ChiSox59

Romy in. So much for that theory.

That's a lot of if, but yeah. Sox aren't going to stay healthy all year. But hopefully its not key players for long periods of time like it was in 21. Sox were never signing Semien. Conforto did and still does make a ton of sense. And they wouldn't have even close to the highest payroll in baseball with those 2 signed.

The sox quite literally have either superstar, stars or recent top 25 prospects at 7/9 positions, a top 4 in the rotation that rivals anyone in the league and at worst a top 2 bullpen in the game. Problem is, we had most of that stuff already. Most of us expected the Sox to make the final touches on the roster this offseason, so we're all disappointed that didn't happen. But this team remains extremely good.

I will take 2 superstar caliber offensive players over a guy who might make an extra couple starts against the Sox, even if those games become harder to win. Considering the lineups the Sox rocked for large portions of last season, I think matching or slightly exceed last years performance against the ALC is reasonable assumption. Disagree if you wish.

Need is subjective, but they're going to run out one of the worst OF defenses in the league with a guy in LF that has shown no ability to stay healthy while playing the field and an unathletic 1B in RF. What could possibly go wrong? I know you agree with me that RF needed to be supplemented, so more a rhetorical question. But its just a matter of time until Eloy hits the IL. And without acquiring a real RF, Sox go from a suitable situation to one that is very, very thin very quickly.

I am not too concerned about last years records. I don't think the Royals or Cleveland did much of anything to improve. The Twins will be better than they were last year but the Sox will feast on their pitching. How many of those games we did play against the the Royals and Tribe without Eloy and Robert? Eloy was a shell of himself even when he did play last year. I think a .600 record against the central is doable (45-31). Go .500 in the other 86 games, and there is 88 wins. I suspect the Sox will play better than .500 baseball against non ALC teams.

This team is going to win more than 85 games. We still play 76 games against the ALC. Detroit and Minny should be decent, but Royals and Tribe will be bad. Hopefully we win enough games to get that top 2 seed. AL East should beat up on itself. I am not really worried about winning this division. I think we'll mostly coast to a division win of 10+ games. I am worried about how we stack up in a short play-off series against TOR/NY/TB/BOS/LAA - in that order. This lineup is going to get carved up against elite RHP.

There is a rule in place that prohibits this. I don't think any signed player can be traded until June or July, cannot recall the specific date.

Hey at least its 2 games, not 3.

I've mentally moved on. It sucks. But I have. Conforto really did fall into the Sox lap here. I see almost no way he'd reject the rumored 4/$75M right now, with or without opt outs. But the Sox seem content to roll the dice on a laughably bad OF defense that is almost certain to lead to injuries. All backed up by a 4th OF that can't stay health. I have no doubt in my mind we'll see way too much of Leury and Haseley in RF, and probably a shitty journeyman OF or two of the likes of Goodwin/Hamilton when this plan ages poorly. Conforto isn't a perfect player. Its been discussed here a ton. But he's still a great fit, but the Sox seem married to getting Gavin Sheets everyday at bats instead of letting him be the safety net.

I tend to be one of the more positive posters around here, but as this roster stands right now, I voted no. We're still way too right handed heavy, and this lineup will get carved up more often than not against elite RHP. Usually that is what you're going to see in the playoffs. No one is starting non-elite LHP against the Sox in the playoffs - saw the Astros avoid it last season, and we'll continue to see that happen until the Sox address their weakness. Sox pitching is good enough to compete in the playoffs, but we need big steps forward from Cease and Kopech in order to have true ace potential at the TOR. Gio and Lynn are more like rock solid 2s. That being said, there is no reason this team cannot win a 5 game series against the likes NYY, Bos, TB, TOR, and LAA. But I don't see the Sox as the favorites as things stand currently.

Texas def isn’t giving him a one year deal.

Seeing as though Kenley just recently signed for 1/$16M, I think its pretty safe to say that Kimbrel's deal is right around market value. He probably has no surplus value, and they'd have to eat $ to get a real return. But I am sure there are a few teams who would happily take Kimbrel for nothing (LAD, BOS, Phils, Mets, TOR all come to mind off top of my head). Sox probably aren't willing to accept nothing in return and would rather wait until someone is willing to overpay. Maybe that day comes, maybe it doesn't. But I'd rather roster Kimbrel than give him away for nothing assuming that $ isn't immediately reinvested into the team.

