tray

I don't think Sale can co-exist with Sox management but maybe he can. I also like the "plan E" someone suggested taking Price , Eovaldi and Benintendi for a similar package that ChiSox378 proposed.

Vasquez is "much better" than McCann? That's arguable. Anyway, if you read some BoSox sites you will see that acquiring a catcher is on Chaim's to-do list. It is a perceived need they wish to address this off-season. . That's the point. Framing might soon become overrated as umpires start making their own adjustments to catchers trying to buy strikes. They have to or they will be replaced by video cameras.

McCann is better than what Boston has at catcher. That is a factor that impacts his value to that team. I like the glass half full glass half empty treatment for Benintendi though. You know, he's not that good but hey, you're never going to gt him unless you fork up much more than an Allstar catcher and a prospect. Same thing goes for Collins. He's not worth a thing until a trade is suggested with him involved and then it's like oh we would rather trade McCann. because maybe Collins will develop into another Carlton Fisk .

Bobby Jenks is a very humble good guy who was surprised how well we received him at Sox Fest and showed his gratitude toward us.

I think the BoSox would rather keep Mookie than Price and Eovaldi. I think they really want to lose those contracts, both of them if possible. No team is going to sign up for either Price or Eovaldi unless the BoSox agree to eat a huge chunk of those contracts and/or they include Benintendi. The other thing I mentioned earlier is that the Carmines need a catcher we we can deal from a position of strength there. Or perhaps a straight trade - McCann+ Fulmer or something... for Benintendi

Many of the concerns about defense led me to my hope that the Sox will inquire about Benintendi. "That's where The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal comes in. He threw out a lot of possibilities when talking about the Red Sox situation Tuesday morning, and one seemed mighty intriguing from a White Sox standpoint. "A better path might be to move left-hander David Price, who is owed $96 million over the next three years, or righty Nathan Eovaldi, who is owed $51 million over the next three. Impossible, you say? Well, what if the Red Sox included cash in a trade and also attached left fielder Andrew Benintendi, who remains cost-effective as he enters his first year of arbitration?" Now that is interesting. Yes, it involves paying and dedicating a roster spot to Price or Eovaldi, who despite their heroics in the 2018 World Series, aren't very dreamy adds for a White Sox team looking to ramp up to perennial contention. Those guys' contracts are albatrosses in Boston. They wouldn't get much better in Chicago, even though the White Sox are in no danger of bumping up to the luxury tax. But both Price and Eovaldi could be usable pitchers for the White Sox in 2020 and beyond, even if they aren't performing at a level their contracts say they should be. The real appealing element of that suggestion, though, is the upside of Benintendi. He has three affordable, arbitration-eligible seasons remaining until he hits free agency, making him a long-term piece. He's also very good, with a .277/.354/.442 slash line to go along with 51 homers in his 471-game big league career. Like much of what happened last season in Boston, 2019 was nowhere near as good as 2018 for Benintendi, who posted career highs in hits, runs scored, doubles, stolen bases, walks and on-base percentage during the Red Sox march to a world championship. In 2019, he slashed .266/.343/.431 with 13 homers, 40 doubles, 68 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 138 games. He also struck out 34 more times in 10 fewer games. Benintendi brings additional value as a left-handed hitter, something almost completely missing from the White Sox lineup. He is also a left fielder, a position the White Sox have filled with Jimenez. Neither player has ever played right field, and putting either there could be signing up for some unwanted defensive issues down the road. But Benintendi is a young, controllable, very good baseball player, and that seems like the kind of thing the White Sox, who have worked hard to achieve their much discussed financial flexibility, would be interested in."

Every player contract has risks associated with it...much more with pitchers (especially high priced pitchers) than position players. Maybe Zack Wheeler blows is arm out (again) in year 1-3 of his contract , has surgery and then is recovering or rehabbing for two years after that . Remember the Mets living on pins and needles with Wheeler's shoulder fatigue and arm soreness long after the TJ recovery? https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/zack-wheeler-hits-il-with-shoulder-fatigue-at-worst-possible-time-for-his-trade-value/ar-AAEmFRz Tsutsugoh would be a possible LH DH, especially if the Sox trade Collins, who has not shown he can hit major league pitching either. So Castellanos plus this guy might work with the lefty/righty platooon strategy.

BoSox need a catcher.

nick: Sox would be selling high on McCann but low on Collins, so what you say makes sense. Anyway, I want the Italian kid who was born in the Midwest (Benintendi) in RF for us. I just don't see the West coast beach boy (Pederson) fitting in as well here.

