caulfield12

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43001588/orioles-tomoyuki-sugano-agree-1-year-13m Seems that their contention window is all about "year to year flexibility," with the exception being the three year deal for Tyler O'Neill at around $50 million. Baltimore has canvassed the free agent market for pitching this winter, looking to solidify its rotation with Corbin Burnes reaching free agency and right-handers Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells returning from reconstructive elbow surgeries. The Orioles head into 2025 after back-to-back postseason appearances with a rotation that includes Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Dean Kremer and now Sugano. Baltimore's efforts to re-sign Burnes have not abated, sources said, but the price is expected to land well beyond Chris Davis' $161 million contract -- the largest free agent deal in franchise history. The Orioles were purchased by private equity titan David Rubenstein in August after six consecutive seasons in which the team's Opening Day payroll ranked 26th or lower among MLB's 30 teams. Orioles are somewhere in the vicinity of a $110 million payroll right now.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ranking-roki-sasakis-7-most-likely-mlb-landing-spots/ https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/16/sport/roki-sasaki-free-agent-spt-intl/index.html

Bellinger is the CFer there...definitely not Santander. He would push Judge back to RF in NY.

Rodon 2021/Cease 2022 Giolito 2018/19

https://global.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42939004/nfl-chicago-bears-caleb-williams-improvement

So all lefties just need to follow our Sale Q Rodon (2021) Crochet development plan...sounds like a FA strategy, if half of it wasn't tied to Don Cooper.

Beetlejuice?

Everett?

Robert after the forgetting who Charlie Montoyo is/was incident.

If Teel isn't the kind of star-in-progress you'd want for a player like Crochet, then perhaps Montgomery is. A broken ankle kept Montgomery from making his pro debut after being taken 12th overall last June out of Texas A&M and might have cost him a few slots in the draft. Toolsy as they come, Montgomery has an 80-grade arm, per McDaniel, that will play well in right field. He has a chance for a plus power-patience combo, but his ability to get the bat on the ball better than he has shown so far will determine his destiny. Meidroth is a potential glue player with positional versatility and features excellent bat-on-ball skills and approach at the plate. His raw tools are mediocre, per McDaniel, and his upside is limited by a lack of power. Gonzalez has attributes as a starter -- stuff and stamina -- but his control and command very much remain works in progress even though he's now a 40-man roster player. Chances are he'll start off in the majors as a reliever with some leverage upside and, if he can smooth out the rough edges, perhaps can be a rotation candidate down the line. It's a solid haul. It is a good enough haul? That entirely depends on whether one or two of these four prospects ascend to All-Star status ... and whether we find out if one of Boston's young stars-in-waiting (Mayer/Anthony/Campbell) was there to be had. -- Doolittle https://global.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/42115076/2024-25-mlb-offseason-grades-free-agency-trade-analysis

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/that-time-when-nintendo-bought-a-baseball-team/ To this day, Mariners fans are grateful that Yamauchi's 49% essentially saved the team from relocation (to St. Pete as well, just like the White Sox during the same decade). Although on paper it seemed this powerful Japanese businessman had no real interest in the team – never visiting them, never watching a single game, getting his son-in-law to appear at meetings on his behalf – the reality was that his acquisition of the team was a symbolic one, a sign of gratitude to the state that helped Nintendo establish itself in the west. He may not have really cared much about the Mariners, but he certainly had a soft spot in his heart for the people who did. The deal also occasionally brought benefits to Mariners-supporting gamers. Nintendo published four baseball games starring Ken Griffey Jr, the Mariners’ star hitter. The SNES got two of these (Ken Griffey Jr Presents Major League Baseball and Ken Griffey Jr’s Winning Run), whereas the other two appeared on the Nintendo 64 (Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr and Ken Griffey Jr’s Slugfest). Current Sasaki betting odds, White Sox 80 to 1, or 29th, ahead of just the A's. Surprised DET and Minnesota would possibly be considered ahead of the Boston Red Sox. https://www.gambling911.com/mlb/roki-sasaki-odds-for-30-mlb-teams-111224 Los Angeles Dodgers 3/1 San Diego Padres 4/1 New York Mets 6/1 Seattle Mariners 7/1 San Francisco Giants 8/1 New York Yankees 9/1 Chicago Cubs 10/1 Philadelphia Phillies 11/1 Tampa Bay Rays 12/1 Atlanta Braves 14/1 Texas Rangers 14/1 Toronto Blue Jays

Just doesn't invest his time/effort/energy into learning the backgrounds of teams, like Benetti has always been much better at, just from a natural passion and/or interest in the various sports he broadcasts, and their past histories. It's not easy to cover three major sports as an announcer, one or two is the most that the majority can successfully manage.

Not to mention McClain...if he can come back to 100% health.

Not only that, but the whole "ring the gong" thing with Takatsu was borderline racist/discriminatory. Now obviously Fukudome faced even worse issues on the Northside, it would be shocking to see him not end up on one of the coasts, especially the Pacific Coast due to the proximity with Japan for flights and closer times for Japanese tv/media. Seattle feels right, so does SD...if he wants to compete directly against the Dodgers, or maybe SF. The Cubs would certainly be THE team to pick in Chicago. The Cardinals are clearing away (or attempting to) salary, and they have one of the most iconic/recognizable brands in the sport, but StL is hardly a mecca for Asian families. Hard to think of any Japanese pitchers succeeding there, mostly relievers. The Red Sox obviously have/had a much longer history with Japanese pitchers, and that was the initial choice of Dice K, who was a huge get back at the time, although he had a relatively disappointing big league career. In that sense, both Dallas and Houston would be better fits in terms of demographics in "flyover" territory.

