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I agree wholeheartedly and it's why I don't believe sustained success is realistic because they never prepared the whole system for it.

From MLBTR from April 11,2019 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/04/mlb-releases-2019-20-international-bonus-pools.html Major League Baseball has released the bonus pools for each team for the 2019-20 international market, as Baseball America’s Ben Badler provides. There are no longer any carryover spending limitations from the prior international system, so every team is free now to operate without limitation under the new rules — though there is one organization that still faces a notable limitation. (Braves) Also from MLBTR for the 2018-2019 signing period. Under the previous CBA’s signing system, teams were penalized for going over their pool limits by being limited to signing players for no more than $300K. Eight teams (the Astros, A’s, Braves, Cardinals, Nationals, Padres, Reds, and White Sox) are still under this penalty for the 2018-19 international pool, though seven of them will be able to exceed the $300K once the 2019-20 int’l signing period opens on July 2, 2019. The Braves are the exception .. The Sox traded Jones in late July so the Sox were able to exceed the 300K limit after July 2nd, 2019. They gave up $1M of the slot money to the Rangers. They got 2 pitchers in return but as many here and on twitter thought it was a very strange deal . And again in case you missed it many teams made signings before the Sox were in the penalty. What did the Sox do? Do they have anyone valuable to the team now because of signing some 16 yr olds before the penalties like the Twins did /6/7/8 years ago. The Twins are just a small sample of teams that got great value from that money just as the Sox couldve done had they kept Tatis or spent it on others in the Tatis years or before the Robert penalty. No argument can be made otherwise. Ad apparently what you just told me since I gave you proof from MLBTR was wrong and the things you got right like the 300K limit I had already posted .

They've traded it a few times in the near past and before that. The most recent was withTX to take Nate Jones meaning they had money they could have used but didn't. Other times when they were in the penalty they could only sign players at 300K or less. That means they could have used all the money but on more inexpensive types but chose not to do the quantity over quality type signings. My main point is use the money MLB gives you to sustain success instead of discarding it. Guys like Robles and Acuna and many others come from that money. There are many success stories out there and Sox have none because they ignored it and had the Wilder scandal. The one success story they could have had was traded away , Tatis, Jr. Accumulate assets. MLB gives each team free money to do just that and its largely been squandered until Luis Robert . A part of the Twins success this year is based on 3 guys they developed through IFA. The Nats have Robles, Braves Acuna and on and on.

Everyone knows ALonso and Jay were Manny acquisitions . It's also probably why the Sox supposedly had interest in Nelson Cruz, If anyone remembers Manny wrote an article in the Players Tribune on why he was playing for the DR in the WBC and it emphasized family. So it's perhaps the reason why the Sox did what they did regarding Machado. It might also be the reason for Colome and Nova and Welington Castillo from earlier , all team mates on that 2017 team. I'm as leery of the front office as you and there are some good value picks out there along with the headliner. Our best hope is they get 2 headliners 1 from the starting pitching group and 1 from positional players then mix and match to maximize power, OBP, left handedness , positional versatiilty, defense and the bullpen. If they keep these things in mind there are plenty of names that could be had on reasonable deals, I do not expect failure but I also do not expect 100% hits and I also don't expect them to fill all the holes to make a playoff team but enough to put the Sox into a position for a big run in 2021. Betts can be discussed then if available.

Get a clue and stop trading your International Bonus Pool money and trade up once in a while .

But that just relegates the Collins dilemma to another year of waiting and I think next year is the year he really needs to show what he has with the Sox since Kopech Cease Robert Madrigal will all be in the beginning stages of their careers and Lopez also needs another year also which is why I don't see a playoff appearance next year but with the other signings we proposed might get us close to the playoffs or at least into the mid 80's+ in wins. Young pitchers could take 2-3 years to find the right combination of pitches and command to reach full potential but hopefully because of pedigree they can be good by the 2nd year like Giolito did but I see that as the exception rather than the rule. Some of those guys might not ever find it much like Rodon who only showed flashes but never found the consistency due to injury or being unable to sustain it for long stretches.

Um Greg. Moose has never played RF in his whole MLB career. Try DH, 3rd, 2nd and 1st. And if we do sign him he'll have to basically split time at 1st and DH with Abreu and then get around to filling in for Moncada and Madrigal. Moose would be a full time player with the Sox otherwise he wouldn't sign with us.

