caulfield12

Kona Takahashi posted, a right-hander who turns 29 on Feb. 3, was 8-9 with a 3.04 ERA this year for the Pacific League's Seibu Lions, striking out 88 and walking 41 in 148 innings. He had gone 0-11 with a 3.87 ERA in 2024 after compiling a 22-16 record in the prior two seasons. Takahashi is 73-77 with a 3.39 ERA in 11 seasons with the Lions. Under MLB's posting agreement with Nippon Professional Baseball, the posting fee would be 20% of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15% of any earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised options. espn.com

It would be nice if they shared the plan with fans, because 3-4 more years of acting like a feeder team for the rest of MLB is going to get quite old…especially if the results of a prolonged labor impasse don’t seem to improve the team’s future outlook either. Even the Bulls have a puncher’s chance to make the postseason. We’re still much closer to the bottom than the top of the Central after three full seasons of this already.

"I really don't think the Sox are building for a window. This is the "steady flow" of talent Hahn always dreamed of... " The 1998-2000 and 2017-2019 waves of talent put this recent one to shame. Even then, injuries and non performance wiped it out to the point where F.Garcia/Contreras/Jenks and all those other KW moves put that team over the top. They went from 7 top pitching prospects down to Burhrle and Garland. Moncada Robert and Jimenez were all higher ranked than guys like Teel and Braden. Colson. is the only comp in terms of a teens prospect ranking, but he fell all the way off many Top 100 lists entirely. Then you have Burger Vaughn Madrigal Crochet in the next wave. Even if all the positional prospects live up to their billing, you're left with a Bottom 1/3rd offense...especially in the power department. Almost nobody expects Colson to repeat his pace of 2025 and there are injury/positional concerns due to his back. 2027 Braden Montgomery RF Baldwin ????? CF Baldwin Baldwin LF Vargas 3B Bonemer Colson SS Bonemer Meidroth or Antonacci 2B Sosa 1B Mead (neither are close to ideal fits) Teel and Quero catcher Rotating DH (Benintendi primary) Once again... only three positions that project out at above average MLB production: C SS RF. Not even sure that beats upside of Twins with Buxton, a healthy Royce Lewis, Jenkins, BLee, Keaschall, Jeffers, Clemens, Culpepper, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Larnach and Wallner. On paper it doesn't. Ofc their bullpen will be a mess and pitching in shambles when they trade Joe Ryan and/or Pablo Lopez with Z.Matthews M.Abel Taj Bradley behind them.

Heard over and over again that Burger was too old at 27/2....and now there's basically no way to sustain this current wave of players into the 2029-30 season when they will all be late 20s. Then another rebuild...but with Ishbia bucks behind it? Crazy to me Ishbia has spent more time talking to fellow owners in one year than JR in the last 10-15.

Probably A's ownership...Fisher. The one Ishbia didn't meet with.

At least zero in-game power... That's always the test of every corner hitter, having at the very least gap if not home run power to the opposite field on a neutral field without any wind.

They can't rehire Showalter at least...

And if that's not enough to wet your whistle... there's always Jacob Gonzalez, a former first rounder with no discernible elite tools whatsoever. Well, at least his team did well at the College World Series...just like Madrigal and Jared Mitchell.

Candlestick Park as well. The Mistake by the Lake that CLE stadium was universally referred to...

Well at least they're not ex Royals. Moving over to a more competitive division.

Nobody "watches film" anymore. That's how KW scouted Iguchi from afar. It's all iPads and digitalized info.

Did you know that he made a significant swing change on April 23rd? He actually did it during the season..!! Amazing. Actually surprised no Comeback Player of the Year votes with Schiffren all over his junk for months and months. You would have thought he was a 3-4 fWAR contributor.

JR >>>>> Getz Both are terrible, and Venable might have a chance to survive all this. Maybe. Maybe not. Getz and Venable are merely puppets or figureheads to deflect blame and criticism directed at JR from the fans, in the same way Robin Ventura's sterling reputation was sullied by his almost forced association with the team post KW/Ozzie. And the wheels on the bus go round and round... with JR the one holding the entire franchise in limbo for over a decade due to capital gains taxes. Just like the Pohlads in Minnesota.

