Dick Allen

Since being a smart ass is so important, is Colome LH?

I was always under the impression Abreu wasn't a Puig fan. He has said all the nice things, but even when Puig was with the Dodgers and they were in spring training in the same complex he spent zero time with him, and it isn't like these guys don't have any free time in AZ

You just know KW would love to say "The man is an idiot".

We’re big fans but he’s not a fit is probably as diplomatic as KW can be.

Maybe less. And if he gets hurt, a lot less. This insignificant sum he supposedly is guaranteed is probably less than the savings if he was tremendous the next 5 seasons going through arb, which would then make the savings also insignificant.

Aaron Bummer was already controlled for the next 5 seasons.

He is a LHP with a league average K rate. How many successful closers the last 30 years can you say that about? John Franco off the top of my head is one. I can’t think of another. So the reality is he is going to be a 7th or 8th inning guy. Paying him through his arb years for this to be a bargain is going to mean he was awesome.

Considering he isn’t a free agent until after the 2024 season, the volatility of pitchers health in general, and performance inconsistencies of relief pitchers in particular, I think most reasonable people would think therr possibly, maybe, perhaps, could be one or two.

Does seem weird, but we do know that sending pool money to pay buyouts has happened more than once, so apparently the threshold for an amount being significant is still a lot lower for the White Sox than most MLB teams.

We don’t know if it stopped them from doing anything because the payroll was so low for most of the duration of the contract. We do know they would have rather give up signing an international free agent than pay Nate his buyout. There are already whispers JR put the kibosh on a Holt signing due to finances, and it is not like he required much quarantee

Despite appearing in over 60 games the previous 2 seasons, Bummer didn’t make the Opening Day roster of the rebuilding 2019 White Sox. He had a great season when he was called up. But to say he is in line to be the future closer is crazy.

Right but the Sox already had control of Bummer at reduced from free agency costs for several seasons. Many of the same things that have been said about Bummer where said about Fry a year ago. I don’t think you would like this contract for Fry. And relievers who don’t pickup saves are not very expensive in arbitration.

Totally unnecessary.

I understand that line of thinking and it might make sense, but.......is Puig really a decent fi? There are a lot of people who have trashed Mazara, but at worst, he is a good platoon player. He has a career .800 OPS vs. RHP in his age 20-24 seasons. As bad as they want to make him, even if he is what he is, he is a very useful platoon guy, and with the new 3 batter rule, managers are going to have an easier time keeping him from facing LHP if necessary. Puig hasn’t hit righties all that well the last 3 years. I think they could find someone in a trade if necessary if a major player goes down for significant time. It wont piss me off if they sign Puig, but he really hasn’t been much in a few years, and thinking he will accept being a part timer and not disrupt anything especially if he is riding a lot of pine I think is a reach. If there was a clear path to 150 starts for the guy and he could only blame himself if it didn’t happen, I would be all for bringing him in.

Again, if this is true, it makes you wonder what the roster would have looked like if they were successful getting Machado or Wheeler.

If this is true, it makes you wonder about ticket sales. I always figured right around here was best case scenario for this season. Despite the ridiculous profit losing was making them, you knew JR wasn’t going to suddenly risk all of it. He still wants to make a profit. Breaking even is fine for a season, but losing cash, even if overall the bank account is bloated has never been acceptable, and never will be. It is one reason why sustained winning is going to be difficult. Look at the Red Sox and the Cubs. They hit a wall financially. The Sox will too, only far lower. Better win when you can because if these guys are as good as advertised they will have to be paid, and will be trade bait in a couple of years. i think JR would consider selling the team if they won again and he realized he couldn’t or wouldn’t fund a run at a couple more.

I think the 3 batter rule may make him better. He seemed so stuck on L/L, R/R matchups. His bullpen usage has been questioned every year he has managed. Better players also helps.

Am I missing something here? Is this the best of the worst contest. We know White Sox fans don't show up unless they think they are going to win the WS. Braves fans didn't even show up for playoff games.

He isn't technically a White Sox employee. The Sox have veto rights with him, but his paycheck doesn't have White Sox anywhere on it.

Looks OK to me. Stone said everyone reported in good shape.

Puig isn't going to make the difference between winning a championship or not. He is going to be a problem. He has been an issue each place he has played. He isn't the player he used to be, but he was quoted as saying he wasn't playing as hard when he wasn't playing for a contract. We will see. Personally, I would spend it on something else, but it won't kill them if he is even worse than what even the most skeptical have claimed. I would have preferred last season or the year before, but the way the team is currently set up, it could determine if Renteria keeps managing. If he can keep Puig in line and shine, and the team is successful, he will have deserved, despite the bunting and strange pitching usage, an extension.

For some reason, signing Puig doesn't seem like a move that would make Arenado let bygones be bygones.

Again, Puig hasn't been very good, I was responding to a post that mentioned last season. Engel was better against LHP last year. And I don't think what someone did in 2013 or 2014 is very relevant, or no one would be complaining about Jose Abreu's new contract. It's also interesting that even though many of the experts here say Puig's bad rep is overrated, not any of his 3 previous teams have any interest in his services.

The 2 previous years .628 OPS in 2018, .592 OPS in 2017. Last year it was .791, only 50 points lower than Adam Engel.

If they sign Puig, fine. I think there are better ways to spend their resources. He doesn't hit lefties very well anymore. Has only played RF since 2016. Mazara hits RHP pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good. I really don't see the fit, but I guess they could find him ABs.