caulfield12

Besides TLR, the only arguable cases are Atlanta and Seattle, and those seem highly unlikely to end in firings at this point.

First time all season that four AL East teams are lined up in playoff position…hopefully they beat each other up the next four months.

Prefect symmetry. Scott Hairston, who had the last Mets’ cycle, the son of former Sox Jerry Hairston. 1.1 fWAR, on pace for 3.5ish…

This can’t possibly go wrong, since we’re on the subject of pitching futures… White Sox: Pitching prospects The White Sox are one of two teams in the Majors without a Top 100 Prospect, per MLB Pipeline. But it doesn’t mean that clubs won’t be interested in Chicago’s ample pitching in the farm system. In the White Sox Top 30 Prospects list: Sixteen are pitchers, including No. 5 Norge Vera, No. 9 Jared Kelley and No. 10 Matthew Thompson. The team’s top pitching prospect, Vera, hasn’t pitched this year due to a lat strain, but his 2021 season in Rookie ball -- 1-0 in seven starts with no earned runs allowed and 34 strikeouts -- makes him a strong target for teams looking to move a veteran player. -- Joey Pollizze https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-trade-candidates-for-each-team-in-2022?partnerId=zh-20220607-622070-mlb-1-B&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20220607-622070-mlb-1-B&bt_ee=pK4RyObmWhwVVX3kSwxI49OK%2BIqySl5TSY9uq3QcoBHGsDm3R%2Bdj5YIhDy4Qu56C&bt_ts=1654607504202

Now we’re back to the PR team performances/presentations for Machado and Harper without the benefit of signing a player with “panache.” Judge is the biggest name, but Turner is the best overall player but those are pipe dreams after we failed so publicly and repeatedly with Machado last time…especially with bringing in Jay and Alonso, someone didn’t do their homework in the end and assumed that would be enough to get it done. Otoh, look at the Twins and Correa, get creative again.

Sure, we had the same problem with too many outfielders in the minors but now Walker and Gonzalez are elsewhere. Frazier completely went in the tank after his trade last year…but 637 is like 677 or 687 a year or two ago, and we can’t redo the offseason to sign Chris Taylor for that same positional flexibility. In the end, they will keep Leury but Harrison has to at least get up to the 575-625 range to be a viable everyday player. Mendick, Romy, Sosa, Sanchez…none of them profile as major league regulars to the majority of outside scouts…I guess Sosa would be the choice with most upside but they will trade for someone at the big league level first. And we can’t argue Drury will automatically sink while arguing that 637 is what Frazier is when he made the All Star team and was well over 800 ops for the first half last year.

Which is why they will stick it out through the TDL at the very least...this is not the Indians juggernaut of the late 90s the Sox are facing off with.

This description feels almost like 2012-2016 all over again...albeit with a slightly better/bigger core group. Of course we also had prime Abreu at that time too.

That sounds both well-reasoned and practical…

Unless it's against Miguel Ascencio of the Royals.

But when? TDL? Let the full season play out? Or wait until just a 2-3 month rental next summer?

Well besides Moncada you have Grandal Hendriks Jimenez...so the real problem is are you really able to focus on a one year turnaround in 2023 like the Twins or are you pushing off the next realistic "go for it" run back to 2024-26? How do you realistically compete with such a massive catching hole? Eventually you're then running into TA's walk year in 2024.

Rock and a hard place with Giolito and Lynn. Hold onto them and risk getting nothing immediate back that would extend the contention window...unless they continued to chase (with diminishing returns) more fast moving/high volatility collegiate relievers like Crochet or UT's Joyce. No interest in extending Kopech instead of Cease? Another quandary.

The problem is that Cease and Kopech are already high risk guys and the main projected rotation replacement Vera profiles similarly. At the very least, they need to acquire a reliable Manaea type because the upper minors depth chart despite Davis Martin looks pretty barren. (I'm sure someone will soon bring up Justin Verlander, who increasingly seems more like a once every 15-20 years anomaly. John Danks' name inevitably will arise, as well.)

