ChiSox59

If the Sox miss out on Conforto, I will join the masses with a pitchfork. My offseason plan is still in play, so I am not at all concerned yet. Would it have been nice to get some of the top 5 or so FA? Yeah, but I wasn't expecting that. This is the White Sox afterall.

Also, Ray and Guasman don't guarantee shit in the playoffs. Nice to have? Sure. Gausman had a 6 ERA this postseason. How'd that go for guaranteeing the G's an NLCS?

Did Thompson just become a minor league FA with the Sox? Can't recall why he left the org.

lol, what? Yes - I said I wouldn't touch Robby Ray with a 10 foot pole for $115M over 5 years? What is so hard to understand there? ITs a crippling move if it doesn't pan out. Not complicated stuff buddy.

You love putting words in people's mouths. Reality is that if the Sox sign Ray, and he goes back to being the pitcher he has been for 80% of his career, its a crippling move. So yes, I am glad they didn't take that gamble, because I know the Sox won't spend over their mistakes. Robby Ray goes back to the 1.4 WHIP guy he's always been in 22, the Sox aren't signing another SP next offseason to take his spot. See: Dallas Keuchel. Is that me celebrating not spending money? No. Its me recognizing that the Sox operate with a budget.

What's wrong with that take? I am not relying on those guys to be in the rotation. They're depth pieces that aren't getting any younger.

I am less concerned than you. Most rotations are in trouble if they lose their #1 and/or #2. Teams / players don't operate in the Balta world where your AAA is stashed with average major league vets. I think the Sox will win the ALC handily in 22. I think Gio/Lynn/Kopech/Cease is a very good top 4 for the playoffs. Would another really good SP in there be ideal? Sure. I am not saying it wouldn't. ITs just lower on my list. Plenty of offseason to go. Sox unfortunately will likely trade Vaughn for SP anyway. Would I rather sign a good SP than trade Vaughn? Fuck yeah. But I know what a big contract SP would do to this franchise if it doesn't pan out.

Mind blowing, right!?

Well history would in fact indicate that the Sox aren't likely to spend over $100M on a player. YEs, I know they offered $120M to Wheeler. Bleh - I am not going to argue about this anymore. Sox were never signing Ray or Scherzer. That does not mean this offseason is a failure.

Ok, dude. The Sox aren't suddenly operating with a $250M annual payroll moving forward. I know that; most know that. That doesn't mean I want to line Jr's pockets with cash, it means I live in reality. We are fans of a middle market team, not the Yankees, or Dodgers or Mets, or other teams that can sign a decent pitcher coming off a career year to a $115M deal. Let's not forget the Sox biggest FA expenditures in franchise history was 4/$73M to Grandal. The Sox weren't about to smash that for Robby fuckin' Ray. Yes, Dallas Kuechel is our 5. That is fine. Yes, Kopech is unlikely to throw more than 150 innings. The Sox will sign a SP and likely some milb guys. We have ReyLo and a few guys like Steiver, Lambert and McClure that are at due or die stages of their White Sox careers. I am not too concerned about the rotation. I am not losing sleep over not paying Robby Ray 5/$115M to go back to walking the world. The time to sign him was last offseason, not this.

Because Robby Ray is highly unlikely to replicate his 2021 performance even once in his next 5 seasons. That $115M can be invested in a much better fashion. Like towards Conforto, and 2B and a lesser SP that won't hamstring the team for the next half decade. I am also of the belief that the Sox SP is pretty damn good as is and I don't think we need to overpay for a SP in FA.

I wanted Robby Ray last year. Feel free to look it up. I wouldn't touch him with a 10 foot pole for 5/$115M.

But he didn't. He was fucking terrible. And Madrigal was on PACE for a 4 WAR season. If we're dismissing 4 WAR players in pre-arb, well then, I guess we just have differences of opinions. Well, I already knew that.

Well, stats disagree - like a lot. Madrigal WAR in 2021 = 1.2 in 54 games Hernandez WAR in 2021 (on Sox) = -0.7 in 52 games. So just a 1.9 WAR swing in 1/3 of a season. No biggie.

Mmmmk. Herandez was a SIZABLE downgrade on Madrigal before he got hurt, so that fun little hypothetical of yours is completely worthless. Madrigal isn't a perfect player. But he was a solid team fit, he was cheap for years, and while his speed/baserunning/defense where not as advertised, he certainly had the ability to improve there and as playing solid defense before the injury. Water under the bridge. He's no longer a Sox cuz Hahn fucked up. Is what it is. But to say you're happy he's not around when we're in a significantly worse spot now than we would be with him is pretty funny. We could trade Madrigal and Heuer for FARRRR more than 1 year $16M of Craig Kimbrel right now.

How can you make this comment? We don't have a 2B. Of course plugging Madrigal in at 2B and not having to worry about that position at all this offseason and for another 5 seasons is far far far far better than giving him away for virtually nothing. Or 2B is Mendick or Romy right now. I am all about waiting to see the entire picture, which we obviously don't have at this moment. But as of now, saying you're glad he's not on the team is silly.

I doubt the sox are offering conforto a pillow deal. I could see them offer 4/$65M though, and Boras pushing for 5/$100M.

I was thinking he'd get 2/$80M, so $3/$130M with an opt out isn't insanely different AAV. But yeah, Sox were never signing Scherzer despite what some here wanted to believe.

Put me in the camp that is happy we're not paying Scherzer $43.3M a year for his age 38, 39, and 40 seasons. I never put any realistic stock in this being a possibility, despite what a few here were pushing.

This plan is still mostly in play. Just replace Tepera with Graveman. Find a different milb deal SP than Quintana. Let's make it happen, Rick.

This is a really good deal for the Twins. Surprised Byron signed it. Injuries are and will continue to be a major factor, but at $15M AAV, he doesn't even need to be healthy for the Twins to come out ahead. He accumulated 4.2 fWAR in 60 games this past season. I think he could have gotten this deal next year with another half season of good baseball in 22. A full season of good baseball? He's smashing $100M. I had heard that the Twins weren't going to be aggressive this year - looking more for stopgap measures and no major FAs. Not sure if this move changes that, but its a good start to their offseason. That team still needs ALOT of work on the pitching side, though.

Sounds like it may be over $100 million.

Looks like Conforto is going to be more expensive than we all hoped.

Where did I get mad? I find it hilarious. Nothing about my post was funny. I want sustained success. You want to win a WS in 22 at all costs. Differences of opinions. But guess what? Winning a WS is hard, and largely a crap shoot once you get in. The more chances you get, the likely you are to win one. I don't want to sacrifice our extended window with dumbass moves. We already had a major fuckup with Madrigal/Heuer. Enough of them.

Well Adam is definitely one of those win right now in spite of everything the future may hold type of guys, so not at all surprising.