caulfield12

Collusion in the sense there’s always been a bottom 5-7 teams that don’t even pretend to compete, and the Commissioner’s Office won’t do a thing…which is not quite like working together to suppress FA salaries of players over 32 or whatever.

But certainly not close to 30th…notice the pitch vs. hit ranking even with Semien/Tatis, Jr. No Daniel Hudson/Wendelken there, either. Catching would be abysmal…Oscar Colas would be a starter, even though they still won’t start him on baseball’s worst team. Collapses of Tim Anderson and Madrigal sting, Fulmer still hanging on somehow. Romy over Sheets haha. Bullpen another trouble spot. 14. Chicago White Sox What-if wins: 80.6 (+20.9 better than actual) Playoff odds: 32.5% | Title odds: 0.8% Hit rank: 25 | Pitch rank: 4 Regulars: Andrew Vaughn (1B), Marcus Semien (2B), Colson Montgomery (SS), Jake Burger (3B), Seby Zavala (C), Oscar Colas (LF), Luis Robert Jr. (CF), Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF), Romy Gonzalez (DH) Rotation: Chris Sale, Chris Bassitt, Carlos Rodon, Garrett Crochet, Jonathan Cannon Bullpen: Ian Hamilton, Aaron Bummer, Tanner Banks The strength of that core rotation keeps the White Sox in the middle. Getting Sale, Crochet and Rodon together is tempting. And what White Sox fan wouldn't want to undo the trades that sent away Semien and Tatis? Still, it adds up to a hole-filled, middle-of-the-road roster short on bats with no depth. The current plan to beef up the minor league system is a good one. https://global.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/43399642/mlb-offseason-2024-25-ranking-30-mlb-teams-trades-free-agency-exist

"And now they are believed to be finalists for Sasaki, who reportedly held a second meeting with the club Tuesday and could sign as soon as Wednesday when the new international signing period officially begins. “He’s someone that is obviously a major priority for us,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this winter. “We’re going to do whatever we can, and know that there are a lot of other teams that are going to do the exact same thing.” latimes.com/sports

Wendelken played for the Yokohama Bay Stars and not Sasaki's Chiba Lotte Marines...for the last two years, but they might be familiar with each other.

The official Top international prospects list only goes 30-50 deep, right??? MLB Pipeline and Baseball America/Badler... Looks like they expanded to Top 100… https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2025-mlb-international-prospects-bonus-board/

If you stuck Enrique Bradfield in CF (after Robert trade) for the White Sox versus let's say Fletcher, versus on the bench behind Cedric Mullins at Camden Yards...he's going to have much more of an impact defensively/runs saved for the White Sox wins in close games than for simply backing up CF/PR/defense in BALT.

An/y individual team could do a slightly lopsided trade to help the White Sox and nobody could stop it...because 80% of the trades the White Sox have made the last two years were lopsided, right? I mean...isn't it a form of collusion against the other two divisions to deliberately not field a competitive team as a supposed large market team, when even the Oakland A's are going to spend $40-50 million more on payroll. Nobody in baseball is going to complain in 2025 if 3 of 4 of the AL Central teams (MIN DET KC CLE) make the playoffs YET again...? I'm sure there will be a lot of protesting, especially to teams that are spending $150+ million on their payrolls...as well as the Orioles, etc.

If the Dodgers are going to corner 75% of the Japanese market, why don't the White Sox intentionally target South Korea or Taiwan? Obviously there's HaSeong Kim dangling out there...just feels like making the White Sox the "Team of Korea" or "Team of Taiwan" would pay off a lot more than not having ANY identity. Probably would have to compete with the Giants, who signed Woo for CF last year and then they're closer time zone wise/flight-distance. Maybe some Korean relievers/pitchers or infielders/outfielders (Dodgers just signed a SS/2B, another Kim). Seems there's more marketing possibilities than anything the Sox can do inside the city of Chicago the next year or two...not that you can't have both. The Cuban Connection never really had a tangible payoff in terms of revenue derived from that country (tv/satellite subscriptions, merchandise/souvenirs, sponsorships, etc.) Or even Puerto Rico...? Just seems like they can piggyback off what LAD are doing in Japan on a much smaller scale with Korean and/or Taiwanese players.

Bill Mazeroski likes this post...Nellie Fox, too.

Here are the three biggest prospects to watch any movement with in the days ahead with TORONTO... According to Francys Romero, the Blue Jays have an agreement with nine players, including MLB Pipeline’s 22nd-ranked international prospect, Cristopher Polanco. The shortstop is expected to sign for $2.3 million. The MLB international signing period (2024-25) begins in 12 days. Here are my top 35 talents, dark horses, team signings tracker with estimated bonuses and more. Full content available for paid subscribers on Beisbol FR:https://t.co/ireXLUNWDu — Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 3, 2025 Polanco’s MLB Pipeline notes that he has a smooth left-handed swing with “tremendous” bat speed. There’s not a lot of room for projection left in his 5’11” frame and he may end up at second base in the future, but the hit tool is ranked a 60 grade. Another shortstop is set to sign for the Blue Jays as well, Juan Sanchez. The youngster is set to sign for $1 million and is Baseball America’s 44th-ranked available prospect. Moreover, the Blue Jays are set to sign Kennew Blanco, who ranked NINTH on MLB Pipeline’s available IFA’s last season, for $600,000. Last season, he was supposed to sign, but an age controversy set his signing back a year with a lesser bonus. Altogether, the Blue Jays are set to spend $4.76 million of their $6,261,600 pool, giving them just over $1.5 million left. There is something that complicates things though. What about Rōki Sasaki? https://bluejaysnation.com/news/international-free-agency-primer-the-blue-jays-are-set-to-sign-nine-players

Well, he will be a "bit long in the tooth" 28, but sure...

