To me, the Sox have four untouchable prospects at the moment in Jimenez, Kopech, Robert, & Hansen. After that, I’m open to exploring deals as long as I’m not completely exhausting my prospect depth. I still think it’s a year too early to cash in on our prospects though unless a deal is simply too good to pass up.

 

I would add Moncada and Giolito to the list of untouchables, bringing it to 6. Everyone else is tradable to some degree.

 

If they can pull off a Lopez & Cease for Machado trade, where it includes a window to sign him - I do that trade. Without the window I would give up too little for the Orioles to consider it.

 

But I would not trade any of those top 6 guys for anything. They are what we are building around.

 

Also if they can trade for Machado, and he does insist on playing shortstop - move TA to CF. He has the athleticism to excel out there.

Edited December 13, 20178 yr by Soha

I’m surprised by how willing people are to trade Cease. I personally think he’ll be better than Hansen

I’m surprised by how willing people are to trade Cease. I personally think he’ll be better than Hansen

Wow! That's a huge statement.

I'm surprised by how willing people are to trade Cease. I personally think he'll be better than Hansen

 

I can't see how you would think that. All of Hansen's numbers are better across the board, plus he has had zero injury history. Hansen is the clear #2 pitcher to me in the system, and probably the highest floor IMO.

I’m surprised by how willing people are to trade Cease. I personally think he’ll be better than Hansen

 

Have a hard time seeing him hold up over 150 innings

I’m surprised by how willing people are to trade Cease. I personally think he’ll be better than Hansen

 

Maybe I'm over-valuing him, but I think Hansen has a good chance to be a star.

Edited December 13, 20178 yr by Soha

Hansen and Robert aren't untouchable for me but we have to be getting an absolute superstar back(especially for Alec) if we're trading them. Yelich is a very, very good player but he's not there.

 

He's not a superstar but he's pretty damn consistent and fits into the contention window perfectly with his skill set and contract

He's not a superstar but he's pretty damn consistent and fits into the contention window perfectly with his skill set and contract

He's a very very good player now despite his insanely high grounder rates. Guy hits the ball really hard, if he could ever hit the ball in the air more he'd be a top 10 player in the league (though this is something they've been saying for years). I'm with you, I'd definitely be interested in acquiring him, especially if we can get a discount due to the Marlins dysfunction right now. I'm interested to see what Ozuna goes for.

I would add Moncada and Giolito to the list of untouchables, bringing it to 6. Everyone else is tradable to some degree.

 

If they can pull off a Lopez & Cease for Machado trade, where it includes a window to sign him - I do that trade. Without the window I would give up too little for the Orioles to consider it.

 

But I would not trade any of those top 6 guys for anything. They are what we are building around.

 

Also if they can trade for Machado, and he does insist on playing shortstop - move TA to CF. He has the athleticism to excel out there.

I was just talking minor leaguers, but yes I 100% agree about Moncada & Giolito. And I’d include Lopez on that list as well. Those are the seven players I personally wouldn’t trade at the moment. Other than Robert they should all be on the major league roster by the All-Star break (timing is important in a rebuild) and Robert has #1 prospect in all of baseball potential. Anderson & Rodon are on the bubble just a little bit, Tim because of his rough 2017 & general lack of plate discipline and Rodon because of his durability concerns & slightly limited team control. It would take a lot for me to move either guy though.

 

I’m surprised by how willing people are to trade Cease. I personally think he’ll be better than Hansen

Cease has been handled with baby gloves his entire career. We have no idea what happens when they take the reigns off a bit. While I want to be optimistic, we still need to see signs of him being able to handle a major league starter’s workload. To me Hansen seems like the real deal and a guy who could quickly become a top 5 pitching prospect in no time. Cease has a long road ahead of him before he ever enters that conversation.

Cease has been handled with baby gloves his entire career. We have no idea what happens when they take the reigns off a bit. While I want to be optimistic, we still need to see signs of him being able to handle a major league starter’s workload. To me Hansen seems like the real deal and a guy who could quickly become a top 5 pitching prospect in no time. Cease has a long road ahead of him before he ever enters that conversation.

Cease is also more than a year younger.

Cease is also more than a year younger.

What does age have to do with durability concerns? If anything, Cease’s health issues at such a young age should be viewed as a negative.

I still think it’s a year too early to cash in on our prospects though unless a deal is simply too good to pass up.

It seems ridiculous to change course midstream and trade 4 top prospects for Machado especially when there's no way in hell the Sox will be the team to give him his 10 year 350 million dollar deal in free agency. I can understand trade talk but this is dumb to even talk about. Some things you know the Sox are not going to do under Jerry and one of them is sign Machado. I can sort of see why you'd want to trade 4-5 guys out of the guys acquired to sign Machado, but to do it for one year is silly to even discuss. Again, he's not choosing Chicago Sox in free agency. You can dream all you want but that is not happening.

Edited December 13, 20178 yr by greg775

What does age have to do with durability concerns? If anything, Cease's health issues at such a young age should be viewed as a negative.

 

That is the big red flag for me. He might have the ceiling, but he is a long ways behind Hansen, and the injuries are one of the reasons why. Hansen already has put up 141 innings last year, led the minors in K's, cutback big time on walks, and he would not shock me at all if he got a go with the Sox in the 2018 season.

 

Cease has a long way to go to get even that far.

It seems ridiculous to change course midstream and trade 4 top prospects for Machado especially when there's no way in hell the Sox will be the team to give him his 10 year 350 million dollar deal in free agency. I can understand trade talk but this is dumb to even talk about. Some things you know the Sox are not going to do under Jerry and one of them is sign Machado. I can sort of see why you'd want to trade 4-5 guys out of the guys acquired to sign Machado, but to do it for one year is silly to even discuss. Again, he's not choosing Chicago Sox in free agency. You can dream all you want but that is not happening.

