caulfield12

After 5 years of rebuilding and "unprecedented financial flexibility." We could probably find quite a few examples from 2006-2012 where we were already at or close to $131,400, and definitely if you went backwards and adjusted for inflation compared to payrolls at that time. We're 15th in MLB payroll, right on the cut-line ahead of the Twins at #16. The Twins are ACTUALLY $7 million behind the White Sox at $124.4 million, fwiw. The MLB average entering 2020 is $128,500,00, roughly. The problem, of course, is that there's about an 80-85% correlation over the last decade in fielding a Top 12 payroll and earning a spot in the playoffs (not counting the anomalous 2020 Covid-abbreviated season.) Some years, like 2016, it was actually 9 out of 10 teams (qualifying for the playoffs) had top payrolls and there was just one anomaly or outlier. Now there will always be teams like the Twins, Brewers, A's, Rays and Indians (#30 or last at $49.7 million) that can compete in the Bottom 15 teams, but the examples of success in the playoffs are few and far between. The only time the A's ever advanced was against the Twins, and perhaps vice-versa (and obviously against the White Sox, who also had less than a league average payroll in 2020). Most tellingly, the Twins have lost 18 consecutive playoff games, mostly against big market payroll teams. Now, obviously, one of the Twins/White Sox and Indians will have to advance out of the Central, but those examples are, once again, outliers or anomalies. And I'm pretty sure nobody has ever compared the White Sox to those five organizations typically successful organizations over the last 5 years (or longer). Finally, we've been forced to roster Vaughn, Crochet (well, that one can be argued about the best route to build up innings...and now there's a concern about his 5 MPH velocity loss), Kopech, etc., because we're in a "must win/all-in" and not rebuilding/development season. If we were the Padres (#8) at $173.1 million, Blue Jays or even the Braves, we'd at least have another $5-10 million to spend on a veteran relief pitcher OR another legitimate bat (obviously better than Williams/Hamilton). source: Spotrac 2021 MLB Payroll Tracker https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/

When, then? Because the entire premise of this thread is something needs to be done relatively quickly...unless CWS's idea was to give away as many game as possible in April, May and early June. Don't think so. If Jimenez is coming back, waiting another 4-6-8 weeks to acquire a premium bat doesn't (or won't) make nearly as much sense...

Obviously not. I'm saying the trade market hasn't even started to form, and usually doesn't not at least until May. Not unless one is willing to drastically over pay. And I'm asking, once again, the last time it actually happened...that a trade was put together for a player of the quality of either Marte, Mitch Haniger, Joey Gallo, etc., in the first month of the season???

Veteran experience/grinder.

Like with all these names, when's the last time this kind of trade was put together for a Top 100ish player before at least May 1st...?

Who are you willing to give up? Jared Kelley+? Would the Marlins signal the White Flag after making the playoffs last year...THIS quickly? He's hitting the ball hard, but doesn't have any homers yet and just a couple of RBI's. Just can't imagine the Marlins trading him, and, if they do, it will be to a team like the Angels willing to overpay, not the bargain-hunting White Sox.

Tauchman. Some more expensive options are Haniger and Ketel Marte, so highly unlikely without gutting the farm that's still left. Let's not forget the Angels just lost Dexter Fowler for the season, they'll also be looking. Mark Canha (33) YUCK, but might be realistic Ian Desmond (36) — $15MM club option ($2MM buyout) TRIPLE YUCK...well, we know how JR is about taking on salary, the Rockies would basically have to do a Rougned Odor trade Corey Dickerson (33) injuries/but a constant topic of discussion the last 2-3 years Brett Gardner (38) UNLIKELY Marwin Gonzalez (33) WAY PAST HIS PEAK, and not much of an offensive threat anymore, more valuable for positional versatility Cameron Maybin (35) SURE, why not? Andrew McCutchen (35) — $15MM club option ($3M buyout) see Maybin, obviously depending on health Joc Pederson (30) UNLIKELY Tommy Pham (34) he's REALLY struggling for the Padres coming off his off-season strip club stabbing, and if he continues to struggle and Tatis can't return they're going to have to add as well or play Profar out there everyday with Myers and Grisham Jurickson Profar (29) – can opt of remaining two years NOT LIKELY Eddie Rosario (30) DEFINITELY NOT LIKELY Kyle Schwarber (29) WHY NOT? we know his defense is an issue, but at least he can give you some pop, albeit erratically Chris Taylor (31) Depends on if McKinstry can keep it up, but with loss of Kiki to Boston, he's way too valuable to LAD because of versatility Yoshitomo Tsutsugo (30) unlikely solution, hard to win a trade with Rays anyway (other than Jake Cronenworth being pilfered)

Great, just added another $25 million to his long-term extension request...

