TheFutureIsNear

This is the mentality I don’t understand from this board....if a bottom 5 team that is still smack dab in the middle of a rebuild doesn’t sign 1 of the 2 biggest free agent super stars it’s a disappointment? In what world? It’s a novel idea and I’m sure the front office is giving it the old college try, but to think that either are signing here is more than a hope and prayer is naive in my opinion.

Idk I think the Phillies will end up regretting the 3rd year...but they have stupid $ to throw around so they probably don’t even care about that

I'll try 1 of these crazy off seasons... Sign Bryce Harper- 12 years $408M...Give him an opt out clause after 3 years. Sign Adam Jones- 2 years $18M Sign Charlie Morton- 2 years $30M Sign Clay Bucholz- 1 year $5M (or someone like him...Miley, Ross, Cahill- take your pick) Sign Adam Warren- 2 years $8M Sign Martin Maldanado- 1 year $4M Trade Nate Jones and Carson Fulmer to the Phillies for Maikel Franco Trade Yolmer Sanchez, AJ Puckett, and Ian Clarkin for Domingo Santana I figure that to add about 70-75ish million to the payroll C- Castillo/Maldanado 1B- Jose 2B- Moncada SS- Anderson 3B- Franco LF- Santana/Eloy CF- Harper/Jones RF- Harper/Jones DH- Santana/Eloy Bench - Palka, Rondon, Leury SP- Rodon SP- Morton SP- Lopez SP- Giolito SP- Bucholz Long Relief- Dylan Covey LH Middle Relief- Adam Bummer or Manny Banuelos RH Middle Relief- Ian Hamilton RH Middle Relief- Juan Minaya LH Setup- Jace Fry RH Setup- Adam Warren Closer- Alex Colome Probably still not enough pitching but wanted to keep it somewhat realistic. We would still have pretty much all of our prospects to get pitching help as the season went on though. I'd rather overpay in prospects given what we have than give someone like Keuchle a huge deal is what it comes down to really.

Isn’t his preference to play SS? Feel like asking him to come to the White Sox to play 3B is a lot to ask for

Really curious to see what the price for Relamuto will be. The Marlins have made some weird trades so who knows. I’d throw them an offer of something like Collins and Hansen just to have some skin in the game...I’m sure someone will offer more tho.

The versatility is great and all, but I think it’s pretty obvious that 2016 was a fluke. How much are you willing to pay a .730 OPS, 105 WRC+ hitter that can play multiple positions?

Completely agree with this. It seems most on this board are pretty delusional about where this team actually is...at least imo, everyone is entitled to their opinion of course. I think this team needs at least 1 more year to see what they have before making moves that will hurt payroll flexibility going forward. If we can somehow get Harper/Machado, sure go for it, but other than that pipe dream I say only go for a few 1 year deals that won’t block any young players. To me 2019 is another rebuild year, 2020 is the year you start to put together the final product and maybe compete for a WC, and 2021 you go all in. Rushing the timeline is only going to hurt everyone in my opinion. We’ve lost this much already, what’s another year?

I’ll say a random SP...Tyson Ross? Wade Miley? If it’s a hitter my guess is Moustakas

Given that I still don’t believe we have a shot in hell at Machado or Harper I say listen real hard on offers for anyone if it improves the team for 2020. Im personally not trading for guys that aren’t near the majors at this point tho, which could be a problem trading with the Dodgers. Anyone think they would trade Joc? They have Bellinger, Puig, Kemp, Verdugo, and Taylor/Keke to play OF next year. Seems like someone has to go and Verdugo isn’t happening obviously. Will Smith, Edwin Rios, and Tony Gonsolin...3 prospects I’d have lot of interest in as well

Sign: Yusei Kikuchi, Mike Moustakas, Carlos Gonzalez, James McCann, and AJ Ramos Trade: Yolmer Sanchez, Carson Fulmer and Bernardo Flores to the Brewers for Domingo Santana. C- Castillo 1B- Jose 2B- Moncada SS- Anderson 3B- Moustakas LF- Santana CF- Engel RF- Gonzalez DH- Palka Bench- McCann, Leury, Rondon, Delmonico SP- Rondon SP- Lopez SP- Kikuchi SP- Giolito SP- Covey RP- Minaya RP- Bummer RP- Hamilton RP- Ramos RP- Frye RP- Jones RP- Colome I would loosely guesstimate the payroll around $90 mil while making the team fairly intriguing and competitive. Kikuchi is the only contract beyond 2020.