I don't really support the way the money was spent this offseason. But I don't think think the team "barely" improved. This bullpen goes from one of the best in the game to very average if not worse if you remove Kimbrel, Graveman and Kelly. And that was $32M of the $46M spent. Every contending team signs guys like Harrison and Leury and frankly I am unconcerned about them. The lack of an impact move fucking sucks. You know I wanted Conforto every bit as much as you did. The offseason was a terrible failure as it sits today. But most outsiders just didn't think this team had much more to do, and the grades reflect that. Just answering the question that was posed. And yes, I would agree that "offseason grades" are meaningless in every sense of the word.

Sheets quite literally IS the DH as things stand. He'll DH 90%+ of the time against RHP. Only days he wouldn't are days Grandal needs to DH and a righty happens to be on the mound. Maybe they stick him in RF those days and give AV a breather. Trading Sheets right now without an immediate plan to acquire a left handed hitting RF and rotate Eloy/AV between LF and DH is simply something they cannot do right now. Again, moving Sheets for Manaea is great and dandy if you're prepared to signed Conforto. But that will also require dumping Kimbrel. Seems like a lot of moving parts to save for the last 8 days of ST.....

I would have no problem with it if it also meant Kimbrel is dumped and Conforto is signed. I’m not cool with Jake Burger being our everyday DH.

Realistically don’t see Twins allowing Sox to get Manaea. Twins can beat any offer fairly easily and need him more than Sox. Unless Sox wanna use the Sheets bullet here and Oakland likes him (seems like a guy they would like), I just don’t see it. And Sheets is our DH right now so…….yeah.

Wrong again. Filler piece came back to twins. Not visa versa.

It was a year and half of Berrios. And Berrios is a much better pitcher than Manaea.

Fair enough. I am not offering much for 1 year of a decent pitcher. Clearly no one else is either. This gives them an interesting low minors arm and a guy they can play everyday right away and quite likely might lead their team in homers and RBI.

Their choice of Kelley/Thompson/Dalquist + Adolfo.

Anyone who wants(ed) to turn AV into a weakside platoon hitter so that Gavin Sheets can get at bats is coocoo. That being said, since the Sox cheaped out and didn't sign a real RF, they both get can everyday at bats. AV should be in the lineup nearly everyday. Sheets will DH against RHP. Engel can play RF against LHP and AV DH (or play LF and Eloy DH). Based on the current roster, AV will only be sitting in favor of Leury in RF really. Which I am sure TLR will do more than we'd all like. The only positive I can really glean from the Sox not signing Conforto is the fact that TLR can't really get in the way of himself very easily with respect to sitting Vaughn more than he should.

I don’t hate it merely because that wait from calling it quits at 430-5pm to 710pm is painful AF.

Didn't want to start its own thread, but it merits discussion at this point. WTF is the plan with Kopech? He hasn't pitched in a spring training game and Opening Day is now 9 days away. His first turn through the rotation is 2 weeks away. At this point, it seems highly unlikely that he'll be making that start. Is he going to start the season in the pen? On the IL? Obviously the Sox cannot let Kopech just go out and pitch unimpeded from April on as he'll need to be shut down by August. So I think some slow play and rest through the season is coming, and is warranted. We need his arm in October. But the fact he hasn't even started ramping up (in games) makes me think we won't be seeing Kopech in the rotation until at least May.

OD lineup (with lefty on the mound): Garcia SS, Robert CF, Abreu 1B, Jimenez LF, Grandal C, Moncada 3B, Engel RF, Harrison 2B, Adolfo DH Bench- Haseley, Sheets, Mendick, Ciuffo Starters- Giolito, Lynn, Cease, Keuchel, Kopech* Bullpen - Hendriks, Kimbrel, Bummer, Graveman, Crochet, Lopez, Valasquez, Burr, Crick, Ruiz Suspended- Anderson (3 games; then Haseley optioned) IL- Kelly, Vaughn Other moves - DFA Zavala to make room for Ciuffo. Yermin to 60 day IL to make room for Crick. *honestly not sure what the early season plan for Kopech is at this point. Wouldn't be shocked to see him in the pen to start the year, or even the IL. He hasn't pitched in spring yet and I seriously doubt they're just going to let him take his turn in the rotation first time thru without some innings first*