Wisebri224

So we are now just to a point where as long as a pitcher is signed better than Covey we are satisfied. Oh well just sign Ryu or Keuchel at 2 for 20 LOL

True. Someone always wins the lottery, but how many tickets did it take:)?

Love everything about this except the very last point. What is going to be available for this big spend next offseason? No pitching :(. We going to be in on Mookie or Springer.......?????? Or is the big spend next winter Joc if Mazara doesn't work. You have to look to the future forecasting what will happen then, not hoping that all of these young kids go then try to add. Give em a little help now:) that's all I would say

This game is not shopping at WalMart constantly.......you sometimes have to shop at the nice stores or you don't win the prize. We will NEVER get above a #4 starter here if there's not going to be an overpay. Pitching is valuable. Teams want the valuable commodity. All of this dreaming of 2 year deals at $10-$12 million per for 200 inning pitchers is a dreamland. Like I said earlier, if the Sox want to sign 4-5 lottery tickets and pray they scratch a winning card they can, but more often than not you will go 0/5 and end up with nothing. I don't like overpaying either, but again, they have cash, lots of it.....it doesn't hurt to overpay on one SP and not to the tune of $300 million but $80-$100. I'm done thinking WalMart shopping with this team. Let's at least get to Target

All in on what SP that is available via FA? Bauer at 31, Stroman at 31? Minor at 34? Kluber at 36? Quintana at 33? Ray at 29 (is this Wheeler all over again)? It's the same type of level B pitchers available this year that no one wants to spend for (at least not the length of years that people want). One of the big two OF? or do we settle going after Joc if Mazara doesn't work out? If it really seemed like there was a plan I would get it, but I'm not sure that they know what their plan is besides hope all of the kids hit before the big addition gets made? That way if somehow the team only gets a little better this year (maybe up to 80 wins) they say we are still waiting? I hope not but I start to think at this point they are going to wait and see for another year to decide if they are going to spend or not

So I base everything off of metrics of prior years stats? There have been players that have stayed steady eddie through a good chunk of their 30's (Buerhle) (check out Buerhle's 2015 numbers on this same site when he won 15 games), especially those who are not power pitchers. COuld Keuchel bust? Sure, but last year wasn't a precipitous drop off stat wise if you prorated it for a whole year. That's what the pros get paid to figure out I guess. I just know if teams only signed players under 30, there would be quite a few missed opportunities. If Keuchel is our #4, we are in good shape:)

Not trying to be smart at you at all but that is the last decade of this team, right? Totally agree that spending on players with upside is a good SECONDARY move. I'm not going to sit and say well, they aren't going to spend so here's the plan. I just don't think that's a way a professional team would think. Sorry in advance for the all caps:)

Check out WAR from the last 3 years. I looked at the top 60 SP using WAR (top 2 starters for MLB teams if split evenly) and guess 3 names on that list.....Keuchel, Price, Bumgarner. I get they have hit their peak, but to keep talking like these guys are replacement bums is I don't know........silly?????

If we want to continue playing the lottery like the poor do, we'll end up the same way, broke and looking up at the people that actually know what to do with money. Play a couple lottery tickets? Sure. Spend all of your money on lottery tickets? Welcome to White Sox baseball for the last decade

Can we realistically project where any pitcher will be in 4 years. I'll use Buerhle as an example because Keuchel looks to be the same type of pitcher. Buerhle was about the same from his age 32-36 years as he was in his prime including an all star appearance the year before he retired. Of the pitchers left that are going to cost, Keuchel probably has the best chance at aging well because he's a pitcher, not a thrower.

Jerry's been holding on to his dollars for several years......why do we need to save more again? I just don't continue to get the total bargain basement mentiality of this front office once their initial plan didn't work out.

