Balta1701

So I believe I should conclude that this headline is true for some definition of the words offer, submitted, white sox, harper, and no.

Um...huh? Not sure if serious.

IF they all stay healthy, and big IF, I'd be ok rolling the dice with that top 6 going into 2020, especially if we could get anything positive out of the other 3 guys at AAA that we haven't added to the 40 man yet. However, lots of ways that could go, so here's some other options: On the FA market next year there's a clear big 3 of Sale, Verlander, Cole, with Bumgarner just outside that and in position to make it a big 4 if he stays healthy. They could all be looking at upwards of $20 mil per year - if we're after a guy on a short term deal to be a TOR guy, Verlander or Bumgarner could fill those roles pretty well. If they're healthy, Sale and Cole would probably look at much longer deals. Even if we signed both Machado and Harper, we should have room for 1 more big addition if that's what we wanted to do. If we want someone just to be a stabilizing influence, the next tier of pitchers looks to have Porcello, Jhoulys Chacin who has sort of pitched himself into a Charlie Morton type contract, Cole Hamels, Zach Wheeler, and Alex Wood. Barring injury, those guys probably will be in the multi-year but not breaking the bank range - that's the range I hate the most on the FA market as I think it is loaded with the biggest overpays and most likely flops, but it might fill our needs. There's a couple of innings eater guys, Jake Odorizzi, Ivan Nova. Then, if you want someone who is higher risk with some upside, you've got guys like Michael Wacha, Sonny Gray, Michael Pineda, Henderson Alvarez (depending on what they do this year they could climb to a higher tier). These guys might be reasonable targets if all 6 pitchers stay healthy this year and we just want someone to slide back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen as needed. Finally, you'll have any pitcher who signs a 1 year deal this year or anyone who doesn't have an option picked up or who is non-tendered like Mike Fiers was this year. In all honesty, the most intriguing name that might fit that description could be Jose Quintana, if the Cubs find themselves over the luxury tax next offseason and Quintana puts up another 2018 season they might well cut the cord. Julio Teheran could be in that group too, although the Braves payroll isn't in as bad of shape as the Cubs. Jake Arrieta and Stephen Strasburg have player opt out clauses that could put them on the list also. Basically, if we need to fill pitching roles next offseason, even if some of these guys are extended, there is pitching available to suit almost any price tag.

https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player-vs-batter.php?id=9318

Now that this is done - guys, stop creating plans that assume low to mid level guys will be bargains on the free agent market. They never are.

Correct.

Genuinely surprised he did not go to the Astros. How long is the deal?

Repeating warning today - the personal attacks are unnecessary and specific posters have received warnings and more for them already. When specific people push this thread over the edge those people will be taking a break from this forum.

So you'd rather run out Adam Jones and Curtis Granderson and pay a greater price for the privilege? Would you buy more tickets to see those guys? I'd say the chances of one of the guys you listed being on the next white sox team to make the playoffs is about equal to the chances that one of these end of career guys will be surprisingly good and tradeable for something useful, and that latter option is still more expensive.

What's more likely, Cordell/Delmonico being good enough to actually hold down 1 OF spot, or Curtis Granderson or Adam Jones being good enough to actually be tradeable for something? I guess you could talk me into Avi as he's younger, but blah. I don't find that spending to be compelling. I could be talked into Moustakas too, but I still dislike the idea of moving Moncada just because you drafted someone at his position and that guy might be good enough in a few years, so same reply on all the 2b guys you listed. And Yolmer hasn't been that much worse than Moustakas.

There's no earthly reason for him to take 8/$300 over 10/$350 if both of them include opt outs after year 4.

If you swap in Brantley, Grandal, and Pollack....that team would still be bad, maybe not "good god bad" but still pretty bad, but they'd be more expensive! Is getting rid of the "good god" worth $40-50 million next year?

I think last year was more boring and 2015-2016 produced far more frustration and anger.

If they were really desperate to make those moves, those moves are there to be made and teams aren't making them. That's telling me that the Dodgers aren't desperate to make those moves. When we needed to make moves - to sell off Sale and Eaton, or in RH's poor attempts to be competitive in 15, he was making them. If they're desperate to move salary, they should be moving salary right now and they're not. That at least tells me they're ok with making minor moves later if thats' what it comes to. (Edit: Pending results of next 2 days of course)

The Dodgers may be thinking of unloading contracts, but notably they have not yet done so. When a move requires 3 or 4 steps to happen first, and none of those steps have happened, it makes the latter move less likely.

The Red Sox also rushed him. The White Sox put him in AAA and his numbers were very much not deserving of a callup. He was hitting poorly from the right hand side, striking out too often, injured, and showing that he had bad habits that people were exploiting to strike him out. He had an .850+ OPS in April and May but it declined to .760 in June and July, down to .733 his last 7 games before being called up. It was not the worst case of rushing a player we've seen recently, that's Carson Fulmer, but it was absolutely not a player who could go and write an article saying "Call me up I'm ready".

2021. It's the year that everyone should be arrived, the whole outfield, everything at W-S last year should be up, it's the first arbitration year for Moncada, Lopez, and Giolito so they're still cheap. The guys they don't have room for should be tradeable for an extra all star or two. This team should be f***ing loaded in 2021. If it isn't, then this front office completely blew their talent evaluation and development to a degree I haven't seen in baseball in my lifetime.

out of the recent title winners, the Giants, Royals, and Astros all pretty much won their titles without signing a top tier FA. They were carried by huge performances out of guys their system developed and guys that they traded for out of their system. They did sign some FAs, but none of the top level people.

Arenado 2020 still leaves this a potentially strong roster and 3b is the only position where right now our system is an absolute ghost town after Burger's injuries.

Grandal could be an injury to the future if Collins still has a future as a catcher, because he's not going to be nearly as valuable at any other position without a huge improvement with the bat. But, if Collins isn't likely to develop at catcher or his bat just doesn't play at all, then Grandal is blocking no one of concern. So, the question there is do you trust Collins and do you trust the org's ability to develop and evaluate him? I do worry about this one somewhat - we've seen the White Sox before sour on guys at the catcher spot who then go on to become better catchers with other organizations.

Genuinely somewhat surprised that Cleveland hasn't gotten anything done yet. If nothing happens with them today then I'm gonna guess that they go into next season without making any of the big trades they talked about.

Omar?

With Kopech hurt and Giolito and Moncada seeming like long term development projects...not really. That might apply a lot better for 2020.

Do they?

If there was no mutiny after 2016 when people tried to pretend to care, no one will mutiny and run them out of town right now because right now there's virtually no one left who cares.