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Agreed . This why most of the trade speculation around here revolves around Vaughn, Sheets and more recently Eloy. Too many out of position players , too many 1B /DH types, too right handed, not enough Starting pitching, and too many bad choices. I've been trying to take on the task in my head of getting better defensively getting more LH via taking on salary or trading some of those guys. Most people are attached to certain young guys be it Vaughn, Crochet, Eloy or Sheets and don't want to mess with their upsides but in essence it has to be done. Without a strong farm it's hard to be competitive in trades so some trades to fill glaring holes would be painful. So many want it all to be pain free. Plenty here didn't want Rodon back or to give him a QO. That involves risk and gnashing of teeth. Losing Rodon and Tepera, stating the need to trade Kimbrel and moving Kopech and Crochet into different roles were the 1st steps that the bullpen became TLR/Hahn/Reinsdorf's primary concern because it could be addressed with less money. Bad choices all the way around. So bad in fact that the whole process has , so far, yielded no results regarding starting pitching , defense and balancing the lineup which were Hahn's stated goals . It's pretty mind boggling, but if you believe in the past as an indicator of the future from them, not totally unexpected.

I might have to go all the way back to my proposed Cano trade ?

OK I said I wasn't up for it but I couldn't help myself so I proposed 2 different trades.

Dodgers probably have 7 top 100 prospects if you take into account how many publications make those list. I have no idea how many the Sox might have 0 ? 1?

Lets say Eloy and Bellinger both reach the peak of their games in 2022. $17M for 7 WAR would be a bargain but since you're trading Eloy and his $7M this year it's really only $10M. What's Eloy worth in WAR if he reaches his peak Value with his defense, 4 WAR ? If Dodgers throw in a top prospect like Diego Cartaya , Miguel Vargas or Bobby Miller plus a lower rated prospect, I'd be fine with trading Eloy's upside offense, 5 years, and terrible defense for Bellingers upside WAR, 2 yrs and very good defense plus a TOP 100 prospect and someone else in the Dodgers TOP 30. The winner of that trade depends on who stays healthier. So it could backfire if Eloy stays healthy (ha) and Bellinger doesn't.

Ok I'm spitballing of course so I'm open to other opinions and most proposed trades, in that vein, are unlikely. An Eloy for Marte and Varsho may improve the White Sox though. I know that's up for debate. Marte has had some injury problems the last 2 years but is a pretty good 2nd baseman and outfielder while Varsho is a pretty good OF /C . Marte is a switch hitter while Varsho is LH and displays decent upside with his bat. Improve OF and 2b defense and gets the Sox more left handed. Eloy for Bellinger is 2 often injured guys . One can't play the OF and Bellinger's upside is 7 WAR, very good in the OF and 1st base. Eloy has 5 years left and Bellinger just 2. Improve's the defense and provides more upside in WAR than Eloy . Dodgers would have to make up for the difference in years with a very good prospect or 2 of which they have plenty . Also gives the Dodgers some cost certainty and CBT relief.

All true but if you wait and he gets injured again for a good part of the season we'll keep waiting for that upside while he becomes worth even less. Him playing DH more would mitigate some of that injury downside but theoretically isn't he worth more as a LF than as a DH ? Eloy so far has been an injury magnet. Plenty of times it involved playing the OF but he's also had minor injuries from sliding into home, getting hit by a foul ball in the dugout and celebrating Gio's no hitter. Trading him would open up LF for Vaughn . Maybe trading him gets someone good and LH for RF . Eloy still has plenty of value from his upside and contract extension so it might be selling low but not that low. Maybe Arizona Ketel Marte and Daulton Varsho would improve the Sox.

I think that would be a serious miscalculation on Conforto's or Boras' part. I think Conforto hasn't signed because of the 1 bad year more than the extra draft pick, though both play a role. Conforto needs to play a full season this year and do well to reestablish his worth. July is when the draft pick compensation is removed ? That's a long time to just expect him to ramp right up to his old self and 1 injury where he misses a month screws up that plan even more.

I agree with all of this. A Conforto deal must have an opt . The problem with an opt out after 1 year is that he has the draft pick attached to him so teams aren't exactly lining up to give him that opt out after 1 . He's between a rock and a hard place. Anyone willing to go 4 yrs on him won't want an opt out after just 1 yr. I'm pretty confident he is looking for 4 years. He already bet on himself once if its true the Mets offered him $100M prior to the 2021 and he refused it. He then proceeded to get injured and play badly. Unless he's got too much pride, he won't do that again because 2 straight years of underwhelming performance would crush his worth.

