caulfield12

"I was right that it just wasn't going to be a smooth fit last year and now look forward to again proving our GM wrong again..." TLR

Why would they do anything else but undersell the possibility of big moves the fans are clamoring for? Because the opposite approach won't exactly go over well with the Sox fanbase.

If they are going to go into the year with Kimbrel...then let him close and give the job back to Hendriks after they deal him. The problem is TLR wouldn't want to trade him if that tandem was working together the way they were supposed to last year at the deadline.

That's a lot of money for someone whose best days are well behind him, injury-prone and lose his premium defensive value from days of past by playing him in RF instead of center. Just hasn't been the same player for a couple of years now. Then you've also managed to block Sheets and Vaughn from at~bats, which almost forces a trade for pitching or a 2B.

Meaning…come back in June/July. But please at least address the Kimbrel in the room before OD at least. Sounds like Conforto less and less likely by the day.

Why will Robert be out?

Get a SS/3B with more youth and upside than Simmons. Allows them to keep Polanco away from SS.

You're forgetting Shingo The Gong/ Frisbee Takatsu...

We’ve gone from #2 in MLB to third in division? Other than Detroit, that’s based on CLE or KC being #2? Sounds like a pretty hot take…unless of the starting pitchers got hurt and we hadn’t done a thing to address the depth there going into the season. Even then, you arguably have Kopech, Keuchel, Crochet and Lopez backing up the top two guys. It would probably require two injuries to seriously derail the season…and not making an additions in June/July.

https://redbirdrants.com/2022/03/12/cardinals-rumors-craig-kimbrel/

Sure, but there’s a massive difference between the #5 RFer in the game and something much closer to middle tier. There’s certainly no guarantee we get the former version…in fact, the rule of Sox FA moves is almost always go with the opposite of what is expected. Grandal, despite his strange stat lines, is one of the first other than Abreu to come close to earning his money on the position player side of things. McCann, as well.

It is a little bit misleading to go with OPS+ and not fWAR or bWAR…how would that change the rankings? 1. Soto 2. Betts 3. Harper 4. Acuna, Jr. 5. Judge 6. Yelich 7. Bellinger 8. Merrifield 9. Castellanos 10. Kepler 11. Conforto 12. T.Hernandez https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=rf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2021&month=0&season1=2019&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=&enddate= fWAR 2019 20 21 combined for RF Kyle Tucker is 6.8 the last three seasons, of course 4.8 just for 2021…but just about a 3 average per season if you treat his career as the equivalent of roughly 2 years since its predominantly a counting stat

https://sports.yahoo.com/white-sox-gm-hahn-eyes-231109840.html

Are we now lost on the set of Pacific Rim 3?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/cardinals-notes-hicks-reyes-designated-hitter-shortstop-dejong.html The Cards would be a shocker for Kimbrel. In theory, you have the Red Sox and Padres looking, but neither are the right fits for different reasons (past performance, financials). You have Knebel at $10 million in Philly as an alternative, and Kenley Jansen on the market "for free." Blue Jays? Dodgers won't go with that monster roster (especially w/ Freeman) and pair it with yet another lingering question mark at the back end after the last 2-3 seasons out on Jansen.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/latest-on-seiya-suzukis-market.html

Suarez, Pagan or Pomeranz. Red Sox definitely looking to make a move...but it surely won't be Kimbrel again. Kenley Jansen also is without a home as of now, similar profile and risk as Craig, but looking for at least 2-3 years.

"The 27-year old righty would be a nice addition to the Mets rotation, especially considering how good Mahle has been away from Cincinnati. He had a 2.30 ERA, 2.76 FIP, and a 9.91 K/9 in away games in 2021. Mahle's already on an upwards trajectory and a move to a friendlier home field would give him even more potential going forward." Didn't realize how good he was away from home...albeit in a weaker division overall. Two years of control vs. just the one like Bassitt would be the key there.

Sure, maybe....but is he worth $6 million more than Knebel, or $15 million more than Hicks to a mid~market franchise like the Cardinals already carrying two huge deals on the books at 1B and 3B?

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-free-agency-live-updates-rumors-as-baseballs-hot-stove-reignites-following-end-of-lockout/live/ Freeman to Dodgers possibly tonight, Braves would go after Olson trade or Rizzo/Voit. Mahle with the Reds would be a really good rotation insurance move. Less expensive than Castillo and Gray.

But the Phillies have Knebel, the Cardinals Jordan Hicks returning...there's no team without any legit internal options at closer right now.

Would you just take on his existing contract like the White Sox did with Alex Rios....?

Great, the Dodgers again...

Hicks should be back 100%. The Cardinals usually don't like to pay non-elite closers top of the market salaries. Too many lingering questions about Kimbrel to assert he's still a Top 3-5 guy.

All.FA.pitching.is.inherently.risky.