caulfield12

Only one stud offensive player there...

Still not seeing how this group of current prospects is going to turn out better. Speed: Robert Moncada Anderson wins Defense: Those three all had above average to borderline great defensive tools/ability. Other than Baldwin and Acuna...there aren't an abundance of players here with exceptional POTENTIAL ability to field their positions in an above average manner. Braden Montgomery likely the other above average player on defense due to arm strength and accuracy. At any rate, this isn't another "Sosa sucks at defense" post. There's hardly a one standard deviation above "average" MLB defender anywhere on the projected 2026 field other than the two previously mentioned (if they play up to their ability at ONE consistent position and actually hit, too.) Pitching: At least a year away from gelling, and will be coming off 4 consecutive years of 90+ losses in all likelihood entering 2027 unless they rest of the Central craters. Who knows...maybe Roch Cholowsky is Gunnar Henderson's clone on offense, Braden lives up to his Top 35-40 potential (not Kiley's outlier at #189), healthy Schultz and Hagen dominate again and the #2 NCAA outfield pick has Tability ability. Throw in a Bonemer breakout and Murakami downballot MVP votes and they're finally cooking with gas and Getz wins AL Executive of the Year for his ongoing rebuilding efforts.

And that was before Verlander's $13 million...making it $236 million. "Tigers are now outspending the other four AL Central teams by an average of $97 million in 2026 payroll. And no one else in the division is within $68 million." https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/detroit-tigers/news/tigers-al-central-version-dodgers-100-million-payroll/88cd484e37add19f7412a28a&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiu0LeRytCSAxX3npUCHWxwDbcQFnoECAcQAg&usg=AOvVaw3jLWSMwaw5ABnewXxsmX8h That's the highest in the AL Central, and 11th overall. The next closest team from the AL Central isn't all that close. Down at 18th overall, the Kansas City Royals come in at $180,075,858 (other sites have them at $145-150, another $168 projected). The Royals are very far off from the Tigers' mark, with a $42 million difference (and as much as $91 million). While not the massive gap that Gleeman mentioned, Spotrac.com still has the two far apart. But, after the Royals, the next closest team is the Minnesota Twins at $110,787,380. Yikes.

They also aren't 100% sold on Bohm and he's getting closer to FA. Picked right before Madrigal.

Umm…the funniest thing is I probably dated about all the world ethnicities EXCEPT Asian until I met an idealistic Chinese-American election volunteer in 2000 at age 30. Lived/taught in Colombia and first wife was/is Russian originally, so if you know anything, it’s that women from such geographic regions pretty much are the antithesis of meek/obedient/supportive stereotypes that still persist about SE Asia until now. I also brought a black date to Augusta National in the mid 90s and we spent the whole day counting non-white people not working at the course and we came up with all of four. Tiger Woods’ debut, in fact.

Thailand getting into the act this year with La Lisa and Natty. Don’t forget New Jeans/NJZ, whatever they’re referred to now. Korean entertainment companies still rule the roost with an iron fist. Read somewhere that 35% of the women in Korea have gotten at least one plastic surgery before age 40. Scary stuff. For what it’s worth, Wonyoung/IVE is the most popular Korean idol in China right now.

Tigers' payroll now pushing $230 million, although $11/$13 million to Verlander deferred. Meanwhile, the entire AL Central minus Detroit is standing still or going backwards. Might end up with 3 or even 4 teams under $100 million in the next couple of years, depending on the ramifications of the lookout resolution. Simultaneously, KC ownership appears more concerned with making empty relocation threats in their new stadium standoff.

Isn’t that more of a dopamine rush than trench warfare, Maginot Line style with WestEddy and Cali? I think RayRay has it right. Not caring about other posters or their particular styles is probably the way to go. That said, I think he didn’t realize he was getting a bit lazy in some of his baseball arguments that used to be 90-95% quantitative and the remainder emotion/opinion. That said, six weeks away provides a new outlook…and the opportunity cost of following Reinsdorf-led teams is still increasing. And, while I lost a bet when Murakami fell into their laps and Fairbanks didn’t sign for two years (although still ending up with as much as $15 million including buyouts and incentives), the White Sox overall payroll has barely moved with Robert traded. The Sox are still down at the bottom with Cleveland and the Marlins. They still can’t afford even a Tier C FA pitcher like Littell, Bassitt, Civale or Scherzer…let alone surrender a QO for Gallen in an upcoming draft where maximizing financial leverage is absolutely crucial to add another top NCAA outfielder in the second round. (There’s nine names in the last set of paragraphs, so we can make it to ten and eleven with Bunny’s “Roberto (Clemente) Carolina,” which obligatorily offended some who don’t speak Spanish.)

