tray

2B - Madrigal SS - Anderson 3B - Moncada 1B - Abreu DH - Encarnacion LF - Eloy RF - Mazara CF - Robert C - Grandal Bench: McCann Leury Garcia and 4. Don't know...Maybe two from this list: Engel/Scooter Gennet/ Brian Dozier/Brad Miller or trade Collins for Ian Happ. Rotation: Giolito Keuchel Lopez Gonzalez Cease Bullpen: Colome Bummer Cishek Herrera Fry Marshall Cordero Kopech

You sound like the Sox gave Jose an Albert Pujols contract. What if Moncada decides to sign an extension in part because his his pals are going to be on the team with him for a few years ? The Sox want to keep Eloy, Moncada, Robert and Abreu happy for a few years. No worries. This will work out just fine.

I get your point about the Abreu deal, but players are human beings and have human traits like loyalty, leadership, work ethic, and optimism that you just cannot overlook with a guy like Jose. He deserves to wear the C for El Capitain on his jersey. Here is how Eloy feels about Luis Robert having mentors and leadership on the team: "Last year, I was a little bit anxious," Jimenez said, "and I know he’s (Luis Robert) going to be, too. "The first year of your contract, you play on Opening Day, it’s going to be a little bit tough for him, too. It’s not going to be (tough) just for him, it’s for anybody who makes the Opening Day roster. It’s a little bit tough because it’s different pitching, it’s different stuff and the pitchers are a lot better at this level. "He’s going to need someone. But he’s got (Jose) Abreu, he’s got (Yoan) Moncada and he’s got me. So he’s going to be good." https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/white-sox/eloy-jimenez-has-high-praise-luis-robert-hes-going-be-next-mike-trout

Abreu may have been key to getting Edwin Encarcion, extending Luis Robert and may very well be important to Moncada deciding on whether or not he agrees to an extension. He is a leader on the team and a stabilizing force. Regardless of what we think of the contract that was Jerry's money, and he assured Abreu that he would remain with the White Sox. That said, it wasn't an isn't an issue. Let's just hope that Abreu's offensive numbers will improve this year in a much improved line-up. If Encarcion shows signs of regression toward the end of this season the Sox can bring up Vaughn next year and have him share 1B/DH with Abreu.

Exactly. Further, after reading his comment about how much LaRussa is making now, it seems like he may be a bit jealous. If Jack's only purpose was to point out that there has always been cheating in baseball, that is not helpful either. We should never countenance cheating or allow those who partake in it to ruin the game. As a White Sox fan, I don't appreciate Jack throwing the White Sox name into the current discussion about the 'stros.

If McDowell knew about this at the time and said nothing, he was part of it.

^^^ I knew who said that, bu it's bu ls h 1t

The White Sox -Yankee game in the cornfields of Iowa this year should probably never have been allowed to move forward. but as they say, hindsight is 20/20. What was the idea....to strangely commemorate the impact that gambling had in 1919 ? Now, unlike 1919, wealth, greed and gambling are all so much more a part of what and who we are as Americans...not only the wealthy players, but greedy management, owners and the proliferation of the sports gambling industry. I am sick about players that participated in this, possibly including our own Dallas Keuchel. I'm not sure what mlb should do about it since the credibility of the game hangs in the balance until this gets resolved. At minimum, players who knew or participated in this scheme should be fined. I hate to become a conspiracy theorist but this cheating was so outrageous that it makes me wonder how far this went....did it possibly involve other players or other teams ...like the Twins. Maybe instead of the baseball being juiced the players just knew when they were going to get a pitch and loaded up for it. Yes, this makes fans wonder how far this went. Look at the Twins catcher who seems to have awoken as a power hitter for the first time after 6 years in the minors and 2 years in the majors. The Twins hit over 300 home runs including over 30 by him. Yea, say it ain't so, 'stros,. Maybe have a double header in Iowa between 'the Astros and Yankees.

Sano talks a big game but I have doubts about his defensive abilities at first base. Dude is a tank with little flexibility to stretch for throws in the dirt or back hand balls in the hole. I am curious about Garver's power surge (31 HR) after only hitting 58 total in the preceding 8 years in the minors and majors. He really made a huge difference for the twins last season.

Get an extension deal signed with Moncada and don't worry about Donaldson whose best years are behind him.

The White Sox have, from time to time made trades or moves that take a players interests into account at least to some degree, including trading them to a location that they prefer or where they might get a better shot. Nothing wrong with that, IMO.

Collins and McCann are both worth more to the Sox than they are in trade. ----------------------- Agree, but that wasn't my point.

How is he close to free agency?

