caulfield12

And all that could have been a negotiating ploy, nobody knows for sure how legitimate it was...just like the Rangers with A-Rod. Most felt we simply were there to get used as a bogeyman to up his final contract numbers even though they were basically negotiating against themselves at that point.

I never said Castellanos and Ozuna couldn’t be signed by the White Sox, just that they probably wouldn’t be worth their free agent contracts based on the seasons they’re currently having...that neither would be the first players signed to contracts of over $68 million with the Sox. Just because we logically took Rodon after Aiken/Kolek and before Schwarber doesn’t mean we now actively seek out Boras clients whenever possible. Heck, Crede was a Boras client who turned out to have possibly hurt himself by not signing a long term extension while it was still possible, instead electing to go year to year in arbitration. If anything, it has put the White Sox in a difficult position of never really getting much surplus benefit from Rodon, then watching him depart to another organization. Dealing with Boras might have accidentally saved money for the team in both situations, but it’s hard to argue that dealing with a guy that takes 95% of his clients into free agency is helpful for a mid market team. We also know that there was very limited contact or follow up with Boras after those original meetings w/ Harper...just the proverbial seat at the table.

So let's hope they don't get conservative and believe Leury Garcia can back up every position. We can all see them letting Sanchez finally go, which would be an even stronger argument for Gennett, in what would be something of a Derek Dietrich-like role with the White Sox.

Right, the odds are low for Castellanos and Ozuna. Puig, Dickerson, Domingo Santana, Gennett all make sense to certain degrees, but it's really going to put a lot of pressure on Robert defensively with some of these names we keep mentioning. Wil Myers is out there for salary relief alone, and has the most upside depending on how much the Padres were willing to eat to get him off the roster (the other problem there is Taylor Trammell has been woeful, so they might choose to hold onto him for 2020.)

Yep, need to have money for Giolito and Moncada extensions...in the bank. When those invariably don't materialize, oh well. Fwiw, I think Giolito is likelier, but he's still going to have that natural desire to pitch closer to California where his family is (minus the one studying acting in Wales) and where the weather's so much better. If all the positive changes is his performance were Don Cooper-alone driven, then you think sticking with the White Sox would make more sense, but that's not really the case where they have such a close relationship like a Buehrle.

Assuming 2020 is another transition year, and they're expecting Abreu and Vaughn to be manning those two spots in 2021...Martinez at that salary is going to be a hard pass, especially as he ages and his numbers start to come down, but he's still (partially) expecting to get paid based on past production.

Yeah, just double-checked that on Ozuna. He dumped Boras for Yadier Molina's agency, MDR. That means it's at least 50/50 the Cardinals figure out a way to keep him in the fold...especially with the their season is heading right now.

Grandal has been a huge disappointment the second half, and is reaching the zenith of his everyday catching days. Ozuna isn't left-handed, isn't ideally suited for RF and is getting more and more expensive, and BORAS. He's also picking his numbers back up to where they're nearing 900 OPS, which means he would be the first player the Sox ever signed for over $65 million because of his relatively young age. Castellanos has been the definition of a 1.5ish RF who is going to be marketed as a 2.5-3 fWAR quasi-superstar because of his run with the Cubs after the trade. I'm just not sure what really good fits there are right now....there's a bunch of guys like Corey Dickerson, Justin Smoak, Moreland, Adams, but those aren't really difference-makers.

They should definitely hold Kopech back in AAA to get the year of control back, and this should be completely disconnected from who we sign in free agency. It's almost impossible to say whether we can compete for the division until we see first what MIN and CLE are willing to do in the offseason. Some of the most logical picks in recent months like Grandal and Ozuna are becoming less likely additions...you can probably say the same thing for paying a Castellanos premium for his play with the Cubs. Unless Hahn has a magic 8 ball and can get the equivalent of a Lance Lynn/Minor pairing, there's just too much volatility in that starting rotation to imagine being a high 80's win team next season. Boston is going to be coming off a year where they missed and Sale might be out for an extended time period, so they'll have to respond. Oakland probably isn't going anywhere...so all obvious signs point to 2021 being the start of the real contention window. As Balta pointed out, there's going to be a lot of money chasing after 1.5-2.5 fWAR second tier talent, and the rate of return on investments in that area (especially veterans in their 30's already) isn't that great. The obvious flaw with this youngster or prospect heavy rotation plan is if they don't sign at least two pretty good FA's and then we go on to suffer more significant injuries in the starting rotation. Losing Kopech alone kicked us back one season at least. Another injury without quality depth to replace the gap essentially forces them to be all-in for 2021, and I'm not sure how many can trust Hahn in that situation, either, where he's actually fighting to save his job with FA signings.

Nope, they started pitch framing and infield shifts...as well as keeping pitch counts down by keeping the ball in play on the infield with heavy two-seam fastballs.

Joe Crede and Juan Uribe agree wholeheartedly...those guys consistently driving in runners from third and less than 2 outs were just some random lucky dudes.

Signing both of those guys would be almost as shocking as signing Machado...but, at this point, we don't even know what Strasburg will elect to do.

If Puig was acquired by the White Sox, it would be the end of the franchise, clubhouse and chemistry destroyed, etc. Puig goes to Cleveland now with an excellent manager in Francona and crickets. Why is it that we panic about the idea of letting Abreu go...or adding Puig, like Chernobyl will result? Is Renteria really not capable of managing the clubhouse...or is really that fragile/combustible?