Have enjoyed a peaceful "purgatory" after technically losing the bet with CWS. (Munetak(i) Murakami's officially in camp with Nishida...but anyway, lurking is more fun and less time-consuming.) That said, the board dynamics haven't changed all that dramatically...it's another version of the 80/20 rule, with just a slight change in that 80%. And that likely won't ever be "cured" until new Sox ownership is in place and everyone in Sox Nation gets to enjoy a fresh start, or maybe even a "rebirth/renaissance," if everything breaks totally right. Dear WestEddy: Baby Metal (jpop) will not EVER be in a SuperBowl halftime show. Aespa Twice (also Victoria's Secret spokesmodels) Blackpink IVE BabyMonster (see above) IU/Bae Suzy Kpop Demon Hunters (when the second animated movie comes out...or spin off) All fit the NFL's international marketing approach much more closely. Or simply bringing the Korean/Taiwanese/Japanese dance-pop cheerleading style to the States. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

Fine, whatever, but you were still wrong on Fairbanks. Wrong wrong wrong. As long as you admit that along with everyone else who argued he would get less than $11 million. You basicalmy argued he would struggle to get a deal of even $10 million. He actually now has $14 million in hand (including the TB buyout) and will get $14.5 million if he's traded by the deadline. You lost the battle but somehow won the war. At any rate, I'm working out the details on a new project with White Sox Japan scout Satoshi Takahashi and Excel SM, so I will probably be busy anyway. PS If WestEddy gets bored, he like a genie can summon me back before February 20th or whatever date it is. Also, I'm going to record anytime someone makes a bet starting with Feb 20th and make sure those bettors are all held accountable in similar fashion since you took it this far, despite being wrong in "spirit."

19 years ago "Another Rangers’ Trade that Completely Sucks Ass" In retrospect, his arrival was a tad overrated. Christmas ’06: The Texas Rangers trade pitchers John Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Brandon McCarthy. Nice. Can’t find the exact quote, but I remember Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels saying at the time that McCarthy...

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/players-in-dfa-limbo.html J.Noel and J.Wiemer dfa holiday "limbo"

I've seen articles that even said the White Sox were the worst team in baseball the last TWO seasons...

https://www.tiktok.com/en/trending/detail/munetaka-murakami-joins-white-sox

Unless Ishbia as a futuristic PE Santa Claus is issuing "generous" extensions to Robert and Murakami...

Wasting time on players who aren't part of the "playoff future" and have limited trade value does what exactly? Play Baldwin or Pereira if there's no other choice. With Murakamui, he at least addresses marketing/ticket sales, Japanese "future" Connection AND abundant trade or QO possibilities.

The K-shaped economy lives in sports, too, and for the exact same reason: Money is flowing toward, and consolidating around, a few key teams, programs and individuals in each sport, leaving the others to fend for whatever scraps are left. There have always been haves and have-nots in the sporting universe: the Yankees and the White Sox, the Lakers and the Wizards, Ohio State and Rutgers. But we’re in a new, flush era now … great news for a few, bad news for most. The infusion of broadcast revenue, franchise buy-in fees, billionaire owners, private-equity infusions, and willing-or-not fan spending — more on that last one in a bit — a tidal wave of wealth is unbalancing entire sports. We’re already seeing the effects on championship chases … and we’re seeing the cracks along the margins, too. Never has the old cliché “The best team money can buy” been more true than in Chavez Ravine right now. The back-to-back world champion Los Angeles Dodgers had a 2025 payroll of $321.3 million — more than the entire payrolls of the White Sox, Rays, Marlins and Athletics combined. Yes, money alone can’t win you titles — the Mets had the highest payroll last year, and they were, well, the Mets — but money, and the total lack of a salary cap, sure makes life a lot easier. Hope those small-market teams enjoyed those titles when they had them; they’re likely not coming around again anytime soon. https://sports.yahoo.com/sports-media/article/cash-rules-everything-around-sports-the-k-shaped-economy-widened-gaps-between-haves-have-nots-in-2025-141122272.html

Then you're just renting a soon to be declining player for two years.. Every position should have a long-term solution for 2028-30. And as a result you're putting Sean Newcomb in the rotation?

He was so shaky on the corners though...how would he have built the confidence to run the entire outfield? It's just like playing Sosa everyday at second base.

Prospects like this? Yhoiker Fajardo is the real prize. Nineteen-year-old who reached Low-A for the Red Sox after being dealt from the White Sox and struck out a ton of people. Above average pitches thus far, but he's got tons of projection remaining (6'3", 181 lbs.) to make them better.

HaSeong Kim and Lee with SFG/CF are the only real success stories. It took Lee a full year to adjust to elite fastballs. Hyesong Kim (LAD util) and Song (SDP) yet to be determined.

Nobody would. It's the same arguments we'll be hearing about prospects at 2026 trade deadline if Murakami has 25 homers, .260 average and 900+ ops. Why trade him and piss off the fans? Same reason the Tigers are going to trade Skubal for a boatload of prospects...they would never give $400 million or even $200-$250 million to a pitcher 30 and over when they could get 4 of the Dodgers Top Ten prospects and Sheehan while absorbing the much lesser Glasnow contract.

Hill/Pereira/Bleday

Actually, up to $14.5 million for Fairbanks' 2026 if you include the Rays' buyout and $500,000 additionally in the likely event the Marlins are eliminated and trade him at the deadline.

Took Cooper's spot. Or Boston's.