OmarComing25

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:59 PM) I have a hard time saying this team needs 3-4 years to win. With the pitching they have in Chicago and in the pipe, they can put together good to great staffs (barring unforseen injuries which are a risk across all teams anyway) continuously for that period. And usually, pitching is the hardest part to build. They need better offense and defense from the entire skill infield set and catcher. That should be the focus. If enough of those 4 positions can improve substantially, you have a contending team. That's not an easy task, but we are also only talking about 4 positions so it isn't impossible. Yes Avisail is a worry, but he's the least of your problems if this teams skill infield and catcher were putting up even league average numbers on both sides of the ball. That's literally all it would take, in my view, to make the Sox contenders in 2016 - league average or better (both sides) players at those 4 roles. (before anyone screams, I am not saying you can't also improve elsewhere, just that the OF and 1B/DH are either good enough or having unusually bad years so they aren't a priority in my eyes) I agree. The next few years with pitching is actually looking pretty bright. They could easily compete with a few league-average guys on offense and defense. The problem is that half the offense right now is performing well-below league average. It wouldn't be easy but a couple bounce-backs from guys and a couple savvy trades and suddenly the team doesn't look half-bad.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:52 PM) +10000000000000000000000 Add me to that, seeing Chris Sale in a Cubs uniform would kill me enough, if he got a ring with them that would be a complete gut-punching blow.

Davidson has an .800 OPS against LHP (still a crappy average and high strikeout rate though), is there a chance he could be part of a platoon? Beckham was supposed to be that except he's been brutal against LHP this year. It'd be hard to do worse than our current 3B duo against lefties, right?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 02:21 PM) But you are still giving a $50 million or 33% discount. I know he is taking that as salary, but you are going to have to pay the guys you acquire, and if they aren't as great as advertised, and most usually are not, you are going to have to pay others just to make up that deficit. To me, if you are not winning enough games, trading a guy who is "worth" $150 million and acquiring packages "worth" $100 million means you just lost that trade. I will gladly give anyone $100 for $150 any time they would like. I agree with you, I had a big problem with that part of his logic as well. I was pointing out that the chance of the prospects even living up to the $100 million package is pretty unlikely anyway. A $150 million value of proven major league talent should be worth more than a package of $150 million worth of prospect value talent, because you're taking on additional risk with the prospects.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 01:52 PM) So he's saying trade Sale and his $150 million in value and get $100 million in value back. Yeah, that should make you a better team. That's $100 million in theoretical prospect value if all prospects pan out too. I mean Sale's $150M of future performance value might be theoretical too, but it's a hell of a lot more likely than counting on some prospects to play well at the major league level.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 12:48 PM) They need to be able to develop their own bats. I agree, but if the draft's quality is in pitching, no use taking a hitter if there's a pitcher of much greater value available.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 01:43 PM) They don't have stars as it is. They have some great players, but they aren't stars. It really couldn't be worse. Sale and Abreu don't sell tickets. Baseball doesn't work like that anymore. Winning and beer sells tickets. The team is abysmal. Attendance is abysmal. They don't have the assets to build around the 3 or 4 good players they have. They're dangerously close to being the Raiders of baseball. How the hell is Sale not a star? He's arguably the best pitcher in baseball, top 3 at worst.

From the comment thread on the article: "The cost is high but he’s definitely not untouchable if only due to his contract. If Sale is to earn roughly $50MM over the rest of his contract and puts up $150MM in value, that’s $100MM in value they need to get back. Using a market rate of $8MM/Win, that’s 12.5 WAR they would need in order to move him. Doesn’t seem untouchable to get back several prospects who can be expected to contribute that amount, but they would need to be very good prospects. Even with Javier Baez’s terrible ML line last year, his KATOH projection is still over 5 WAR. Combined with Schwarber and Alcantara, and the players Dave proposed seem perfectly reasonable." What the hell is KATOH? How reliable are prospect projections anyway? What if Schwarber can't cut it at catcher or LF and ends up becoming a DH, thus lowering his value considerably?

QUOTE (shysocks @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 12:36 PM) Glad he joined the chorus of idiots suggesting a Sale trade while writing with a tone that - as usual - could only be described as obnoxious know-it-all. Now I can feel even better about disliking him. Maybe someone should tell him about the reported return for King Felix. His proposed Sale to the Cubs trade is Schwarber, Baez, and Alcantara. I can't respect him after that proposal, to call it a joke is a complete understatement. I would burn down Rick Hahn's office if he made that trade.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 12:14 PM) That contract isn't exactly friendly. It is when you're 23 and the best player in baseball.

If we continue taking pitchers and end up having a surplus of pitching talent, then we can always trade them for hitting. It's not that big a deal, I don't mind sticking to your strengths.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 23, 2015 -> 11:12 AM) Yet, you think they'll give up Stroman for a rental? Not a chance in hell.

Can we really get that much for Samardzija given that he's struggling and the team would only get him for two months? What would we give up for him from our system if we were in a position like Toronto is right now?

The Cubs have shown a willingness to demote a pitcher out of the rotation if he sucks, regardless of salary. Hell Edwin Jackson has been pretty good out of the pen this year. Let's see what Guerra has, screw Danks' salary. There's little to no chance he becomes a trade asset.

3 away

Put this one as another "horseshoe up the ass" type game for the Cubs. Maeur gets thrown out at 2nd in the ninth because he slid over the bag, and Hunter got a hit later in the inning that could have scored him. Then in the top of the 10th Dozier fumbles an easy ground ball by Fowler who scored the go-ahead run.

So should I be upset that we won today? I don't really know what to cheer for at this point.

How many times has Putnam struck out the side this year? He's been dominant.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Jun 20, 2015 -> 03:19 PM) Abreu is just a average player at best this year. He's been a disappointment but c'mon now.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 20, 2015 -> 10:15 AM) I'll buy that for Rizzo but who else? Yeah I don't get that either, unless he thinks intentionally sucking for 5 years is cheating.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Jun 19, 2015 -> 07:25 PM) Oh my. If you guys just saw what Castro did..... What happened?

QUOTE (AustinIllini @ Jun 19, 2015 -> 09:55 PM) That's a great trade for both teams, but from a marketing perspective, the Cubs can't pull it off. But I agree with you. That's why you don't move a staff Ace. Anything less than Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, or Schwarber and Russel is too little. Bryant for Sale straight up would be a horrible trade for us, it'd have to be quite a bit more.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 19, 2015 -> 09:30 PM) Dodgers for Seager, Urias and another arm. The Dodgers wouldn't do it. The only packages team would be willing to part with would be far from equal value for Sale.

We already have a 16-page thread about this.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Jun 19, 2015 -> 09:01 PM) Gerrit Cole I'd take Sale over him, he's unhittable right now. So filthy.