Chicago White Sox

I’m not sure about that. Here’s our roster’s wRC+ against RHP last year: Moncada = 148 Anderson = 132 Jimenez = 120 Grandal = 114 Mazara = 110 Collins = 99 Abreu = 99 I would expect Collins & Abreu to both be better against RHP. Honestly, wouldn’t be surprised if Mazara was the low man on the totem pole next year out of these seven.

They probably have it their demented minds they’ll make a run at Mookie next year. I mean, they refused to even take a token run at Cole & Strasburg, but I’m sure they’ll pump themselves up for a half-assed Betts pursuit. Let’s just hope that a bunch of the 2021 free agents don’t sign extensions beforehand or we will really be in a fucking predicament.

He basically has to or this is a compete failure

100% this. Our second biggest offensive upgrade this offseason will be Mazara. A team that won 72 games last year basically stopped after adding Grandal. And yes, I know Robert & Madrigal will be up soon enough, but they will be rookies next year and will likely go through the normal adjustment process. Rather than add more certainty around those young guys, we’ve instead punted on using our “unprecedented financial flexibility” to address RF and are going with a complete wild card. For context, the Phillies have added Harper, Realmuto, McCutcheon, Segura, & Gregorious on the positional side alone since going for it. We got our one big addition in Grandal and then decided to get cute and/or cheap. I don’t care how you slice this, this is not an optimal move for helping us win in 2020 and it burns an asset that could of helped us beyond that. Honestly, this is the rare move that doesn’t help us in the near term or long run and that’s why it’s so damn frustrating.

It’s clear as day the Sox had no plan B after missing on Wheeler and now are just trying to piece this shit together. Can’t believe we endured multiple seasons of failure to be rewarded a with a sub 2 win player as one of our big offseason additions. Where is all this money and what are they going to spend it on? And if they’re afraid of Boras pitchers. why did they just trade for one of his clients with limited control?

Absolutely embarrassing. We gave up our second round pick from a year ago for a strong side platoon bat with below average defense and only two years of control plus who has Scott Boras as his agent. I can not comprehend the logic of this move.

This Mazara / Walker comp is bizarre and needs to stop. I get they both struggle against LHP, but that’s where the comparisons end.

What could possibly be next? We just traded a top 10 prospect for a guy with <2 career fWAR over four seasons. I can’t even imagine what a good player will actually cost us via trade. I’m literally speechless at how bad this move is. What the fuck is the money going to be spent on at this point?

You were definitely all over Nimmo & Grandal! That team could probably use a little more pitching though ?

I still believe we got a shot at Nimmo. Adding him & Grandal would be the definition of addressing our OBP and balance issues.

Wow, well that should get the rest of the SP market moving.

Done?

Because if he’s cheap enough and you’re not actually trying to win, he’s a decent enough gamble. The problem for us is we’re trying to win and we should use what little prospect capital we have to add controllable pieces or rentals that we know will be useful next year. 2020 is not the time to play a scratch off in RF.

Wut?

100% agree. Even Duber said the fanbase was riled up about this. Obviously they shouldn’t make moves strictly based on fan reaction, but no one will ever believe the money will be spent if this is one of main offseason additions.

The return doesn’t even matter. We missed on Wheeler. We aren’t signing Cole. Short of a trade for an impact starter (which will require significant talent), we’re looking at one of the tier 3 starters being our big pitching addition. Therefore, we can’t just settle in RF if we want to be competitive next year. We need someone that can actually be impactful and Mazara simply doesn’t cut it.

I simply don’t buy this Mazara rumor and think this is Hahn playing hype man for Jon Daniels in a separate deal. Hahn has stressed the importance of adding more OBP this offseason and Mazara does NOT help that need whatsoever. And this after he actually went out and signed one of the highest OBP hitters available. He has also implied the need to take this team to the next level in 2020. He showed a desire to do just that by signing Grandal and offering Wheeler $125M. Why add a change of scenery guy if you are serious about competing next year? And finally, he said the money will be spent, but then turns around and goes cheap in RF? Even if the plan is to pursue Mookie or Springer next year, why not go get a proven stopgap at least? Can’t be that much more expensive than what we’re speculating Mazara will cost. This all reeks of misdirection to me.

That’s exactly what I would envision.

Maybe check what parks those first two guys have played at.

With half his games at Arlington...

Is the goal 1.5 wins out of RF? If he’s our final positional addition, I don’t think the front office is serious about competing next year.

He’s been just above league average as a hitter against RHP in his career and is below average defensively. That is not an overly productive platoon player even. Yes there is potentially some untapped upside there, but the lack of control negates much of that value and quite simply we should be aiming much higher with our last positional spot.

It’s that second paragraph that’s the problem. Why in the fuck are we settling on a post hype guy for RF (with two years of control no less) this early in the offseason and after we missed out on our big SP target?

You’re nuts bro and must be related to someone in the front office. Probably Koenig.

If they give up both guys for Mazara then Hahn should be fired on the spot. The move is already highly questionable given the fact Mazara isn’t very good and is only under team control for two years. Even if they’re able to unleash him, he’s going to be a free agent right in the middle of our window. If you’re going to gamble on someone like this, at least pick someone where the upside is worst the risk. This is just mind boggling to me and makes me question what in the fuck the actual plan is.