If they traded him 12 months ago they would have gotten even more back. Bauer was at peak value then and they held onto him...until his immaturity finally pushed him out when Francona could no longer tolerate the constant distractions. And 33 is old for a pitcher now?

How many times have you watched Reyes in the OF? This is one of those cases where people look at his homer totals and assume he’s an everyday player when he’s not, which is why the Padres kept Renfroe instead. And you’re arguing Puig is getting more playing time this year because he’s...what is your explanation? Finally, Logan Allen will never make it as a member of that rotation...he’s garbage. He wasn’t even in the Top 7-8 in SD for future starting rotation members.

He wouldn’t have been traded this season if he hadn’t thrown that ball over the CF fence at Kauffman in anger. They could just have easily traded Kluber over the last 12 months if that’s the route they wanted to go.

What does Logan Allen have to do with winning anything...he’s not even a Top Ten prospect in SD. Reyes has 68 bats since the trade. Puig has 72. And Puig has been hitting cleanup or out of the 5/6 hole, Reyes usually hits lower in the lineup.

Look at pictures of Tony Gwynn the last twelve months of his life. I’m sure none of them will cite him for “being a real man” right now. I doubt it’s written as an epitaph on his tombstone. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131484795/tony-gwynn#view-photo=133153540 And I’m not exactly sure how jamming all the Big League Chew in until your jaw hurt made you a better person, either.

And yet Francona dumped the Cy Young-caliber Bauer to add Puig (+) to his roster.

If the entire front office is so afraid to put themselves on the line by actually committing themselves and JR’s pocketbook to a SINGLE long-term pitching contract despite this “unprecedented financial flexibility,” then why are they even there? It’s like we are forever haunted by the ghosts of Navarro, Contreras and Danks going bad. And, if that’s REALLY the case, why not do something more innovative like go to all relievers to start games...it’s like we are stuck in Cooper’s 2005-2006 mindset of a rotation comprised of horses when the game has completely changed around him. Cole is the definition of a TOR horse who carries the team, but still too risky. It’s actually quite maddening. I’m still not convinced there’s one capable member of that front office who can pinpoint talent and commit to fighting ceaselessly for such an acquisition. Who? Haber? Hostetler? Fabian? Seems they are much better at talking themselves out of moves or making incorrect assessments of the actual market for a player...then expect us to be shocked along with them when they fail. The only time we actually “won” was KW and Paddy going aggressively after Robert and beating out the Cardinals. One example from a seven year track record, unless you want to cite Robertson/Cabrera/LaRoche as great wins for the FO.

Then how is it possible for HoF manager Terry Francona to deal with him...? He’s “okay” for just a couple of months? Because CLE has been the definition of a playoff contender, and it’s not like they don’t take this character factor into consideration, running off Bauer. They arguably have a similar number of Latin American players on their roster.

Two more RBI’s until we have to hear about Abreu’s RBI total the entire offseason...btw, only need 46 more homers to catch up with opponents this season.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/goes-decision-white-sox-theyve-232012655.html "He's doing fantastic," Hahn said Thursday. "Obviously you've seen the numbers. There are certainly some elements of his game that they're still fine tuning, they're still working on. But he's obviously an extremely talented young man and one that we're very excited to have here for the next several years. "We have made no decisions on the ultimate (September) call-up list or the ultimate timing of the call-up list." "You can't replicate what it's like to be here at the big league level," Renteria said. "One of the things you're doing, first of all, is the emotional effect it makes on you when you get up here. The other is talent and the way talent executes. "You get to see exactly what it's about, and when you go into an offseason, you have a better understanding of what you're preparing to do and where you're preparing to do it. Everybody will get their time when they get here and understand what it's all about." "I think he's still learning some valuable lessons at Triple-A, I do," Hahn said. "There are a few things you can't replicate at the minor league level. "The speed of the game, the preparation, the adjustments, a lot of that has to be learned at the big league level. But currently, as we sit here today on Aug. 22, there is still much that these guys are learning down there. Even being in the pennant race alone, even what they're doing on a nightly basis, the battle to try to get into the postseason is a benefit to them. "Eventually, you balance that, about what they're going to benefit from Chicago versus going through that, and make a decision."

The White Sox have REAL problems if they relent to "fan/online pressure" and bring up Robert and Madrigal now... There is a tangible benefit for them to learn how to win together and experience playoff success, and it's outweighing any possible advantage they would have gained over bringing them up 2-3 weeks ago, so it's all pretty much a moot paint. Except that Hahn really can't claim anything in Robert's development track that would be holding him back now...too many levels in one year, still needs to work on laying off low and away sliders, increase walk rate, etc.

The problem is we still have no inkling if we can rely on Collins in the upcoming season, at the major league level. The future FA catcher offerings the next two years are pretty barren, so it makes it incredibly difficult to know whether to be "all in" on Grandal or not. In all likelihood, they'll think that 1B (Abreu) and catcher (McCann/Collins) and DH (Collins/platoon partner) are "covered" for 2020, and that MIGHT work out, but it's impossible to feel 100% confident about Collins despite his recent minor league tear.