year (50+55+60+65+70 = 300). That would lean a little more toward the players in terms of total dollars, but it would be much closer to what the MLB wants for an initial amount.

Because if they offer that a month ago, there’s no way the Union takes it knowing they still have time to make the offer better for them. And at that point, the “meet in the middle” number is much higher. There’s just no way either side would be motivated to give any ground to other side until they absolutely have to.

Exactly. I guarantee everyone here would have gone apeshit if we didn't acquire an impact bullpen piece at the deadline. Hell, everyone was already complaining about Hahn not making any moves right before we made this move.

Ok, so they should just say, "Hey MLB, we really don't want an international draft. But if you raise the pre-arb pool to $55/$60 million, then you can keep the international draft." (Yes, I do realize it's not that simple)