SoxBlanco

If we trade Cease for Marquez, that would mean we basically got Eloy and Marquez for Quintana. And while we're at it, we might as well sign Quintana. Then that would mean we got Eloy and Marquez for renting out Quintana for a couple years.

Agreed. What do you guys think it would take? Stiever and Adolfo?

Definitely a solid offseason. I would sign off on that right now if I could. Nothing spectacular, but I'm not sure I would consider anything spectacular if Bauer isn't involved.

Maybe it’s not a reading issue. Maybe it’s an issue articulating your point. Do you actually believe that if we offered somebody the most money, they would say no, and one of their reasons for saying no would be because they didn’t like how we handled the Machado situation a couple years ago?

The Machado situation is a reason why you might not expect us to land a big free agent. It’s not a reason why a big free agent would choose not to sign here. I believe you are the one who has reading issues.

Who do you have in mind, other than Bauer?

Exactly. I hate this hire, but all that matters is how the players feel and what our offseason will look like. Time will tell.

Thanks for chiming in. Also, I really hope you're right in that this TLR hire means JR will be opening up the checkbook.

@Harold's Leg Lift, need your input here. Also, I'm going to add Bench Coach to this discussion.

Alright, time to move on to our next hire. Who will we hire to be the pitching coach? How about Bench Coach? Harold was all over this. He also hinted that Hahn didn't want TLR but was told he could have his choice as a pitching coach as a sort of "consolation". So who will it be?

I am definitely against hiring TLR, so this isn't meant to be an argument FOR hiring him, but JR had to consider these things we're worried about, right? I can't see a scenario where TLR is hired without this stuff being discussed with TLR and possibly with TA. We're not going to just hire him and then anxiously wait to see how he handles BLM-related issues. The whole kneeling thing HAD to have been discussed, right? Maybe I'm giving JR and the front office too much credit.

Agreed. I have to believe this has been discussed with TA. Perhaps TA even met with TLR.

I’ve always thought his base running got overrated because he’s supposed to be a smart, heady player. But I thought his defense has always been solid. Was his defense not good in college or in the minors?

Is that part of what you've heard? Or are you just guessing that he will spend more if TLR is hired?

I know this would never happen, but if you could take TLR, Bauer, and Springer right now, would anybody say no?

Has TLR been offered the job and it's up to him to make a decision now?

You’re scaring me here. Are you actually saying that JR might hire TLR and then tell Hahn he can have his choice of pitching coach? I’ve been assuming it’s only a matter of time until we hire Hinch.

I think there are two roads we can choose to go down: 1. Let McCann walk and roll with one of the best catchers in baseball (Grandal) or 2. Sign McCann to be the primary catcher, which pushes Grandal to a DH/C/1B. Then trade Vaughn in a package for an absolute stud starting pitcher. I'm one of the biggest Vaughn fans on this board, but I wouldn't hate option 2 if we got a legit ace. I'm just not sure anybody is available who fits that description.

Does he have two years of control left? What do you guys think it would take to land him?

This is actually what I think is happening as well.

That's how he has responded to every tweet involving Hinch. He shoots down almost every idea, but doesn't comment on Hinch. It's pretty obvious that Stone thinks (or knows) that Hinch is the guy.

He didn't shoot him down, but he did say he doesn't think it'll be him...

True, but he did shoot down the Hinch/TLR tandem, as seen below. Maybe he's not shooting down La Russa because they are actually meeting with him (for whatever reason), and he's not going to shoot somebody down who is actually being interviewed.