Oh this is right up my alley but,alas ,I'm not up for it. I had some scenario's in my head like Eloy for Winker, get a Reds Starting pitcher, Tyler Naquin in a blockbuster but Reds have already dumped Winker and Sonny Gray and don't look like they want to trade Mahle and Castillo.

I am always in favor of more Left handed pop especially in the OF and on the bench. But since the Sox have failed to address LH pop in RF and ignored it completely at 2B, and still haven't pulled the trigger on a SP or got rid of Kimbrel, I would be thrilled if they converted on their stated priorities . If they did that then depth isn't an issue. A bunch of injuries, sure things look a lot worse like last year. They haven't converted on anything yet except rebuilding the bullpen . They do what they say they wanted to do and things get better depth wise.

Sorry , it was Squirmin'.

Didn't you say a few times that 5/110 was reasonable ? That's $22M per year.

Not me . He must go!

I think you may be underestimating the savvy of the board. Sure Bellinger and a few others have been discussed because every time a new name pops up we discuss the merits of it. Pretty sure it's the exact opposite and 80% of the board is just hoping to be rid of Kimbrel as fast as possible and expects mostly nothing. If Hahn can actually get something would be a big shock to most of us.

There is a DH platoon and it will be determined on who we face. RHP will be Sheets,Grandal,Vaughn, Eloy ,Abreu etc based on who needs rest and who is performing. The Sox still don't have enough quality LH hitters to actually take much time away from Sheets at DH. His performance will dictate how much he actuallyplay there. Same thing with facing lefties Vaughn with Engel in RF, Grandal, Abreu, Eloy. Leury will always be in the mix sporadically at DH and RF no matter who pitches. There are no eggs in the basket among those 4 for this year. Mercedes isn't even a considering for much of anything except to be released. Grandal @ DH you are right though a good defensive catcher seems like more of a priority than their hitting. I don't know much about Carlos Perez so he might fill that need internally.

Look I've always liked Engel but he's 30 now and despite getting better offensively he hasn't been able to stay on the field long enough to prove anything. Engel is far down the list of guys needing AB's. He had a huge opportunity last year to prove he could be more than we thought he is but he just couldn't keep his body together. It's a shame really . Love the guy for defense but I don't take AB's away from Vaughn for Engel. Vaughn is the future and the future needs to get here faster. Engel hopefully can perform the 4th OF to a tee , a start once in a while and defensive replacement many many many times.

I doubt they prioritize him. He's too old and injury prone. Catch him, rest him ,PH him Against lefties u got Vaughn or Eloy in LF Leury in RF and Vaughn or Eloy DH. Against righties you got Sheets, Vaughn ( both guys need all the AB's they can get) Grandal . Rest Grandal early and often give them less opportunities to get injured and beat up. Keep the old dudes fresh for the playoffs. And all the big bats too Robert, Vaughn ,Eloy, Moncada Sheets. Sunday lineups. I don't care. Rinse and repeat . Abreu and Grandal will get DH AB's but TLR has to keep it minimal and let the youth sink or swim. It's their time. A defensive whiz at catcher would be nice too if all other dreams get dashed before the season starts.

That's A.J. to you pal !

Vaughn switches from RF to LF, Rutherford in Rf, Yoelqui in CF. Bennett Sousa now pitching. Hilliard K's, Sousa K's the side. Top7 Burger and Adlofo K, Mendick ground out. McClure in 2 singles to open the inning Yoelqui guns out the runner at 3rd.

Top 6th Eloy walk, Rutherford running for Eloy. Collins DP ground ball. Vaughn ground out .

Spring training Jack no big deal.

Leadoff double by Burger, Single by Adolfo , Mendick forces Adolfo at 2nd , Burger scores. Mendick steals 2nd. Mendick steals 3rd. Leury infield single Mendick stays at 3rd. Robert Sac Fly scores Mendick Sheets lines out to LF . 3 outs. 2 runs , 3H 3-0 Sox, Bottom of 5th, Foster pitching.

Last year's Crochet may not be this years Crochet . Let's wait to see how he's progressed.

Hendriks wiggles out of a 2 out bases loaded situation by K'ing Hilliard. Still 1-0 Sox, Top of 4.