Jack Parkman

You do that, and you're approaching the luxury tax. They had a $130M payroll in 2016(!!!!!) IIRC the Luxury tax was around 180M in 2017. I don't think those guys were enough anyway. Great. You've gone from 78 to 84 wins. How are you getting the next 8? There wasn't anything they could do to get the extra 14 wins other than have a $250M payroll. The rebuild was really the only choice.

I still think that the likelihood is that Vaughn is there, with Witt going 1st and Rutschman going 2nd.

The point is I think one of them will be there, with an outside chance of both being available.

I have no idea why they didn't do 1) initially

Go back to 2016, post Shields. How do you fix it?

Not necessarily, as if either guy is up within a year or two they'd already be a year or two from free by the time either contend. Also, there is more room for projection with HS players vs college players and both teams may think that Abrams and Witt may have a higher ceiling than Vaughn and Rutschman. Also, Vaughn and Rutschman play positions with lesser value than others, and that could also be taken into account. Vaughn has to be a VERY special player to be picked top 3 as a 1B. I think it is likely one of the two players will be there at #3, with an outside chance at both.

I disagree, mostly because of proximity to majors and proximity to contention/critical mass of prospects for both the O's and Royals. They're at least 3-5 seasons away from even a critical mass, let alone contention. They have time to develop Witt and Abrams respectively.

This goes to my earlier line of thinking, that there is a distinct possibility that Witt and Abrams go 1-2, and both Rutschman and Vaughn fall to the Sox, out of which I'd hope they'd take Rutschman.

It was the right move for the franchise. What wasn't the right move was allowing the guy who wasted his White Sox career to be the guy to trade him away. Rebuilding wasn't the wrong decision. The wrong decision was allowing the same architects that fucked up the last job the opportunity to try and fix it. I actually am not all that pissed with the trades that the Sox pulled off. I thought that the Sale trade was light, but......they shot for the moon, and I commend them for that. They didn't go for just your average players, they tried to get superstars. None have panned out so far, but they still may. I have a feeling that with a healthy season Robert is going to skyrocket up prospect lists this year.

Could they offer enough money to actually get him here? I'm just curious more than anything.

Ok, good to know.

Where else are they going to spend the money? He's had a pretty damn good year, no? They'd have to offer max in order to actually get him, right? There's no way the Nets would let him walk unless the money was just insane.

I want Morant. He would fit perfectly in with this group. Also an option is throwing a max contract at DeAngelo Russell

Cole's agent is some guy named Scott

Rumor was incorrect. Source was WSD

He's only a rumor at this point.

Rumor is 7/245. Sox done fucked up.

Agreed. If Bernstein isn't able to tell ppl they're idiots, then it ruins his schtick.

If Rutschman and Vaughn do end up going before the Sox, I'd hate for them to pass on Witt for someone like Misner. Misner just screams Sox fallback plan, and I really don't know why in the hell they'd add to the OF logjam.

Yeah, he looks decent. GG quality? No. Average to above? Yes.

That AB is why you don't mess with Moncada's patience. Down 1-2, ends up walking.

Leury needs to start in CF, which was true regardless of his spring performance. WTF is Moncada bunting for. It's ok to do that vs the shift, but not straight up.

Aaaand this explains the Brewers interest in Kimbrel.

Thank you x 1000. This is my point.

I know, and then he'll pull of these games. If he wasn't 25 already I'd say wait a bit longer, but I do agree that he sucks.