caulfield12

Fulmer needs to first get his walks down and control the running game before he can ever be a late inning/high leverage guy.

1) There might not be any left to spend on at that point. 2) Hahn will have a very difficult time getting fans to buy into moves for players like Moustakas/Markakis/Adam Jones/Marwin Gonzalez and Miley/Gio/Pomeranz without Machado. The reaction from the fanbase will be lukewarm, AT BEST.

A bit surprised Nebraska lost at Rutgers. Iowa has MSU at home, at Minnesota, MICH at home and then at Indiana. Just hoping they can win one of those games, 2 would be great and virtually guarantee an NCAA berth unless they completely fall apart down the stretch. After they started B10 play 0-3, it looked like the entire season was on the brink.

We can entice Beltre back out of retirement if we sign Machado and put him at SS...and dramatically overpay Adrian, lol. That way, we can claim yet another HoF player for the White Sox organization.

His 2015 season argues the counterpoint...just like Harper's one 10 fWAR season. I'm pretty sure it was around 5.9 or something like that. If not for that solitary breakout season, he'd be lucky to get $12-13 million per season with that injury history and at age 31. Basically, he'd be a similar contract to Melky (albeit he can play CF, not just below average defense at a corner).

Yeah there's got to be a better option if they're actually trying to be a .500 ballclub this season...and maybe having an outside shot at competing for the WC or division if Cleveland suffers some major pitching injuries or Jose Ramirez becomes a lesser version of himself. Too bad no Avi in CF, lol.

Age 31/32/33 seasons make a lot more sense than 34/35 for this franchise, at this particular place and moment in time. Also can't imagine them giving up the draft pick if they can trade some riff-raff off the 40 man without parting with a Top 10-15 overall prospect to get someone like Pederson. With all the injuries, some would view him as even older than 31 in terms of wear and tear on his body.

Yeah, the last 3 years (combined), Pederson is at a 521 OPS against LHP. That's Moncada (2019) or Jose Valentin imbalanced. In 2015, he was at 692, though....that's the last season before the Dodgers gave up playing him against most lefties. They would have to decide whether to send Engel to AAA to play full-time, trade him or just give him at-bats against the really tough LH pitchers.

https://www.12up.com/posts/6277016-rumor-dominican-mlb-insider-says-pirates-look-like-mystery-team-on-manny-machado "Pittsburgh seems to be aggressive in trying to clear payroll, which makes sense if they are going after Machado. He's the kind of star player and middle-of-the-order bat who can play shortstop for the Bucs, so there is a baseball fit here." If the Pirates somehow land Machado, the NL Central in 2019 is going to be insane. Even the Cincinnati Reds are trying to make moves to compete with the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. Game alllllll the way on." Hector Gomez getting his name out there again. Here's a good one, lol. Pirates are the mystery team in on Machado (even though they brought back Kang, they let Harrison go)...trade Marte for Pederson, boom! Contenders. Well, if we can't beat the Pirates after they've dumped Cole, Harrison and McCutcheon...not sure what to say. Which makes it a lot less likely than the Padres (as the mystery team) being in a similar position to the White Sox (but still staring up at the Dodgers). And the Padres already signed Hosmer as well last offseason.

As long as we don't see any accompanying article about Bryce Bush being the fastest rising high school signee from 2019! Heck, a Jace Fry "puff piece" would even be okay.

The fact that the Reds are committing extensive resources to jump start their rebuild in the face of 4 teams that on paper are better (and definitely at least 3) puts more pressure on teams like the White Sox and Padres to step up their efforts...or end up in limbo like the Blue Jays (at least they have two future stars on the way), Pirates and Mariners.

Okay, so we're back to competing in 2019. That requires Pederson and Hill...a second-half contribution (rather large) from Cease/Dunning and possibly signing Kimbrel. Or Miley/Gonzalez/Pomeranz signing to a short-term deal and the Pederson deal requiring more talent going back to LAD. (I'm in agreement that drafting for need for the current MLB season, see Burdi, doesn't usually work out. Sale was such a unique exception, somehow he became the norm based on the ease in which he transitioned in 2010.)

Pollock is already 31. He's a lot like Harper, in that his one peak (and 100% healthy) season makes you think he could almost be a superstar. The problem is that the rest of his career suggests at 2.5-3.0 value player, not unlike Joc Pederson, except Pederson's only 26 years old and has been able to stay relatively healthy. Pederson has the 2017 season counting against him, when he managed something like a 0.6 fWAR. Everyone projected Pollock at around 5 and $80 coming into the offseason, but it seems that's falling back towards 3-4 years....but, then again, who knows what the heck happens to the market once Harper and Machado are gone.

