MeanJoeCrede

I 100% agree the Sox need to be aggressive. The Adolfo's of the world are not the answer. Betts is a risk, every single free agent is a risk. The Sox track record with free agent risks is abysmal, mostly because we generally sign B- level players. Why not sign Cole AND Stras or Wheeler this year, when they are available for just money (I dont count the lost draft picks, because we already know how much those are likely to be worth from an actual future major league production standpoint.) The financial commitment would be roughly the same for 2 of the 3 best pitchers on the market as it will be for Betts. Next year/ at the trade deadline we have surplus pitching to trade to fill holes and still have the ability to sign a Betts or Springer.

1. Is he a catcher? 2. Is he a part of the core moving forward? 3. Is he just a left handed bat with a high OBP? 4. Is he a trade piece? 5. Or do we need more time to figure out what he is and how he fits?

Joc RF UZR 1.0 UZR/150 6.1 in 259 innings Joc LF UZR 5.2 UZR/150 16.5 in 525 innings

Pederson 2019 UZR 6.2 UZR/150 13.2 Castellanos 2019 UZR -5.2 UZR/150 -4.9

I am very high on Castellanos bat, and somewhat less concerned with his defense than most. My biggest concern with him is signing him forces the Sox to make a long term commitment to being defensively challenged in the outfield corners, which potentially hurts development of the young pitchers. I wouldnt hate taking a flyer on Puig, who actually plays RF, and will be cheap, but it wouldnt excite me. I agree with you on Dickerson, but coming off an injury, numbers usually regress and we potentially end up with Jon Jay 2.0. Calhoun is the player most likely to turn into Alonso or any of about 15 or so other free agent busts on the South Side, where you can see all the reasons on paper where it could work, but some combination of age, diminishing skill set, possible changes to the ball next year, etc. leads to a .213/.288/ .402 line. Ozuna just makes absolutely no sense to me. Trading for Joc gives us a 3 WAR player and leaves us options for next year.

With Grandal: Castellanos>Puig>Calhoun>Dickerson Without Grandal: (Hopefully because we spent all the money on Cole or Stras and we just need a one year guy in RF) Puig>Calhoun>Dickerson If I could have negative interest in Ozuna I would. Ozuna is every White Sox free agent signing of the Kenny William's era. One good year a couple years ago, diminishing value ever since, NOT a RF. Prefer: Sign Cole or Stras, sign Grandal, trade for Joc Pederson, add a back end starter and a couple of bullpen pieces. Easy Peasy.

Tomorrow!!!

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All the talk about speeding up the game, yet how often does anyone mention the amount of commercial breaks? Is it just me or do the commercial breaks seem longer between innings in a baseball game than between quarters in a football game?

White Sox Wednesday - 17° in Chicago. 66° in Miami. I'm still jumping on a plane for a quarter billion dollars if I'm Manny. Leave the wife on the beach....

My favorite move as well, but getting Homer Bailey off the books was a close second.

Do tell!

Manny signs with the Sox on February 18th. I think this whole offseason is just like with Martinez last year. Harper to the Phillies on February 19th for $5 million more than whatever number Machado signs at.

After all the quotes this weekend from ownership/ front offices of the Dodgers, Astros, Tigers, etc about the slow offseason, here's an interesting proposed solution to fixing the CBA https://baseballanalyzed.com/2019/01/23/how-to-fix-the-cba-and-create-a-fair-environment-for-players-and-teams/

It might be even less than Pederson. Without Manny, it doesn't make a ton of sense.

This should give us our answer. Which is most likely? If Hahn's there, he A. Is the source of the rumors and did it to increase the Soxfest Surprise. B. Was the source of the rumors that pissed Manny's Superagent off last week and the Sox have been out of the running since then. Ifs Hahn's not there, he C. Is on the phone screaming at Manny's Superagent for leaking the San Diego rumor right before Soxfest D. Is on the phone begging to sign Manny for a record contract.

I think we all tend to think that based on his lack of success/development, but do the White Sox? He hasn't shown thus far that he can perform up to anybody's expectations in either role, and I think the Sox would prefer to see him succeed as a starter if given a choice. Unless something clicked this offseason, I think you're right and he is done starting.

Kinda depends on your definition of "turn it around". Just about all the projections show Rodon as the only White Sox pitcher expected to be worth 1 WAR or above. I would say it's hard to NOT expect at least 1 or 2 of our starters to exceed the projections. If Fulmer stays, and earns a spot coming out of ST, it almost has to mean he has turned a corner. All that being said, I would think he's pretty low on most people's (and my personal list) of turn the corner candidates on our pitching staff.

Merk: Ozzie Guillen makes his triumphant return, wearing jersey No. 13 -- which has not been given out by the White Sox since he departed as manager after the 2011 season. He presents the jersey to Machado, with a surprise opening ceremony announcement of his contractual agreement Friday evening, only to have Machado switch to a different jersey number as the White Sox announce the retirement of 13 in Guillen's honor.

Does anyone else feel like " lots of surprises coming our way" is going to be included in the answer to every single question at Soxfest?

I am currently in Omaha, and I have not seen Machado or Harper.