caulfield12

Not right now, with the current roster and Cease on way out...makes zero sense unless they're going to make him closer, which also seems far-fetched with his control issues more vexing than Lopez even. Motivational factor?

Or Liam last off season...with multiple health concerns entering 2023.

Not unless he puts up a 725-750ish ops the first half of the year and plays in at least 75-80% of the games.

https://sports.yahoo.com/alex-bregman-could-traded-offseason-143133246.html Going to make it even harder to deal Moncada with Bregman on the market.

The biggest concern beyond his weight was the hitch or T-bar/arm bar in his swing that was supposed to get exposed at the next level...and worries that SW Missouri State wasn't exactly a P5 conference in terms of competition.

Haseley was drafted as a CFer and McKay a poor man's Ichiro...Huira and Smith would be the comps because all three (along with Burger) were perceived as bat first players. It's safe to say he was perceived to be a Top 3-5 hitter in that collegiate class by many...especially Hostetler. "Let’s start with the biggest power bat of the season, a player who, according to Statcast, should have 8.4 homers in just 67 at-bats. In a normal season of 550 at-bats, that’s 69 homers. Forget 69 homers, obviously, but he’s surely someone worth rostering. The player? Jake Burger, a former top NCAA slugger short-circuited by two Achilles tears. His physique once comported with someone with his last name. He’s lost weight but still has a protein-packed swing." theathletic.com

That money should have gone to Betts instead of the one dimensional Devers.

Definitely not the Betts deal…that was horrific for Boston, ultimately. Essentially wiped out two GM’s. At keast one other team is going to have to offer a comparable amount of talent or LA will just wait out Getz. Unless the Giants massively improve, nobody can really push them…we will see what staying power AZ has.

Other than Yordan Alvarez, what absolute stud hitters have the Dodgers lost at a young age? Just feels like they almost never make mistakes…and have fixed at least 5-6 vets as well, including Turner, k***, Taylor, Muncy, etc.

Burger always had a great hit tool before the two Achilles injuries. The major question was always defensively…just like this kid. Whether he can stick at third or second. But Burger was the #1 college bats to a number of scouts that year…worst-case, #3.

If I had a million dollars for every potential Sox LH savage who was going to put up massive power numbers to the pull field, I’d doubtless be a billionaire today. Even known quantities like Dunn and LaRoche busted. Forget about minor leaguers. Just trade Cease to the Yankees for Jasson Dominguez, lol. Can throw in Hensley Meulens Jr., Kevin Maas Jr., and Shane Spencer Jr.

Great, Burger-esque. Wouldn’t it have been to simply hold onto the known quantity?

Cartaya is #55. Busch, Frasso and Stone would be the other asks, obviously…with their #8 as the third piece. That would be pretty close to a realistic trade without pushing their luck hoping Cease doesn’t go down to injury in the first half trying to showcase his stuff is back from 2022. Rather spread out risk than be all in on Rushing.

What’s the weakest position been other than Fisk, AJ and Grandal (2020-21) under JR??? Which player has been most frequently rumored to the Sox? Salvador Perez They know they need to build strength up the middle…around Robert. Obviously 2B and SS as well are critical.

That leaves you with three catchers (well, Lee, sort of) in the pipeline and plenty of latitude to eventually trade one of Cartaya or Quero for another position player like RF, 2B or 3B if Ramos fails…although seems likely Montgomery ultimately ends up at third. Then another two coveted pitchers to add to the mix…or use as trade bait for even more position players as you build up some real legit depth in the minors finally. Catchers tend to have a lot more values as prospects in the minors…thinking of guys like Francisco Mejia or Keibert Ruiz that were considered centerpieces in major trades. Cartaya projects to be a star catcher with offensive prowess, something that many big league catchers in today's game lack (see Quero, much more of a doubles/classic gap hitter.) The addition of the other prospect pitchers makes this a realistic deal. Sure, the White Sox could ask for a little more or the Dodgers might display hesitancy before giving a top prospect like Cartaya away.

White Sox receive: C Diego Cartaya, RHP River Ryan, LHP Ronan Kopp Dodgers receive: RHP Dylan Cease Cartaya, 22, began the 2023 season as the Dodgers' No. 1 overall prospect. He's currently ranked No. 3 overall, which is still impressive given LA's strong farm system. Ryan is 25-years old and ranked No. 8 in the Dodgers' farm system, while Kopp is a 21-year-old left-handed pitcher ranked No. 16 for the Dodgers, per MLB.com. So why trade Cartaya? After all, his ceiling is extremely high for a catcher. The Dodgers need to choose between Will Smith and Diego Cartaya soon. They can't move either to first base since Freddie Freeman is patrolling the position. Meanwhile, LA is hopeful that Shohei Ohtani will take over DH duties. Cartaya's potential suggests he will be more than a backup catcher. And Smith is already an All-Star big league catcher. So the Dodgers might as well trade one of them and receive a star like Dylan Cease in return. Ryan is another Dodgers' top 10 prospect, while Kopp's age gives him plenty of time to develop for the rebuilding White Sox. https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-dylan-cease-trade-la-white-sox

Like Colorado Michigan? Or was that GaTech shared year? Georgia loses to Bama and likely no SeC team with FSU or Texas taking that spot. SEC really weak non conference results…PAC 12 was true gauntlet this year. Hope at least Wash or Oregon makes it…Washington loss, which feels likely based on recent trends, gums up the works as well. Btw, would have expected A&M to get a better coach with their unlimited resources…

Not with Wainright retiring and being replaced by relatively youngish Lynn…

https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/red-sox-well-represented-on-new-baseball-america-top-100-prospects-list/259869/ Would have been headliner…and second Sox Brayan (Ramos).

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-free-agency-2023-sonny-gray-addition-hints-at-a-new-dawn-for-the-st-louis-cardinals-dilapidated-pitching-staff-234114147.html Cardinals mentioned at the end of article along with Cease and perhaps #31 Logan Gilbert/SEA as options to finalize rotation with #34 Cease as 1A to Gray. https://www.fangraphs.com/projections?pos=&stats=pit&type=steamer Could/should have targeted Cole Ragans instead...go wise KC front office!!!

That would have been good for $20+ million. I mean, maybe if they'd actually won the series...

Unless the Yankees or Red Sox sign Ohtani...

Makes the Leury deal as a result of ONE Grand Slam in the playoffs seem even more ridiculous in retrospect.

Pretty sure the Michigan/Iowa point spread is going to be in the 20+ range. When's the last time a P5 league championship game had odds that extreme? Could be the last Iowa team in my lifetime to make it (Kirk Ferentz will have less and less incentive, except financially, to stick it out with his son now cast aside, perhaps coaching the same school 30 years in a row???)...with USC, UCLA (goodbye Chip Kelly), Oregon and Washington coming on board. Somehow Cal and Stanford to the ACC seems even stranger.

Well, when your offseason consists of HOPING to get the likes of a Montas or Severino to fill out the rotation and you're convinced that the Cubs are going to sign Ohtani or the equivalent of Seager/Semien...of course, it's obviously not as fun to root against the Cubs as it is FOR the team you support. At least not anymore (see 2023 August/Sept.) But especially after 2016. It's more like rooting against a highly politicized corporation.