Chicago White Sox

What happened? On a work call.

Exactly, next year is still primarily a developmental year. I’m all for signing a guy like Machado, but you definitely don’t sign free agents to block key prospects who need opportunities.

Or Spring Training...

Lol...what? Because one them (currently) looks like a bust? Talk about a hot fucking take.

Why? Rodon, Lopez, & Kopech are locks for next year. You pretty much have to give a Giolito a shot next year unless you want to DFA him. And I think it would be crazy to sign a starter and block Jordan Stephens. After those five, you’ll have Hansen & Dunning waiting in the wings at AAA plus wild cards in Fulmer and maybe even Covey. Signing a starter next year makes no sense.

But no one is saying money doesn't talk. I've said it multiple times in this thread. This is all about getting a tie-breaker if the money is the same.

I’m still hoping Bohm somehow falls. He’s my #2 after Mize, but it just seems like he won’t get past the Phillies.

Yup, we aren’t waiting on a bunch of High A prospects to kick things into gear. Here is my extremely early prediction of the 2020 Opening roster: 1B: Abreu (assumes extension) 2B: Moncada SS: Anderson / Madrigal 3B: Machado / Arenado LF: Jimenez CF: L. Garcia / Anderson RF: Robert (perhaps two week delay) DH: Davidson / Cheap Free Agent CA: Collins IF: Sanchez OF: Cordell / L. Garcia UT: Delmonico / Palka / Cordell BC: Zavala / Castillo #1: Kopech #2: Rodon #3: Lopez #4: Hansen #5: Dunning/Giolito CL: Kimbrel / Britton SU: Burdi SU: Hamilton MR: Fry MR: Vieira/Fulmer MR: Bummer LR: Stephens That right there is a playoff caliber roster assuming enough development out of our top prospects. Plus we’d still have a ton of high upside guys in the upper minors to fill in gaps throughout the season.

Sure, I’ll happily move Abreu if I can get Hoffman, Tapia, & McMahon. That seems like quite the overpay, but I ain’t moving Jose for pennies & nickles.

Why do players ever resign with their teams?

Machado may want to join the Sox after this shellacking. Who wouldn’t want to play with young studs like Adam “4 for 4” Engel and Dylan “8K” Covey? He might even take less money to avoid future embarrassments like this one.

Zavala is the lesser prospect and a bit older, so you could probably gamble a few weeks with him in the major league mix and not worry too much about any long-term consequences. I wouldn’t do anything that could possibly disrupt Collins’ development as he is potentially too important to the rebuild.

Can you even trade a guy who is on the suspended list? He’s going to be out until late August.

He is, I was thinking of someone else.

Zavala would have made more sense than Collins IMO, but obviously that’s not happening given he’s hurt.

That’s what I mean. Aren’t there certain supplements that count as PEDs? I just think people should hold off blaming the front office for somehow not knowing and wait for all the facts to come out. Sucks he’ll be out half the season but that falls on him primarily.

Wow, I did not know that. Do we even have an open 40 man spot? I forgot that Smith was outrighted to AAA and that we only have two catchers on the 40 man roster.

I’m amused that people are blaming Hahn for this. We don’t even know kind of PED he was using. It could be something like Adderal for all we know. The fact that he’s still playing right now makes me believe it’s on the lower end of the bad spectrum.

We’re going to sign another expensive veteran C because our current is suspended for 80 games this year?

Covey is pretty fucking good are words I thought I’d never say.

Wow, that really sucks. I guess it’s good we have a guy like Smith waiting in the wings. The situation could obviously be worse.

That really sucks. I’m really getting sick of Engel in the outfield and this doesn’t help.

You’re one cheap fuck if that’s all you’d pay Coop for performing a miracle.

Did Covey always throw this fucking hard? If not, could he suddenly be a thing? His last three starts in AAA were phenomenal.

I really don’t want to regurgitate old arguments, but it has nothing do with him winning or playing in front of a packed house and everything with him developing relationships and feeling comfortable with the people he works with. That was the play and more often than not I think it works. It still requires you paying fair market value and there are obviously no guarantees.