Makes sense to me. If we aren’t in all out spend mode like seem here think Schoop could be a nice low risk/potentially high reward cheap signing.

Put Colome in the closer role and hope he excels so we can trade him for a much better prospect than Narvaez. I think Narvaez is probably an above average #2 catcher down the line. Somehow he’s managed a .330 BABIP, that will come down back to earth and as others have said his D is marginal at best. Not a whole lot lost in my opinion, strange, but solid trade.

If we sign Eovaldi it better be after a Machado/Harper signing.

Nothing to get upset about but he wouldn’t have been a bad stop gap 3B.

I guess I don’t view Santana as much of a negative as you...I’m viewing him as the 3 WAR player he was for the Indiana in his extended time in our division. Of course his contract isn’t appealing, but I also don’t think it’s THAT bad. If we are apparently interested in Nelson Cruz, Santana isn’t crazy at all. And I would trade Stephens and Bernardo for Williams I’m a heart beat. But again, maybe I’m too high on him. I think he could be a 25-30 HR regular hitting like .260/.330/.460 with above average D in a corner spot. I view Stephens and Bernardo as average middle relievers in 5 years....

Something like Carlos Santana and Nick Williams for Nate Jones, Jordan Stephens and Bernardo Flores. Phillies take on a few mil of Santana's 2020 season as well...

I think the alternate plan is don’t do anything, or at least nothing significant. Maybe there’s some miracle trade out there we could pull off, but the last thing I want to see this team do is sign a bunch of middle of the road aging vets to try and chase a wild card spot. We’re this far into the rebuild already, might as well keep doing it the right way.

To each their own, but I disagree. Sports are indeed entertainment and I’ll watch regardless, but when it comes to my favorite teams if they aren’t winning I’m not happy....for a few hrs. I don’t let it consume my life or anything but I’ll never be content to just sit back and watch and not be invested in the outcome.

Phillies are the team I would target a trade with...Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco, and Nick Williams all interest in me. Depending on who they sign taking on Carlos Santana’s contract could help in negotiations. Jake Lamb, and to a lesser degree Socrates Brito, from the Dbacks are interesting. Also don’t hate the idea of Wil Myers depending on price. In any and all negotiations Eloy, Kopech, Cease and Robert aren’t on the table. Really don’t want to give up Dunning, Collins, Hansen or Rutherford either but they can be had depending on who’s coming back

My fear is they don’t get Harper/Machado and end up with something like Brantley, Happ, and someone else all on multi year deals. Essentially tying up too much payroll in veterans for the next 2-3 years that still won’t make us playoff contenders. If he lands 1 of Harper/Machado then sure, go for it. But I don’t want to see us tie up payroll and go back to that middling 80-85 win team while we are still trying to develop prospects.

Posting on my phone and accidentally hit enter in the middle of editing

Am I the only 1 that feels uneasy about this? It seems like Hahn almost has a blank check that will greatly impact the future of this team. Obviously we have no control, but should we ok with that? Not only do I not trust his decision making on acquiring veteran talent, but is it not a conflict of interest for a GM who’s job is semi on the line to sign free agents while we are still in a rebuild? Curious about opinions on this as every one seems pretty all in.

Ask yourself this question...when has 1 of the best players in the league signed with 1 of the worst teams...In any sport? The only little brother attitude is that the Sox do indeed suck and are not going to attract top tier free agents yet, maybe in 2 years. You’re saying Harper/Machado will take the most $ like there won’t be 4/5 other teams making the same kinds of offers.

That’s pretty much my point. I think we are going to have to overpay by a lot to get these guys to even look in the Sox direction. Not to mention I could argue how “generational” these 2 are, but that’s not worth getting into (yes, I know both are extremely good players). We’ll see I guess, but I think fans are getting way ahead of themselves. I see a lot of disappointment coming this off season in terms of Sox moves. Just not enough light at the end of this rebuild yet to talk bringing in super stars. There will be enough other teams interested in Harper/Machado. Hopefully I’m wrong and we end up with 1. I sure could use a signing to justify my mlb.tv purchase the last few years

2 out of the past 3 years Harper has hit sub .250 with a sub 4 WAR. He’s a safe bet to give $300+M to?(or whatever the $ will be). Machado casually said to the media that he doesn’t believe in hustling or playing hard. That’s the guy you give $300+M to be the face of your franchise and lead your young guys? All I’m saying is every FA has warts, don’t see how without access to medicals, interviews, etc., you can determine who the best signings are/aren’t. We’ve all seen “safe” deals blow up