greg775

That'd be automatic. Visit Vegas every year to see the Sox play there. You could stay on the Strip and easily walk to the Rio ballpark. It'd be indoor baseball though. Annoying.

Dodgers finally cool off the Brewers. I wonder if any Brewers fans are actually upset. They did let one get away, but cmon. They were due to lose. I do think LA is in good shape to win the series but that's just me. Wouldn't mind seeing the Brewers win. I have some relatives up there.

Just my opinions. Life would be boring if everybody agreed all the time.

Avi and Abreu did have bad seasons no doubt. I don't deny that and in a perfect world their salaries would be cut, not raised, via that performance. I respect your looking up all the OPS stats I truly do. I will say Sabes does not take into consideration the human element. By that I mean Avi played hurt when he did play and Abreu finally had an off season. In my world, I suggest Abreu's off season 'could' be because he plays for such a bad team. At some point, it's 'possible' again in my world, that a player might finally have a bad year because the team reeks so much. I know traditional stats don't matter much to many of you, but face facts, a few of the guys on this board are older traditionalists. And when I say murderer's row, I am looking at the 'traditional' power numbers. HRs, at bats, RBIs. And the always unpopular eye test. I happen to think Palka's 27 bombs in 417 at bats suggest vast power potential. Ditto Davidson's 20 homers in 434 at bats. Anderson and Moncada have enough MLB at bats that they now are expected to rake starting next season. They both are high draft picks with unbelievable hype/ceilings and they are there now, at that age, to rake. I respect you for calling my murderers row line a "laughable joke," but in reality I do not see why you see it as that silly. Again, Moncada/Anderson ready to erupt at this stage of their MLB careers; Avi/Abreu coming off off seasons in which they also were hurt (Jose 499 at bats; Avi 356 at bats, 20 homers). "Murderers row" may be considered hyperbolic, but so could your other extreme of "laughable joke." Thanks for listening.

I was talking to a Sox fan who went to about 10 games this season. She said the fans love Palka a bit more than we do on this board. I think you downplay my murderer's row a bit. Moncada and Tim all have enough experience that if they are going to be stars, it does start in 2019. Davidson and Palka hit a lot of bombs for their somewhat limited at bats. And Avi and Abreu are above average hitters. Eloy is supposed to be a monster. I think the hitters I listed provide a pretty good nucleus of batsmen. Could produce a lot of runs if we get any pitching at all.

Kudos to Brother Rice for a great season so far. The QB Bean is having a great senior year. He has a favorite target Summers who is a good receiver. Plunkett is a good running back. Both lines appear solid to very good. The team defense is very solid this year. The offense appears to be more balanced and not as sloppy as when the Crusaders were throwing every down the past several campaigns. I've enjoyed watching several of the games on the internet. Those kids play hard and appear very well coached. As a former Rice student I find it weird we are not in the largest class in the state any more. It makes me wonder if it's that much easier to win Class 7A or is 7A and 8A about the same? Finally ... does Rice beat undefeated Montini next week to go undefeated? I see Montini is in 4A or 5A. GO BRO RICE!

Thanks. I was just curious because when I was gone I could read others posts and noticed nobody ever wondered where I was in posts. A weird dynamic for sure. I always notice Fathom disappearing in the offseason. He's an in-season poster.

I think Avi has turned into a pretty good hitter in spite of his low BA last season. His recent injury history isn't good. I just like the idea of keeping him another year for the 8 mill and see how the murderer's row so to speak of Avi, Abreu, Eloy, Palka, Davidson, Moncada, Timmy, fares. If all those guys have mashing type years, is it a repeat of the 77 South Side Hit Men? I can see why some want him gone, though. He does get hurt and last year's lousy start was annoying, though allegedly he was playing in pain. GO SOX!

Not trying to fight my nemesis here, just saying I don't understand arguments in which most of us think a player is not all that great (Avi, though I do immensely like his game) yet the "free agent status" is seen as something worth discussing. Again ... why would anybody sign Avi to anything significant considering all the warts that have been pointed out by Sox fans on this board. Who is going to sign him to some great deal and why would they want him for 5 years, 100 million or something like that? I personally think a healthy Avi is worth 4 years 36 million. Let's pay him that (if our trainers think they can get him on the field). BTW, folks. Feel free to welcome greg back. I can't believe nobody noticed I was gone a while or simply deems me not worthy of missing. GO SOX!

Interesting topic for me considering I saw Freddy Patek at Marty Pattin's funeral service tonight. I remarked to a pal that if you asked 100 people that don't know Freddy what he did for a living NONE would say "he was a three-time all star shortstop." The guy is 5-foot-5 and looks all of it. Sometimes it doesn't matter how big you are.

A reason to keep Avi is Eloy is coming. Eloy, Avi, Abreu with Timmy and Yoan is actually a decent fivesome. Add Machado or Harper somehow? Then you might have Davidson and/or Palka in there as well. The above mentioned fivesome gives you a fighting chance for some runs and maybe an improved ballclub if we can get some pitching and defense. Take away Avi and Abreu and you got 100 losses again IMO assuming no Harper/Machado.

I see no reason to cut Avi over $8 million unless the training staff has deemed him somebody who is not going to be able to produce much in the future because of injuries. He seems like he's one of the Sox better hitters as it stands. Not being able to flip him is questionable. If he's as mediocre to bad as some think he is, nobody's going to give him a lucrative free agent deal anyway.

