ChiSox59

Kimbrel helps a lot in the postseason if he's pitching well. Agreed. I am not ready to just write-off Madrigal as some injury prone guy who will never stay healthy quite yet like some people here seem to be. I could just as easily do the same analysis on Eloy and Robert, but no one wants to do that. Madrigal's best days are ahead of him - I am fairly certain of that. Got to give to get. Is what it is. Still don't like the trade, and probably won't unless Kimbrel is a big time piece to a World Series. But I also tend to take a longer view on the Sox than most. I want to be good for this 5-7+ year window. Not push all chips in to win in 21/22. We're a better team in 21 than we were pre-deadline. Our future lost a big contributor though, and a bullpen piece that I think we're all going to moan about down the road.

Very low ceiling because he can't hit 25 homers in a lineup full of mashers? Madrigal was literally the perfect complementary piece on this roster. I don't really think a 3-4 WAR guy who plays good defense and competes for batting titles every year is a "low ceiling". He's not going to be a superstar probably, but who cares. He was a great fit for this roster that is already chockfull of stars. The only reason Cesar "is better this year" is because he's healthy, and Madrigal isn't. But we didn't trade Madrigal for Cesar, so not really sure why that's the analysis, which also discounts next year, and 4 years after that in which Madrigal would be the 2B (2 year of which for dirt cheap). Cesar and Nick could both still be here. Sox could have traded Cesar in the offseason, made him a utility guy, or just not picked up the option. It wasn't an either or. Cesar is fine. Sox will be be fine with him at 2B next year. The Sox aren't signing another 2B for 2022 - Cesar is the guy. Again, is what it is. If the Sox don't win a WS with Kimbrel, it was a very bad and shortsighted trade.

What @southsider2k5 said.

I hate losing Burdi. Won't rehash convos from other threads about this, but questionable choice to DFA him when there is still a little fat on the 40 man. Chances are he wasn't making it through the winter on the 40 man anyway, but still strange.

The Sox didn’t trade him when his value was up tho. It’s not like these are career threatening injuries. Obviously the trend is concerning, and I admitted as much in a previous post in this thread just today. The trade is what it is, and I hope Kimbrel leads the sox to a World Series or 2 the next two seasons. But to say the White Sox traded Madrigal while his value is “up” is an interesting take. He may very well get injured again next year, but unless it becomes career threatening, I don’t really see how one more injury devastates his value. He’ll come back and hit just like he always has.

I am not too concerned about gold gloves, especially in a 60 game season. Cesar is a fine defender, maybe slightly better than Nick right now. Certainly has not looked good in the field recently. I think Madrigal has a much better bat. IMO, Cesar isn't better than Madrigal, but he certainly is for 2021 since Madrigal can't play. I admit I am a big Madrigal and Heuer fan, but just felt like such an overpay for a guy on a market rate deal. Oh well. Is what it is.

Cesar is not better than Madrigal if he is on the field. Granted that has become a legitimate if. And Heuer is going to be a very good reliever. He is cheap and controlled long term. Very well may be a closer. The Sox gave up a ton.

Its not exactly pretty out there, but he's very effective. He has graded out as an above average LF already, which is amazing. Not sure he's there in RF yet, but he'll get there. He may well be the RF moving forward, but really would prefer to keep Eloy at DH most of the time and sign Conforto this offseason. Knowing the Sox, they'll go with a DH type tho.

I agree.

I think Burdi, of those 4, is probably the 2nd most likely to get claimed, behind Yermin. Though Yermin has burned his bridge to Chicago, so not really sure what difference it makes. Sox will trade him for nothing in December if he manages to not quit again before then.

Lol I wasn’t being serious. Just a weird move with guys like Rutherford, Adolfo and Yermin on the 40 man. Those dudes will never play a (or in Yermins case another) game for the Sox.

Why did we DFA Burdi again?

That's a bad OF defense.

Leury is on IL. OF defense is going to be pretty gross until Leury and Engel are back. Vaughn-Goodwin-Lamb OF likely with Eloy DH.

I didn’t say it wasn’t a good problem. But Rutherford has 0% chance of surviving the offseason on the 40 man and Adolfo is out of options. Mercedes is a distant third on that list but I can basically promise you his days in a Sox uni are over. He’ll be traded early offseason. Burdi just seemed like he should at least survive Rutherford and Adolfo. I quite obviously don’t have the benefit of being around these guys daily so it’s not like I have the means to make a better decision. It’s just a head scratcher.

Kinda sad about Burdi. Hope he stays in the org. Know he’s been a dumpster fire since the injuries but you can’t teach that arm. Echo the confusion on why he’s the guy when Rutherford, Mercedes and Adolfo have no future in this org. The first being the easy DFA imo.

I am with you. I called him serviceable behind the dish, which I think is fair. Seby isn't anywhere close to a major leaguer.

LOL.

This particular situation boils down to a basic understanding of the rules. There is nothing to lose by challenging the TA play in the 7th. The Cesar play in one thing - not reviewing the TA play is a terrible mishap by the staff, the review team and everyone involved. Tony should just put his hands on his ears before even phoning the room in that scenario. He either doesn't get the rules, or doesn't like them. Whoever is the in the replay room should understand this lack of understanding and immediately call for a review in that scenario. Its truly baffling. This is the type of shit we saw a ton of the first 2 months of the season. TLR seemed to mostly settle in recently and grasp the modern rules, but the ineptitude resurfaced yesterday.

I definitely hope that is the case! But he is coming of a knee surgery, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's unable to catch 5-6 times a week yet. I hope he is tho! I am so done with the automatic out in the line-up in Zavala/Collins, and while Seby is at least serviceable behind the plate, he definitely isn't good enough to make up for his noodle bat.

That’s a level on incompetence we haven’t seen in a month or two from TLR.

Wtf!?

Really hope Hahn just signs a backup catcher this winter

I think that is certainly debatable. Collins has a .136/.191/.227 slash line against LHP this year in 48 PA. .134/.205/.194 for his career against LHP. Britton was struggling so I understand what you're getting at. I hated the Seby call because I thought Leury made the most sense. Now that we know he wasn't available, its 2 pretty terrible options. Neither Collins or Seby are major league hitters. Collins is about 90% likely to K or GIDP in that spot. Oh well. Is what it is.

Yah. Unfortunately doesn't appear Yaz is going to be ready to take the bulk of the catching anytime soon. Hopefully he is by mid-September. Likely means we're going to see our fair share of Eloy-Robert-Vaughn OFs with Yaz at DH for at least the first few weeks he's back.