ChiSox59

$160M?!? I don't even think he'd take a 4 year deal at $200M.

Is that what your source said?

Another thrilling day at the 2018 MLB Winter Meetings... Seriously though, what a flop when Andrew McCutchen's 3 year $50M deal and a minor trade of Ivan Nova are the only action of significance so far.

A little different plan if the Sox miss out on Harper/MM: Trade Jose Abreu to Dodgers for Jaren Kendall (OF) and Diego Cartaya (C) Trade Yolmer Sanchez to the Yankees for Nolan Martinez (P) Trade Wellington Castillo to Mets for salary relief and a bag of balls Sign Yasmani Grandal - 4 years $65M Sign Drew Pomeranz - 1 year $6M Sign AJ Ellis - 1 year $2M Wait for the market to crater on the glut of corner OF and corner IF, then pounce on a couple cheap deal 1 year deals. OF Options: Carlos Gonzalez, Curtis Granderson, Adam Jones, Avi Garcia, maybe even Nick Markakis 2B/3B options: Dozier, Mike Moustakas, Josh Harrison, Neil Walker, Daniel Murphy, Ian Kinsler 1B/DH Options: Nelson Cruz, Justin Bour, Evan Gattis, etc. So for sake of discussion, let's say: Sign Carlos Gonzalez (1 year $8M) Sign Brian Dozier (2 year $14M) Sign Justin Bour (1 year $5M) Roster as of May 1st (estimated 2019 salary): 1B: Bour ($5M) 2B: Dozier ($7M) SS: Anderson ($1.4M) 3B: Moncada ($570k) LF: Carlos Gonzalez ($8M) CF: Engel ($560k) (with lots of Leury sprinkled in) RF: Eloy ($560k) DH: Palka ($560k) (mix Palka in at 1B as well, with Bour DHing) Catcher: Grandal ($16M) BN: Leury ($1.5M), Rondon ($560k), Cordell ($560k), Ellis ($2M) Rotation: Rodon ($3.5M), Lopez ($570k), Giolito ($570k), Pomeranz ($6M), and Nova ($9.1M) Bullpen: Colome ($7.5M), Jones ($4.65M), Hamilton ($560k), Fry ($560k), Frare ($560k), Ruiz ($560k) and Burdi ($560k) Total payroll: ~ $79M Fairly low payroll, minimal future commitments other than Grandal. The team probably sucks, but tons of flippable players on short term deals in Dozier, Carlos Gonzalez, Bour, Pomeranz, Nova, and Colome. Definitely not the route we all want, but I'd rather see this than trotting out AAAA players like Delmonico, Cordell, Stephens, etc., in 2019, with basically no flippable talent.

A brief discussion in the Harper mega-thread about what to do if the Sox miss out on Harper/Machado got me thinking. If both guys end up elsewhere in the coming weeks, how does that pivot your plan for 2019? Do you still try to build a team that has a chance of being interesting, or just go to battle with what we have? Discuss, share ideas, etc..

If we do miss out on Harper and MM, I don't see how moves like signing Grandal and Pomeranz, and waiting for the market to crater on corner OF and 2B/3B types and swooping up one of each on the cheap in January/February, hurts the future. All would be short term deals other than Grandal.

I am guessing the offers are above $300M (if 10 full years). I also don't think Harper or Machado are going to sign for weeks.

Most prospects fail when they first get to the big leagues. This also isn't some new development.

Very somber in here this morning.

One year $2M deal if the Sox basically go to camp with their current 40 man (ie: miss out on all other FAs of note). Sure, I guess. Anything else, hard pass. In that scenario, I may actually rather just see Leury/Delmonico/Cordell play LF.

Not that we were ever going to get Happ, but the decent options on the SP market are dwindling.

Offer them 10/$350M each. 5/$240M then an opt out. Then 3/$90M then opt out. Then 2/$20M. Would be so neat. Effectively get both for 5 seasons and do everything you can to build a winner from 2020-2023.

They just said it’s a possibility, Sox can afford it, minimal payroll going forward, Reinsdorf getting old, Eloy coming up, need a 3B and RF....the fit is there, and boy would it be entertaining. Rosenthal certainly didn’t rule it out and said it would make sense and it’s feasible. They definitely weren’t breaking that they’re getting close to signing either.

Rosenthal and Dan O’Dowd pushing the Sox land Harper AND Machado storyline...

I don’t know how it couldn’t be. Manny is a well rounded player. Harper is not. Harper May have more offensive upside, but it’s also likely he’ll be a 1B or DH in half a decade, and the OF D in between isn’t going to be good. Harper could flip a switch and be the best hitter in the league the next 5 seasons, but he certainly hasn’t been that the last three seasons. I think itd need to be at least $230M over 5 years then an opt out for MM to bite. Maybe $190M over the following 5 years post opt out. 10 year $320M, opt out after 5. I see that as pretty much the cheapest these two would go for.

Except Machado is actually a better baseball player than Harper.

I still think Machado is a better fit for this team than Harper, but fuck it, I want both.

Just ignore.

He's the backup catcher?

lol

I'd take him for free. But he won't be free. So no thanks.

After 6 years..... I am not saying Collins is going to be the catcher for the White Sox for the next 2 decades. I am saying he can fill a role as a part-time catcher, part-time DH/1B for several seasons, with or without Grandal on the roster. You completely dismiss that as a possibility, because that is what you do.

Yah Evan Gattis has made a long career doing exactly what you're saying can't be done. Next.

I'd give him a minor league deal...why the heck not? Maybe he gets healthy and returns to a decent ball player. Most likely he's toast, but for the league minimum, why not?

Evan Gattis, Carlos Santana, Mike Napoli, Kyle Schwarber, even Wilson Contreras are all recent examples of guys who played catcher at least part time, or close to full time, and played other postions early in their career. Its completely conceivable that Collins could be a guy that catches 2-3 days a week, and DHs or plays 1B the others.