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I'm fairly confident he wont return to form based on research. You don't just give out contracts hoping guys return to form , you put in the work to determine how likely that is. Bellinger shoulder issues but still slim and sleek and athletic likely to stay good defensive player and good baserunner for at least a couple more years. Shoulder makes it highly unlikely he finds his bat again but still useful in other ways . But pretty high premium price for a slight chance he finds offense again. Gallo :He will never be as good as he was defensively because he is much slower now. Sure he's got good instincts in the OF but no longer has the athleticism/speed required to use his good fundamentals to have any defensive rebound. He's a giant of a man. He's slowed down in all aspects. Plus is Gallo really a lottery ticket at $8-10M for a year ? He's more like buying cigarettes, expensive and nasty habit, likely to kill your budget when combined with your constant purchase of buying smokes.

There are or were but when I suggested them and keep suggesting them all I get are TLR emojis from the guy you're talking to. Of course my guys were depth pieces who would've cost next to nothing but Gallo had a good season but odd statistically as recently as 2021 so even though 2022 was putrid and Gallo's giant body is slowing down at a rapid pace he's worth more ? I don't get it either but its basically using career stats to support arguments for guys like Gallo, Bellinger and Conforto but the prices to find out if they are as bad as they have been most recently is very high. Gallo is just aging rapidly and slowing down. Bellinger is still slim and sleek and athletic but can't hit very well now due to a bad shoulder. Conforto had a bad year then was out with injury for another year that was rumored to be from a drunken fall at a party. If I had to chose between the 3 probably would pick Conforto based on who I think among those 3 was likely to help the Sox the most due to how well Conforto hit ( recent past) RHP but if Bellinger got $17.5M for 1 yr whats Conforto going to get ? $22M ? The Sox won't even give MLB contracts to better depth pieces in the OF .$720K is too much when you can sign worse guys to minor league contracts.

#1 Nice #2 If thinking Gallo is ok because he's an actual OFer pegged to play the OF that's about the lowest bar you have to clear to be happy. Yay, he's not a catcher pretending to be an OF. #3 Gallo for 1 year would be bad enough, multiple years appalling. Didn't you say the same thing about Bellinger? I mean more power to you if you want to think those guys could give you something to consider them playable for long stretches . The Cubs paid for defense and baserunning and maybe a 30% chance Bellinger will give them more than 2 War if he can hit only slightly better than he has for the last 2 years in their ballpark. Gallo's huge body is just slowing down rapidly. From 2019 to 2022 his sprint speed went from 69.8 percentile to 46%.

This is getting worse every day. I think I'm just going to stop posting until the season starts. I'm amazed at the amount of blowback I get suggesting upgrades with speed defense and 25 to 28 yrs power bats for depth or as starters. I know they aren't Nimmo but I'm trying to work within whats been reported as the Sox budget. Go on and be happy when you see Leury, Payton, Reyes , Eloy and Sheets back in the OF. No wonder some are thinking Gallo is acceptable when faced with the rest of the crap we've been hearing about. I don't think trading Hendriks would signal a rebuild if they got younger but I'd hope they get some LH guys with 6 years of eligibility and ready to step into an MLB lineup today. Having an elite closer on a .500 team is a waste when the team can't hit either. If Eloy has a 40 HR season in him or Robert has a 30/30 year in him it better be this year. Holding onto Hendriks is holding onto the dream that this team can still win but its also holding onto an asset that will start declining very soon. Tampa Bay would trade him because they trust their player development and scouting enough to take younger guys and develop them. Do that enough and you have a constant influx of young talent at every level ready to step in when your guys get too expensive for you. Depth and youth, thats how TB does it. I don't know who the White Sox are. Clearly JR is willing to spend more than TB on payroll but has never seen the light about creating a powerhouse system. The Dodgers do it and they are also willing to spend large amounts of money. The Sox are mired in mediocrity because the ownership and FO have no idea how to break the cycle or didn't commit to it before the 1st rebuild started. They are themselves mediocre management. I'd rather play upside guys who might struggle but eventually become good players than pay multi millions for Gallo and his quickly diminishing skill set. If this year flops again welcome to another rebuild. Jerry must have made some good profits during the rebuild and wants to do it again.

Just based on prior histories, age scouting reports and previous seasons and all other stuff available my picks were better. Same stuff you always research when determining why one player is better than another. I assume you know all this already but then again you had already made an argument against Garrett using he could be out of options and didnt bother to look it up yourself. SO again you're arguing when you have no idea what you are talking about more against me than the players. I mean when you don't do your own research yet continuously argue against me it has to be personal otherwise you don't care if I keep making you look like an idiot. I mean seriously your continuing this over 31 year old Mark Payton and 28 yr old Victor Reyes ? All I'm trying to do is improve the team very cheaply on the margins yet you want to fight about Payton and Reyes vs Garrett and Aquino seriously ? I would expect any Sox fan to say yea Payton and Reyes are pretty bad depth pieces and those cheap SOB's can't even spent $2M or whatever it would've taken on 2 decent backups. I better not see you crying at all about Leury, Payton or Reyes (if signed) when they replace an injured Sox OF next year. Or when they stick Sheets or Eloy back in the OF.

