Chicago White Sox

Yeah, I feel like it’s going to be hard for the Cardinals to give Walker a bunch more runway with as bad as he’s been and them trying to compete. Again, the chances of him working out are slim, but Adell is an example (an an extreme one no doubt) of what happens when you give a kid an extended runway to work through their issues. Outside of Baldwin, there aren’t obvious OF prospects to give at-bas to these last couple and possibly even next year. I’m very much open to Walker or another post hype guy if we can get one with the scraps we’ll have to offer this deadline.

We should be rocking something like this post deadline IMO: 1B: Sosa 2B: Meidroth SS: Montgomery 3B: Vargas LF: ??? CF: Baldwin RF: ??? DH: Quero/Teel CA: Teel/Quero No fucking clue what to do in the OF corners assuming we are able to move all the vets (including Benintendi, which is likely a pipe dream). Getz’s AAAA acquisitions have all more or less flopped with Fletcher now at a 95 wRC+ and ZeLoach at a 89 while the two athletes haven’t been remotely competent with Baker at a 54 wRC+ and Jones at a 34. Julks has been productive (127 wRC+) but is 29 and sporting a .371 BABIP, so not overly excited about giving him a ton of playing time. Honestly, would be a good time to find a post hype OF prospect who is out of options that we can give a two month audition to post deadline. Getz should be creative here as he doesn’t have a lot of quality assets to flip this deadline and a post hype guy is much more valuable when you have playing time to give them. Jordan Walker was a guy they liked last deadline and maybe there is a path to get him (yes, I know he has been terrible, but he is still super young).

I’d also be looking to sell Martin if people value the control and I can get a decent OF prospect. I feel like that’s unlikely, but Getz will need to get creative.

I said it in the gamethread, but you 100% trade Houser. Assuming we trade none of these guys, you are looking at something like the below for next year: Smith Burke Schultz Thorpe Martin Cannon Adams Bush By all means add some cheap veterans to the mix as we know injuries can quickly change the outlook of a staff, but you don’t pass on cashing in on Houser right now (assuming he has value) and agree to a multi year deal that makes it harder for these kids to get opportunities.

I’d 100% trade him. Lots of guys coming back next year that will need a shot and I’d rather just cash in on Houser right now while he has some value.

Quero would like a word with you!

I love Meidroth and Baldwin and think both can be everyday guys, but that’s going to put even greater importance on getting power out of other spots. And honestly, Getz will need to go outside to get a bunch of it because it’s a weak spot of the farm right now.

Regardless, why not stick with him there instead of Rojas? It’s not like we’re trying to compete right now and he’s not blocking other kids. This idea that we should cut bait on kids at certain positions because of a bad month is crazy to me.

Exactly how he dreamed this moment up!

Also, how is it not his second full season of plate appearances? And why is failing over multiple smaller opportunities somehow worse than failing over a full 600 PA season?

Being skeptical is perfectly fair. Saying “he is what we thought he was” and declaring that’s he a bust while he’s in the midst of a cold streak is a different thing.

The kid was a legit blue chip prospect (peaked at #29 overall for BA) and has done nothing but succeed in the minors. His value was certainly suppressed when we acquired him as he had not shown any real success in the majors. No one has ever argued otherwise though, so not sure I understand the hard flex here. Also, calling Fedde a “mediocre rental SP” is quite the take when he was on a 4 win pace at the time of the trade and had another year of cheap control when we traded him. Regardless, I’m always impressed that this site regularly thinks prospects are busts if they don’t immediately turn into above average players. Kid has gone from a 64 wRC+ / -1.4 fWAR player in his first 600 PA’s to a 95 wRC+ / 0.7 fWAR player in his next 300 PA’s. Even if we ignore the fact he’s in a cold streak, that’s tremendous improvement and at 25 years of age and only in his second full professional season there is plenty of room for growth. But alas, it’s easier to assume he’s a finished product and automatically write him off then entertain the idea that he could get better with time.

He had about 600 PA’s coming into this season…that’s basically one full season of at-bats. My point is it’s hard to have demonstrated “sustained success” when you are only halfway through your second full season. The reality is that Vargas is still very much a work in progress, but at least he has shown substantial improvement this season. No one should be speaking with certainties just yet. I believe his bat will continue to get better, but there are no guarantees there and he’ll need to hit a ton more if he can’t stick at 3B.

Not sure what dunking I did other than calling out someone for being hypocritical. But attributing his Minor League success to the PCL Is completely off-base: A: 140 wRC+ as a 18 / 19 year old A+: ~120 wRC+ as a 19 / 21 year old AA: 145 wRC+ as a 21 year old Kid has hit at every level and was considered a blue chip prospect. Hard for him to have demonstrated sustained success when he’s only in his second full season.

My point is said poster is ridiculing people who said Vargas looked like a Major League hitter when he was performing by calling it a “hot streak” whereas he can’t wait to call him a bust now that he’s actually only a cold streak. I’d still happily bet money he heats up again and ends up well above a 100 wRC+ this year.

I’m sorry, where is this quote from? Is it your own? And how did the Red Sox develop Braden more than us when he never played for them?

The list is going to weaken quite a bit by the end of the season, but in all honesty, the pitching depth is still pretty good despite all the injuries. McDougal & Oppor have made huge strides, Reyes and Lacombe both are exciting, and Larson has a big ceiling if he comes back from TJS surgery. Add in all the guys who have been hurt, including Batista, and there will be a lot of pitching throughout the system. We definitely need more high upside positional guys. There is a much better chance of signing some stars in free agency under Ishbia, but god only knows when he will actually take the reins. Until then, we need to be able to develop them and I’m not seeing a ton of guys like that after Montgomery, Bonemer, & Wolkow. There is pretty good depth in the IF, but those guys look more like average Major Leaguers at best, which is obviously great to have but won’t provide the impact we’re going to need to add to the lineup eventually.

Bumping this. @Timmy U - Would love to hear thoughts on this?

For the record, I also think this is a bad idea and bound to fail, but I am no expert and will try to enjoy the ride for however long it lasts. The infield is getting super fucking crowded though and hopefully it’s the vet who lose playing time instead of Sosa.

We really need him or Wolkow to make it. Great to see both turning the corner.

He’s the only young who can play the OF, feels like one of the veteran infielders needs to go.

Like you in this very moment?

Who are all the good prospects they have traded away recently?

They really need to find a way to DH Quero more often.

He was well outside the top 30 at this point. Might not be in the top 40 in all honesty.