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It's not as much about Kopech losing value as much as acquiring someone like Marquez requires top prospects. Would you prefer trading Vaughn or Kopech? For me that's an easy answer. Kopech would have not pitching in a professional game for 2 1/2 years come opening day '21, and he's someone who's going to take a while to get his groove back. Marquez helps this team compete next year, Kopech doesn't. If we could land Bauer in FA, I'm all for it, but otherwise this would be the next best option.

Marquez away from Coors the last 3 years is anywhere from an ace to a low end #2 starter. I think he fits in perfectly as a legit #2 this team needs. That said, I'm not trading Cease since he's value is down and we'd be selling low on him. I would look at a package of Kopech, Madrigal, Collins, and Lambert/Sheets for him.

He had some blunders in a strange season. Even if he had running into outs dating back to college those things could be toned down through proper coaching and better situational awareness. Defense and base running are two things that aren’t uncommon for rookies to struggle in and generally improves over time. Based on scouting report, Madrigal has the tools to be able to eventually be above average or plus in those areas. What’s encouraging is his bat control and contact skills are as good advertised, and those aren’t skills that would see a lot of improvement over time.

We’re not in the 1950s where you no intel on rookies until you play them. Everyone knew Madrigal had no power and there are statcast information on players from minor league season as well. He hit .340 with a bad shoulder. People hate on Madrigal so much that they discredit his true hitting ability, it’s getting out of control at this point. He’s not going to be a star, but a safe pick 2-4 WAR every season.

TAs got a pretty good arm, so I’d try him at SP to fill some holes. I see him as our Ohtani.

Reuniting TLR with Yadi sounds like a TLR move and a Kenny move. God forbids if Yadi is DH'ing for us on days he's not starting at catcher over likes of Vaughn.

If we have a better OLine and Foles would be the better option (even then, I’m not sure why he’s throwing off his back foot all the time when he didn’t have to). We don’t, so I rather go with Trubisky so he could use his legs to make play.

Not just having a different opinion, but he's enforcing his political views on the players he manages, e.g. he had went on record and said he would forbid them from kneeling during the anthem and sending back to the clubhouse. That's far more than just having a different opinion.

So what are you suggesting, not sign Bauer at all because of the fear not going far in the playoffs (which the probability is actually higher than the opposite)? What you suggested also goes against the idea to push a limit even more than you need to for a marginal upgrade. And the reason why Bauer is such a good fit for this team is he'll likely come in a one or two year deal, the 2022 payroll is the last thing I would worry about.

The need for RF is overblown. I am completely fine with "settling" for Leury/Engel platoon as the primary RF if it meant signing Bauer, Q, and another BP arm. You could never have enough pitching, it's a tired saying but it's true. Leury/Engel is 1 WAR player in 100 ABs this year, SSS, but even if you use 2019 stats, it's a reasonable projection. Mazara in this case is just a DH and occasional RF for cheap. Calhoun had a great short season, but he's broke out at age 33, and won't come free in a trade either. If Jerry is willing up open up the wallet for another $6M, I am ok to make a trade for him, but I won't give up on signing Bauer if it meant I couldn't trade for someone like Calhoun. I don't get the argument. It's easy to say that if you're already spending $50M in free agency, what's another $6M, but there's gotta be a hard limit somewhere.

If you sign Bauer and spends $45M on pitching, your options for RF/DH will limited. I’m ok with paying $2.5M to Mazara and let him get some ABs at DH and play some occasion OF until Vaughn is ready.

I too believe there is an outside chance Mazara could break out, otherwise he's an below average RF and DH for us. And I would only bring him back for $2-3M if it meant that we sign Bauer and have to save on elsewhere, otherwise we should look for a better replacement.

You have Evan Marshall listed twice in second tab and Lucas listed in both 2nd and 4th tab. I did the math a couple of weeks ago and had them at $95M give or take when all things considered. Side note: I usually go with the BR projections but this year their arb projections are obviously way off. Does anyone know why they listed Robert's salary twice, one of them being $7.8M for 2021? Has Robert been paid for his free agent contract? They listed 6/$76M as his contract, which would be his $26M signing bonus from his first contract plus his $50M over 6 years. https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/chicago-white-sox-salaries-and-contracts.shtml

Here's a great example how much McCann's value varies on this board. On one hand you got folks who question if he even has a decent market at this time, then folks who think $8-10M AAV isn't realistic, and there were a couple of posters who suggested he might reject a QO if Sox offered him one. I think the issue is that McCann has looked great in limited situations but never proven himself has a above average full time starter - last year he was great in the first half and reverted back to his career norms in second half, this year he excelled in the short side of the platoon but was ordinary otherwise, I think it's hard to gauge how other teams would perceive on his true value. But I will say that he's never going to get Grandal type of money, on a normal year he's probably going to get 3/$30M, $33M if lucky. In this pandemic era however, I think if the best offer he gets is 3/$24M, then maybe a 2/$18M from the Sox with a player option in year 2 is enough to bring him back, especially platooning Grandal and being Gio's personal catcher would make him look better than his skillset could offer. Also, I caveat this earlier by saying I don't think it's likely McCann comes back, but I think this is one of the only scenarios I see it happening.

The way I look at it, if you factor in the $20-30M Sox will certainly spend on starting pitching, we’re up against the same resource constraint in this climate as other teams I just mentioned (outside of Yankees who might be at luxury tax). There are other teams that need McCann more than the Sox, and there are who could offer more to McCann, both money and playing time, than the Sox could. I have said before that I think more players will take one year deals this off-season to wait for market to bounce back next year. The scenario I see with McCann resigning is he takes a 1+1 deal with a player option in year 2. He gets let’s say $8-10M a year and stays on a team that will put him in situations that will maximize his value and try this again next offseason.

And I also have to put Tigers as the dark horse to reunite with McCann - both of their catchers are free agents, and with a trio of young arms in Mize, Skubal and Manning, having a veteran who could work with the young arms is something they might invest in.

Realmuto might be out of price range for a lot of teams and McCann would be the more realistic out option. Besides Contreras and maybe a Keibert Ruiz, who both would command top prospects or cost controlled resources in return, there isn't a better option on the trade market either. I look at the list of contending team who could in the market for a C, here's what I have: Nats, Mets, Indians, Astros, Yankees, Rockies and Cards (if Yadi retires) . I could see Blue Jays and Marlins having some interest too even if it's not a priority. I couldn't imagine no team is willing to pay starter money and a starting job to McCann with how weak the free agent class is for catchers.

McCann is the clear cut 2nd best free agent catcher available. We have to outbid everyone plus promise him enough playing time. I don't see a realistic shot of resigning him, even though I would love to have him back.

Been spending too much time on MLB the Show, ehh?

He earned the award for moves made over the past 4 years. He wasn’t going to win the award for trading for prospects like Eloy, Giolito, signing Robert, locking up TA, etc. when the team hasn’t shown any success. The minute they do, then he gets the recognition, that’s how these awards work.

Is this a Rangers fan trolling?

I couldn’t help but think those that are gunning for Hinch also bashed Astros for cheating last year. It’s different if you’re associated with cheating vs. when others are.

You can add Fulmer and Rodon to the list. He had some input on Hansen's development, but won't be fair to put it all on him.

Is this just Nightengale speculating? His word choices made it seem like it is.

I also expect there will be a healthy number of 1 year deals taken this off-season, which would work well for the Sox in the grand scheme of things.