Here's the dilemma. If what's going through Hahn's head is anything like what I see on this board from all of us, no wonder he's nervous to make a move. Flip through any one page in any thread and you will see: 1. Spend the money, but don't overpay on these bums! 2. Don't bail another team out 3. Don't trade anymore prospects unless you are getting a #2 or #3 that is cost controlled for 2-3 years and costs Collins or less. I could go on more. Hahn probably wants to even do more but is hearing Jerry or Kenny in his ear. I wouldn't want his job. I still would personally go some mix of the following: 1. Price if you can get the price down to about $20 million per or gain Benintendi. Little going back as far as prospects. Yes, Price had an injury issue last year but it seems to be good going in. You have a guy that before that basically gave you 200 IP per year and an ERA below 3.50. Yep, age is a concern, but again, find a resume like that on the market that is cheaper. We have money people. 2. One of the other BIG 3. I'm fine with any of them. I would go 4 years on any and anywhere from 70-90 million if that's what it took. You can't piecemeal reclamation projects for both of the last two remaining spots. One is fine but not both. 3. Get #1 and/or #2 above and (yep, I would consider doing both) then go get Wood, Nova, Teheran, Miley type that could go into long relief once the kids are ready. Do this if you don't want to spend $18-$20 million per on two pitchers (even though again you could since you can always move pitchers at trade deadlines if you have a surplus). I am now ready to be destroyed :). Carry on!

David Price is now a sub 15 million pitcher with Cole Hamels getting 18 million? I don’t buy that. If everyone likes Bum, Ryu, or Keychel at 4-5 years I’m fine too. Just figured 3 years with some sweetener would be better:)

Makes all the sense in the world. I still think vs many people on this board a Price that gives me 160-180 innings of 4 era ball along with the AB upside is worthy of Collins and maybe a lesser OF prospect. I still would hope for 20-25 million since that would give him AAV close to Bum.

So looking at 10 million this year on a RF platoon looking toward 15-20 million in the next two years is a better gamble than Price at that cost? Maybe but I’m not 100% sure. Given Benitendi and Mazara splitting times

I don’t think there’s a better option out there. Dude had 10 years of sub 4 era. Last year he struggled but seriously add two decent starters to our young guys and it’s not bad. Just my two cents.

If it were just Price and we roll with Mazara/Engel or whatever in right, if Boston chips in 35 million that makes Price a $20 million pitcher for 3 years. In this market, I take that. I also then go get Keuchel or Bum and call it good. If your kids end up great, you trade one in a year or two but now you have a solid rotation even now

This. Couldn’t say it any better (or nicer) than O did here

I wish I weren’t going there as well. This front office never gives you a reason not to though. They just talk big game and never deliver. It’s hard in life to deal with habitual big talkers /borderline liars. When they show me otherwise I will listen and still be here waiting

You said it all in one word, cheap. Who cares how the player fits? If he’s cheap and might have name recognition this crew is in. That’s why when I posted the video of Bartolo Colon I was only part joking about him being our #5 starter.

Here's our #5 starter. Sign him up:)

At $10 million for the next 4 years, it's gonna cost Vaughn and probably two SP (Dunning, Lopez, Steivers), and an OF Prospect or two (Basabe, Adolfo) or maybe Collins. It's 3 or 4 for 1, but seriously, it leaves you with money for future add ons once you see what this crew can do: C - Grandal 1B - Abreu 2B - Madrigal SS - Anderson 3B - Moncada LF - Jimenez CF - Robert RF - Mazara and whatevs DH - ANother FA or McCann SP - Gio, Snell, Kopech, FA, Rodon, (Lopez or another system SP) You'r realllly thin in the minors now but you have a window and cash......

Why does everyone keep talking about guys on this roster being set in stone for 2-3 years? You COULD sign Castellanos still and play mix and match. If Vaughn is ready by next year, you trade someone (Mazara, Castellanos, etc.). We actually would have some depth for once. Abreu 1B/DH, Castellanos RF/DH, Mazara RF/DH (and both for LF when Eloy needs a day off). There's enough room. Get quality players and figure out metrics later

and we shouldn't need to unless for a late game defensive replacement.....nice 5th OF, but should be no part of a platoon on a good team

I definitely don't have all of the answers but I'm getting confused by this never ending circle we keep running through. Spend on pitching. Top pitching option turns us down so now all other starting pitching is too expensive. Consequently, we then should have money to spend on RF, but that is also too expensive, so we will trade for a guy with "upside" who hits FA in two years. Well, saving money this year means we'll be in on Mookie and Springer. Oh but next year we have to start looking at extensions for Gio, Moncada, etc. so there isn't quite enough for those guys. Does the circle ever end somewhere good or is the never ending story, just a new chapter each year. I want this to be successful, but it seems as though the message changes every 5 minutes.....