The $5M or under part is the tricky part. We can literally look at 200 fringe/injured guys or AAAA types and pick 10 of them and still might not get the value. It's the hardest thing to do and the Sox got extremely lucky they found value in McCann and Marshall. Look at all the crap they tried and never panned out. You could probably find 15 guys over the last 3 years they took fliers on and missed. We never did find our Max Muncy. Palka was the closest we got and he got nowhere close to the positional versatility and OBP of Muncy. Another guy is how the Astro's fleeced the Dodgers for Yordan Alvarez or how a guy like Arestides Aquino was kept by the Reds. If I had to choose I'd still scour the young guys who can provide even wild unimaginable upside like somehow Marcus Semien improved his D and hitting to get 8 WAR. It's also one of the reasons the Sox shouldn't be trading their draft picks yet and putting more money in the international free agency and not trading that money away. I'm not really that confident that we have the personnel in player development/scouting or even the tools to identify the next Muncy , Semien , Alvarez or Aquino since some of that is just looking in the right place at the right time or just keeping a very long list of players to keep an eye on and pouncing on them if they become available even for a short period of time like Aquino.

or Gardner might be even better.

I agree with these 2 in the most polite way I can think of saying hell no. Never ever trade for 1 year of a great player headed to free agency. It's lunacy especially with so many young players who still need to prove themselves ( Kopech , Cease, Collins, Robert, Madrigal. Lopez and Rodon and Dunning coming back in the 2nd half also having to prove themselves. I know many want to be in the playoffs next year but it's not quite there yet. Solidify the roster, get rid of much of the dead weight and give the team some more OBP, lefthanders and versatility and then when /if if he hit's free agency tackle it then. If he get's extended by Boston so be it. It will not crush the rebuild but trading for him and hoping for an extension just might crush it. The elephant you talked about is a Mastodon like those LOTR's creatures and you aren't doing them any favors putting them in a position for even bigger mistakes.

Yea i didn't mind the Maybin signing and in my scenario Holt has played plenty of OF but not CF which is where Maybe comes in or in my case Gardner who gives you the , LH ,OBP ( not great but not bad depending on his batting average) and the power . I know Collins needs a look as do many others like Kopech, Cease, Lopez, Robert and Madrigal so not sure the division is realistic next year with a whole bunch of basically guys in their 1st seasons. I'm thinking Eloy turns into our version of JDM next year which is why I thinkJDM isn't needed . Just too much bad D and not enough LH or versatility.

The Collins dilemma is the only thing bugging me. I really don't expect the Sox to contend because they need to make so many upgrades and I doubt they can pull them all off. Plus they need more/better result from Kopech, Cease, Lopez, Collins, Robert , Rodon, Dunning and Madrigal. Basically they are still too young in 2020. And I still don't like trading any of then except perhaps Collins . He will K a lot no matter what but if he can not be terrible behind the plate and a good arm and game caller and get on base and provide power , play some decent 1st base he really can be a key piece to the rebuild .

Why would they extend Ozuna when they have Carlson waiting to play ? Sox really need Bummer.

Yolmer out WARs Holt mainly because he is all defense and I basically have come to the conclusion that WAR assigns too much value for defense . I'd rather have the better hitter who plays average to slightly above average defense than the all glove/no hit in the lineup in case of injury, Sox can't wait for Yolmer to figure out what the pitchers are doing to him when he K's too much and hit for no power with the juicy ball. Holt is much more consistent hitting and won't hurt you with his baseball smarts like Leury does.

I always appreciate so much effort being put into a post like this so it's great. I also think you are a very legit poster. However Moncada and Nimmo are the only lefties in the starting lineup. I'd like at least one more. Bench seems a little thin and the BP is also thin on the back end If you have Maybin and Mendick why do you need Leury ? I'd much rather have Holt or take a flyer on a guy who may have more upside if he can bounce back like Gennett . JDM and Cole are way too expensive when you can go much cheaper and provide more depth with Moose , Gardner both LH with Moose providing the depth at 2nd, 3rd and 1st. Also won't have to trade for Nimmo and perhaps get Grandal instead for more power , OBP and to split catcher and DH to keep him and McCann fresher. You can use the money saved on JDM and Cole for another top of the line starting pitcher and perhaps another starter another BP arm and have Rodon and even Dunning back to provide either SP or bullpen depth in the 2nd half. I know I haven't broken it down salary wise like you did so i know there might be some holes I haven't quite figured out. Maybe you trade Collins for the extra BP arm and some minor leaguer.

Until Robert comes up Leury or Engel might be needed, Or if you get Gardner in CF and Brock Holt in RF until he does. Or if you get Nimmo he leads off plays CF and Holt in RF until then.

Ha yea I'm going to leave that to others to figure out, I was thinking Mets maybe for Nimmo , Got to hope Nimmo gets back to his 2018 self. That guy was a 20-25 HR good fielding , OBP wiz.

Yea I tackled the whole Collins issue above before I even read this.

