ChiSox59

I kinda of expect Leury IL stint starting today. He looked like he was playing a 75% speed yesterday.

We tend to agree on most things, and I certainly wouldn't be mad if the this was the Sox offseason, but a few questions (mainly nitpicking): You really think Wheeler is going to get $19M AAV? Seems like a lot. I am not against Wheeler by any means, but I probably would prefer other options if he's getting anywhere near $20M AAV. Just pay the extra $50M spread over 5-6 years and get Cole at that point. I don't think we need both a 2B and a reserve infielder, but definitely need one. I'd prefer Scooter Gennett to play 2B, and then shift him to RF/super sub when Madrigal is ready. Yolmer is reserve infielder. I assume the Sox traded Colome in this scenario? I'd be sort of surprised to see him go at this point. I think the Sox won't get anything exciting enough offered to them next few weeks. The Sox I think plan to contend in 2020, and to contend you need backend guys. If the Sox could get someone interesting they could plug into the OF for the rest of this season, or a super high upside youngster, I for sure make the deal. But I think the days of acquiring fringey dudes that take up 40 man spots is over. Grandal, Grandal, Grandal. YES PLEASE. He should frankly be the Sox top priority. While I think Cole should be, but I digress. McCann has been great, but I do expect regression. Grandal doesn't have huge platoon splits, and his a little better LH, but no significant. A Grandal/McCann/Collins DH and catcher platoon. YES PLEASE. I've never been much of Justin Smoak fan, but he could be another option at 1B/DH if the Sox decide to let Abreu walk. I don't see that happening, but some additional pop from the left side wouldn't hurt. Smoak would be pretty cheap and couldn't likely get him on a 1 year deal to hold down a spot until Vaughn is ready. I liked the Ozuna idea a lot more before Vaughn. An OF with Eloy and Ozuna in it scares me. It'd maybe work for a year, but 1B/DH is just so crowded now - what are you going to do with Ozuna in 2021-23/24. I was really hoping someone would emerge from the Basabe/Gonzalez/Rutherford/Adolfo foursome to grab 2020 RF by the balls, but that doesn't look like its in the cards. I do think RF may be a position Hahn tries to get creative with on the trade market and find a controllable OF that hopefully bats LH. Perhaps clear some of the 40 man by trading a few prospects that are blocked or have stalled out. Not sure who the target would be (Nimmo / Conforto do make sense), or who we'd look to deal but Dunning, Burdi, Rutherford, Hansen, Lambert, Flores, and Mendick will all need to be added to the 40 man by December 2019, or will be at risk for the rule 5 draft. There is plenty of fat to chop off the current 40 man (Banuelos, Cordero, Despaigne, Minaya, Osich, Castillo, Rondon, Palka, Jay, Tilson, Engel), but something is going to have to give. I see Hahn clearing up some of jam by trading some excess for an OF. Ultimately my plan fantasy plan would be: Cole (6/$168M), Grandal (3/$60M), Abreu (2/$20), Gennett (3/$36M), Wood (1/$10M). Adds about $80M in 2020 payroll. Sox overpay roll would be in the $125-130M range.

No, he's not. He is a FA after this season.

Yah, Leury May need his annual 10 day rest. Jay was pulled early tonight...

His entire take is that while the Sox May spend up to $20M a year on a player, there is no chance that player will be worth it. But also roasts the team for not signing premier FA. Can’t win. And frankly the Sox have earned that skepticism. But there are clearly brighter days ahead.

Many (most) switch hitters have a natural side and didn’t bat from both sides until pro ball. Not sure when Moncada picked it up, but if he’s a natural LH batter, which I would assume he is, I am sure she’s faced LHP from the left side.

The Sox were not supposed to win this season. But you know that. It sucks Rodon, Kopech and Dunning all got hurt. There is 60% of your rotation to go along with Gio, Lopez and Cease. It sucks. But that is part of baseball and part of building a team.

This thread is full of great ideas!!!!

So you can complain about the Sox giving Detwiler a start? Can't have it both ways.

Can't wait for you to eat crow.

McCann has DH'd 5 times this season, so they're certainly willing to do it. I just don't think we'll see Collins or McCann DHing nearly every game, even though we probably should.

I believe it was a comment to someone else's tweets. That may help you find it.

There is no DH in the NL.

Also worth noting that they are now calling Castillo's injury an oblique strain, instead of lower back tightness. Not uncommon for oblique strains to take some time to heal, so he is unlikely to return after his 10 days is up. That also means the Sox aren't going to be able to DH Collins and/or McCann frequently, unless they are willing to roll the dice. So we may not get a good feel for how the Sox truly intend to use Collins until Welington returns.

Official per Sox twitter. Vieira was optioned on Sunday.

To be honest, its really only a few people. Abreu is a very talented hitter, but he is the type of player that has been losing value around the league for some time now. He's just not a guy you need to pay $15M+ a year to on the open market. I do think the Sox eventually pay him a little more than they need to, and he gets extended or resigns for a 2 year $24-26M deal to stay with the Sox. I honestly think 2/$18M should get it done, though.

I do not see the Sox spending their money by “loading up on bad contracts”, presumably via trade, like you said. I do think they’ve shown a willingness to do things differently this time, and I suspect that will include being more fiscally responsible via trade, and instead acquiring higher paid players via signing a premier FA or two. They don’t necessarily need to be the the 2 greatest FAs in a decade plus like Machado and/or Harper. I understand that history is on your side. But as I’ve said a few times in this thread, Sox have been making a habit of breaking their track records in recent seasons, and I expect that to continue.

My entire life. I’m 29.

Lol, I haven’t once mentioned Bumgarner, Rendon, Cole and Ozuna all being signed. In fact, I’ve clearly stated that Rendon doesn’t make much sense for the Sox as theyre not going to move Moncada again, Ozuna is awful defensively and doesn’t really work with Eloy in LF so I’d pass and I haven’t suggested Bumgarner once all offseason, so you must have me confused with someone else.

Lol “they will load up on bad contracts” but won’t sign premier talent. Classic Sox fan mentality.

Agree to disagree on pretty much everything, especially the Sox never being serious. They were very serious, but they weren’t just going to hand the guys empty checkbooks. In hindsight, I don’t blame them. Some still do. I get it. The good news is, the Sox still have the ultimate financial flexibility and outside of some shitty injuries, they have seen some serious positive regression from some very key members of this future core. Missing on MM and Harper sucks, but its not the end of the rebuild. Brighter days are ahead, and I am hopeful that the Sox will eventually be aggressive on the FA market. I certainly don’t think the Sox FA moves in 2019 are any going to be any indication of a new trend.

Even if Collins isn't really a catcher, just being an early career version of Evan Gattis / Mike Napoli would provide a fair amount of value.

Tht would suck for him - go from one team loaded with OF, to another team just as loaded with OF.

There was a report that come out a few weeks ago (definitely since the season starter) that was posted here that said the Sox were very aggressive on Harper asfter Machado, despite it not really getting into the media. I spent a couple minutes trying to find it, but this board's search capability isn't the strongest. I believe it came from a notable writer - Heyman maybe?

You didn't blatantly say it, but if you don't think they're going to sign anyone but "low cost veterans", then they're going to be in the bottom tier of payrolls moving forward. The Sox need pitching help bad. Gio, Kopech and Cease isn't going to be enough to actually be a good.