ChiSox59

Because he is not good.

I could see him starting in the bigs, but not due to trying to avoid a grievance or anything. The dude is recovering from a major elbow operation! He has minimal major leauge innings! He'll be on a pitch count to start, and an innings count next year! The MLBPA would have absolutely zero case. The Padres just sent Chris Paddock back to the minors FFS. He's been dicing all season long!

You can add Cole and Wood and still give Lopez a shot to start next season. Cole, Gio, Cease, Wood, Lopez. It just means the Sox take it easy with Kopech, let him regain his footing in AAA, and manage his innings a bit in the early going. Bring him back up when we get a year of service back in late May / early June. That is what I would do and is my preferred route, but I am sure the Sox will just let Kopech take his lumps in the big leagues and be forced to shut him down in August due to an innings limit.

Other molds have been broken in recent years, and I hope that trend continues. The Sox have no chance to be anything more than just an interestingish team if they don't add some significant pieces from outside the org. The pitching depth has been decimated by injury. Adding a legit TOR SP needs to be the top priority this offseason, IMO. I expect to be disappointed, but am hopeful they buck the fuck up and pay the man his money.

Not realistic at all. But the Sox are fucking idiots if they're unwilling to pay Cole $150M+. This rotation badly needs an anchor. Cole would be that guy. Shifting Gio, Kopech and Cease down a notch is imperative if they actually want to build a sustained winner over this 2020-2025 window. The Sox could add $80M in payroll next season and still be under league average. Its time to act like they're actually trying. I agree with you that it probably won't happen, but since they saved $250M trying to be cute (just cheap, really) with Machado, its time they actually spend some money and starting filling in the gaps.

Cole AND Wood would be ideal. Allows Sox to take it slow with Kopech as well.

Please, lord jesus, tell me he is just a placeholder.

Any other Sox prospects in bottom of top 100?

Yikes. Lambert will be nearly 26 years old when he returns from TJS (if thats where he is headed). That is no bueno for a guy that hasn't eclipsed AA.

Well Vaughn should be up by end of 2020, so that takes 1B. Sox have pretty much said they're going to resign or extend Abreu (hopefully no more than 2 seasons). Has a couple week cold stretch changed that? Doubt it. Plus you have Collins who is going to DH most of the day against RHP. Going to be tough to get Ozuna (or Eloy) many DH at bats. I think the idea of Ozuna being a good fit for this team disappeared last week when the Sox drafted Vaughn.

An OF with Eloy and Ozuna in it is the stuff of nightmares. Only way Ozuna makes any sense on the longer term deal he would require is if the Sox are positive Eloy can stick in LF and/or they are ready to move on from Abreu.

Who is this stopgap RF though? There are not many options. Markakis would be nice, but ATL has a $6M option. Doubt they don't pick that up. Kole Calhoun? Gross. Avi Garcia? Been down that road. There are very few options after Ozuna, Castellanos, and Puig, who are not stop gaps, obviously. A lefty stick would also be preferred.

Sure. It just kind of crazy how much the Sox could transform their team next season spending less than they would have spent on Machado. Give me Cole, Grandal, Gennett, Wood and Abreu over Machado everyday. I think those suggested deals are pretty realistic too. Cole may be $10-12M light, but I don't think is crazy to think $28M AAV over 6 years would get it done. Wood should be looking for a pillow deal after missing most of this season. Gennett is a little harder to pinpoint, but 3/$36M seems fair. Bump it to 3/$40M I wouldn't argue.

My (fantasy) offseason plan: Sign Gerrit Cole (6 years, $168M) Sign Yasmani Grandal (3 years, $60M) Re-sign Jose Abreu (2 years, $18M) Sign Scotter Gennett (3 years, $36M) Sign Alex Wood (1 year, $10M) Adds: $292M in spending, ~$80M to 2020 payroll, which would still be below league average at around $115-$120M Opening Day: Lineup: Leury Garcia CF, Yoan Moncada 3B, Jose Abreu 1B, Eloy Jimenez LF, Yasmani Grandal C, Scotter Gennett 2B, Zack Collins DH, Tim Anderson SS, Someone (Tilson, Cordell, Basabe, RF Rotation: Cole, Giolito, Cease, Wood, Lopez Bullpen: Colome, Herrera, Hamilton, Bummer, Burr, Frare, Fry, one of Covey/Ruiz/Vieria/Marshall/etc. Bench: McCann, Sanchez, Tilson/Cordell/Basabe/Engel Mid-Season: Lineup: Luis Robert CF, Yoan Moncada 3B, Andrew Vaughn 1B (if ready, if not keep Collins around), Eloy Jimenez LF, Jose Abreu DH, Yasmani Grandal C, Scotter Gennett RF, Tim Anderson SS, Nick Madrigal 2B Rotation: Cole, Giolito, Kopech, Cease, Wood (or Lopez) Bullpen: Same Bench: McCann, Sanchez, Leury, Collins (back to AAA, or 7 man pen) Pipedream? For sure. But I'd go to fucking battle with that team.

I'd prefer not to pay big bucks for JD Martinez 33-36+ age seasons. Obviously depends on the deal, but I just don't really see him as a fit. If we're going after a bat in should be a LH hitter, and preferably someone who can play RF for a season or two.

Yawn, another Ron Abreu thread. There is zero chance the Sox give Abreu the QO. In fact, I'd probably offer him 2 years $18M right now, which may be under the QO value this year.

Rockies could be a team that would be interested. Wolters has been pretty good though.

Twins? Twins have the best catching platoon in the league so far. Garver and Castro have combined for 3.0 fWAR.

I would probably eventually take just the back-end top 100 guy, depending on who he is. I would not trade Madrigal and Bush for McCann, but we're not 2 games behind the twins and were in the midst of a rebuild so its hard for me to really say that. A team that is desperate for a catching upgrade and the midst of the race and perhaps at the backend of a contention window may consider it.

I think its pretty simple. You put a big price on him and someone pays it, or you just keep him for next season.

Giolito has stated many times that McCann has been huge for him. I definitely think its fair to contribute some of Gio's resurgence to McCann.

High value. Backend top 100 type guy (an OF that is ready would be nice) + low level lottery ticket with upside. If you can't get that, you keep him. Or maybe a former nice prospect that is blocked. Someone like Ramiel Tapia from Colorado + low level lottery ticket with upside.

Trading McCann is most certainly not dumb. He's been good, but if someone wants to pay for what he's been this year (one of the best 5 catchers in the league), you trade him every single time.

Despaigne looks like he could do some nail biting. His pinky nail in that video was like 3 inches long. That is way more gross than nail biting!

Ya not penciling him into the rotation for 2020. Just saying he’s entertaining. Most relievery looking SP I have watched in some time.