There are personal decisions by players and their agents that factor into these trades. Pederson was born and raised California so maybe he wouldn't like playing in Chicago and commuting across the country to where his family is from. Or he does it for a year, doesn't like it here, and decides to go the FA route.

Dodgers could use a starting catcher (better than Will Smith or Austin Barnes) and most definitely a decent back-up catcher, or both. My guess is that they would want McCann and if they can't get him, then Collins plus Fulmer for one year of Joc. I am a big fan of Benintendi and Castellanos so personally, I would rather see the Sox exhaust those options before dealing with the Dodgers for Pederson . I am just not sold on Pederson as a one year rental. I don't think Joc would want to stay here in ChiTown unless the Sox overwhelm him with a multi-year deal, and I really doubt they would.

Even though McCann is only signed for one year, he is probably our most valuable trading chip, that is, out of the players on our 26 man roster that Hahn might consider trading.

Yea right.

IThe Red Sox won by loading up the payroll but that is not a strategy that I think makes sense for the WS and I doubt JR would replicate that. Great that the BoSox won with Sale and Eovaldi but they are now screwed for a while. Look at the contracts they signed to get there: https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/boston-red-sox-salaries-and-contracts.shtml

OK balls to the wall for one year. Sounds like a plan!

Regarding a possible signing of Wheeler or any other pitcher for huge money, just look at what the RedSox/Dombo did by signing Price, Sale and Eovaldi. Now they are in a no-win situation stuck with huge contracts for under-performing pitchers with questionable durability. Zack Wheeler reminds me of Eovaldi ...a ticking time bomb set to explode into another TJ surgery at any time. Maybe consider spending money on a RF like Castellanos and sign some lower tier pitchers to mitigate the risk.

Please no Passan.

I think McCann's trade value will be determined in part by supply and demand. McCann is an under 30 yr.old major league catcher that can hit for average, decent power, play decent defense, and was selected to the All Star team last season. My glass is more than half fill on McCann's trade value. I am hoping for the gaddamn moon.

You are right, Benintendi's 20 HR power is 2017 diminished to 13 HR last season so that may be a concern. I like his bat otherwise and his defense, even though he does not have the prototypical RF arm. I don't think the BoSox would require that the WSox eat any salary if they traded a player like McCann (or McCann plus Yolmer) for him. Not sure Bennintendi is worth that, but he is under team control until 2023, which I know the Sox brass would like. Assuming he improves his power numbers a little bit, he could be a solution for RF or LF for several years.

My hope for RF in 2020 would be, in this order: 1. Castellanos. It's only money, so sign him. Throw in Leury for defense in late innings when the Sox have a lead. 2. Benintendi via trade. 3. Tsutsugoh to platoon (against RHP) with Leury (against LHP)

McCann becomes a FA is 2021. I think his trade value is maximized right now. He in probably our biggest (expendable) trading chip.

McCann serves a purpose on this roster, the trade you could get in return for him would be less than his worth to us in my opinion. He had his best year in 2019 and was an All-Star. So why not sell high given the fact that he will not be the primary starting catcher on our club and he is essentially displacing Collins as the back-up? He is a prime trade target for teams looking to get a relatively low cost (assuming he can be signed to a short term deal) answer at the catching position.

McCann 2019 stats - 273 BA, 18 HR and 26 Doubles 3.8 WAR - $2.5 Million dollars James was a Right-Center field hitting doubles machine, had numerous clutch game winning hits. He was arguably a key factor in Giolito's pitch selection and improvement. So the benefit from the addition of Grandal, while unquestionable, is only relative to what Grandal will probably accomplish in 2020. It should be an improvement, but not a day and night improvement over what McCann accomplished in 2019 (and certainly not for the money he was paid). So we have a better catcher now with Grandal. However, given McCann's abilities and value, why sit him on the bench for so many games while Grandal catches? Is his value to the team as a player or as a trade chip maximized by having him as a back-up catcher and part-time DH....all the while relegating Collins as third option or back to the minors. ? If your answer is no, then perhaps McCann should be placed on the trading block at the winter meetings. Get something for him in trade and let Collins or Mercedes fill the back up role for 40 games.

look at RayRun said: I enjoy hearing other views - as long as they're not "Anthony Benetendi would be the best hitter on the White Sox." Who are you quoting ?

BoSox could also use a back-up at second base and we have a Gold Glover available. I guess you can tell, I want Benintendi as our RF on Opening Day when I will be in the RF stands.