ChiSox59

I disagree that it’s not logical to let him walk. What’s not logical is paying Jose Abreu 50% if the money we have to spend on the 2023 roster and continuing to act like this roster as contracted is one that can compete without major improvements to defense and lineup balance. Retaining Jose makes that improvement nearly impossible without a major increase to payroll, which we all know isn’t happening.

I don’t think he’s the best player nor was he much of a leader this year. If you can’t see that Abreu causes this roster major issues, I don’t know what to tell you. I love Jose. It’s nothing against him. AV is 10 years younger, cheaper and needs to play 1B. Sox need to invest Abreu $ in an actual corner OF that bats left handed. It’s pretty simple, really.

Jettisoning Abreu doesn’t create a hole. It solves a major problem.

Certainly don’t forward to having to read this tired BS in every single thread all offseason. Such a broken record.

I literally said I have no idea if they'll spent $30M on 2023. Try reading before responding.

It is definitely an open question. I have never denied that. I have no idea if they'll actually spend $30M this offseason on the 2023 payroll. Nor do you. The difference is you state it as fact as if there is no possible way they could ever exceed $197M as if it some magic threshold that if exceeded, the universe will combust. In reality, there is no meaningful difference between $195M, $197M, or $200M. Just like there is no meaningful difference between Cease, Kopech and Giolito shaking out at $13.75M in arb like my off the cuff arb projections stated in the OP, or $17M. Its largely insignificant in the scheme of things.

Rewarding a guy that put up an awesome season in Charlotte, like they should do in a lost season. Payton has a .908 OPS is Charlotte. Compare that to .716 for Haseley on the same team in the same park. So yeah, he's probably quite a bit better than "Helseley".

I don't even think Cease should be that huge for an arb 1 guy.

I feel like buyouts on 2023 options should count towards 2022 payroll. They may not for CBT purposes (not sure off hand), but if Sox buyout Harrison they own him $1.5M in a few weeks, not in 2023.

Not as appealing as they were 2 years ago, but the Sox are still in a far better situation that most teams looking for a new manager historically. They'll have more competition this offseason than an average one, though. That is for sure.

Cairo did a solid job. I have much more respect for him now than I did when he was the invisible bench coach. I’d be more than fine retaining him as bench coach. Cairo and Katz are only 2 current staff members I would even consider retaining. Everyone else has to go.

I loved his smirk when stating that. The question posed was something to the effect of “who gets the final vote between the three of you when there isn’t agreement?”. Everyone knows the answer to that is JR. It’s always been abundantly clear that consensus was never achieved with respect hiring TLR.

Starting Colas in the big leagues would be an awful decision. If that was the plan, he should have been called up 5 weeks ago. It’s like 15 games, wait. Pollock is a perfectly fine fill in for 3 weeks in April.

Tony and Hahn both said they were all there by choice fwiw.

And what you clearly don’t want to admit is just because the payroll was $197M this season doesn’t mean that is a hard and fast limit for 2023. The difference between $197M and $200M is micenuts to an MLB org. Find somebody else to debate your meaningless line in the sand payroll limits all offseason with. It’s a worthless conversation. There is zero reason the Sox can’t spend $30M this offseason.

Appreciate it

Lol you love to squabble over meaningless dollars. My off the cuff projections youre referring to came to $165M. Add $5M if you will. That’s $170M. Current payroll is ~$196M this season, which means they have $25-30M to spend to get to $195-200M, which is exactly what I said. Look forward to how you’ll find a way to disagree with that to that last word in!

Nah I got to $165M that way. Add a couple million if you’d like. It’s trivial. They have $25-30M to spend to stay around $195-200M.

Is Hahn’s portion of the presser available anywhere? Haven’t been able to find it.

They have $30M to spend to stay about where they are this year. Will they spend it? Who knows. But I am far from surprised to hear Hahn not openly say they’re going to go hard after FAs after he’s constantly mocked about his FA failings. Way as well under promise and over deliver in that regard. I’d be shocked if they didn’t have a payroll of at least $190M.

Well, expect very likely the entire coaching staff.

If the budget is that thin, then just keep AV, sign a cheap reclamation project SP and OF. Relying on Sheets and Burger as plan A for anything is just awful.

Yikes. I miss optimistic CWS. Letting Abreu walk AND trading AV this offseason while relying on two unproven bats with options at 1B would be just an awful, awful, awful decision making.

Nah. Sheets should be a guy they park in Charlotte until he’s needed. He has an option. Use it. Let him and Burger be pure depth.

I laughed. This was a good one.