southsider2k5

I don't believe for a second that a TV network is waiting to see how many games this team wins in 2019. These negotiations have most likely being going on for quite a while now by the interested parties. The Sox entered this tank knowing full well that their TV deal ended at the end of this year, which means they also weren't too worried about this affecting their TV deal longer term. If they were really worried about it, they would have known two years ago that this team was still going to be mediocre to bad this year, and wouldn't have engaged in this team building strategy.

I wouldn't even be opposed to figuring out a 3 way deal to move Diaz on to someone else for a prospect truck full. The prices for closers are pretty insane right now.

If 60% of the rotation fails because of who was behind them years before, they never had a chance anyway.

If dollars are thrown in, the return for the Sox isn't Diaz or the Sox end up having to pay a high prospect price to do it, therefore neglecting the reason for doing the deal in the first place.

Yet, it didn't ruin the Astros core, or their playoff chances.

I am going to guess that he comes to spring training with a chance to open in Kannapolis, but if not Great Falls.

If Cano brought us an elite long term closer, or some level of a mix of top prospects, why wouldn't you? It is getting you talent that will be on your next playoff team. To be clearer, the deal isn't about Cano. Cano would be a means to get more young and cost controlled talent that will be here for the next playoff team.

This really isn't true though. There are a fair amount of players off of that 111 loss team that ended up being good major leaguers. Altuve, JD Martinez, Dallas Keuchel, Marwin Gonzalez, with only Martinez not being on the championship team.

Diaz would be a great asset to have who will be around long term. He would be on the next playoff team. My first choice would be for someone like Justus Sheffield or a list of about 3 of their next level guys (they have some interesting looking international players as well), but Diaz is a guy who will either be your long term close on the next playoff team, or he will be a guy that another team would back up the truck prospect truck for. Either way, we are talking about some long term assets. As long as we aren't giving up anything of value to do the deal because we are taking on Cano, I am all for a move like this. I would also throw a Zach Grienke out there as another person to set up a deal like this around.

This it the type of deal I would like to see happen.

And can we get rid of the idea that kids somehow can't recover from bad seasons? Houston lost 106/107/111/92 games over a 4 year stretch. It sure hasn't seemed to stop them from winning once the talent got to Houston.

The majority of the talent won't be though. The first guy to hit it is Rodon in 2022. Giolito/Moncada/Lopez is 2024. Those guys will be hitting their first arb year in 2021. Tim Anderson can't leave until after the 2024 season. They won't get "expensive" as a unit until 2023 and really 2024 the way that the arbitration system is set up. This team is setting up primed for a revival in 2020, and to get the attention of MLB in 2021, which is the typical curve for a full rebuild. That gives a solid window of a few years, plus keeps the pipeline cranking for what they do in 17-21 in terms of minor league talent acquisition. That is also why having as much talent as possible coming through the system is important. Again, keep in mind the KC revival broke down when their pipeline broke down. Houston has been able to continue because of the internal talent they have been able to both call up, and to trade. That way if a Carlos Rodon is set to leave in 2022, the next guy up is ready to step in, instead of it all collapsing like we saw in KC.

This team doesn't need to be better in the short term. It needs to be positioned for the long run. This is 100% of what a rebuild is supposed to be about.

I have zero interest in the 2nd and 3rd tier guys. It is either Harper/Machado, or another year like last year's off-season.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/white-sox/sox-drawer-qa-could-white-sox-go-after-edwin-diaz

This. Outside of a couple of filler pieces necessary for next year, the question should be will this player be a part of our next playoff team. If the answer is no, move on.

They should shoot for a whale first, and if that doesn't work, keep to the original plan. Find a starter or two to fill the rotation. Find a reliever or two to round out the pen. Load up on MiLB deals, and see what happens with the talent you have next year.

If we land a whale, or a whale wants us to sign someone to get them, that is a different story. Realistically, we aren't going to be playing meaningful games in September until at least 2020, if not 2021. Sure, a miracle could happen and literally every single player could play up to their potential all at once, at the exact same time we add only the free agents who have career years next year, but what are the odds of this actually happening? Do you build your off-season around the most likely scenarios, or do you build it around a one in a thousand chance?

Elite talents signed long term matches our timeline. 1 year deals for 2nd tier players does not. Incremental improvements is exactly what we are working on here, and will see next year.

NO idea where to put this, but this clip is mesmerizing and awesome all at the same time.