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I actually don't think it's wise for Wheeler to wait. I get the impression that the teams that would go after and pay Cole/Stras are teams that want Cole/Stras. The secondary market is already set for a guy like him, and if anything waiting just removes suiters instead of making them more desperate. There's a lot of mini-markets in the mlb offseason, it's not just one big tier system. I think he'll sign before christmas, I'd be surprised if he is in the waiting group.

Definitely my favorite version, also that the marketing department is on high alert because if they sign they have to print like 500 flyers.

Love the offseason.

Yeah I mean just thinking about Abreu - with runners on he's got an .880 OPS, with runners in scoring position he's got a .958 OPS. Now put a guy like Rendon who was on base 42% of the time last year in front of him...the team just gets offensively so much better.

? How bout ?on soxtalk

If anything I'm surprised he didn't just announce retirement. Going through rehab at age 39 after his crazy career and getting a big payday requires some serious mental endurance.

Yankees seem to think there are players still worth spending money on this year.

that's probably a smart move by them.

I still believe in Benintendi. I think he was in between approaches, and hopefully he reverts to his self. This is a guy who had low strikeouts throughout college, minors and his first few years in pro ball, then spikes this year to 22%. I think he was trying to add more power and ended up diminishing his game. I'd buy low on him all day.

It's that time of year. All baseball news is relevant in the PHT. (if you still see Diamond club let me know because I'm only 5% sure I did it right)

Yeah I don't think this is likely but it's interesting from a roster-building strategy. I think we tend to underrate the impact of an elite talent like Rendon (truly elite, a 1.000 OPS addition to a lineup is insane) when discussing offseason additions because he doesn't fit neatly in. There is a gigantic drop-off in acquired production from Rendon to 2nd place. The only mentioned addition that comes close in 2020 is betts on position player side. Then on pitching side you need to be on strasburg/cole to have that kind of impact.

You know somehow, someway, some incredibly important game is going to happen during the next four years and Covey is going to be jogging in from the bullpen with benny hill theme song playing.

I like Castellanos...I just really get apprehensive over the idea that he is the piece to roll with the next 4 years. Though he would likely leave us space for the churn of finding some pitching/bullpen options each year.

So I do keep thinking about Rendon. One thing that I like about the Grandal signing is it is playing with what the market is giving you with your team situation. The sox have payroll flexibility to add elite talent The team is young and malleable to this point Take the elite talent, basically. There will certainly be a question moving forward about salary level, but if you sign wheeler around 5/90 and Rendon at 32.5 AAv or abouts, you are still around and south of 140. You also then either have excess capacity to trade for RF, or the extreme examples of moving Moncada to OF. The base of the team is at such a high level at that point that you have an easier case to make with Reinsdorf that one extra compelling piece is worth going over for a year or two. And, as many find important, you've done it with just money resources, and also have likely pushed contention into 2020 in a reasonable way. The most difficult decision will be whether ot lose control of robert/madrigal to really take advantage. Roster, compelling: C Grandal/McCann 1b Abreu 2b Madrigal or Moncada 3b Rendon SS Anderson LF Eloy CF Robert RF Moncada and or addition using Madrigal Pitching staff: Giolito/Wheeler/Kopech/Cease/Lopez/Rodon/Covey that lineup has only really one possibly below avg. offensively player in madrigal and a DH of likely collins whose bat would be part time. Robert is also a risk his first year. The pitching staff is a question mark. But I am more comfortable going year by year with pitching as long as we can soak in up to the 160mill range on a given year. It is more interesting than we would think, but more disruptive than the lego piece addition of grabbing a RFer. And while that thread of "would you rather have machado or 250 mill" if it instead becomes rendon that actually was a choice and my answer would be rendon.

But it's also important to point out that Engel is a better hitter than Billy Hamilton.

Last night was fun but man the rotations and subs boylen makes are so terrible. Lauri has been toast since that 4 OT game last year. Really wonder if he has a condition. He’s been awful.

Abreu is better with RISP though. Pressing isn’t an issue.

(Adam Engel crushed LHP last year*) (*in like 80 pas)

Just reading the tea leaves, seems like Ozuna is going to get crushed in this market. I wonder if he even makes it to 60 mill

The Mets are one of the few teams worse than the Sox defensively, and the addition of Robert and a good defensive RF could be a big help to players like Wheeler (in addition to grandal)

I would just like the long term RF fix (doesn’t have to be this year) to be a plus defender. One thing with the Mets, I do think the most attractive deal to them included “today” assets. One would be bummer -> so you’d need to anticipate spending on maybe a Pomeranz. An interesting one could be Rodon. Gives them 1.5 years of a cheap starter, possible elite bullpen. I don’t really buy the latter but VW seems to have a different feel than other Gms as he is in addition mode so who knows. Id rather give more for Conforto though if possible.

Guys it’s pretty clear. Last year we had the option to sign Manny machado and nobody else for the next decade, or not sign him and be able to sign other players each year. Sox made right choice imo

But they do still put money aside for the deferrals in current years in practice don’t they? On it’s face it’s just a lot of weird stuff you’d typically see from a team trying to skirt a cap or lux tax line which theoretically they will not be. OTOH that would be nice.

Is there any good writing on why this contract may have been structured the way it was? I know re-writing the QO is hard, but as people talk about the benefit of the signing bonus I'm confused why it would in particular benefit the sox. And while it would look like what...13.5 or so million on the books next year, do sox consider it 16 mill spent this offseason? Seems so weird they even wanted to do the deferrals.

I would like going back to the baseball offseason where everything is mostly wrapped up before Christmas.