WhiteSox2023

That is exactly what it is — if he did already break out, there would be no chance to acquire him. But he is still fairly new to the majors without repeated seasons of failure. Meanwhile, sometimes players who initially look mediocre or terrible can break out. Haven’t we sort of seen that a little with Sosa and Vargas?

Pretty much. I would put Brandon Drury in the same boat from last offseason until he got injured right before the season started. I think Pillar had a minor league deal in which he would earn $3 million if he made the team so they cut him and resigned him for $1 million instead. 🤣

Getz will sign him next offseason after he hits 35+ homers in Japan.

Don’t blame me. @SoxAce was the first poster to bring him up in this thread. 😉

There were trade rumors that the Cubs were looking to improve their offense and 3B was an obvious position to improve. They had Shaw, Jon Berti, and old man Justin Turner and none of them were hitting in the first half. Eugenio Suarez was the supposed target. However, Shaw started hitting better toward the trade deadline and Suarez’s cost was likely deemed too high.

Yep, I just agreed with that notion regarding the rumor about him not listening to the Cubs staff involving suggested mechanical changes by the Cubs staff.

That’s Law’s own narrative on the absence, not the team’s, or his teammates’. However, the “resistance to help from the Cubs’ staff” is a good argument.

I’m not disagreeing with you. But I don’t agree with SS2K5’s post that the Cubs have been trying to get rid of him since he got there.

Is this a fact? When I suggested acquiring Shaw, I was told he wasn’t necessarily available via trade and the Sox would have to pay too much in talent to acquire him in the now closed thread.

As far as I know, Shaw got permission from his team to miss a game to attend a memorial service, and he also discussed it with some of his teammates. Regarding Kelenic, I never said that he was a completely awful teammate but I did see more incidents that could potentially associate him with that status than with Shaw. I am too lazy to find links for everything so here is what Google AI spit out…

True, but I would also be surprised if ~50 or so at bats in ST will dictate his entire future with the team. I think it will be how well he works with Sox hitting coaches this ST or if he is deemed disagreeable or uncoachable.

I don’t think Kelenic’s new comments or apparent ego are a reason he makes the team. However, this is a total Sox move. Former top prospect with control left at a position where the Sox are lacking once Benintendi is gone and Robert is traded. I think they will give him every opportunity to make the team. I don’t think he’s in a much different boat than Pereira other than being slightly older. Imagine a dirt-cheap outfield of Kelenic, Pereira, and Montgomery for several years if they all magically perform? I think Getz is probably fantasizing about it right now.

There is definitely some irony to Kelenic talking about good culture in the clubhouse. 🤣 Hopefully the guy has turned over a new leaf and actually hits with the Sox. He’s still only 26 and God knows we need all the outfield talent we can get with Benintendi and Robert on the way out. But never forget — “…and then his kid passed away…”

Yep, and Romo is younger than Lee, was a comparable hitter in the minors as Lee, and has 2 options remaining while Lee has none. Lee does have much more major league experience than Romo, but I think he still has very little trade value. I’d rather have Romo and he was just a waiver claim like you said. It was a nice waiver claim by Getz. If he can get a mediocre/fringe prospect or any sort of bum reliever arm with major league experience for Lee, that would be great.

A nicer guy would have taken the W and allowed him to continue posting. 🤣

Except he has the power of his army of 15 daughters wishing him well before the game and willing him victory. He’s going the Philip Rivers route.

Cubs get their version of Derek Hill. Cubs claimed OF Justin Dean off waivers from the Giants. Dean served as a late-game defensive replacement for the World Series champion Dodgers last postseason before being claimed off waivers by the division-rival Giants in early November. The speedy 29-year-old center fielder makes a ton of sense as a bench outfielder for the Cubs since he’s capable of handling all three spots in a pinch.

If he loses a step, and he will, he won’t be putting up 4+ WARs. Whatever team gives him a long-term contract into his 30’s after this season is making a mistake IMO.

@Chicago White Sox is still evil for doing that to poor @caulfield12. I wonder if he is through the initial “shakes” stage of SoxTalk withdrawal and if he has moved on to vomiting?

Besides the fact that the Sox already have one bloated LF/DH salary in Benintendi for two more years that they don’t want, and another $20 million dollar salary in Robert that they have been looking to trade.

Apparently we don’t need @caulfield12 for our Royals news anymore!

Arenado has been on the decline since the 2022 season. Crazy that these old vets can still get acquired, even if their bloated salaries are mostly covered. He’s not going to improve in his age 35 season.

I would have a hard time giving Hoerner a qualifying offer of $22+ million dollars for 2027. I’m sure some team would give him a long-term deal but I would be sweating it.