Jose Abreu

I agree with this to an extent but I don't think he'll want to leave this soon in the contract. Especially after he made such a big deal about signing that contract with his long-term home in mind

Not great https://www.actionnewsjax.com/sports/ex-major-league/7H7GFSQOO5BYI5V42CEBCYL7JU/

Stroman, Benintendi, and Cruz would be a much better offseason than I'm expecting. I'll go: First transaction: Declining options on Encarnacion/Gonzalez, non-tendering Rodon/Mazara etc. Crazy trade scenario: trade Cease, Madrigal, and Stiever for Syndergaard (rental), Conforto (rental), and Seth Lugo (not expecting this exactly but Cease+ to the Mets wouldn't shock me)  Biggest signing: La Stella  2021 closer: Heuer  Bauer 2021 team: Mets

Maybe not Bummer, but Foster and Heuer are definitely used to it

Unless a reliever gets lit up or there's another injury, this is doable without Rodon/Cease. Bummer, Foster, and Heuer can all go multiple innings

For clarity's sake, the extension was with ESPN, not NBC Sports Chicago. Although I'm sure he'll be with the Sox for a long time too

Crochet (2) Dunning (3) Foster (1) Bummer (1) Heuer/Marshall (1) Colome (1)

This is ideal.

I think the deadline is 10:00 AM local time (so 12:00 PM CT)

Sox sweep (I'm only half joking)

A few interesting comments from A's fans that I read suggested that they're mad about the 12:00 PM (local) start time because apparently their ballpark at that time of day and at 80-90 degree temps plays favorably to righty power hitters, i.e. the White Sox

Yeah, Robert will be the key. My main concerns for the series are Oakland's bullpen (it's good and we tend to score our runs late) and us potentially getting off to a rough first inning and not bouncing back. It's baseball, and anything can happen, but this is definitely winnable

No Matt Chapman, a declining offense (to be fair, ours has been too), and lefty starting pitchers that are objectively worse than Giolito/Keuchel. Wish we were at home, but couldn't have gotten a better matchup

Oakland and Toronto, both of which are still in play for us

FWIW I watched the same full interview as Merkin and, unless he talked to Eloy privately, I'm not getting this same vibe

Moncada

Abreu

Grandal

I wonder if the Yankees would avoid throwing Happ against us because of our success vs LHP

Yup, it's the kind of thing that just needs time. He'll be fine, and if we had a month left, I wouldn't be worried. Hopefully this is the week he turns things around

I don't think we sign him anyway, but the team's recent incorporation of analytics is a big reason they're so good