Again, please consider this from Collins perspective. Becoming a maybe part time catcher or 1B or DH may not be what Collins wants at this point in his career.

If the Sox do not trade McCann, Collins, should not be on the 26 man roster for a couple of reasons. Look at it with Collins interests rather than the interests of the White Sox to keep him as a prospect or a seldom used back-up catcher treading on thin ice on a contending team. Collins agent and the White Sox would better serve Collins aspirations to become a starting catcher in the majors by seeking a trade with a team where he is not blocked by a catcher like Grandal making 17 Million a year over the next 4 years. If the Sox trade McCann and rely on Collins to start 40 games, that might not turn (out) as well as the Collins fans here might think it will. Or they will pine that playing in 40 games in 2020 was a small sample size and therefore, he should be allowed to start half the games or more in 2021 before the Sox give up on him. The guy is 25 years old in February and has no shot to start with the White Sox for several years. Signing Grandal should have made it clear that the Sox have no confidence (in Collins) as a a starting catcher. Trade the poor guy and let him have a decent shot somewhere else.

'stros new GM might look to make some trades to make the club his own. .They have loads of talent if he chooses to clean house a bit.

Crane fired the GM and Manager. Say is ain't so, 'stros.

Not to prolong the luxury tax tangent much further, but,,,,for those interested in gaining some added perspective here is a link to a short 2019 article which quantifies that tax penalty and in so doing, may help some of us to place it in perspective. https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/explaining-mlbs-luxury-tax-and-why-it-shouldnt-be-having-a-major-impact-on-free-agency/

Respectfully Kyyle, that wasn't my point.

Oh, those poor Ricketts. The luxury tax is a good excuse for billionaire owners like the Ricketts to claim they have no more money to spend on player contracts while, at the same time, their net worth increases by hundreds of millions of dollars. Ricketts built Disneyland on Clark St. on the backs of Ameritrade day trade gamblers and is now set up to make increasing profits off Cub fans, all the while telling them he just can't spend any more on player contracts because of the rules. The luxury tax is basically a psuedo-salary cap that does not entirely preclude team owners from blowing past it and spending part of the profits they make off the fans from tickets, concessions and media. But they won't. In baseball, as in the U.S. economy, trickle down economics isn't all that it was cracked up to be.

I think the Cubs will sign Castellanos. Once the Bryant issue gets resolved they will start making some moves. The Bryant grievance really f-ed them up.

Yes, we think that ....but they haven't shown their hand yet. If they trade for Arenado this may all prove to be about positioning to win...at any cost, again. Ricketts has been spending like a drunken sailor since he purchased the franchise. They have all but gold plated the old confines into something that many older Cub fans no longer recognize.

If the Cubs allegedly threw a lot at Bryant ( as we suspect happened) and no agreement could be reached, then his trade value is diminished given the uncertainty that would confront any team considering a trade for him. This fiasco may prove to be pretty brutal for Cubs and their fans depending on how this all works out. Looking from the outside as a Sox fan, It seemed to me that the dynamic duo of Bryant/Rizzo was as important to the Cubs as Toews/Kane was to the Hawks over the years. I guess they can throw out all of their Kris Bryant jerseys now. So the Cubs don't want to throw big money at Kris Bryant but they may be willing to trade talent to get Arenado for $35 Million a year for seven years. This is not about loyalty to a franchise player that helped the Cubs finally win a WS and worse, it may look like bad blood and unfair dealing with Bryant. Or it is just about winning at any and all costs where money (to the Ricketts) is no object. Time to upgrade. Bye bye Kris Bryant.

The Cubs/Ricketts could resolve Chris Bryant's playing time manipulation case at any time by signing him to an extension. Instead the Ricketts have chosen to make an agreement with Bryant for the 2020 season in order to avoid arbitration while simultaneously proceeding with the Grievance. IMO, Ricketts will probably have to extend Bryant regardless of the outcome of the grievance case. Otherwise they are just kicking the can down the road. Was one extra year of contractual control of Bryant really worth all of this trouble and possibly alienating Bryant from wanting to play for the Cubs organization? The Cub/Bryant fiasco should be instructive for teams that find themselves playing the same game as the Cubs did. If a team believes in a player, then consider signing him up on a long term deal like the White Sox did with Eloy and Robert. In cases where a team is justifiably reticent to enter into a long term contract with a prospect (like Madrigal) that is fine, but then bring him up if /when he is ready instead of keeping him in the minors in order to play the service time game.

This is similar to the argument Lillian had made in another thread about keeping McCann rather than Collins,* if * it came to a choice about which one to trade. In short, if Grandal went on the DL for an extended time and Collins was relied on as a starting catcher for an extended period, that might not be acceptable.