Eminor3rd

I think there’s a good chance he ends up in Asia. The NPB, at least, hasn’t seemed to care about bringing guys in with controversy — Roberto Osuna just got his second contract.

You’re right on McCann, I was really more commenting on the realization that the Sox may be trying to force the DH role open for Grandal, and fearing the Sox wouldn’t upgrade enough around the diamond to make up for that.

I would be a lot less confident in this season with Grandal as the primary DH instead of of Eloy. Losing Hendriks too — all to upgrade from Romy to Escobar and Seby to McCann. Even assuming there’s prospect value coming back, I think there’s a lot more to lose than to gain for the Sox in that scenario.

I don’t disagree with you at all, just trying to make a somewhat objective take about his effect on the team/community for those who believe that he has been exonerated or whatever.

I’m on record for believing the Sox need this type of player, so I’m for it. Victor Reyes does not count. Billy Hamilton really shouldn’t either.

We have not forgotten this. We spend 80% of our board space bitching about it. But there’s 20% remaining for discussion of what actually can happen on the field/in the lineup at this point. No one is letting them off the hook for building a bad roster, but we are understandably happy that they decided to reallocate Abreu’s salary instead of using it as an opportunity to cut payroll, which was reported to be the plan by several legitimate sources.

All personal opinions aside, I think it would be nice to go at least one year without a controversial hire/acquisition with the potential to divide the clubhouse and fanbase.

I have the answer for you, but I don’t think you’re gonna like it.

They’ve got to be done with substantial signings. I’m sure they’re monitoring the trade market. But depth pieces in Feb is probably what’s left for the White Sox and free agency.

Fair, but he’s got a reputation for being a hell of game caller, popular with pitchers, cannon arm, etc. And I wonder how much Grandal can/should catch, and I feel like Seby is gonna turn back into a pumpkin.

I don’t blame the team for missing on Wheeler; I absolutely blame them for missing on Machado.

Austin Hedges at 1/$5m would been a hell of an upgrade for this team for very little.

One hundred seventy-seven dollars over seven years. @balllysports lmao. Dude is a legend

Better depth than victor reyes

I like this deal, it’s aggressive, and the Sox should be aggressive right now. I’m not gonna s%*# on them. I will, however, say this: 1. If this comes on the heel of dumping a different useful player to make the money work, then it’s a wash. 2. It would be nice if, for once, the Sox started spending their “big money” at the top of the market instead of the middle. I say this not because guys like Benintendi aren’t good or that they don’t need someone like him, but because from a resource allocation standpoint, you get a lot more value for your money at the top. One of the hallmarks of this current spending window is the the Sox love to pay market rate on a per WAR basis — the average-ish players tend to fall right in the $9M/WAR range, while your $30M+ Bryce Harpers are way ahead of that, sometimes $4-7M/WAR or something. When it comes to setting a spending strategy, this is a really easily modeling problem, and it seems like most teams have solved it, but our team hasn’t thought to look into it. Again, good on them for putting the money in to patch the hole. I remain unconvinced they know how to patch holes, generally, but I’m happy that they showed today that they’re still trying.

Wow. I am shocked. I always figured they’d go past the $180m number, but I figured it would be for an $8-10m short term vet.

I hope you’re right.

Kole Calhoun feels about right.

But we already got Victor Reyes

Look at it this way, so many Sox players on this team could encourage you to have an interest in the WBC this year, and that will give you the opportunity to root for them in a situation where they actually have a chance to win a championship!

5 years, $75m to the Mets. A little less than I thought he'd get if it went to 5 years, but I wasn't initially sure 5 years was definitely going to happen. If he held out past Rodon I bet he'd have gotten more. Honestly, it's probably a good fit for him. He'll have the opportunity to find whatever roles fits him best, instead of needing to be any one specific thing.

If I only I had any confidence whatsoever in the White Sox finding a way to unlock potential in a post-hype player. Serious question: have they ever actually managed to do that with any player?

They would just buy more middling veteran relievers.

I don't think he's going to come cheap. I think he's going to make some real money from whoever misses on the bigger guys like Rodon, et al. Also, I can't believe Yoshida just got more money than the Sox have ever given any player in their history.

Looks like he got 5/90m from the Red Sox. I'm gonna be honest, that's more than I thought he was going to get. Wishing him the best, his bat to ball skills are special.