He's the #81 international prospect right now... So revise my #14-16 to late 20's/early 30's in Sox system ranking. Still the most exciting overall outfield prospects after Montgomery in terms of overall God-given tools.

Productive/clutch aren't measurables? Poor Crede and Uribe...and Harrelson. And Danny Wright and Baldwin were good based on win totals in past years...2000/03.

"This year, the Padres are not attached to any of the upper-echelon prospects, in part because they’re all-in on Sasaki. Baseball America’s top-100 international board currently links the Padres to Dominican shortstop Jhoan De La Cruz (No. 43), Venezuelan shortstop Deivid Coronil (No. 50), Dominican left-hander Carlos Alvarez (No. 69) and Venezuelan outfielder Sebastian Peña (No. 77). The Padres could attempt to push their handshake deals into the 2026 window, but that’s more complicated than it seems. The White Sox have swiped Venezuelan outfielder Orlando Patiño (No. 81) from the Dodgers for an expected $570,000, up from the $400,000 he was going to sign for with Los Angeles, according to Baseball America." Dodgers can add as much as $3,000,000 from trading pool money with other teams, bringing their total closer to $8.25 million and Blue Jays/Padres could both go over $10 million each, total https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/01/14/as-international-signing-period-opens-padres-await-roki-sasakis-decision/

If you're not good enough to make the potentially worst bullpen in big league history...probably not a good sign for MLB career longevity.

Add too late and you risk losing a Rodon to FA or Anderson to ineffectiveness...add too early and you shorten the competitive window down to 3-4 seasons. San Diego is basically done for 2-3 years without Sasaki...as 2024 was their last, best opportunity to knock off LA. Same with Toronto if they lose Bichette and Guerrero.

would you ever consider trades with the White Sox to intentionally shore up their weaknesses in order to make them more competitive vs. their AL Central rivals (that are beating the Sox up so badly and getting a disproportionate number of WC berths)? For example, a spare minor league CFer after Robert is traded or a competent SS? Thinking of teams like Seattle Boston TB Toronto Baltimore Texas and Houston specifically... Loaning Enrique Bradfield for 1 year to play CF, for example? If Manfred is going to allow the LAD Evil Empire (apologies to Japan) to continue expanding...why shouldn't coastal teams fighting for playoff berths in other divisions be able to think ”strategic alliance”... about how to legally assist the lowly White Sox? Concept of marginal utility/opportunity cost here...where benefits of a better White Sox team outweigh incremental improvements to one's own team.

Well we obviously need more garbage relievers to somehow get hot this season so we can flip them to contending teams for more garbage position players at 1B DH RF LF 2B.

The Padres put all their eggs in the Sasaki basket and were recently asking prospects to wait back for the 2026 class. Blue Jays have just one guy in the $1-1.5 million range...so it's not like there are a huge number of Top 30-50 prospects in their signing class.

Just don't look at his major league ERA last year....

The economy inflation and anti-woke movement were going to be intractable foes for virtually any Democrat. Not even sure Michelle Obama would have won with the political headwinds.

That's the really tough part for Final Four attendees....lose on Sat and you have zero desire to stay for Monday night.

Well...if that does happen, Dylan Cease Luis Arraez and Robert Suarez all immediately go on the trade block as they will have no choice but to refill their farm and wait on the eventual arrivals of Salas and deVrieze. Michael King will be traded as well unless they can agree on an extension. Meanwhile, Rockies fans will be left wondering why they continue to exist. You simply can't afford to consistently compete with the LAD in a small media market without a handsome RSN deal as a backstop...long term contracts for guys like Machado Bogaerts Darvish Musgrove and Cronenworth will eventually force tough personnel decisions.

Pedro Grifol is still available as a team-building associate...or would he have to forfeit some of his 2025 guaranteed salary from JR?

All the former Royals!!! We just can't quit them. At least he attended the same university as Robin Ventura, Josh Fields. And he will ONLY be 28 at the start of next season... Height / Weight 6-3 / 225 Bats / Throws Right / Right Birthdate January 27,1997 Age: 27.353 Place Plano, Texas High School Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano,TX) Colleges Oklahoma State University (Stillwater,OK) Drafted/Signed 2018-13-392-Kansas City Royals Signing Bonus $ 247,500 Service Time 1.014 (2023) MLB Debut September 17,2021 Update Player Bio | Compare Playe