southsider2k5

That's just it, they aren't in the same league, which is why a comp doesn't work. They are completely different players off paper. Even with his injuries, Luis Robert is a top quint-tile CF. Bellinger is maybe a CF if your other choice is Judge. In general we are talking about a WAY lower ceiling, both offensively and defensively since last decade. Peak Robert is MVP worthy, Belly being at his best is more like ASG worthy. It's about more than WAR and age.

But WE are not. The comp doesn't really work.

In any given year you expect some guys to be better than their norms and some others to be worse. Even as a team you can have years where there are more bad years than you expect, but ever since the TLR hire, the entire franchise has been on a creep backwards. I am not convinced this is just a "bad luck" thing. I don't think I would bet on the under, but I am sure not ready to bet on the over either.

When literally everything goes wrong like that it tells me that the problems were bigger than just the players.

another great example of why Luis Robert at 15 to 20 million options isn't a big deal at all.

They are paying him like a starter

When Acuna was being pitched as the next Sox utility guy, that's why.

Is the gamble. I don't need another Nicky Lopez. That does nothing for me.

And removing at least Crochet, and probably Robert, is probably going to eat up those 7 wins.

The counter here is the dumpster fire state of the franchise. You need to be adding as many real players as possible to this rebuild. Mediocrity does nothing. Now is the time to follow the Rick Hahn example and hold to try to get the payoff. If it fails, being out mediocrity doesn't upset me.

I wouldn't have traded MiLB Nico Hoerner for Luis Robert, nor MLB Nico.

One team cutting costs doesn't make the rest of the free agent market "false" especially when you are trying to compare the two players and contracts in question without actually doing it.

And that is where the ceiling comes into account. Again, if we don't get that kind of an offer, I am more than content with sitting on him, like we should have done with Cease.

Look at the free agent market. Even Luis Robert for 2/3 of a season is worth his contract. That is a non-factor in 2025.

We don't need another utility type player as a central part of a trade like this. I also wouldn't expect a team to take on Colson Montgomery for a high level MLB guy

So did Lenyn Sosa. Would you trade him for Luis Robert?

Thankfully that is all fixed... oh.

Don Cooper is with you, but I don't see how you hold down the offense enough to keep things decently in balance.

Everybody stares at a trainwreck.

To be fair, I would always put more weight on a major league experience, vs a minor league one, but maybe that is just me.

Cool, maybe one will pan out.

Make a million dollars this year and you would to.

Which may well mean they got froze out with the Sox and that is part of the rationale as well.

Businesses are always going to orient themselves to the most profitable sectors of a market. I would hate to be trying to make a living on the Sox back right now. I'd probably be on a message board somewhere telling fans how great everything is soon going to be.

With Dec 15 quietly ending the previous signing period, a new thread for new signings and rumors.