Chisoxfn

This - they really got to hopefully find the right bidder on him and Tauchman. Not saying they will get a ton - but these guys are good enough that if the scouting department hits and front office does the right thing - they could get some LT productivity out of these two short-term moves. Robert unfortunately is going to be a waste - but maybe with enough money or taking on a different buy-low candidate that maybe Sox can salvage (but help a team shed salary), they can get something for Robert (cause someone is squinting hard enough - but clearly nothing that great).

Exactly - they can always bring him back in the off-season or bring someone else back. Payroll is low and I kind of expect we'll maybe see them go short-term on a guy or two they think they can flip this upcoming off-season, knowing that they won't be ready to go all-in (by any stretch), however, at the same time, they won't get a top 10 pick, so no harm finding a few guys who maybe sit on the market and giving them at bats for 2-3 months and paying them to help fill other voids (while not getting in the way of development) and than you flip them for some additional talent.

The Dodgers have people playing all over the field at times and have for a long time. It hasn't impacted their production at all. Now if a guy gets injured because he's playing a position he is completely incompetent at - fine. But I don't think playing 2B instead of SS is going to be such a big deal that an otherwise great hitter ends up being bad. Not a chance. If they were that weak - they would fail anyway in baseball - its a hard sport.

Exactly - and if they can take advantage and get a possible long time first basemen for a journeymen who is hot - awesome.

Rip - A total legend on the mound who overcame a lot of challenges in life.

I think you use the term game changer loosely - but I don't disagree he could be a solid big man addition if they move Vuc - as a bridge candidate.

I would trade for Kuminga and take a chance on a young athletic 22 year old and see if he hits. Feels like he won’t be a massive overpay either given it’s his 2nd contract vs 3rd. Vuc and Ayo or Vuc and Portland pick. Than at some point deal White - but at least the Bulls would be a young and athletic team with some talent - they also will be bad but far more worthwhile and interesting than last handful of teams.

Now if they follow this up and trade Vic and Pat for Beal and some assets I’m happier. I don’t mind that the team has a lot of young players - that part is at least good and plenty are solid - not likely any hit into a star but I get that concept at least - but when you are doing that strategy - you need to also accumulate assets at stages.

Ak and Reinsdorfs are such trash. Had a frp from Memphis instead we get a meh rotational player. I’d prefer the pick.

In the smaller sample size - what was the injury he was coming back from? Was HBP but it was hand/wrist injury? My half glass full hope would be he still wasn't all the way back and that impacted him a bit and he's now dialing back in to where he was those first few weeks after coming back from Arizona.

I will say - if the Bulls acquired Beal and bought him out and they gave up Patrick Williams and got Malauch that would be stellar. I'd even give up the Portland pick at this point and just be happy using our cap space and accelerating flexibility (ie dumping Williams longer term to take on Beal's higher up front $'s) while getting a big in Malauch that becomes quite interesting with the other young parts. Team will still be crazy raw - but at least you can see a lot of young athleticism with tools and over time you figure out who sticks and those that maybe don't get to where you want you can still package up to take on better veteran players and/or use cap space, etc. My presumption is if that was going to happen though it would have happened during the draft not after...but I think value wise it probably would be a pretty fair trade.

Know nothing about him - but like the profile at the minimum.

In fairness - if you are in contention, yes, when you aren’t contending I think you can do more of this to see what flexibility exists and how to stretch people or try to get them there over time cause in grand scheme those mistakes while they can cost you games - are acceptable given fact we are not contending for anything - as long as it fits within a clear plan and they are doing those things to teach amd develop.

Agree. I’m giving Vargas as much time at 3rd as possible.

Best case he gets hot and you maybe get a reliever type of prospect for him. In meantime at least he is here to kind of protect the rest of the arms. Vaughn was gone no matter what at end of the year anyway.

*KNOCK ON WOOD*

This is fantastic - timing is great too. I want to see stadium deal announce at 79 or alternate site in Chicago by end of year with 29 opening date. Means we should see them spend in 28 offseason and maybe even in 27 offseason heading into 28 - so they are dialed in and excited for new stadium etc. Timing lines up well with rebuild cause him coming in now and spending massive money while exciting probably would be too soon to blow the wad - in another year / 2 - hopefully system continues to depend and major league roster has added some attractive pieces from system including some guys making it up this year.

The Crochet trade on paper is looking pretty good early - for both teams - but Sox needed positional talent and while Montgomery is slumping, he is high upside and high character and Meidroth isn’t sexy but a damn solid ball player and OBP machine and Teel looks like a potential long time stud catcher. Hopefully we are even more excited a year from now about those three and I’m still thinking Wiki can be a solid reliever in time.

Id take him back - but I am a thibs fanboy!

Isn’t this as simple as they want to make sure him and quero are both getting lots of reps and at bats? Teel the better catcher but having him get time at 1B isn’t a bad thing either to keep him fresh too.

This - it really feels like to work with JR you kind of have to understand what makes him ticks and than really push he right way to get him on board with your strategy and build the right paths forward. I think to Getz credit - he has basically reserved money for investing in new coaching, enhanced developmental methods, changes across development programs...but very little in the way of major league money, if anything he's almost said - Jerry - I feel strongly about this and so much so that I'll actually underspend at big league level to show you the value. When over time it works, he builds the trust and moves on. But also - he has to know where JR has specific lines in the sand (ie long term deals to pitchers, 500M long term contracts) and basically build a sustainable org that fits those parameters - not one that is naive and pretends that somehow they can convince other way or live on 50 cents vs. the dollar. JR will spend money -but not in the way all of us want - and therefor Getz has to understand that and build a sustainable view that works within JR's framework (which I think with right leader and approach can happen - but in fairness - it isn't the easiest way).

I was totally wrong on Robert.

In fairness - I presume and hope the club has him working on something different. I would expect a step back with different while he gets himself to that point - now the real question is in time will different trend up. If it did and if Colson and Vargas continue in their trend, my optimism of this org would significantly improve. I'm not ready to say that until I see Colson continue on this upward streak for another handful of months and to see Vargas finish the year hammering the ball...but both of those would be very good examples of actual development the team has done which is two more than I could point to on the positional slide in the past 5+ years (if not the last decade).

Nothing would be better than Vaughn making the necessary adjustments down there and coming back a new player. Same with Elko- apply what you need to from your brief cup of coffee to be better prepared for when you come back up. This worked for Torkelson…let it work for AV.

He would be welcome back here - let him get innings and see if he can regain his stuff: if he can - you deal him.