Are they intentionally asking Crochet to ease off on his fastball to gain more control, the Coop Special? If not, and I know it's colder weather and Giolito was also 3-4 MPH lower than where he's normally at, but there has to be some alarm bells going off at 35th & Shields. With Kopech, not trying to throw 100 but sitting 96-98 MPH has worked out extremely well. But Crochet's quickly losing his intimidation factor...not to mention his not knowing where the ball was going at 99-103 actually worked in his advantage, seemingly. At the velocity he's at right now, he's just another two-pitch bullpen guy but nothing special other than his cross-body motion.

LOL...I took a lot of crap for criticizing the Moncada extension last night, but he absolutely has to be 2019 Moncada and not 2017-2018/2020/2021. My main hope or encouragement is Byron Buxton after all these years finally becoming the MVP-caliber player he was predicted to evolve into...but White Sox fans certainly don't want to wait another 2-3 years for that to happen.

What would our record be without his two grand slams, though? Moncada has been the much bigger issue.

You just can't have guys who are not in rhythm like Lamb and Williams in the line-up against a Bieber-quality pitcher. The only really good at-bat I saw all night (and I missed most of the game) was Yermin Mercedes against Bieber. Probably ended up losing that game by a matter of less than 6 inches. Saw there was yet another defensive miscue with the catcher's interference...that put Crochet behind the 8 ball. Hopefully he can come out of it and get back his playoff-level confidence from last year. He must be a little shell-shocked right now absorbing a couple of tough losses in extra innings like that.

Classic pitchers' duel...couldn't have possibly predicted this one, looking at the starting line-ups.

Whose suggestion was that? Yeah, whenever you see him that far off the plate, you just know a slider low and away is coming...I guess he's trying to clear his swing path to go after the high and inside fastball and turn on it, hoping to get his hands extended?

The AL Central this year is going to be a war of attrition...and keeping one's starting pitching as healthy as possible.

At least this game is going along quickly, so there's that. At least until the bullpens get involved. Giolito has been quite successful despite throwing most fastballs in the 92-93 MPH range, cold weather again?

Robert and Abreu now with matching 703 OPS. Robert vs. Bieber was never going to be a good match-up, but you have to put Robert in CF regardless of the offensive match-up against XYZ pitcher.

Great start, now just be careful with Rosario/Reyes and make the rest of their "pesky" hitters beat you...

Williams, not sure I'm seeing that one...but it is what it is. It's not like this Indians' line-up is filled with world beaters, other than having to be careful with Jose Ramirez and not giving the other team any cheap runs.

It's also impossible to quantitatively assess the psychological impact on pitchers like Giolito of looking at that line-up and just knowing they can pretty much only give up 1 run or at best 2 to beat Bieber with our defense and bullpen woes.

But the entire NL Central is elated to see Ben Gamel gone...that guy seemingly has a knack for clutch hits. Going to have to hope that Bieber continues to be off compared to his All-Star/Cy Young version of pitching.

Okay, let's just call him an MLB average left fielder...but he still didn't get much game action against the best opposing starting pitchers in spring training. I would expect his success rate to be right up there with Leury's funk.

Because Pederson is struggling...there's somehow a corollary that Engel will automatically sustain his success from last season? When we're actually DEPENDING on Adam Engel to help solve offensive problems, you know it's going to be a really long and torturous season.

Well, "fine" is pretty subjective, when you're comparing to Eloy and Vaughn... We used to rip on Scotty Pods and Juan Pierre for their noodle arms, but at least they could get to the ball and make most of the routine plays.

But Williams has put up some of the worst defensive stat lines of any LFer in the last 2-3 years, with the Phillies. I mean, 2012 Dayan Viciedo looks like a Gold Glover in comparison. Might as well bring him back from Japan and stick him out there.