"With that in mind, the Dodgers might not be an ideal landing spot for Sasaki," Bowden wrote. "In Los Angeles, he’d be in the shadow of both Ohtani and Yamamoto, which would lessen his endorsement ceiling. Yamamoto has experienced this to a degree, as being on the same team as Ohtani has led to Kodai Senga of the New York Mets drawing more endorsement deals than Yamamoto, according to a league source. It only makes sense that Sasaki will consider this factor in making his decision." Bowden also addresses the never-ending media presence in Los Angeles, which could be a hindrance for Sasaki. "With the Dodgers, Sasaki would also encounter the massive Japanese media presence — as high as 25 to 35 people — that regularly covers the team," Bowden wrote. "While he’ll surely be closely watched wherever he signs, that level of attention is not the best situation for a young, developing pitcher." https://www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/news/mlb-insider-reveals-why-it-is-unlikely-dodgers-sign-roki-sasaki-01jcrmkz5bxc Bowden believes Sasaki and Wasserman, the agency that represents him, will try to get a more considerable source of income through endorsements. The MLB insider is insistent that Sasaki won't want to be in the shadows of Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which would prevent the young pitcher from maximizing on endorsements.

Even the bottom revenue team is spending more this off season than the Sox...maybe MLB will vote to also going very Sox compensatory picks to rebalance/restore competitiveness in the Central? "A's continue being active with acquisition of LHP Jeffrey Springs from Rays The Rays are sending Jeffrey Springs to the A's in exchange for RHP's Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters, as well as and OF Will Simpson. A compensatory draft pick will also be heading Tampa's way, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The 32-year-old Springs appeared in only 10 games over the past two seasons as he's dealt with ulnar neuritis, as well as Tommy John surgery. He is owed $10.5 million in each of the next two season and his contract features a club option of $15 million for 2027." Meanwhile, TB probably needs that money to fix their failing roof since the city doesn't want to pay. yahoo.com/sports

Air McNair might need to remove himself from the CSI Channel in order to participate ... but that would be par for the course with these White Sox.

That kind of goes against the Dayton Moore/FCA Code of Conduct...

Nobody has gotten expected performances from Madrigal Fulmer Collins...and it's not like even Rusty Kuntz could have turned Vaughn into an average major league LFer. Burger Crochet C.Montgomery (top 15 MiLB ranking) and Schultz all peaked in the Sox system. And roughly 75-80% of consensus high draft picks end their careers with 0-5 lifetime fWAR.

"Since 1990 the Sox have drafted in the top 10, 7 times. Chris Getz was here for 6 of those times. Please tell me how he lacked all this top level talent that the prior regimes had..." Why is Getz being judged for not developing Fulmer Collins Madrigal and Vaughn...? For Burger tearing two Achilles? None of Paddy's signings since Robert have amounted to anything....with the Sox or elsewhere. Let's also not act like he has had a huge treasure chest of talent, and Getz was also around as Crochet Colson and Schultz have each dramatically outperformed their lower draft slots. Sox are just a few years removed from having a bottom 3 minor league system...part of the reason due to Crochet being immediately pushed by Hahn into the 2020 pennant race, the Burger injury and Vaughn being recalled too quickly to fill an outfield hole.

"The Cubs traded for Tucker with full awareness that he might leave in 12 months and sign elsewhere. There is no guarantee that he will stay in Chicago or even that they will have an advantage in free-agent negotiations. In the case of the Yankees, they at least still have a top-five player in Aaron Judge following Soto’s departure, but the Cubs won’t likely have that type of security. The trio of players the Cubs gave up represent a steep price for a one-year rental. But it’s understandable that the price was so high. Tucker is the type of player who can take a team over the top as a contender or — perhaps more aptly in Chicago’s case — take a borderline playoff team and push it into October. With Soto signed, Tucker was the only player available with that kind of ability. But the Cubs need to be certain they have the rest of the pieces in place before Opening Day. Because they’ll likely get only one chance with Tucker on their roster." "The deal instantly makes Tucker the best player in Chicago..." Haha. https://sports.yahoo.com/with-addition-of-kyle-tucker-chicago-cubs-are-instantly-better--but-for-just-one-year-225812420.html

They want to get rid of the salary, more than anything. Maybe a 10-15% Cubs' premium. Owned $52 million in salary for age 34-35-36 seasons plus another $46 million in deferred money from 2025-2041. Who would pay Arenado $98 million for three years on the open market? https://www.fangraphs.com/players/nolan-arenado/9777/stats?position=3B 7.2 fWAR his last great season in 2022...now essentially a 3 fWAR player going forward, until he really craters at some point.

https://www.mlb.com/news/all-time-white-sox-top-draft-picks Which of those picks from 2015 through Crochet have amounted to anything elsewhere, tbough? There's also a big difference between #10/11 and Top 3, but the lower picks have outperformed recently and Madrigal/Vaughn have busted. Only Rodon (eventually) realized his potential.

Who can succeed in even getting banned from a board supporting one of the worst teams in the history of professional sports? That's a pretty low bar to clear. Reported.

More like Iowa Northwestern Wisconsin Indiana competing against the top of the Big 10...maybe once every five to ten years or so. But not consistently. Of the Central team in Chicago should be OSU MU PSU Oregon USC UCLA in this analogy but we are more like Rutgers.