ChiSox59

Not sure Jose is going to get $15M AAV on the FA market next off season. I'd try like 4/$50 including this year.

Seems like an awful deal for the Sox. If it gets up to $400M, its better to just say no.

If the White Sox aren't willing to increase their payroll to $150M and beyond in the next couple seasons, the whole rebuild was worthless.

Sounds like the Sox were going to get him to play some OF in winter ball, so I think that is the plan.

Me

Rondon just isn't a 3B, and they weren't going to take away everyday at bats from Moncada or Anderson to get him in the lineup.

Yes, obviously. I was just making the point that you may a well try to get something for an asset you're just going to dump in a couple weeks.

There is really no reason at all to not see if you can get something for Avi if there is any possibility of non-tendering him (which there should be).

Same

Not only a loss of pick, but catcher isn't really the position the sox should be spending big dollars. They already have 2 major league catchers on the roster, and another two interesting prospects that are pretty close. Much bigger holes to fill.

If you take out Avi's unsustainably high BABIP-fueled 2017, he has been a pretty terrible player. He's a low OBP corner outfield that sucks defensively. He isn't woth the $8-10M he will would get in arb. He's probably looking at 1 year deal around $5M with someone else if the Sox non-tender him, and he may very well outperform that contact. But his time with the Sox is likely over. Its time to move on.

This is cute.

Avi is a non-tender candidate because he has one year of control left at a price that is higher than what he brings to the table. He'd be a nontender candidate regardless of his injury.

Sounds like Ryu is going to take the qualifying offer.

If I’m the Astros I’m probably not doing that deal right now. You could probably get Avi for less money and with no prospect return in 45 days.

Avi got his knee operated on, no?

Hard no from me. Guys the Sox are far more likely to sign Machado and Harper than trade for Kris fucking Bryant. I will pull a Jack Parkman and straight up say this is not even worth discussing. Not at all. The Sox didn't build their farm system to tear it down for 3 years of Kris Bryant. Stop the nonsense.

Lets be honest, you'll be annoyed no matter what the Sox do.

Right. I agree - I really only want the secondary type pieces if we go for a big splash as well. Cruz and Brantley would have been the best 2 bats on the Sox last year. It definitely moves the needle some in terms of putting a better product on the field next season if they have similar years. I don't think Cruz and Brantley (just as an example) bring the Sox anywhere near contention unless pretty much everyone else improves, but they're not blocking anyone of significance, and are actual above average major league players.

I don't think anyone thinks the Sox are close to competing. I think people loathe the idea of watching AAAA players like Nicky Delmonico and Adam Engel and utility/gadgety/part-time players like Carlos Sanchez, Matt Davidson and Daniel Palka get everyday, or near everyday, at bats again. Very unlikely any of those guys are starters on the next Sox playoff team, and they've all been given ample opportunities at this level, and its been pretty ugly.

Brantley certainly doesn't get me super excited, and he definitely doesn't move the needle on the future, but I don't know that I would say he isn't a fit. I think he fits as a short term complementary piece if the Sox are able to get Machado/Harper, or as a stopgap type if the Sox do smaller moves. I probably wouldn't want to go more than 2 years on Brantley, but if they could get his for like 2 years between $15-17M AAV, I think its a fine fit. He's definitely better than Avi, and we're still going to have gaping hole in one of the two corner spots. Besides Eloy, the Sox OF prospects are at least 2 years away, so Brantley isn't really blocking anyone.

Because they are cheap AF.

Right, I am fine with Brantley as a stopgap option as we wait for the wave of OF prospects to be ready. But at some point the Sox will need to make splash and sign a star. If they don't, they're never going to be a real WS contender.

Which certainly doesn't move the needle much for the future, and puts basically all of our eggs in the sign Arenado or Rendon basket.

Certainly prefer him to Avi.