If they do keep Musgrove, that will be the fifth contract larger than Grandal's four year deal. Pretty impressive for the 29th media market in the US. 3rd or 4th in MLB attendance over the past two seasons. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/03/11/Facilities/Tailgate-Park.aspx Cubs' like neighborhood development project.

They're going to turn him around like Madison Bumgarner this season...

Fine, trade for Drury. .821 OPS, can play 3B, 2B, 1B. Problem temporarily solved for 2022. Except for the LH bat, perhaps Benintendi or Josh Bell.

Jose Berrios 7 years, $131 million, just turned 28 Joe Musgrove, will turn 30 this December as he becomes a FA The reason why it's an interesting comparison is the age difference of roughly 1 1/2 years in favor of Lucas. Lucas Frost Giolito (born July 14, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Both pitchers have turned down their current team's extension attempts, Musgrove originally for 8 years/$88 million. Flatly declined with no counteroffer. We all know about the Gio's situation, down to the arbitration/mediation tussle over mere thousands. With Musgrove one of the current Cy Young favorites (and the team unlikely to pursue Manaea or Clevinger despite massive prospect costs to acquire the latter) and now just four months from FA, numbers being bandied about are ranging from 4 years and $120 million all the way up to 8 years and $180 million, which seems insane given his age and recent workload. That said, he's a better pitcher than Robbie Ray IMO and SD is his hometown. (Note: in addition to those three pitchers, Wil Myers is finally off the books and Hosmer will decrease from $21 to $13 million in the unlikely case he exercises his player option for a 38% salary cut after they tried to trade him two consecutive years.) https://www.gaslampball.com/2022/6/4/23154528/padres-extend-joe-musgrove How much would/could/should the White Sox offer Musgrove? Out of our price range completely? How much (if anything) would you offer Giolito as an extension, as of today? Who would you get then to REPLACE Giolito and/or Lynn to keep the window open beyond 2023 (see all the options below)? Rodon (haha), Bauer (haha squared), deGrom (opt-out guys) Kyle Gibson, Drew Smyly, Jameson Taillon, Wacha, Wainright (TLR Target #1) 25. LHP Andrew Heaney (age 30) injury history 22. RHP Mike Clevinger (age 31) injury history 16. RHP Zach Eflin (age 28) would he really move the needle for the amount of money he will likely get? 11, RHP Chris Bassitt (age 33) that's not going to happen 10. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (age 32) injury history, too much like Cease/Kopech? 9. LHP Clayton Kershaw (age 34) highly unlikely 7. LHP Sean Manaea (age 30) now four years removed from TJ surgery, Sox could use a LHP in rotation again 6. RHP Noah Syndergaard (age 29) injury history 3. RHP Joe Musgrove (will be age 30), see above https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2955719-ranking-the-top-25-mlb-players-of-upcoming-2022-23-free-agent-class OR should they spend all their money going after Judge or Trea Turner (2B/SS)??? Feels much more likely: Josh Bell, Benintendi, Joey Gallo, Willson Contreras if Grandal doesn't recover, MIchael Conforto

When’s the last time the Sox jumped a position prospect directly from AA to the bigs? They didn’t do it with Robert or Madrigal, or Vaughn. Doubt they start with Sosa before at least looking to go the trade route.

This is the same argument as Chapman in 2016. Cubs or Red Sox fans will argue to the end those two players were absolutely critical. And, for that reason, those trades will never be perceived as losses for those respective franchises. That said, the Sale contract signed with Boston has become a bit of an albatross.

That's a great workout OST.

Maybe they stick with Harrison/Leury at second after the disaster last year with Hernandez...but a lefty like Benintendi or Naquin or any of the names listed above wouldn't break the already limited prospect bank. I will just assume Benintendi to SD until he ends up elsewhere.

Jesus, Hader going for 40 unscored upon appearances in a row. Must be nice.

You've gone all Parkman recently.

Harper just hit a grand slam to tie the Angels Bot 8, who could go on to lose 11 in a row. Crazy season.