This is totally pointless. Let's wait until 2028 or 2029 before we can properly evaluate Chris Getz as a GM. You and Cali if you had to bet your houses on Getz still being around as GM in 2029 would likely be the ONLY two yes votes on the entire site. And why do you think that is? Well the very obvious conspiracy to hold back the greatest young GM in the game since Branch Rickey with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

"And with the injuries they had, whom was Mead taking playing time from who truly deserved it? You seem to just spew nonsense and pretend it fits your narrative." Every single player on the position player side right now looks like glue or complementary players other than the obvious ones like Colson Teel and Braden. That lineup is still miles and miles away from being competitive... and those same 3 players will be into years 2-3-4 of their careers before they see any major changes in FA spending in 2028 and most likely years 3-4-5 in 2029. Ofc then the Pirates' or Rays' way would be to trade/retool rather than extend them. And there's zero hint of a young pitcher right now who would be anywhere close to an extension...if JR even still believes in such a thing anymore.

Obviously it can't be EVERY single guy. Colson Montgomery's comeback is his crowning achievement so far, for example. Inherited, like Quero. But certainly a strong strong majority of Hahn players. And we still don't know what leeway if any he has to deal with the Robert and Benintendi contracts. Clearly Getz thought Robert was worth doubling down on to maximize the trade return after two consecutive rough seasons.

Getz doesn't seem to be hung up on forcing guys into the lineup who just aren't producing... See Curtis Mead down the stretch. Everyone else in baseball doesn't see anything there... and moved on in their evaluations. Right now, there are 9 spots and the only players who look like they have more than a 50/50 chance to be a part of the next Sox playoff team based on last year are Colson and Teel... and Braden coming fast in the minors. Nobody else, including guys like Bonemer or Antonacci, are close to a "sure thing" right now. On the coaching side, Grady Sizemore would be one obvious example. Base running and outfield defense should be two of his core competencies, and exactly what he will be doing in Minnesota. But he was exiled to offensive coordinator, which is a fancy way of saying he had no power or influence over anything at all.

Wander Franco turning out like that, well there's a reason the Dodgers can lose a handful of guys like Urias from their pitching staff and not even blink. Replacing a franchise cornerstone is an entirely different matter. Caminero has a world of offensive potential, but still is much closer to a Devers type than Bobby Witt, Jr. because of his defensive limitations.

Thought that Schultz Hagen and Taylor were supposed to result in at least 1 if not 2....if they still need two more they're not going to just go out and buy at market prices in free agency until 2029/30, well, good luck with that strategy. It seems almost a given at this point that a collegiate up the middle impact bat is the draft choice. CF would be the preference, or another SS that could capably play anywhere on the diamond.

We shall see if Getz ultimately has the same amount of loyalty to Quero/Sosa as newer guys like Teel Meidroth Thorpe Vargas and Mead... Think all you want that GM's are completely objective and never would even consider factors like this (how their own trade returns ultimately pan out in the media and with fanbases), all other things being equal. Is it not the least bit curious how almost any former Sox player or coach connected to Rick Hahn was summarily dumped and the majority were bad mouthed on the way out (see Andrew Vaughn this year)? For example, how many times have Sosa and Robert been labeled as low baseball IQ guys around here? Too many times to count. Coincidence? Otoh let's say Miguel Vargas or Chase Meidroth is usually described as a gamer/clubhouse leader/diligent worker? It's like saying first and sixth round draftees have the same likelihood of making the big league team if the MiLB results and position profile are similar.

Where does it end? Trade Vargas Sosa Quero and kick the can further down the road? Taylor before he blows out his elbow? We barely have a first wave of prospects that can fill out 3 positions at 2-3 fWAR or higher. Montgomery's and Teel. For now. Assuming the draft pick is an advanced collegiate hitter, that's 4. B.Carlson might be 3 1/2 to 4 years away, optimistically. Someone in another thread wants to trade Robert and $10 million for god knows what FV player that will even get you...besides more debt.

No way the White Sox will do this … not until he’s ready to pitch in the majors, when/if that ever happens in his recovery. He wasn’t an elite prospect in the first place and he still has to beat out a lot of guys like Thorpe that Getz will want to show/prove the return on his trades was worthwhile…especially with the Dylan Cease return way under water as of today.

https://global.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47017276/mlb-reclamation-candidates-free-agents-bounceback Likely out of Sox price range. Mostly. Maybe not Castro but already have Baldwin.

Fine, next time I will write two separate messages...first Eddy was obsessed with the Padres overspending, now he wants the White Sox to copy the Rays without the capacity to execute like that. For decades only Tier B/C free agents. Period.

Not sure even the White Sox are THAT cheap. Especially holding onto Robert so stubbornly at $20 million. That's how Arozarena ended up with Seattle, got increasingly expensive.