caulfield12

Lopez was really throwing BB's in the first inning...was consistently 97-99 mph. Impressive stuff.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 2, 2018 -> 03:50 PM) Considering the way that a roster and the game is made up the tilt SHOULD be heavily towards position players, and not even. We did the whole pitching heavy with a couple of star hitters thing, and it flopped. Unless the starter surplus goes into a Top Five pen. Good luck building that through free agency with the numbers this offseason. We already tried with Dotel, Linebrink and then Robertson to mixed success.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 2, 2018 -> 03:10 PM) Donald Trump and Betsy Devos should not be involved in the least in teacher pay protests in various states just because the states voted for him at the national level. And yet that’s the prism eveything is looked at today...especially if these tariffs are imposed by China. They’re specifically targeting his base (including EU)...Harley-Davidson WI, bourbon whiskey (TN/KY), farming/agriculture (numerous states, especially Heartland and Rust Belt.) Do you think he would still go after Amazon if Washington (state) had voted for him...? Or Howard Schultz from Starbucks didn’t criticize Trump at every opportunity? Heck, the GOP seems to be actively courting a “culture war” with WA, OR, CA and Hawaii. Hollywood. Liberals. Elites. Silicon Valley minus Peter Thiel (of course, tax policy runs counter.) Net neutrality. Sanctuary cities.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 2, 2018 -> 02:00 PM) It's somewhat true but moreso I'd say the sox need of filling in depth with veteran contracts was not an efficient use of their modest budget. Compare that to an actual sell-off with the Marlins. The sox for example held onto QUintana for the right time, whereas the marlins needed to move off stanton to get to a payroll threshold. They would have had to sell high/er on Yelich, Dee Gordon, Realmuto, Ozuna...at least one year earlier. Or auctioning Stanton off before he got that immense deal. Jose Fernandez’s premature death really rattled Loria, from everything you read. It’s also why the Royals’ path post Yordano Ventura makes even less sense (feels like Moore can’t afford another full rebuild with the fans.)

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 2, 2018 -> 02:00 PM) It's somewhat true but moreso I'd say the sox need of filling in depth with veteran contracts was not an efficient use of their modest budget. Compare that to an actual sell-off with the Marlins. The sox for example held onto QUintana for the right time, whereas the marlins needed to move off stanton to get to a payroll threshold. They would have had to sell high/er on Yelich, Dee Gordon, Realmuto, Ozuna...at least one year earlier. Or auctioning Stanton off before he got that immense deal. Jose Fernandez’s premature death really rattled Loria, from everything you read. It’s also why the Royals’ path post Yordano Ventura makes even less sense (feels like Moore can’t afford another full rebuild with the fans.)

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 2, 2018 -> 01:41 PM) I think he tried to wiggle out of the marlins/indians examples because those were driven by costs. Isnt that at least somewhat true for us, too? The White Sox were not willing to put out a $150-175 million payroll with only a non-zero chance of getting back to the playoffs. At the time, that?€™s what it would have taken to overcome post-World Series KC, the rising Indians. Even the Twins had Sano/Buxton/Berrios arriving...and the Tigers?€™ willingness to outspend with Ilitch.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Apr 2, 2018 -> 11:23 AM) Yeah I wouldn't call the Sox the "most extreme" tanking ever, just happened to luck into a crazy combination of having a few elite assets + contending teams with great farms. The Astros were BAD for 3 years in a row and destroyed the draft a couple times to get them a ring. Outside of Tatis I've loved every move, my only concern is they can't draft & develop a positional player to save their lives (jury out on Anderson still) and will eventually need to do that at some point once this wave of prospects has passed. Having a young core hopefully come along in the next 2 years + infinite money to spend in a great free agent class is a pretty nice spot to be in. The Marlins and Indians did the same thing at least twice. Now at least three times in Miami. The A’s have been cycling through tanks over and over again. The Rays? The Twins...the Padres, many examples. Otoh, without the Shields deal, the White Sox have the lowest payroll in baseball by $10 million and clearly the #1 farm system with up to five superstars or at least All-Star caliber talents in the system (Jimenez, Tatis, Kopech, Robert, Hansen, Cease...and, if you squint hard enough, Collins because of the dearth of legit catching prospects, or Micker Adolfo). So the unique differentiating point is teams like the Cubs and Astros based rebuild on hitting/positional prospects moreso than the Sox approach of pitching first. Of course, we’ve already taken hits there...Rodon injuries and inconsistency (compared to say a Bryant, Correa or Lindor)...Burdi injured...Giolito looking more like Gavin Floyd than a true frontline ace (still a net win) due to a dropoff in velocity...otoh, Cease looks more and more legit everyday. Let’s not forget Fulmer is also FAR from a sure thing. And then you have the Burger, Robert and Adolfo injuries. Not quite the linear path those two teams followed (Cubs/Astros), but undoubtedly faster to get back to competitive team, too. Financially, we might be in the best division to overtake rivals as well...over the long-term. The Padres do everything right, still have the Dodgers in their path, for example. Maybe NL East post Harper is equal opportunity for Braves and Phillies?