I'm good with Brock Holt being the lefty and main backup for 2nd , 3rd , SS ,LF or RF. He has also played 1st base too. I think he's a much headier and fundamentally sound player than Leury. Maybe there's room for both on the bench since can't overwork Gardner on days Robert needs off then also play him full time in RF . One catcher would also always be on the bench. Wish I had a crystal ball on Collins . He will need reps with the Sox and not sure how he gets them unless he plays catcher as much as McCann with occasional DH duties and 1st base. A good Collins would eliminate the need for Grandal or Moose but it's always his catching abilities that come back around into the equation. He is the main reason I don't see the Sox going after Grandal. Or he gets traded and the Sox do go after Grandal or just figure McCann and Castro is good enough at catcher Many many ways they could go . Collins and Vaughn might be the biggest trade pieces the Sox have if they decide to trade any prospects but I know no one wants Vaughn traded since his arrival and Abreu's departure almost seem in lockstep.

Ha thanks . Sox need to gently nudge Abreu away from 1st base. That's why i like Moose to split DH/1st with him while still getting occasional starts at 3rd and 2nd. And when Moose doesn't start a big power option on the bench. It also eliminates the need for JDM and the cost associated with him and go after that 1 or 2 starter we need or Grandal. Then the 3 major expenditures are top of rotation SP and Grandal and then possibly a #4 starter like Odorizzi. Keep Lopez at 5 and Rodon and if possible Dunning could provide the BP with punch or at starter if someone is sucking.

Haven't heard Jason Castro's name thrown out there. Not a bad idea. Still not thrilled with JDM since he's a no go basically for any defensive purpose, Gardner shouldn't be too expensive and provides depth in CF while he starts in RF and he's likely to hit as many HR's as Mazara while playing better defense. Mazara's upside HR total is higher but Gardner better D by far and also OBP . Of course if Mazara breaks out with us he's a great choice but odds of that are low but I'd understand the gamble since you always look at upside, then you get nice pieces for him when he hits FA in 2 years.Gardner might even be a good influence on Eloy. Save some money from JDM if you want to explore the Grandal option or Moose for DH, backup at 1st or purely 1st base if Abreu can mostly shift to DH. But ABreu and Moose can split DH or however they can work it out. Moose can also provide a heck of a lot of depth at 3rd and 2nd base too. Starting pitcher still needs as close to a 1 or 2 that we can get. Not sure Ordorizzi or Wacha is that. Lots and lots of ways they can go but always have to keep LH , power, OBP and, positional versatility and defense in mind when discussing it all.

I did look just to see if he could still play CF and that seals it for me. He is a better option than Dickerson in fielding versatility and the power and OBP is equal .Dickerson OPS much higher and likely to be since that HR total for Gardner seems like an outlier but with the juicy ball maybe it isn't. So yea I'm convinced since I've been preaching versatility . So goodbye Engel along with Yolmer and Leury too. Maybe they could be used in some minor trades. Maybe keep Engel in AAA if possible.

For Holt and or Dickerson meaning $10M a year or less than that. I haven't given what it takes to get Gardner much thought but I like the idea and trust your judgement on it. I'm good since I haven't even figured out a backup in CF while I'm upgrading the bench and Gardner can still backup CF can't he ?

"This makes it sound like you're asking what we trade for him." Sorry my wording was bad. I meant what contract would you offer him and again it may create two bad defenders in the outfield. I don't mind Moose as DH, in my "Realistic Plan" thread I took Grandal over Moose and would use Grandal as DH/1B on non catching days. If Collins is going to play he will have to earn it and could as I think there are bats there for all. If McCann hits like he has in the second half, he won't be wanted for DH at bats. Again I was being realistic in that we have limits in spending and I spent on C/DH, 2 SP, and a RF option I feel is a lot better than most (Gardner). I agree with you we need LH bats which is what I added. Moose at 12 million easy isn't a bench player and likely doesn't want to be primarily a DH. Kendrick made 4 million. His WAR 2.9 vs 2.2 Yolmer. Would he take being a bench bat? I generally like the Gradner option but again i'm trying to stick with younger guys but then again an older guy is one of those not ideal guys I mentioned and certainly is a good fielder. I could live with that but having 2 older guys like Gardner and Kendrick is too much.

Well if you plan to use a lot of the budget on starting pitching, somewhere you are going to have to settle for someone not ideal. I don't think he is a terrible fielder like Catellanos or a personality risk like Puig or too expensive like Ozuna or Grandal might be . I think the bench needs upgrades that shouldn't be too expensive like Holt, Mendick, Moose or Gennett. Plus there's the OBP problem to think about and Grandal fills that bill best I suppose so if you spend the majority of money on starting pitching and Grandal then it might not leave much for RF and bench depth which is why I'm thinking Holt and Dickerson . I don't think either one will require much more if even $10M a year for 2 years. Might even get Dickerson for 1 year but if there's enough left for someone better we can get better. He has always been a really good hitter though.