Wisebri224

I agree it is definitely an upgrade and if there would have been other success outside of Grandal, more people would probably be excited, but it just seems WHite Sox by past standard that they will be content with cheaper piecemealing. I know they tried on Wheeler, but did they have a real plan after that? It does need to be a wait and see because the offseason isn't over, but outside of a trade or spending large sums, the biggest glaring weakness has not been addressed. I mean Poppy even said we need 4 quality pitchers. I would like us to start with one:)

The argument is, if he slugs for two years, great, but there were options to improve longer than two years then have the conversation again. If they actually hit on this, will they actually re-sign a Boras agent or let him walk because he's too pricey. Sorry when the FO continues to play this back and forth narrative, it gets confusing for fans and eveyone on what the plan is exactly.....what LONG term benefit could this have???

He’s good he walks in two years because he’s too expensive. If he sucks we wasted 2 years. Yep. Sox win win

Saw they want to dump salary with a guy like Jed Lowrie. If we help the Mets with Lowrie contract and Steele + a little something, maybe we pull this off?

The Twins may be stepping up to the big person table. LOL on location part....if the money is there dude would pitch at the North Pole

But it sounds like it is to try and get Marte. That's a nice piece

or pitching.......

Make a decision Rick. 4 for $68 and let's get this done or go get Castellanos

But his bat (Castellanos)is 10x better......dear gracious why are we talking about Nomar freaking Mazara......

Nope we are locked in Mazara now.......not sure why but.....

I am so confused by this move. A guy making over $5 million hit .270/.310/20/80 and isn't great defensively before arbitration. Why are we doing this when guys off the street could do the same?

Nick Castellanos since pitching isn't going to work, we will slug our way through

As all of this bargain shopping and waiting goes on in hopes the market cools, I know we are setting up for Abreu/Vaughn to be DH 2021, but what about now? McCann as DH meh. Still could do your "big" spend on Castellanos and still trade for Joc. You have big bats every day and outslug people.....for now. As far as pitching goes, unless you pull one of the deals many have listed like Price on salary dump, etc., you go out and sign some guys to 1-2 year deals that have had prior success like Roark, Porcello, Teheran, Miley and hope 2 of your young guys are ready my the All Star break. If not, you explore teams looking to dump at that point. I just don't think Grandal can be your only significant signing of the winter and call it a success. I know they have tried to spend, but something else needs to be closed.

With their SP coming up in the system I would hope for Maeda

FYI if Sox trade for JDM I think he has an out clause after 2020........

I agree if AB is added taking on the whole $96 million is no big deal as you fill two holes and give up basically nothing. If it's JDM instead of AB, then there needs to be a significant amount of $$ added because we still have a hole in RF.

Price/Benintendi - like this one. Price can be an ok 3-4 moving ahead and Benintendi is an upgrade (and cheap for now). Wonder how much $$ we get back too - Thor/Nimmo - price gonna be waaaaaaay too high - Marte/Musgrove (Archer) - like this one as well as Marte may be the best overall OF on this list.....much rather have Musgrove here - Gray/Blackmon - Gray would be a gas can and BLackmon splits away from Coors are mediocre for the $$ - Haniger/Gonzales - eh I would say the Red Sox and Pirates deals are the most intriguing and realistic......fingers crossed

We are finally on the same page. A pitcher like Marquez who is young and has big upside would be a great piece. We are going to have to hope some of them step up though because outside our top 5, I don't see pieces that would nab a pitcher like that. That's why I worry that we sometimes overvalue our talent compared to the rest of the league. After waiting 11 years, I guess one more year of patience won't change anything. FYI, do you give Ozuna or Castellanos 4/$70 to get one piece over with:)?

If I'm thinking about cost as well, Marquez (even though his contract is escalating thru 2024 already, Gallen, Gray, Snell. SNell last only because that would cost a bounty and no one here would be willing to give up anyone on the prospect list above Collins.

We agree that Wheeler may have been the right idea and that the current group remaining is more than we thought they would be. So does that mean pack it in until 2021? I just keep seeing in everyone of these threads that this guy is too much, that guy is too much, so the answer is if we don't get our select 2-3 guys then just wait and hope? Again, not saying wrong, but everyone just uses words like cost controlled and trades yet no specific ideas, just a bunch of generalities.....

His stats aren't all that unsimilar to Wheeler. About .2 higher in ERA but k rate is there. He probably will be another $100 million type but again we decide he's only worth $60 and will pass......

Moves? I'll hold final judgment until March, but so far there has been one move (and a good one at that). Agreed the last 3 years were about getting to here, but if Grandal is the move you are one year closer to FA/arbitration of your youngsters. That's all I'm saying. What would be an example of an acceptable type rotation going into opening day or is it ok to piecemeal until the pitchers we have get healthy? Do you have an expectation is all I'm asking:)?

I don't hate the team at all. Love em too much at times and I actually enjoy having these discussions, but when the owner is taking in tens of millions, I'm not saying go pay $300 million for Cole, but looking for 2 more retreads to get by this year I don't think is taking a step forward. I hope I'm wrong and they get something decent done, but I'm not going to be ok with going into this season opening day with Gio, Cease, ReyLo and two guys that look like Ivan Nova and Michael Wacha. Am I going to quit watching? Nope, but it just continues to give me that doubt that they will do what it takes

I'll forget about past performance when the Sox quit throwing Covey and a bunch of afterthoughts out there and call them starters. Everyone keeps talking about these #2 cost controlled starters....where are you getting them? What are you giving up because it's not Zach Collins for Thor.....they don't have to overspend on two but you do need one. After your top 3 (if ReyLo gets it together you are doing what if's on guys who are or have been injured). If we are content waiting til 21 to see what happens that's ok, but I'm tired of hearing about all of this aggression lol

and I'll ask again, if we aren't going to pay market on anyone in this market, are we content with Gio, Cease, ReyLo, and 2 reclamation projects or minor trades Rick makes? I'm not thrilled but we need at least one pitcher of MLB caliber. Last year the average MLB pitcher has an ERA of 4.85. The last 10 years it's always almost been over 4.50. Bumgarner career ERA 3.13 , Ryu 2.98, Keuchel 3.67. I know we all thought these guys would be in the $15 million range and now it's upwards of 20, but their ERA's are almost a run below the average. Finally, if you look at the top 50 pitchers by ERA last year that qualified, #50 (equivalent of a #2-3 pitcher?) is 4.45. Just sayin.....