BamaDoc

One of my favorites growing up. Congratulations Harold!

I think this really comes down to whether they think Narvaez could improve defensively. They have had him for two years at the big league level. If they don't think he can improve the move is ok. If he does improve it is not nearly a win.

Yes LOL! Sorry couldn't help it

Exactly, I may have been misunderstood. I had stated using the threat of non tendering him. He accepts the incentive based contract or is non tendered. If he thinks he could get better than 5 million with 3-5 incentives on the open market he would refuse. I don't think he would get better. Since he hasn't been traded it appears other teams don't want to pay him that amount (yes and give up something to get him).

Fine 5.4 for the sake of argument. However his salary went from 3 million to 6.7 million which would seem to make this clause I found apply when he got a more than 50% raise. I also think it refers to the minimum you could offer at arbitration. The club's offer must be at least the MLB minimum salary, and, in most cases, must be at least 80% of the player's previous year's salary and at least 70% of the player's salary from two seasons back. However, if the player received a raise in excess of 50% by a salary arbitration panel the previous season, a 20% maximum salary reduction from the previous season and a 30% maximum salary reduction from two seasons back does not apply, and the club only has to offer at least the MLB minimum salary.

Avi has one of the higher ceilings of players currently on the roster. That potential is why we have all been frustrated by his performance. He has actually performed at the MLB level though not as often as we would like. 2017 did happen. There was improved power last year. We all witnessed the turnaround in Basabe's performance when he played on a healthy knee and returned to prospect status. Could Avi rebound.......sure, likely maybe not. Could we sign Harper....sure, likely maybe not. If a healthy Avi shows up, he will certainly be motivated and aside from a couple times on a bad leg, he does hustle. You would have a bat to flip at the deadline or keep and attach a qualifying offer and get a draft pick. If you sign someone or he looks bad in spring training, you cut him at a cost of around 2 million. Heck if you sign someone and he looks good, he could play till Eloy comes up and then be a DH. Probably a better DH in a platoon than Davidson. If there is a definite improvement arranged I understand allocating the dollars to the improvement but I don't see it happening by the tender deadline. I still like the idea of the threat of release leading to a 5 million deal with 3-5 in incentives. If he is great he could make more and if not we save some. Give him 2.5 at signing so he makes a guaranteed 500k more than if you tender and cut. Win-win.

Jimenez- Charlotte (Until April 16th) Cease- AA to start as only 52 innings there last year. Also makes it easier to not bring up at end of year for service time if he doesn't start out at AAA.  Robert- Winston- Salem , to AA when Basabe goes to AAA hopefully. Madrigal- Winston-Salem Dunning- Birmingham Rutherford- Birmingham Collins- AA if Zavala is in AAA. AAA if Zavala makes MLB roster. Basabe- Birmingham (Spends most of season in Charlotte) Hansen- A+ to start with Zaleski as previously suggested. Then AA, hopefully briefly before AAA. Adolfo- Birmingham, might have to DH awhile if elbow not ready to cut loose on throws from RF Walker- Winston-Salem Burger-rehab assignments 2-4 weeks at a time until AA Gonzalez- Birmingham Sheets- Birmingham

Must be there to work on his defense! ?

Struggled as a starter at AA but I think he did better out of pen.

How about one year 5 million with another 3-5 in incentives. If healthy and productive, he could make as much or even a little more than arbitration prediction. If he is like last year, he gets about five. Add a club option at 8-12 depending on what incentives are reached. Seems fair to both sides.

No it doesn't, it all favors the player. If he is happy then he can leverage the opt out for even more money if he has been productive. If he sucks, he stays and collects his big money, there is no club option to get rid of him.....see for example jason Heyward, Cubs would love for the option to be mutual.

I would love most of the above plan but if I am the Dodgers, rather than give up the prospects for Rodon, I would just print some more money and sign Corbin.

I was wondering about Seager for 3b. Plays everyday, decent glove, LHB would look good in our lineup. However, now 31 with two declining years and has 3 years and nearly 60 million still owed to him. Think you could get him for salary relief with minimal prospect cost but man what I hoped would look good looks like a high risk of burning you.

New article today in the Athletic by Fegan on Burdi. They are hoping for further velocity return but currently working on pitching command vs throwing. It does confirm the velocity drop.

A pretty brutal group without Collins/Burger. 2019 will be interesting for this group. If no one progressing, it opens C/B moving just on need. Also, one of the easiest and cheapest positions to fill via free agency lately on a short term basis.

Agree

There is a good article at the Athletic on the Yankees transformation to a heavy analytic based organization. It was an interesting read. They had a table indicating the size of each teams departments, which they admitted was hard to do as some teams don't release that info or account for people differently. (They claimed two sources though on each team). From other articles I have seen thru the year about players getting and adopting analytics, I thought the Sox were doing well in embracing the changes/technology. The Yankees have a staff of twenty tying the Dodgers for the most in baseball. The White Sox were dead last with two. I understand quantity doesn't equal quality etc but I found this concerning. Any staff or posters with more knowledge or the ability to ask questions of Hahn etc? I do not want to jump to the traditional Sox being cheap answer. The role of analytics is changing the game dramatically and you can either lead or be left behind. At a time of rebuilding and as a lower overall spending team, I would hate to not take advantage of everything out there.

I think Jason is an up and comer who we should keep. He is very early in his career and should improve. Not sure what his contract status is but with the other broadcasting he is doing he has a bright future. I would try to give him a multiyear deal. Perhaps some of his corniness is trying to hard and to justify himself as a relative newbie in a room of veterans. Security may allow him to relax. Thought he did well last night as I watched their broadcast more than the regular one. Also in a world where broadcasters are no longer unique(homers), if nothing else the pitch of his voice makes him instantly recognizable.

I was surprisingly accurate........sadly.

If Leury is a super sub, filling in in CF as well as middle infield, it could work. Davidson RHDH and backup first/third.(needs lots of work at third) Palka LHDH and spell OF in corners. (needs work, could he learn first as well?) I would probably carry Rondon over Delmonico for additional versatility depending on options.

I started with Harry doing Sox games (and Mary Frances Veeck and Friend) listening to a transistor radio picking up WMAQ in Springfield. On west coast swings, I listened under the covers hoping my mom didn't make me turn it off. There was a connection because my dad grew up listening to Harry do Cardinal games. In Alabama now, my son has grown up to be a Sox fan because his dad was. He knows the Hawkisms but it is a little different now days just due to all the media people can listen to. It is sad because announcers are more and more vanilla. He was a homer, he could go nuts, he could ramble but make no mistake...he was ours! Thanks Hawk.

Agree. Every other team is seeing his performance, or lack thereof. Nothing that he is doing would make anyone jump and say, "I gotta have him."

Bingo! You can play your way on (Palka) and off of the 40 man roster.

I think seeing Kopech up and doing well, we felt pretty good about having four young starters for 2019. Felt like add a fifth, Eloy, others improvement and you could be a surprise team. Losing Kopech just seemed to blow all that optimism up.

I feel it just shows we are in for a long 2019 as most prospects won't arrive till later that year(Eloy exception) and as we have seen, few are great right away.