TomPickle

I think it's reasonable that Harper could age more gracefully as a player than Machado and if both were signed to 10 year deals that Harper would produce a greater amount of WAR over that 10 year period in total. If you sign either of them to a 10 year deal you are probably hoping for 5-6 years of consistent, elite level play. 2-3 years of solid play and then a year or two where you're probably just eating money for a borderline full time player. My preference for Machado has more to do with fit an consistency. Over the course of say the next 7 years when you hope for 3.5+ WAR type of production from both I could see Harper's average WAR being higher than Machado's, but I would bet Machado's median WAR is higher. I think having a steady performance from a guy that plays 150+ games every year would be very beneficial for a young team.

Yeah, that was pretty much my point. I think the depth in the White Sox farm system is more valuable to them than a return they could get for a package for those prospects. Especially right now when it's just theoretical that they can compete rather than when they are in the midst of competing and maybe a piece or two away. Knowing what you need instead of just guessing makes a trade like that a lot more palatable.

That's his upside. He could also further hurt his elbow and never crack the majors.

Yeah, maybe a number 3 is aiming a little low with that package. I just meant that even though those guys are all good prospects, none of them have that high of a ceiling (unless you think Basabe can be a .280 hitter). I just don't know what kind of a return you get on a package of high floor prospects.

I don't think the Sox are that well suited to land a top of the rotation starter (at least not one with more than 1 year remaining). Eloy, Kopech, Cease and Robert all seem untouchable for one reason or another. Maybe a bounce back year from Hansen could change the outlook, but right now most of the tradable assets are all outfielders. No team is going to unload a top end starter for three outfielders that all look to be solid, but unspectacular players. A Dunning, Basabe, and Rutherford package probably nets you a number 3 starter with a couple years of team control.

Eloy and/or Harper could end up playing some 1B/DH (speaking of Sheets is also a lefty). Regardless, this is a silly discussion.

Moncada is a switch hitter and so is Basabe. I don't think Guaranteed Rate Field really benefits either left handed or right handed hitters. Rutherford, Walker, and Gonzalez are all lefties. There are plenty of options for a somewhat balanced lineup.

Fair enough, I guess. The only thing that's pushing Moncada off 2B is another prospect becoming very successful so that could really only be a positive. I don't think Moncada is a great fit at 3B because his hands aren't very good. He definitely has the arm and the range, but I could also see a 25+ error season or two as he learns on the job.

The White Sox have 6 or 7 OF prospects that could reasonably be rated above their best 3B prospect, who was probably destined for 1B anyway before he tore his Achilles twice. Sure, Moncada could maybe slide over to 3B if Madrigal flies through the system. I don't think it makes sense to look at either of these signings and look at where the biggest hole would be next year (still the starting rotation regardless). 3B could more competently filled in 2019 with internal pieces than two OF spots, but Palka being a butcher in the OF for one season doesn't make Harper a better fit long term with the club.

I understand that the likelihood of anything happening tonight basically zero, yet I cannot stop refreshing.

Nick Swisher Nobody else really sticks out.

Alonso has a career 113 wRC+ against righties with a 15.8% K rate. Alex Call was at best the 8th OF prospect in the White Sox farm system. I don't understand the hate some of you guys (a lot of you guys before the WSD post) have for this move. The White Sox traded an extremely fungible asset for a competent big leaguer. Sure, Alonso is redundant on this roster with Delmonico and Palka already on it, but he's more proven than either of those guys and none of the three really have any upside left to explore. This deal isn't even official yet. While it doesn't seem too likely there could be cash coming back to the Sox with Alonso. Even if there isn't this doesn't reach the levels of calling Hahn the worst GM in history or some kind of black mark on the team that reeks of desperation. That it happens to put a check mark in the "Pro" column for Machado when he decides to sign is gravy. Even if that relationship is the meat of the deal it's still Salisbury steak and not something rotting in the back of the fridge you forgot to throw out two weeks ago. The McCann signing is worse than this deal, in my opinion, even when you don't consider any outside factors.

Who knows if this is true, but this combined with the McCann signing has made for a less than stellar day of trying to kill time at work.

Man, Harper is really going to come and take Kopech's number and his twitter handle too. Ruthless. Is this the 'leader' you want to sign for your team?

At the very least these rumors are amusing during an otherwise boring workday, so keep them coming peavy44.

Varsho expendable now? I'd take him with Greinke as a salary dump

Seems like a big signing that doesn't allow you to do much else with international signing would be the perfect thing for the Orioles to do. They aren't going to sign anyone else so at least take a shot on a guy that's infinitely more likely to make the major leagues than any 16 year old.

Rodon's potential outweighs his performance by so much that I don't see how this trade could go down. The Sox asking price would be on Q levels, but it doesn't seem likely that a team would be willing to pay that price for what Rodon could be. I don't think Rodon would have a lower asking price than Chris Archer and Archer has a much better track record of health and success.

Fry and Hand are on roughly the same level of performance, Cimber too. The difference between Hand and Fry and Cimber is that he's done it for 2.5 years in the bullpen already. Of course Fry will be more valuable if he has a longer track record of this performance, but this thread is about what he's worth right now. I don't think you're going to get a top 100 prospect for Fry at this moment.

Jace Fry is closer to Adam Cimber, the throw in player in that deal, than Brad Hand (handedness excluded obviously). Proven, elite bullpen arms are more valuable than they ever have been, but solid bullpen arms like Fry are the same fungible assets they always have been. I'd expect a bigger return for Fry than what Soria netted the White Sox, but you'd be looking at a guy that's borderline top 10 prospect for a team with good depth or maybe top 5 in a bad system.

I'd rather see Palka be given a shot at playing 1B.

This is his write-up from MLB pipeline

Sox are trying to get Trout to 100 walks before the series is over.

I know it's absolutely meaningless, but it'd be really cool if he got to 100 PA without a strikeout.

Probably not time to hit that home/road splits panic button after 5 road games.