ChiSox59

Correct.

There goes 20% of his control. Fucking stupid to ever call him up this season. Probably happens anyway, but at least he’s in minor league DL. This sucks.

Why? Seems like an awful idea. I could at least see keeping him around on a cheap 1 year deal, but ideally Cease or Dunning are in the rotation by June or July, at the very least 2020. No reason to sign him to a 2 year deal. If I were the Sox i'd be looking at a cheapish 1 year bounce back options (Harvey, Ryu, Garcia, Pomeranz, Lynn, etc.) to flip if they turn in a good first half, or just rolling with what we got in Rodon, Kopech, Gio, Lopez and whoever wins the 5th spot out of Stephens, Guerrero, or Adams.

Moncada has been playing very good ball of late.

It’s literally like 10 games. The Eloy situation has nothing to do with the Sox FO thoughts competing next season. It may well still be a development and sub .500 season though.

Pollock on a 3 year ~$60M type deal makes a ton of sense to me. If Robert, Gonzalez or Basabe take over CF from him in the meantime, shift him over to a corner. I don't see it being a huge issue.

I think $18.1M.

I think the only reason to keep Avi (and why he will ultimately be tendered a contract) is that he's better than our other RF options for next season. Palka and Delmonico are both poor defenders, and certainly less established bats. If the Sox are trying to win next season (which I think they will until I am proven otherwise), I think they keep him around. I don't think he'll get a huge raise due to his poor season, and I don't think the Sox want to run Palka out in RF everyday. Maybe they sign a RF instead of a CF and then Avi becomes expendable, but unless they do that, I think he's kept around. I certainly hope they don't go into the season assuming Palka and Delmonico will cover a corner OF spot the whole season. Dream Scenario: LF: Delmonico (for 2 weeks; then Eloy and Delmonico to Charlotte) CF: AJ Pollock RF: Avi Garcia DH: Palka / Davidson Platoon BN: Leury, Engel, Yolmer, Palka/Davidson (not sure there is room for all these guys on the bench if a FA is signed, or Yolmer plays 3B again (hope not)) More Likely Scenario: LF: Delmonico (for 2 weeks; then Eloy and Delmonico to Charlotte) CF: Engel RF: Avi Garcia DH: Palka / Davidson Platoon BN: Leury, Yolmer, Palka/Davidson

Who plays 1B in this scenario?

Nicky has an option so he is the easy first odd man out when Eloy comes up unless the Sox move on from Davidson this offseason. The other potential wild card is Avi. If the Sox non-tender Avi, there is a little more space to keep these guys around. I don't think that is going to happen though.

Jones contract for 19-21 are team options. Due to his elbow surgery, his 2019 option is at the league minimum and his buy out is $1.25M. Therefore, Jones is around for at least 1 more season. Team options in 2020 and 2021 are now $3.75M and $4.25M, respectively. So he can stay healthy next season, he may be around a few more seasons. Think they'd probably move on after next season if he can't stay on the field, though.

I don't think Danish got the call unless I totally missed that one.

Jones' option is at the league minimum due to the clause about arm surgery (nicely done by Hahn). He will be retained by the Sox. It'd be cheaper pick up the option than to buy him out. He's around for at least one more season, but hard to pencil him into anything due to health.

Can Abreu, Davidson, Palka and Delmonico all co-exist on the roster? I think the answer to that is definitively no. Especially if the Sox make any sort of splash in FA. Delmonico probably gets the LF job for like 10 games next year until Eloy comes up. He'll have an option left, so I think he goes to Charlotte at that point for everyday at bats. Davidson is out of options. Does Palka have one still? Palka is my DH next season. He mashes RH pitching, and Davidson matches LH, so a platoon does make some sense. Just not sure there is really room on the roster for Davidson as a part time DH unless the Sox basically stand pat offensively this offseason. Any signing of a CF or 3B pushes Davidson off the roster IMO because your bench is going to be made up of some mixture of Castillo/Narvaez, Leury, Engel, and Yolmer. Rondon definitely has an option left so he probably stays in Charlotte. There is an awesome website that tracks options/contract status that was passed around here earlier this season and can't recall what it was. Anyone have that handy?

He can file a grievance all he wants. He has no case. He’s played minimal games above AA and has spent large portions of the last 2 seasons on the DL. I feel for the kid, but he’s just gonna have to wait until late next April.

Machado is going to go to the team that pay him the most. It really is that simple.

Quite a thread this is.

There aren't many SS that fit your description. It's completely conceivable that the Sox actually have 2 or 3 of the best 20 SS in the game. Anderson, Rondon, and Yolmer (admittedly a bit of a stretch there). Rondon would be an upgrade at SS for at least 1/3 of the league.

I see basically no scenario where Cease in the the majors before late June, and even then only if he is straight fire in AAA, and the Sox are actually around .500 or better.

Dude, AJ Pollock is really good. I have minimal interest in Donaldson. I'd be disappointed if the Sox go that direction unless its a 1 year deal with an eye on Arenado or Rendon in 2020. Honestly, I think Donaldson will accept the QO if he gets one.

Regarding Manny, you're probably right. But $33.5M AAV isn't exactly chump change. I think Pollock is a fantastic fit for this team if the price is right. His injury history scares me, and he'll likely cost a draft pick. But those are two reasons that you may be able to get him at a nice discount on his value. I don't see any reason why the Sox shouldn't be interested in him if they can get him for 2-3 years and $18-20M AAV. Who is he blocking? The only true natural CFs in the system are Robert and Gonzalez, and neither are going to be in Chicago before mid to late 2020 best case scenario. You can always slide Pollock to LF or RF and Eloy to DH in 2020 if guys like Robert, Rutherford, Basabe and Adolfo are forcing the issue. Guys like Adam Engel and Alex Call aren't stopping me from acquiring a well above above average ML OF.

Signings: Machado 8 years / $270M AJ Pollock 3 years / $63M Matt Harvey 1 year / $8M Lineup: Pollock CF, Moncada 2B, Machado 3B, Abreu 1B, Eloy LF (3 weeks in; Delmonico holds spot until then), Garcia RF, Palka DH, Anderson SS, Narvaez C BN: Castillo, Leury, Engel, Yolmer Rotation: Rodon, Kopech, Giolito, Lopez and Harvey Bullpen: Burdi, Hamilton, Jones, Fry, Burr, Bummer and Stephens/Covey/Vieira/Ruiz

Martin is controlled through 2019. I highly doubt the Indians non-tender him. I'd pass on Happ. Murphy would be interesting as a 1B/DH.

Robson? Rondon? Timmy has been playing great ball the past couple weeks. Hope he's fine.

I worry about the Red Sox.