Thanks Bob. Just pointing out that you wanted more you got less. I wasn't wrong yet you and your wolfpack found reasons to hound me about suggesting sound depth pieces. Get over yourself. Your post wasn't about baseball or baseball players it's about me .

Gallo is fundamentally a good OF . High rating in arm and jumps . Seems to have lost a step or 2. A better RFer than a LF. He didn't fare well in OAA (-5) with the Yankees in LF in 2022 but did much better with the Dodgers (2). Not really enough attempts to make a determination but for the last couple years his OAA has been better in RF. Don't want to go too far back defensively. He's a big guy 6'5" 250 and is down to the 46th percentile in sprint speed when in 2019 he was closer to 70%.

WEll Payton and Reyes (if he signs). There's 2 depth pieces. Kind of makes the idea of Stone Garrett and Arestides Acquino look a lot better . Butt both Payton and Reyes will be minor league contracts. Nats signed Garrett to a MLB contract so slightly more money. Aquino signed with Chunichi Dragons of the NPBL. so he probably got a much better offer. My 2 guys had big power and Aquino a great arm . Aquino, 28, RH, Very good fielder, one of the best arms in baseball, fast, really good jumps. This all easy to find on baseball Savant. .7 fWar in 80 games with the Reds in 2022 based almost purely from defense. Hit tool lacking but basically in his MLB career hit a HR every 16.73 AB's. If you believe in WAR then in 80 games he had more fWar than Vaughn and Sheets combined in 258 games for a -.3 fWar. Garrett ,27, 6 yrs of control, all his options, is fast and hit HR's off Cease and Rodon last year in a 27 game sample size with the Dbacks but he is RH. Reyes is 28, SH, no power , nice arm but not a particularly good fielder. Stone Garrett rejected by the Dbacks who have a ton of good young OFs. Reyes 54 percentile rank sprint speed . Garrett 83rd percentile. Couldnt get Garretts baseball Savant info on his fielding so I assume his time in the OF with the dbacks wasn't enough of a sample size yet. Just another example of minor acquisitions need to cost as little as possible and limiting the quality of depth and losing on the margins. My picks provided speed and power and very good defense, upside and plus power while the Reyes contract isn't official yet the Sox 2 guys have no outstanding skills at all. My guys are RH though Payton is LF and Reyes a SH but on the margins quality means more. I would expect the main acquisition to the OF to be LH.

Avgolemono Sauce is very versatile.

But I thought you thought your friend was messing with you. So you believe he isn't messing with you now Mr. Aintalkinoupolous ? And if so what makes you believe him now?

But payroll is being about the same or cut slightly or raised slightly . Telling me its unacceptable doesn't change that fact . You either work with that or give up.

Please enlighten me of your master plan. I haven't heard it yet . The game isn't played by zips nor do I care that you project a BP performance from one year to another when a better hitting and defensive team changes that all up.

Of course a lot has to go right. The Sox have had their fair share of a lot had to go wrong to play .500 baseball for the last 1.5 years. SO yea maybe we can have a year where a lot goes right for once. A lot has to go right for another rebuild to work too only i'll have to wait another 4 or 5 years to find out. I'll take my chances on 2023 . Start the rebuild in 2024 if you like unless that changes because they Sox accomplished more than expected in 2023.

Some people only know what they don't like and can't tell you what they like until they see what direction the wind is blowing. They only know your plan won't work but are too afraid to submit a plan of their own . That's why we keep seeing buy that or that FA but when told there's no money they tell us Grifol is the key or I don't believe they wont spend more . The Sox have to deconstruct somewhere because they fucked up the construction and if you deconstruct fully welcome to hoping Jerry dies and things get better ? That's just pitiful.

Sorry if I am among those who don't want to enter Jerry's Inferno just yet. So you don't believe Kopech, Lynn, and Giolito can all be better in 2023 ? You don't think Clevinger can be good ? Same question of Eloy, Moncada, Grandal, Anderson, Robert, Vaughn . You don't believer Colas will be worth morein 2022 than the combined -.3 WAR that Vaughn and Sheets put up as OF's in 2021 ? Of those 11 guys I just mentioned how many would it take rebounding or playing significantly enough for the Sox to make the playoffs ?

Do I think the Sox have a legit shot at the playoffs ? Maybe. Would I like to get young players ? Yes DO I think the core can rebound enough to get excited about the Sox again and give us a shot at the playoffs. Yes. DO I think money and players from a Hendriks trade can help the Sox too ? Yes Whats your plan? Should we just say rebuild now and end all discussion for those who want to think there's a road where things go well for 2023 ?

