ChiSox59

Alex Gordon is a well above average defensive OF that if paired with several other notable signings would be a fine stop gap in the OF on a 1 year deal. I am not suggesting that he would be anything close to a major move for the team. I also suggested him as a fallback option if much better fits on the trade market don’t come to fruition. Context is important.

Castellanos is at most getting 4/$60M type deal. That is not out of the Sox price range. That said, hard pass on on that deal. I won't want to pay a DH who wouldn't even be a good DH $15M over 4 seasons.

Conforto definitely costs at least one of Madrigal, Vaughn or Cease and then a couple nice complementary pieces. No thank you. Really only makes sense if Sox were able to sign Rendon to play 2B and then trade Madrigal + for him. I’d be shocked.

Nothing. But why give up assets when you can just sign the guy in a year? If he costs no one in the top 10, then sure why not. I think I’d prefer rolling the dice on Mazara than 1 year of Pederson, though if the move was paired with a few others, I certainly wouldn’t mind Joc in RF.

If you’d be disappointed with that offseason, not sure what to tell ya.

The Gordon suggestions are mostly a finishing supporting piece. If the Sox sign a top 5 FA SP, another backend vet, Grandal, resign Abreu and get a good pen arm or two, a guy like Gordon to plug an OF spot for a season wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. He may be KC or bust. I am sure he’d happily play on a better team than KC if the opportunity presented itself. But, hopefully RF is filled via trade with a higher upside guy. We’ll see. He’d be an awful option if he’s one of the highest AAV guys added.

Palka switched up his stance. Way more upright.

Which is totally fine (assuming acquistion cost isn't too high), so long as you get a lefty masher for 1B/DH to pair with Abreu. Unfortunately, there really aren't a ton of options outside of Grandal - who also obviously helps at catcher as well.

There was rumors he turned down offers around 3/$60 early in the offseason. Mets were specifically mentioned. He ended up getting burned.

Yah, he wanted to play for a contender. Sox will look a little closer to that next season. Still won't be easy to land him.

Those 4 plus a FA. The Sox are not going to carry 2 catchers if one of them is Collins, essentially relegating him to backup duty. Whether that catcher is Grandal (yes, please) or a more of true backup - not sure.

Exactly. And frankly, Tim makes most of those plays. Alot of his errors do come fairly routine plays which are very correctable - and he's shown he's able to avoid those bad errors for stretches of time. What errors don't consider is the trade off of plays that Tim makes on balls that other short stops wouldn't even get to as opposed to more than his fair share of frustrating errors on routine plays. IMO, they at the very least even out, and if Tim can take a step forward on avoiding the more routine errors, he becomes an elite defender at SS. I am not giving that up for short term solution or to try a guy like Madrigal out at SS.

Yah, I don't really look at things that way. There is no way the Sox will "almost certainly do absolutely nothing" to improve Tim's defense. Not at all shocked that is your take though.

Yah, I don't really get it either. I don't see the harm, other than the Sox probably don't want to carry 5 "catchers" on their 40 man next season and figured exposing Mercedes to waivers in a month or two would certainly result in a claim and losing him.

A lot of them are, yes. Sort of regretted how I phrased that. But doesn't change the fact that he gets to balls other SS wouldn't even dream of.

I would bet that Madrigal would be considerably worse overall defensive shortstop than Anderson. Tim has the capability to be a very good defender at SS. His issues are largely correctable.

I don't believe that rule changed. Players needed to be on 40 man by September 1st in order to be eligible for postseason.

Many of his errors are on balls other shortstops wouldn't even dream of getting to. That matters. The errors are really bad and he needs to cut down on them. But I am not moving him to a position he has never played - probably in his life - without a long term solution for his position. That doesn't exist. Madrigal would not be an improvement.

While, considering Palka is in RF tonight and Collins at DH, calling up Mercedes would be taking at bats away from Collins. Really only situation I would see Mercedes getting at bats is the DH against LHP. I too would have given him a chance, but I understand why they didn't. Chances are pretty low he is taken in the rule 5 draft, so the Sox should be able to keep him stashed in AAA next season, and 40 man spots are valuable.

That makes more sense.

I’d take him over Covey. But perhaps. Like Ruiz arm....think he’s still in the plans as a pen option, but perhaps this is a sign he’s not.

Surprised no Ruiz. A little surprised to see Palka back. Not at all surprised to see no Mercedes.

Tim Anderson is the White Sox SS for the foreseeable future guys. I also don’t think he’s one of the worst defensive SS in the game either. Too many errors for sure, but he’s not an awful defender.

Glad to hear about Mendick.

The Sox always hold off on announcements until as late as possible. This isn't out of the norm.