caulfield12

Giolito is rated #8-12 on most lists, Lopez in the 19-23 range...pretty hard to believe, but that's how scant the pitching market is. Flaherty SEEMS to be racking up about the same amount of interest as Giolito, and there are obvious reasons for comparisons. Wouldn't mind seeing him back with Katz, but can't imagine that JR will sign off on even that if it comes in around the Clevinger range of $$$ and years. Really think some are underselling Cease and what he's truly worth with two affordable years left AND his very reliable durability to take the ball for 30+ starts.

Raiders playing exact opposite of the Bears under a new coaching staff.

Predictable...

Without Cooper DeJean, Iowa would be run off the field by MU/OSU and it has already happened against PSU. (Well, who knows with MI at this point the way that team has been hit by controversy and shaky offense.) They only have had a competitive championship game with MSU...who consequently got boatraced by Bama. Basically on second QB and #3/4 TE for half the season...and a slew of running backs have been in and out.

Twins kept all their guys that were being speculated upon like Polanco and Kepler...

https://sports.yahoo.com/plaschke-room-hot-seat-lincoln-024318051.html If Riley/Williams are going to the Bears, they desperately will need an outsider to raise the level of the defense somehow… After all the drama the last two years and transfers taken with him…OU fans have to be feeling better about Venables. Would have been right there without the Andrel Anthony season-ending injury.

Or Peavy…

Getz would be putting his job on the line right away...and some of those kids like Grayson and Kjerstad would have to contribute right away, especially if Robert and Cease are in 2023 and 22 (Cease) form respectively.

Except odds are that none of those players were going to be on the active roster for ATL. AA got something he believed was more useful in a proven LHR that they believe has a friend x with coaching and solid infield defense...if it's not Grissom, they will have to find another veteran backup utility infielder. Depends what they decide to do with Arcia as well at SS...at any rate, Shuster and Soroka weren't in the 2024 rotation plans. Seems they might consider Rosario as well as a middle INF patch.

https://theathletic.com/5072267/2023/11/17/aaron-bummer-cal-quantrill-trade-analysis/?source=freeweeklyemail&campaign=602288 Five Guys deal.

Imagine the reception around Chicago if the Sox had traded Konerko near the end of his career to let's say the Tigers for the equivalent of late-career highly overpriced Brandon Inge...

Would go after Kyle Lewis...see if they could recapture his 2020 magic. Someone like Austin Nola or Stallings for at least half the catching duties. Nola's brother signs, too...haha.

The problem is he's going to be on a decline from here on out and his defense will erode visa a vis his below average offense. He's much more useful to a playoff team who really needs to deploy that particular skill set.

He did win it more on accumulated reputation from the games I watched this year...Robert certainly had the most highlight reel plays. But some dumb errors hurt him. Robert's glide speed is a huge advantage in CF, and his pretty strong but erratic arm doesn't play up in RF. Tatis, conversely, has one of the few very best arms in baseball so that provides him a significant advantage in RF over center. Plus, there are two walls for Luis to worry about in right.

Bring in Jeter.

Yet another busted first rounder...from Hawaii if I remember correctly.

Yep…2011 Chicago White Sox' scouts Daraka Shaheed and Joe Siers, who watched Quintana pitch in the FSL the previous season, recommended that the team sign him. Quintana signed with the White Sox, receiving a major league contract, on November 10, 2011. Hahn became GM after late 2012 collapse down the stretch…first major move was Keppinger. Almost a decade-long tenure.

Even Rudy, lol?

https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/11/16/23964739/benetti-boyer-and-respect-the-white-sox-way-to-nowhere

Except for Burger/Eder…which should now be credited to KW.

But not really a high upside/ceiling guy. At least the results were decent. Soria might even be a Top Ten acquisition and dump by Hahn…that’s how bad it was. He was the anti-Escobar at least. Bryan Shaw, too, quite surprisingly.

Even if the White Sox miraculously had the #1 farm system, which simply isn’t going to happen compared to the Big 4 trades (including Frazier Robertson Kahnle)…you’re still going to need at least 1-2 external/already-established superstars or stud TOR pitchers to pair with them. Ours internally (Rodon) turned out to be too unreliable to ultimately justify those megadeals. Giolito was never going to get that money, and the odds for Cease are generously 5-10% of getting an extension. When it comes down it, Grandal, Keuchel, Lynn, Hendriks and Benintendi were just not good enough, or had already peaked…got hurt or underperformed. Pollock, Encarnacion, the list goes on and on. And then we inexplicably led the league in bullpen and bench/utility spending somehow. Can throw a certain former Red Sox/Braves closer onto the list as well. Even the Hendriks injury was 50% self/Sox induced, and some would argue or allege Garrett Crochet mismanagement as well. If the Sox hadn’t dumped Anderson and likely Haseley…we might well be leading MLB in first rounders who passed through Chicago this decade with little to no impact on forming a winner if you also included Madrigal, Burger, Fulmer, Collins, Burdi. Let’s not even get started on second round draft pick futility, with Sheets kind of the poster child there as the “biggest” success. Lots and lots of names but very little in terms of true quality except Bassitt, Semien, Tatis, Narvaez and maybe Burger. Heck, by the end of ST, we will probably have Dylan Covey (another first) back at the rate the current big league roster is being torn down and reformed.

I just think it’s important to be on the same wavelength when discussing player values and contract lengths…that’s why I go to spotrac 98% of the time, they always have the most accurate and detailed information, and quite quickly at that. It’s always confusing because the offseason overlaps over two years…but MLBTradeRumors will always refer to this year’s FA’s as the 2024 Class.

Someone else quoted $6+ million. $3ish million makes a lot more sense. https://housethathankbuilt.com/posts/why-atlanta-braves-shouldn-t-cut-michael-soroka-on-friday-s-non-tender-deadline-01hf98qa01d1 Soroka, Patino, Touki, Scholtens, Cease, Kopech, Shuster, Eder, Mena, Nastrini…ten potential starters, some will come up with even 2-3 more. Quality level another question altogether.

Well 1/2 are already cost cutting or using the RSN/Bally bankruptcy as the main reasons. Twins and Indians really in cost-cutting mode. Benetti’s Tigers, conversely, seem like they will be the most aggressive with their window soon opening. Seems halfway due to Minny and Cleveland being unwilling to totally sell out for WS contending teams, once again using the excuse that teams like AZ and the Rangers didn’t even have to win their division to advance deep into the postseason. Obviously the DBacks went with youth over “crazy” spending in the minds of other owners.