If Moustakas couldnt get 5 years and $60 million at age 29, LH, key position on the infield....what can Avi realistically expect two offseasons from now at age 28 (assuming he stays a minimum 3-4.5 war player)? What would/should/could Hahn be willing to offer, know he’ll probably be too low but just checking to see if he’ll bite without insulting him simultaneously?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 2, 2018 -> 09:25 AM) It's amazing how many adults have attacked these kids on twitter, and almost every single one of them eventually apologizes. Frank Stallone, Sly's brother was the last. I saw one comment where they could boycott something in response, but there isn't anything to boycott for Frank Stallone. He did some songs for Saturday Night Fever, but Travolta already is boycotted....

Teacher protests last month in WV. Today, Oklahoma and Kentucky. Next up, Arizona. Where are Trump and DeVos?...four states that voted for him. Not to mention all the agricultural export states like Iowa soon to be hit by Chinese tariffs on pork, soybeans, sorghum, etc. Blue wave, baby!

The only way I could see a problem would be if a team specifically hired a family member within 1 year's time of a college draft...for that very reason (not unlike bringing a family member onto a college basketball coaching staff to ensure a recruit's commitment). Thomas has been with the White Sox for at least two decades, right?

http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/ https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2P...XKZeTbE/pubhtml This includes projected CB Tax Payroll/Collective Bargaining and has us only $1 million behind Oakland (29th). Indians at $144 million and the Twins right around the same number (right around the mode for MLB teams). $57 million gap between White Sox and those two. Royals at $135.6 million. Detroit at $138 million. We're current 29th in payroll (I saw someone posted that one of the Chicago papers had us at 26th or 27th)...this information of $72 million SEEMS to be more accurate (or Cot's). That's barely $7 million over the 2005 World Series team.

And Abreu/Avi won't generate those huge returns because 1) age/fair value for fWAR, and 2) Avi's career track record (see same concerns over Logan Morrison, Yonder Alonso, etc.) If Avi really puts up another season (or half season) like 2017, then trading him would be crazy because he has a lot more value to the Sox than another team IMO (because we were so patient with him, and he's so comfortable now with the coaching staff/teammates). He's not going to get a return anything similar to the Yelich deal (obviously, All-Star player under longer control), and that wasn't exactly overwhelming, unless Brinson becomes an All-Star himself.

The big question with the Twins is how willing they are to REALLY go for it this year...? They'll lose Dozier and Mauer, and isn't this Santana's final contract year, unless they are willing to pay him $14 million next year (not to mention he would be 36)? If Buxton, Sano and Berrios hit their ceilings, they're an 88-90 win team. But they still wouldn't stack up against the NYY, Boston, Cleveland, Houston and what (for the moment) looks like the Angels if Ohtani is for real as a pitcher. The way the AL looks right now, they're #6, just ahead of the Mariners.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Apr 1, 2018 -> 07:33 PM) The White Sox would be in very serious hot water if they did that given the duplicitous nature of it. Ozzie influencing the Freddy Garcia trade...or Abreu/Ynoa influencing Luis Robert?

They can't take any chances with Jones holding together physically...they weren't even willing to risk that Kahnle would return back to earth (that they could actually get more of a return turning him into a closer for 2018). Jones Soria (middling, at best, return) Saladino has negligible value Gonzalez/Shields Farquhar/Minaya/Infante Another big question mark is Sanchez/Leury...keep both, one or neither? Defensively you'd love to keep Sanchez at 3rd, Davidson at 1B/DH...and have someone who can play much better defense than Delmonico (although subbing in Leury will work for now, and Cordell in the future).

