ChiSox59

Going to be a little bit of a roster crunch in this next week to 10 days. I think we see Yaz and hopefully Engel on Friday. Yaz takes Collins spot. Engel takes Mendick's spot. Rodon takes Wright's spot??? I think we could maybe see a surprise there with the Sox optioning ReyLo instead as purely an administrative move to keep Wright in the org. They probably don't want to DFA Wright as besides ReyLo, we legit have no starting options if needed. Could maybe see a Lamb DFA here too. When rosters expand in September, we then need to find room for Billy, ReyLo (under that scenario), Marshall (when he's ready), and perhaps Collins again as I could see the Sox wanting to carry 3 catchers. Also Mendick is left off September roster in this scenario. Maybe Marshall never returns, and Sox just roll with 2 catchers in September, but there is definitely a crunch coming. Going to be interesting to see how they manage it.

Tatis isn't really a SS. His days there are numbered. He may go back there some in 22 when healthy, but he's probably mostly a full-time OF by 23.

TA, Yoan, Jose, Eloy DH, Robert, Vaughn LF, Cesar, Leury RF, Zavala for those wondering. We got a real lineup!

Tatis would be our 2B. Or maybe 3B and Moncada never moves to 3B (and hopefully in this alternate universe Yoan improved at 2B). But if Tatis is on this team, the whole complexion of the roster is so different. Its really not even worth worrying about. It is what it is. Sucks to lose a generational talent like that, but the Sox are, and are going to continue to be just fine without him.

I am the one trolling? My lord. Good riddance. Lol that may be your point now that you've been continuously roasted on your Grandal takes, but your overarching point on Grandal all season has been that he isn't good and hasn't been a loss since he went down. Which is just purely comical to anyone with eyes and a brain, yet I am the one trolling? Part-time player - GMAFB. He's been as sturdy as any catcher in the game prior to dealing with knee issues in 2021.

This is such cherry picking. The Sox have played .500 ball since the ASG. Just a couple days following when Yaz went down. They have not been good without him. This also includes major reinforcements during that time in Eloy and Robert. Seby and Collins have both been terrible on both sides of the ball. The Sox offense has mostly sputtered. What are you even arguing here? Do you not have eyes? Do you actually watch the games or just craft bullet points in anticipation of the next days Soxtalk post? The Sox have doubled their lead in the division because the Indians fell apart. Not because the Sox are playing good baseball since Grandal got hurt. This isn’t rocket science.

Average 70 games a season? Dude has never played under 115 games in a regulation season since he was 25 and averaged 132 GP from 2014-19 all while in the NL without a DH. Yes he played some 1B. No he didn’t play a lot of it. Yes he’s in his 30s and probably can’t catch as much as Milwaukee used him in 19, but he can still easily be more than a “part time catcher”. Players deal with nagging injuries some seasons. Yaz has this entire season. It’s unfortunate, but doesn’t mean that’s the way it’s going to be for the rest of his career. And batting average is irrelevant for Grandal. Stop using it. But please do give us some more bullet points to explain to us common folk us why the Sox should have beat the Mets $40M offer on McCann (who is also on the IL), and his wrC+ of 83 but also tell us how terrible Grandal and his 135 wRC+ are. You’ve lost all ability to be rational on this topic, tho not sure you ever had it. FWIW - I also would have brought in someone like Gomes at the deadline. Not because he’s better than Grandal or should take playing time away from him. But because Zavala and Collins will be lucky to sniff the big leagues again after 2021. They’re terrible and Yasmani was hurt. The second Yaz is able to play, he should play as much as his body allows him. The fact that he’s not back yet is insane to me. I don’t care if he can only catch 3-4 days a week. Such an improvement on the current situation.

I figured that out a long time ago. His takes on Grandal are just so bad I can’t help myself.

He’d be fine as a Leury utility guy next year…problem is he’s never played much other than 2B. He’s been pretty bad after the first week. Definitely doesn’t look like any more than a average defender either. I’ll be disappointed if he’s the 2B next year, but I am prepared for that.

If Yaz can catch a few days a week in the minors, he can catch a few days a week up here. Get his ass on plane to Toronto right now. So fucking sick of watching Zavala/Collins be terrible.

Lol. I "crowed" about Grandal catching 120+ games this year because is he is one the best 2-3 catchers in the game. It sucks he's had knee issues this year. Shit happens. Doens't change the fact that this team is far far far far better with Yasmani catching and in the lineup as opposed to not. No amount of bullet points you make up to try to prove your dumbass point is going to change that.

Lol. Madrigal isn't even an option if even he wasn't traded.

Been a tough go for Cesar. Escobar hasn’t been great or anything, but better. Cesar probably should have had McGuire in the 8th too. Tough play and flat footed but had very little on that throw. Big play.

I mean, if he was really hurt, they'd put him on the DL. He's clearly dealing with something, but I don't really think we need to jump off the ledge. That said, its tough to win ballgames without TA, so hope he gets right soon.

I'd like to win this series.

LOL - still on that Grandal hate train despite the fact its become so so so so abundantly clear the last 7 weeks how important he is to this team?

Goodwin is so bad at CF

Not really a fan of Len. He's boring.

TLR probably just forgot he started his rehab last week.

Hand-wringing for sure, but I also would like to see Hernandez at the bottom of the order. Fine today with TA resting, but Cesar has been struggling last couple weeks.

They’ve certainly done a fantastic job ensuring they won’t be good long term by giving away boatloads of young talent.

Yeah its gross.

I am just going to assume Vaughn needs a day.

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.