SouthSideGeorgia

Looks like were at a disadvantage on paper in the starting pitching matchup. But that’s exactly what we had yesterday too. Lambert’s fourth MLB start now and it’s his time to shine. Get us 4-5 innings of close ball please.

Let’s see… what do I prefer… Rainout… or Keuchel and Mr. Tight pants on the mound?!?

Geez, tough crowd here. On one hand I hear Hahn signs too much vets in bullpen. Now we are using too many MiLB bullpen arms. I kid to a point… It seems like a great idea to test these guys out, hopefully in low leverage situations with the expanded rosters in April. I’m kind of surprised in Anderson Severino being the guy, especially since Hunter Schyver is a lefty with better, more consistent numbers in AAA. But I say go with it and experiment and see if we can find some lightning in a bottle players for this season. It also may help in bringing that payroll down in future seasons if we can start utilizing cheaper bullpen arms. We need some discounted players so we can hope to sign Giolito or eventually Tim Anderson.

Is there a source where you can find out a players remaining options? Talking minor league options…

Looking for opinions on who gets cut, who remains, who is added to the Sox’s 40-man leading up to Opening Day: Sox Current 40-Man Last chances to stick: Adolfo, Ruiz, Zavala

Boras on the line…?! ”Hello Ricky….”

As mentioned before, the Sox probably don’t do a 1-year prove-it deal with Conforto BEFORE July 17th, since they would lose a 3rd round pick in Draft. Having one of the worst ranked farms, I’m not so sure they should be giving up picks for one-year players. I’m mean it could happened, but I doubt it. Michael is not going to see money close to the Mets deal he turned down in 2021, and he may not be close to the Qualifying Offer deal of $18.4 million from the Mets. Not with the restrictive draft pick added. Somewhere between $12.25 million that he played for last year and $18 million I suspect now. Maybe after July 17th at this rate. He made some bad decisions and has to suck it up or miss out on the beginning of the season now. His list of interested teams are dwindling, if not almost gone at this point.

Yeah, I should have been more clear. Conforto doesn’t demand the financial value of Correa. Just the structure of Correa’s deal was VERY unusual from what I think most expected (3 years with opt outs).

Also, I’m not only posted it because of his link to the White Sox all season long. It’s almost like he’s the last player live at The Draft and we’re watching him plummet down the boards. I can’t stop watching this play out… If he doesn’t get a one-year prove it deal, it could be a Boras Correa-type deal. Something like years that could be opted out after each season.

I started this topic as I thought it was interesting to watch Boras and Conforto in free agency. * Declined a rumored $100-$120 million extension with Mets before the 2021 season. * Had a poor performance 2021. * Declined a Qualifying Offer of one year at $18.4 million. * Now has a Draft Pick assigned to him if he is signed as a Free agent thru July 17 (Draft). Would be about a 3rd rounder to Mets. At this point, it seems like the waiting game may be a pride issue. Seems like a one-year contract may be his best PROVE IT move. But halfway through Spring Training now, and he might not even see $18.4 million offered for the 2022 season. Conforto made $12.25 million last year for Mets. Conforto Dilemma

Just want until today when the Sox face Rodon…

Yes, the savings number I posted already accounted for the payroll escalations in the contracts of Robert, Eloy, TA and the rest of the players. Granted, it did not include escalations for arbitration eligible players which will only go up (and I kept them the same for consistency). I’m sure the that will eat up a decent chunk of the funds to consider. The $40 million savings next year was baseline. Thanks for the feedback.

Boras’s deal for Correa surprised me not only by destination, but also the contract length and buy-out. I wonder if they would be creative signing something atypical for Conforto. Maybe do a similar 3-year contract with opt-outs with the Sox. Obviously, if he plays lights out Sox win in 2022, and Conforto opts out. There really isn’t a more perfect team and opportunity for him to start, and possibly make the playoffs/World Series. Kimbrel’s contract feels like the snag to even doing a one-year deal with Conforto right now. Need to move him in a trade and get what you can in terms of cash (compared to his $16 million).

