SoCalChiSox

The Sox are gonna have to find their guy by trade most likely and since we aren't giving up Robert/Madrigal/Kopech/Vaughn, a big part of the compensation to get back a good cost controlled starter is gonna have to be eating a bad contract plus someone like Basabe and maybe more.

They need to get Ryu or someone signed quick.

5/120 is alot. Get Ryu for 3/60 if you can. They have to act fast in terms of FA or trade to thwart the rising anger.

If it's 6/125 I won't attack the front office.

Even if they don't get Wheeler it's premature to say the off-season or even how they addressed SP was a failure until we see: a) what Wheeler signed for, b) what signings or trades we did at SP and for the roster in general and the relative costs involved there as well. However, it is absolutely fair game to question if Abreu's contract prevented them from having the needed flexibility to close the deal on Wheeler.

This still doesn't tell me why he should give up 5 million dollars. That's not insignificant.

Why would he turn down 5m to play for us? That by itself is a nice apartment building that can produce income indefinitely. He should and likely will take the best offer. The location is irrelevant.

Problem is once Wheeler is gone, Boras will have the Sox cornered and he will drag it out until March and before you know it 3/60 turns into 4/85 which is alot for a 32 year old glass joe.

Yep. I will personally blame Greg if we lose to someone who offered 5 years. Greg is vicariously responsible for the Abreu deal.

I won't be upset if they lose out to a 6 year bid. The risk is too high there. I will be upset if they lose out to a 5 year bid by a handful of millions (like 105 vs 110) when they wasted alot of money on Abreu.

It's going to be tough to win a WS at less than 150m.

If push comes to shove and Joc is awesome for us but we can't agree on a long term deal, can't we give him a QO for 2021? Yes it would be a big overpayment but it would secure his services for another year during the window and no one is giving up a 2nd rounder for a platoon player. I think we also have alot of space in 2021.

6/125 is too much. At that point, I'd just go with Ryu if we could get him on a 3 yr/50m deal.

Even Billy Hamilton thinks that's too much compensation.

How about Codi Heuer and Sheets.

If someone else gives him a sixth year and the Sox bow out they are gonna need to get Ryu or someone good signed pronto to quell the eruption of anger that is bound to occur. Oh wait I forgot they have never cared about what the fans think, never mind. Maybe they'll just sign Keuchel AND Hamels to 2 year inflated deals and declare the pitching issue "addressed" as if we are stupid or something.

Joc please. Don't overthink it, Rick.

A lefty RF would be nice. Stop focusing on righties.

The Sox FO cannot get away with avoiding big ticket pitchers in favor of mediocre slop after last year's disastrous winter and after wasting money on Abreu. They have to make big moves. They are boxed into a corner. There's no more putting lipstick on a pig. They have to spend....and not on short term trash.

That tweet is nonsensical and thus not credible. How can teams pivot to Wheeler if he signs first? Also he said the Reds were focused on other bats and didn't even mention Moustakas and then he signs out of the blue. BS.

Greg, it isn't "monopoly money" because we know JR has a budget and thus every dollar overpaid to person X will eventually have to be paid for by underpaying person Y which may well result in not securing the services of person Y. Unfortunately we are very much a rob Peter to pay Paul organization. I just hope we didn't rob Wheeler to pay Abreu.

Yes but it's Boras so the deal won't get done till March and the FO is acutely aware of fan pressure and the cheapness angle. I don't think PR wise they can sign only Hamels from now until then on a 1 year deal.

Forget about Castellanos. With Abreu basically having to be the DH long term, there's no place for Castellanos and no putting Robert between two butchers in the corners is not a great idea. We badly need the RF to be competent defensively and a lefty power guy. Pederson is a much better choice and will cost much less in salary. Leury can play vs LHP until Basabe is ready.

Ryu could probably be had for a 3/50 deal.

I don't want to trade him either, before he got hurt, he had the highest floor of any of the pitching prospects but TJS introduces some uncertainty into the equation and if the market for Wheeler gets to 6 years, i think that's too much risk. Since we can't/won't pay for Cole/Strasburg the Sox would have to trade for a pitcher as Ryu has injury issues and Boras issues and Madbum isn't a good fit.