ChiSox59

If only. Bottom line, this team needs to improve its defense moving forward, not hurt it. Madrigal helps. Obviously Robert helps. Anderson continuing to improve helps. But you can't have two DHs in the corner OFs. The Sox really need their next RF to be a guy that can at least plays league average defense, and ideally he's a guy that can hit from the left side. Now if you can get Springer to sign, I'd move past that lefty/switch requirement, but that's going to be tough regardless.

It's a joke. He's a horrific fit for this team. If he signed a one year deal this offseason - OK whatever, I'd deal with it to get his stick in the lineup. Long term, its not workable at all.

I think Robby Ray is a great FA fit for this team, so I'd be all for acquiring him now.

Hard pass on trying to acquire Castellanos. Guys, we need to play defense. Eloy and Castellanos are two of the worst in the game. Just say no - our defense would be locked in horrible through 2023.

To be clear, I wasn't suggesting it. I was responding to that comment that said Vaughn + Kopech doesn't get you close - to which I disagree.

Meh. 2 top 20-30 type prospects in the game? Close-ish to what Sox got for Sale, though obviously Moncada a little more elite. I think if the third piece was someone like Dalquist, it could definitely be enough. Not sure I'd do it, though.

Mazara looks totally lost at the plate. Even when he does get a hit, its a little texas leaguer. How many balls has he actually squared up in his 60 PA? Not suggesting DFA or anything, but I would certainly be looking to bring in some other options for RF. Less concerned about EE. I am definitely not cutting the cord on him, but I'd be fine giving him less at bats.

Right. Not like Edwin is some bum off the street. I would have given YM more than 1 PA to this point, but to claim he should be taking all of EEs at bats is silly.

Hunter Pence DFAd as well. in the last few days, Yolmer Sanchez, Brian Dozier, Brock Holt and Hunter Pence have all become available. All guys who were talked here about as options this offseason. All, IMO, even despite a few starting 2020 horribly, would be improvements over the back end of bench or at least options to bring to Schaumburg as depth.

Good post, DA.

Yeah, not a ton of great options. I’d put my best foot forward on Springer and if that doesn’t work explore a trade. Joc wouldn’t be a god awful back up plan, but outside of being left handed, he doesn’t really solve what we lack or need in RF.

I hope we can do better than Joc Pederson in RF. He’s frankly really not much of an upgrade.

I’m on team Robby Ray. Giolito, Ray, Cease, Keuchel, Lopez/Dunning to start Rodon to pen or non tendered. Lopez to pen whenever Kopech eventually arrives, likely not til June.

Rooting for ReyLo.

You love SSS, and hate defense, line up balance and OBP.

He’s better than what we have, so long as Ricky doesn’t act like he’s an everyday player.

Yet you say the Sox should have spent the Grandal money on a RF in FA that didn't exist. You've yet to explain how you would have better spent that $73M, and how you then fill the catcher position moving forward once McCann is a FA following 2020, other than suggesting Castellanos who is a just a terrible fit for this roster.

JFC. I am not making excuses for the organization. I just said I was disappointed in the Mazara acquisition in the comment you were quoting. I knew he wasn't a long term solution. I was a huge proponent of going after somone like Nimmo instead. The Phils Harper to a $330M a year and half ago. Would he look great in RF on a 15 year $350M+ contract? Yeah, he would. But I've moved on. There were no good RF FA options last offseason. They were all horseshit fits - so rather than jamming a square peg into a round hole with someone like Castellanos, they acquired Mazara in hopes of finding something with a guy that was still just 24 years old and was a former elite prospect. It doesn't appear the Mazara experiment is going to work out, but the strategy behind the move was fine when considering the other options. So long as they move on after this season and actually plug RF with a legitimate player as we move into our real contention window - ideally one that plays good defensive, is a lefty or switch hitter and one that gets on base - I am OK with it.

Where did I say someone would pay substantially more? I said there would be teams willing to take on the balance of the existing contract.

Mazara is and was a stop gap. I didn’t like the move then and I don’t like it any more now. But I know it’s just a stop gap. Signing Castellanos, who is a low OBP and bad defensive slugger wasn’t the answer. He would have fit right in with the rest of the team tho! Let’s run out 9 poor defensive free swinging right handed sluggers and see how it works out! That should work our great for a young pitching staff.

I honestly don’t think a 20 game sample of any kind is enough to make MLB gms ignore a decade sample size of being elite. this whole topic is comical to me.

I think plenty of teams would be “willing to take on” that deal right now. I don’t think he has much surplus value but let’s not act like 4-6 fWAR catchers suddenly grow on trees.

So who has this magical RF solution in FA you speak of? The Sox tried to sign SP. He took less money to sign in Philly and they ended up getting Keuchel instead. I agree they need to add another SP next offseason; but not at the expense of Grandal.

Who was the better fit? We needed OBP. We needed power. We needed a left handed batter. Who was the better fit? Grandal is and was literally a perfect piece for this roster. Again, a punchless 15 game stint in which he is still bordering on elite at getting on base doesn’t change that, no matter how much you try to speak it into existence. McCann mostly regressed back to the guy he had always been after the ASB last year. I like James. Dude is a great ball player. But he’s no where close to as good or valuable a player as Grandal.

Engel still sucks against righties. That hasn’t changed. He shouldn’t be playing against RHP. Admittedly Nomar hasn’t been good against RHP either in 2020 SSS, but there is a decent track record there.