The next 3 years are the Sox best window to win a championship. Now that’s not to say a rebuild is due after that, or that some moves couldn’t possibly extend past that timeframe, for sure. This season we’re right near the luxury tax threshold, with our main glaring hole in RF. Pretty easy to see that trading Kimbrel and most (if not all) of his $16million would assist in landing an upgrade in RF. Most likely, the Sox are standing pat though, at least until the trade deadline. We shall see… 2023… we skim off potentially about $40 million off this year’s payroll. That includes losing Abreu, Velasquez, and Kimbrel. It also assumes we avoid pitching Keuchel 200+ innings this year so he becomes a free agent. Holes in 2023 are RF and a starting pitcher to replace Keuchel. This assumes Vaughn or Sheets to 1st base. Now we could resign Abreu to a 1-yr contract, but signing him to a $20+ million contract compared to playing Vaughn or Sheets there is a huge difference in costs. Really big decision here for GM that obviously hinges on how Vaughn plays out in 2022. 2024… we skim another $20 million off the books potentially. Included in the losses would be Grandal, Giolito, Harrison, Lopez and Engel. Lots of contract escalators keep the savings to only $20 million. Holes are obviously hard to project but look like RF, two starting pitchers, catcher and second baseman. Hopefully, we can try to nab a more permanent RF within that timeframe and during this run. Or maybe Cespedes or Colas develop and become a cheap alternative for the Sox future in 2023 or 24. Moncada’s contract could be bothersome if he never gets that power back (he gets paid $17.8, $23.8 and $25 million in 2023-2025). That’s alot of jack that we can only opt out in 2025. So much better if he produces and gets the power form back. Starting pitchers will probably need to be outside the organization as free agents or trades, unless the Sox figure out a way to get Crochet ready in 2023 or 2024. I don’t believe we have ready-made starters in the minors behind Kopech or Crochet (possibly) .

Doing my own exercise here: Pitchers (13) Lynn, Giolito, Cease, Keuchel, Kopech Lopez, Velasquez, Crochet (Long relievers to starters) Hendriks, Kimbrel, Graveman, Bummer, J. Kelly (Ruiz on Opening Day until Kelly returns from IL) Position Players (13) Grandal, Abreu, Harrison, Anderson, Moncada, Jimenez, Robert, Vaughn L Garcia, Engel, Collins, 4th bench player Thinking 4th bench player as 3rd catcher, OF or IF. So maybe they try to retain Adolfo as OF. Him and Engel can be defensive OF when we have late leads (bigger arm in RF). Or they go with Mendick again who is extra IF, but can play OF in a pinch. Maybe Burger also (feels like Romy needs more AAA at bats)

On the 26-man roster, if the team stands pat on all roster moves now (so assumes no RF or Kimbrel trade), what is our Opening Day roster? Who ends up our fourth bench player?

Then Mr. Adolfo needs to rake this Spring.

How soon do we lose Micker Adolfo? I wish we could get another year… ?

Made a small addition to the original…

What kind of fielder is Naquin? Doesn’t do too much as a bat, but it does marginally improve it. Not sure the defense.

Is this candy looong…? Link to Funny Japanese Candy Commercial

No one wants to hear it, but it was Grandal who had a career year with the Sox last season. Hard to remember, since he was below the Mendoza line at the Allstar break. But make no mistake, Yasmani had his highest season OPS of 0.940 last year, well above his career average of 0.807. That would qualify as a Sox free agent that got better when they got here.

My concern is this coaching staff “managing” Kopech’s innings next year. Seems like it would behoove the Sox to take a calculated risk and manage his early workload, so there is a better chance for Kopech to make it to the ‘22 playoffs strong. Obviously, the risks being that he definitely needs the experience as a starter early to prove himself, the Sox may need the wins early in the standings to make it to the playoffs, etc. But as we saw with Rodon, it seems the Sox coaches may likely just throw him every fifth day leading up to the ASG and then start managing it there after. I’m not sure this is the best approach, since Kopech has top of the rotation potential, and you may want him in a best of 5 or 7 game playoff series. Keuchel, Lopez and maybe a free agent addition as starter may be key for the Sox to spell Kopech during the early season. However, Keuchel needs to be managed below 160-innings unless he returns to form early, sInce it will kick off an expensive additional year in 2023. Lots of dynamics to how the Sox manage the starters. They may go through the same challenges in 2023 with ramping up Crochet as starter.

Besides continuing to teach some of these younger arms how to pitch, the Sox have to invest some time in teaching them how to hold runners and slide step. Huge problem for us, and we didn't even get to see how bad it would have been against the Rays. Crochet’s kick in the full wind up is alright, but please… we don't have time for it with men on base. And he’s not the only one…