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Apr 1, 2018 -> 05:20 AM) Caulfield, if this dude was Dominican and not Cuban I doubt you?€™d have interest in adding him. That should tell you something. If Abreu wasn?€™t Cuban and Tatis Jr. was Cuban instead of Dominican, would Jose still be a White Sox and Tatis a Friar? It’s all up to the DBacks. He could end up like Rusney Castillo, stuck in purgatory with the Red Sox but set for life financially...or Hector Olivera. The Diamondbacks have placed slugger Yasmany Tomas on outright waivers, according to sources, a move that could amount to little more than his removal from the 40-man roster. Tomas, who was optioned to Triple-A Reno last weekend, would seem highly unlikely to be claimed given that he still has three years and roughly $46 million remaining on his contract. Assuming he goes unclaimed, the Diamondbacks would then outright Tomas to Reno. As a player with at least three years of service time, Tomas could refuse the assignment and become a free agent, but that seems highly unlikely since it would mean he would walk away from what’s left on his contract. Tomas, who signed a six-year, $68 million deal in December 2014, has had a disappointing three years in the organization. He has swung the bat well at times, including in 2016, when he hit 31 homers and posted an .820 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging). azrepublic.com In the end, unless the Sox paid part of his contract, he won’t be going anywhere unless they just outright release him (like the Braves did with Kazmir.) The first article I read online made it seem like it was an outright release and just eating the entire remaining contract (with a new front office in place.)

QUOTE (hi8is @ Apr 1, 2018 -> 12:45 AM) Strike out rate between 30 and 35 percent. I also believe that when he hit 30 bombs or whatever it was, his wRC+ was only 109. Couple that with how much he’s owed ( 45 million or something ) and it’s an easy HARD PASS for me. DBacks will be on the hook for all of that...White Sox would have a very minimum contribution, as nobody in their right mind would assume his contract (see Alex Rios.)

Delmonico will be 26 in July. Davidson is 27. Saladino will be 29 in July. Cordell, 26.

QUOTE (CWSpalehoseCWS @ Mar 31, 2018 -> 11:30 PM) Agree with the above. Between Delmonico and Davidson, AB's are pretty limited already. Adding Tomas into the mix is going to make it hard to evaluate. Plus Charlotte is already loaded with guys that need consistent playing time - especially in the OF with May, Cordell, Tilson, and Palka. Realistically, Cordell is the only one that realistically fits as a 4th/5th outfielder or platoon guy on a playoff roster. Skole was actually the most impressive hitter, if only he had a a legit defensive position. We might not be far from moving on without Abreu or Avi, there’s that to consider as well.

https://sports.yahoo.com/diamondbacks-appea...-020924875.html Worth a shot, Cuban Connection, better suited to AL, RH complement to Delmonico, etc. Could send him to Charlotte to hit everyday, or it would mean Saladino’s spot or cutting back one from the pen.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Mar 31, 2018 -> 10:56 PM) I've met Jason in person and he could not have been more gracious or engaging. We chatted for like 15 minutes. I think he can be a really good baseball announcer if he actually relies on his baseball knowledge. If being the key word in that sentence...he’s going to be asked (the first or second time) politely to dial back his non-baseball repertoire if he keeps this up. Remember, we’re trying to attract more engagement from new/casual fans and, more specifically, younger fans.

In the big picture, $1 billion+ tv deal and Jason don’t really fit in the same picture together. In the beginning, he was too fawning/deferential...now he’s gotten too “insidery” and comfortable, but not in a way that’s useful for the viewer at home. Unless we’re now targeting loads of female fans by joking about Matt Davidson’s frosted tips (hairstyle) and ruining the Teri Hatcher elevator scene from Seinfeld. Would actually prefer to hear a Merkin podcast, or even Chuck Garfien.

QUOTE (Sox-35th @ Mar 31, 2018 -> 08:48 PM) The book Ready Player One was far more profound than the film, however the movie is a lot of fun considering how bad some of the CGI nightmare films are as of late. When the avatars are more interesting than the real life characters...at least for the two leads, you’ve got a problem. Fortunately, the other three members of High Five were pretty cool. That and spotting the pop culture Easter eggs, especially as it related to the Atari 2600.

Well, since MILB teams don’t start playing until Thursday, no biggie...