WhiteSox2023

True, but even with as much as I disliked the return, like @PaleAleSox said, you may have ended up getting nothing for him if he got injured bad enough or with bad enough timing to not be healthy by the trade deadline. We would be wishing for an Acuna then. I guess you can always debate the risk of going with Robert into the season and him being both healthy and performing well by the deadline but that would be a risky bet.

Griffin Canning Michael Conforto 1 or 2 relievers

Yes, if the Sox sign the right starter, Acuna plus said starter could very well be more productive than Robert. There could also be some money left over from that $19 million. Do I have faith that they will sign a starter like Giolito? No, I think they will go cheaper on a starter to spread out the remaining freed up money to a reliever or two and a cheap outfielder. Three or four lower quality players is always better than one or two better players. It’s the White Sox way.

The true fallacy is in thinking Jerry will allow Getz to spend the entirety of the money that was freed up by trading Robert. 🤣

Here’s the listing I see: Kelenic (#4 overall in Y21) Vargas (#37 overall in Y23) Mead (#55 overall in Y24) Acuna (#66 overall in Y24) Pereira (#67 overall in Y24)

I’m not trying to be funny and I’m not disagreeing with you. But he’s 26 years old and I have no doubt that he will get plenty of chances with a team that pretty much has an entire roster full of unproven outfielders if you consider Benintendi primarily a DH going forward.

Vargas (#37 overall in Y23) Mead (#55 overall in Y24)

Agreed on Bader. Not exactly the model of consistency and you would be signing him after a big year. Also on the wrong side of 30. He’s turning 32 in June. MLB.com keeps updating this article of free agent transactions: https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/mlb-free-agents-2025-2026.html

The best thing about the Robert trade was at least getting another potential CF to replace him. I guess Pereira could have played CF but he is an unknown as well. But at least we don’t have to watch Hill play the majority of CF in 2026. I’m sure you have taken a look at the remaining free agent outfielders. It’s pretty ugly. They are mostly too old or bad. Would you even sign any of them? At this point, it may be more productive to give the majority of outfield at bats to these guys. Baldwin Pereira Acuna Kelenic

Agreed, although I do remember some people mentioned either one or both guys in the old massive Robert trade thread.

Seems like Getz just takes what he can get among a team’s former top prospects that have since lost their shine. Vargas, Mead, and now Acuna all fit that description and were all right around 24 when acquired. It’s almost like he pulls the prospect listings for a team from two years prior and sees who has fallen and can be obtained now. I realize it likely isn’t that simple but it sure seems like it. I also thought it was funny when Getz said that about the Mets not wanting to give up Acuna in that video. He seemed like the perfect guy for the Mets to give up for Robert. Acuna has struggled hitting in the majors thus far, is out of options, and the Mets are loaded with infielders.

They stole the prospects we were hoping to potentially receive for Robert.

Man, I bet he is wishing he said “until ST starts” right about now…

Nice timing, Sleepy. I’ll assume the other pitcher going to the Mets is Myers. The only way to get top prospects these days. Gotta make a splash.

Do we still even know if Jerry would have approved including cash in a Robert trade to increase the return? Has he done this before? And no, I’m not including the Eloy trade in which cash was sent to the Orioles. That was still a cash dump trade in which the Sox still lowered their payroll for the season without getting anything in return (a reliever that retired).

The AL West White Sox strike again. This dude barely plays in an season and keeps getting millions. Amazing.

Sadly, once I get over the shock of this trade I’ll be happy he even got back Acuna. But yeah, it could have been a better return regardless. And yes, Getz’s own strategy and timeline once he was promoted have to be considered, along with the state of the team at the time, which makes your last paragraph a mystery.

They are looking to move one pitcher who they know they can’t resign after this season and another pitcher who is overhyped right now with years of control remaining. I don’t think it is a completely outrageous strategy for them to try to restock and this is the only way a team gets top prospects anymore. But yeah, it will definitely will impact their 2026.

2026 will likely tell the story, one way or another. But I know Vaughn doesn’t get $7.65 million for next season if he is never traded to the Brewers.

This is not even close to a good comparison, considering the situation at the time (Getz’s own plan). Once Getz was promoted to GM at the end of the 2023 season and the most productive season of Robert’s career, Getz began his rebuild. Rebuilds by your own words take around 5 years to see to fruition. At this point in time, the Sox had Robert locked up for a maximum of 4 more years which means Robert wouldn’t likely still be under contract by the next time the Sox were in competition for the division (once again, your own 5-year timeline for a rebuild). Here were Robert’s salaries for those 4 upcoming years. 2024: $12.5M 2025: $15M 2026: $20M club option ($2M buyout) 2027: $20M club option ($2M buyout) How is this a good comparison to knowing when to trade Colson Montgomery, considering he was just called up last year and is under control at cheap salaries up until he becomes a free agent in 2032, which should also be within your 5-year timeline to see Getz’s rebuild to fruition? It is on one guy to know when to hold em and when to fold em, to know when to sell his players at the right time, and that is the GM. Getz held onto Robert until his value declined so much that all he could get was yet another former post-hype top prospect who has already lost his luster. No different than a Vargas or Mead. If Getz traded Robert after the 2023 season, would he have received a better return than this? Yes, undoubtedly. If Getz traded Robert after the 2024 season, would he have received a better return than this? Yes, undoubtedly. Instead, Getz waited until Robert put up two subpar seasons in a row and got back peanuts for him.

This really doesn’t mean all that much. The truth of the matter is that the Sox couldn’t even get a secondary piece that was on the Mets top 30 prospect list. His perceived value does not match his supposed talent.

Andrew Vaughn would like a word.

The ban bet only lasts until the offseason is over. No one is safe for much longer…

I’m not sure he even believes the BS he is spouting at this point.