I love Palka, I really do, but I don't see why we'd just release Avi. Is $8 million really an overpay for a healthy Avi? Sox aren't planning on spending big bucks on next year's roster it appears so what's the big deal handing Avi $8 million? I realize he gets hurt a lot and maybe that's enough reason to just release him. I just don't consider $8 million that big a deal when the club realistically isn't going to be spending much dough (I don't think Harper or Machado are coming to South Side).

Trump was in Topeka Saturday. Huge crowd as he would say. Fanatics. Zealots. LOUD. If Democrats want to win, they need to get out and vote. Trump loves being underestimated.

Goodness, Cleveland did not fare well in the playoffs. I didn't watch an inning of the series, but have to wonder if their fans are furious following the 3-0 rout. Geez, Cleveland got smoked.

Awesome effort so far. Great job by those brave divers. If they used the submarine ... how many kids fit in it at one time? I saw one picture and it looked like just one kid per effort with the sub.

Probably true. But Palka is worth the price of admission on a given night ... if he connects.

I love you Two Gun Pete. I should read this over and over when I'm mad at the pathetic state of the White Sox. If Tatis is a star, I said "if," it will go down as the second worse trade in Chicago history (Broglio for Brock).

What I don't understand is if we are going to bring up Eloy and Kopech early next season, why we don't try to win next season? Again it would require some money. Why do we have to wait for ALL the prospects to be ready to try to compete at all? It seems to me the strategy is to build an entire pitching staff with our current prospects as well as the 3-4 currently ready. And the strategy is to fill the outfield with our current prospects plus maybe Avi. To wait for all of 'em. With a handful of the prospects ready and on the MLB team next year, all it would cost is money to compete. Anderson will already be a veteran for gosh sakes, third year guy. Moncada full of experience as well. It seems to me we won't even try til Robert is ready and Madrigal is ready and many more pitchers besides Kopech are ready. Dumb. If the Sox don't try to fix this bullpen and acquire at least one GOOD veteran starter I will forever be convinced Jerry checks his net worth every single day and drools over it. I guess Hahn can sell it as getting yet another top three pick. Good luck with the next two top three picks. My guess are they'll go for college pitchers. We.Shall.See.

You and me are on the same page from my response in the other thread. You got two starters; some relief help; your star is Machado mine was Harper. Hmmmm. Is Greg on your "smart person" list now?

Hmmm. You say it'd cost $600 million to get the guys I want. Interesting isn't it, to look at it one way: Sox even in spending an alleged $600 million (your words) this offseason still might not win the division. That's how far away the Sox are. Though I think we would win the division probably especially with Harper bolstering what we got.

As far as preaching patience, the question is, what do the Sox need to acquire to go .500 next year? Will this do it? Starters in 2019: Gio, Lopez, Rodon, Kopech, Covey. My verdict: odds are that rotation will be as bad as this year's. My suggestion: Acquire 1 very good starter via free agency if there are any and pray for natural improvement of Gio, Lopez, Rodon which is possible; I assume our young studs are not ready except for Kopech, Gio, Lopez, Rodon. Is it possible this rotation would be good? Yes it is possible. Bullpen: I don't know what to say. It projects to be horrific pen with our current 40 man. I don't know what's available in free agency or how Hahn would acquire it otherwise, but only guys worth keeping off the 40 man are Avilan, Fry, Nate and maybe Hector. The bullpen projects to be awful and like Hawk says without a bullpen you got nothing. I have no idea what the plan is to improve it. Catcher: Zack Collins. He has great stats this season. He's got to be ready in his age 24 season. First: Abreu. He's proven. Second: Moncada. He's capable of big big things. SS: Tim. Next year should be amazing for him. 3B: Nobody on our current roster projects to be good enough. Yolmer is good enough to be on the team, however, a good clubhouse guy and still young. Personally I'd sign Moose but only for 3-4 years. Moose is no star but has pop and is no Mark Teahen. Any manager should consider that infield strong. OUTFIELD: Avi rightfield is proven; Eloy LF is a star. CF: We need one badly. Free agency? None of our studs are ready besides Eloy I assume to come up. DH: Davidson over Palka. Just a gut feeling there. CONCLUSION: As it stands, it's a similar team to this year. On paper a good , MLB infield, but suspect pitching, especially bullpen. The key would be frankly for Eloy, Moncada and Timmy to take the next step and be STARS. We might need 2 veteran starters instead of one and we certainly need real bullpen pieces especially a very good closer. How bout sign Michael Brantley, Moose, Herrera and Harper? If we could sign Brantley, Moose, Herrera, Harper and maybe Matt Harvey and Keuchel do we have a winner?? Respond please. I tried. It'll cost some money. If in the future we need to make room for young studs, we trade some of these guys. Just.Win.Baby.In.2019.

One thing is for sure. If they want to start winning their share of series starting next year they are going to need a setup guy and a closer who are GOOD, not just bodies. They are going to need a catcher and they are going to need Eloy and another GOOD hitting outfielder to join Avi out there. And they are going to need 1 or 2 veteran starters, likely 2 to put together a B-plus or at least a C starting rotation. All those improvements and you still likely are not a .500 team, but closer. It would be a .500 team in my scenario if the team plays grade C defense. If the defense is a D, that's not good.

Sounds like another guy close to being done, like Trayce. Engle and Tilson types as well. Those guys are about done as well. I'd give LaMarre (Hoyt) some at bats. Why not?

I know he's not moving to catcher. I'm just saying if he has to move I'd rather him move to catcher than outfielder. Tim is a good player IMO. If he stays at ss which he will, that means either Moncada or Madrigal will be traded. I guess Moncada could move to third. Again I guess that is possible but I don't expect that.