 

This has been discussed ad nauseum, but there are many things people didn't think Reinsdorf and the board would approve, but they did anyways.

 

Again, if the White Sox are not willing to spend a significant amount of money in free agency next year, this rebuild will have slowed down monumentally.

I can't see how you would think that. All of Hansen's numbers are better across the board, plus he has had zero injury history. Hansen is the clear #2 pitcher to me in the system, and probably the highest floor IMO.

 

 

Have a hard time seeing him hold up over 150 innings

 

 

Cease has been handled with baby gloves his entire career. We have no idea what happens when they take the reigns off a bit. While I want to be optimistic, we still need to see signs of him being able to handle a major league starter’s workload. To me Hansen seems like the real deal and a guy who could quickly become a top 5 pitching prospect in no time. Cease has a long road ahead of him before he ever enters that conversation.

 

All fair points. I do really like Hansen as well, but I think Cease's ceiling is higher. The biggest question mark is obviously the durability, but Cease is younger and performed just as well as Hansen did in the minors last year (don't let the ERA fool you). Hansen has better makeup, but Cease has better stuff.

This has been discussed ad nauseum, but there are many things people didn't think Reinsdorf and the board would approve, but they did anyways.

 

Again, if the White Sox are not willing to spend a significant amount of money in free agency next year, this rebuild will have slowed down monumentally.

I don't know why I'm discussing this or anybody is because you simply do not trade four top prospects (even though I hate prospects) for Manny when he's a free agent in a year. It makes absolutely no sense as he's not going to sign with anybody before becoming a free agent and getting paid the maximum amount. The Sox can't win the pennant this season with Machado so it would be absurd to deal 4 propsects for a one-year player. That's why I say it's not worth discussing. If you must play fantasy baseball dream of next offseason and let the Sox try to get in the bidding war for Manny. Discussing things like this seem counterproductive. Sorry I elected to take part, but I won't post any more about Manny. It ain't happening just like Otani wasn't going to consider Chicago cause Chciago had no money to dangle to him.

Been thinking that if you really want to dream big about possible title contender in a few years, you could trade for Yelich now and then go after Machado next offseason. I wouldn't hesitate to see a package like Hansen, Cease and Rutherford for Yelich. Just to dream big, your 2019 lineup could be:

- Yelich

- Moncada

- Machado

- Abreu

- Jimenez

- Garcia

- Castillo

- Delmonico

- Anderson

 

 

I don't think you could snag Yelich without trading Kopech or Hansen

I don't know why I'm discussing this or anybody is because you simply do not trade four top prospects (even though I hate prospects) for Manny when he's a free agent in a year. It makes absolutely no sense as he's not going to sign with anybody before becoming a free agent and getting paid the maximum amount. The Sox can't win the pennant this season with Machado so it would be absurd to deal 4 propsects for a one-year player. That's why I say it's not worth discussing. If you must play fantasy baseball dream of next offseason and let the Sox try to get in the bidding war for Manny. Discussing things like this seem counterproductive. Sorry I elected to take part, but I won't post any more about Manny. It ain't happening just like Otani wasn't going to consider Chicago cause Chciago had no money to dangle to him.

 

Hahn already said he won't do it unless there's long time control.

I don't think you could snag Yelich without trading Kopech or Hansen

 

Yeah Yelich is locked up for 5 more years and is 25. The floor of a deal is the Eaton trade.

I don't know why I'm discussing this or anybody is because you simply do not trade four top prospects (even though I hate prospects) for Manny when he's a free agent in a year. It makes absolutely no sense as he's not going to sign with anybody before becoming a free agent and getting paid the maximum amount. The Sox can't win the pennant this season with Machado so it would be absurd to deal 4 propsects for a one-year player. That's why I say it's not worth discussing. If you must play fantasy baseball dream of next offseason and let the Sox try to get in the bidding war for Manny. Discussing things like this seem counterproductive. Sorry I elected to take part, but I won't post any more about Manny. It ain't happening just like Otani wasn't going to consider Chicago cause Chciago had no money to dangle to him.

Who in the world “hates” prospects? What a bizarre (dumb?) statement...

Who in the world “hates” prospects? What a bizarre (dumb?) statement...

 

Lol every player starts out at as a prospect.

I don't think you could snag Yelich without trading Kopech or Hansen

 

I can't see Hahn moving Kopech or Hansen given the extreme cost of quality free agent starting pitching.

 

If Miami would entertain a package of our second tier prospects (Lopez, Cease, Rutherford, Burger, Dunning, Adams, Fulmer) then I think we would be interested. Moncada/Giolito/Jimenez/Robert/Kopech/Hansen should be considered core untouchables in my opinion (short of trading for a superstar).

I can't see Hahn moving Kopech or Hansen given the extreme cost of quality free agent starting pitching.

 

If Miami would entertain a package of our second tier prospects (Lopez, Cease, Rutherford, Burger, Dunning, Adams, Fulmer) then I think we would be interested. Moncada/Giolito/Jimenez/Robert/Kopech/Hansen should be considered core untouchables in my opinion (short of trading for a superstar).

 

I can't think of a scenario that would work, and still be realistic.

I can't think of a scenario that would work, and still be realistic.

 

Agreed. Short of the Angels calling us and offering Mike Trout, Kopech and Hansen are not getting traded with each knocking on the major league door within the next 12 months.

 

I like Yelich as a player, but if the Marlins insisted on an untouchable being including I would have to say no. The rebuild is progressing and I do not want to blow it up prematurely.