I think we're discounting a few things. We know Kopech's situation, but with Cease/Dunning and possibly Hansen, that should provide at LEAST 2 more options. Then you have the free agency market (at least 5 REALLY good pitchers that are all 100% "win now" besides Sale)...the #3 draft pick for another high-rising college pitcher (if it's not Vaughn, Adley or Witt) AND international free agency.

Another reason to trade him to the Sox is that a competitor of the Dodgers, like the Braves, would then have to allocate more payroll due to the increasing demand for Pollock’s services, not to mention they’d lose that draft pick. Considering the Braves are set up to be one of the top NL teams the next five years, it’s certainly a consideration to a team desperate for a World Series title. Not a huge consideration, but if would be if the Braves aren’t offering significantly more for Joc. Of course, Atlanta could always shock the world and sign Harper tomorrow.

Gray could headline a rotation in far better shape than the one that finished 2018 with a 5.02 ERA: Gray, Roark, Wood, Luis Castilloand Anthony DeSclafani, with Tyler Mahle, Sal Romano and Cody Reed also capable of starting. While the Reds have yet to sign a major league free agent this winter, the additions through trade have pushed their payroll above $120 million, which would be a franchise high. Following a 67-95 season, the Reds felt close enough to start moving toward contention, even with a loaded National League Central that includes three potential playoff teams in Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis as well as a Pittsburgh team that finished above .500 last season. source:espn.com

Pirates’ fans would mutiny on the Clemente Bridge...

https://www.mlb.com/news/should-white-sox-spend-big-on-position-player/c-302813752 Is signing Machado or Harper the right move? Scott Merkin mailbag

Three MLB "insiders" who didn't have the White Sox as much of a factor 4 days ago...not completely surprising, I guess http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25769367/will-bryce-harper-manny-machado-sign-super-bowl-sunday-other-burning-questions Who do you think will sign Machado? Matz: All the talk about the Phillies flirting heavily with Harper in Vegas this past weekend could be legit. Or it could be a ploy to make Machado flinch and take whatever Philly is offering. Feels like the latter to me. I still see Manny donning red pinstripes. Schoenfield: The funny thing, it's to the advantage of both players to wait for the other to sign first -- especially if the first one to sign doesn't go with the Phillies. We know the Phillies want one of these guys, and if they miss out on the first one to sign, they may feel forced to increase their offer to the other to make sure they don't get shut out. But who signs first? If Harper ends up choosing the Nationals and that happens first, maybe it will push Machado to the Phillies. Miller: The Phillies. Again, though, given the tone of what's been publicly reported, this feels like trying to forecast the weather nine days out. Feels like the significant steps in the process are still undeveloped. How surprised would you be if the Phillies ended up signing NEITHER Machado nor Harper? Matz: About as surprised as I'd be if Machado or Harper ended up hosting this year's Academy Awards. Schoenfield: Not that surprised. Harper to the Nationals seems like a real possibility. Something deep inside could still see the Yankees swooping in at the last second for Harper or Machado, or maybe Machado goes to the White Sox or the "mystery" team that is supposedly out there (the Padres need a third baseman ...). Miller: A little bit, but if they were really committed to signing one of them, it would have happened by now.

You'd have to break out the advanced stats, but probably means he's getting more fastballs over the plate in the 8th spot to retire him before the pitcher comes up...or trying to avoid walks in order to get the pitcher to lead off an inning. With the 1st spot, he's a lot more vigilant about taking walks and working deep into counts, but I'm not sure if that's borne out by the individual stats with Pederson in terms of more power hitting 8th or 1st, OBP, etc. A lot of leadoff hitters get fastballs because no pitcher wants to walk the top of the order and set up the big inning, especially starting out a game. That said, it's not like he's 1980's Vince Coleman or Tim Raines and a threat to run wild on the basepaths.

Yep, if we didn't "luck" into getting Contreras for Loiaza (who we lucked into getting a near Cy Young performance out of in 2003 off the scrap heap, which almost never happens anymore)....then probably no World Series. Or the Graffanino error, or the AJ/Josh Paul incident, etc.

Uh-oh.

And that's with him being described as having the most MLB-ready bat of all the collegiate players...I think it's a little of the Jeremy Reed syndrome, he's going to be solid all-around (or maybe Gonzalez) but nothing he do will amaze you unless you watch him day in, day out, for an entire season. He's also likely not to stick in CF, eventually, although only time will tell on that front. Corner outfielders that only hit 15-20 homers per year on pretty much a dime a dozen, unless they have the overall hitting skills of a Benintendi.

cappin'=frontin', saying stuff that isnt true She said she won $1,000 yesterday. Why is she cappin, she know she aint got no money.

Except we might actually (believe it or not!!) be competing for a playoff spot at mid season that year.