Wow you left out a lot of stuff I've bragged about . And I wasn't referencing you at all in regards to switching teams, just the general stuff I've been reading. I told Sacamano to trust my baseball acumen and he asked me why so I told him. My arguments are always about baseball. I rarely use the words stupid or ridiculous to demean anothers' position. We'll find out later if we are right or wrong. I am very humble when I write my opinions and do my best to back it up with facts or I don't use catch phrases like "its really just that simple to make it seem like my opinion is just so simple and obvious it has to be right." Lets take Vaughn for instance . Do you understand how hard it is around here to go against the grain of popular opinion and continually bash Vaughn for his defense and his hitting during his 1st year playing when the Vaughn hype train was full steam ahead ? He's had a minus WAR in his career . I know full well he's been playing out of position and that's never been his fault but he hasn't helped the team win. Most people just back down and figure why take the abuse ? Now that he'll be at 1st he can help the team win and I expect him to now. If i put myself out there with unpopular opinions which I often do and take the criticism for those opinions am I supposed to be humble and let those same bashers off the hook when they are wrong ? They didn't cut me any slack and I'll return it right back. I'm not a turn the other cheek guy. I'm actually thrilled that I see other people using James Outman in trade ideas with the Dodgers. I feel I am slightly responsible for that. I don't know if he'll ever be any good. All I'm doing is making recommendations based on the what I think is happening with the Sox. I don't waste my typing on speculating on FA's unless I think there's a chance that's a direction the Sox will go and I didn't think that (Thanks to Feagan) except for maybe one pitcher and that already happened. Many don't see a path to the playoffs if you trade Hendriks. I do but it's all up to how the core plays and their health. I like Grifol but I don't think he's a miracle worker. But if he gets the credit if the Sox make the playoffs that's fine by me but Id be more likely to think it's coincidence if, say, Robert and Eloy both play 140 games and have career years, Gio bounces back and Kopech emerges, Lynn stays healthy and does his usual stuff, Anderson becomes 4 WAR Anderson again. Moncada becomes 4 WAR Moncada, Vaughn can actually accrue positive WAR now that he'll play where he's supposed to and Colas is the real deal right away.

I'll blame injuries to the core players almost more than anything. In 2020 did you think Abreu would still be the best player the Sox had in 2022 ? There were 4 guys who should have surpassed him by now yet didn't. I don't even know how you quantify that the players hated the manager . Did it cause them to get injured make them lose their desire to win and make money ? Did they get fat and lazy and not give a damn because of TLR. Did TLR make Vaughn and Sheets play the OF? It happened under his watch but why didn't the Sox get more OFers or get more LH position players ? TLR didn't cause the terrible farm system and lack of depth or the fact the Sox didn't have quality international signings or suck at player development. TLR wasn't the guy who let the same FO in charge of a rebuild that mired them in mediocrity in the 1st place then sabotaged that plan by hiring TLR. You're believing TLR is the root when he is just a branch.

A Hendricks deal would not signal a rebuild. It could eventually but not for 2023 when the Sox could rebound as a franchise under the right set of circumstances.

So because JR signed Albert Belle once it's like the Sox to sign players to the richest contract in baseball history ?

Everyone who posts their opinion thinks it's the right path. I'm no different. I'm not the only one who takes the time to pat himself on the back. I've been here too long to think I'm among the humble but you'll never find me saying I'll switch to another team and no matter how much I think the organization is dysfunctional I do always have a modicum of hope if they'd just do as I say! ? That's a joke !!!

This is a bit pessimistic. And Lord knows I've contributed to the pessimism around here. However with every bashing of Hahn, JR, and the whole backwards organization I do attempt to construct a silver lining scenario. So while I agreed that piecemeal is what they may do. I also think with a bit of health and progress luck and the right Hendricks trade they can win the division this year or more. We really have no idea what he might bring back in trade or how bad his loss would hurt which is where I thought you were overly pessimistic. Keep talking to the Dodgers. Hope they find an OFer they like but have trouble finding a closer. The Diaz and Jansen signings raise Hendrik's value.Maybe a larger trade can be made . I've often argued the Sox were not as talented as we think and that argument has always been based on results .I do think they are potentially talented but injuries and malaise have combined the last 2 years to rob them of showcasing that potential. The silver lining is maybe this could be the year it happens. The last 1.5 years has been a series of disasters but there is a light at the end of the tunnel but it's a winding track through the tunnel so the light is often not in view.

Uh huh just like a certain someone around here thinks Grifol will make a big impact who was also the most outspoken from the second LaRussa was hired. JR should always be public enemy No. 1 followed in no particular order by Hahn ,TLR ,players . I also believe the rebuild was headed for disaster with or without TLR. He may have just accelerated the timer of that bomb.

Ancient history. Can we at least stick to Hahn's tenure when discussing "unlike Sox moves". I'm not sure even with the new rules anyone is going to steal 100 bases again but it makes it more likely. Plus Pods was coming off a 70 stolen bases year in 2004.

if you read what I said carefully you'll see I didnt say all 3 things exploit the new rules. I said those are the types of guys I want. Then I said exploit the new rules which is actually the speed, stolen bases and LH part.