I wrote about Manny Machado for today. He is the White Sox primary target. 

 

https://theloopsports.com/2018/10/29/white-sox-the-pursuit-of-manny-machado/

9 hours ago, Jerksticks said:

Eh.  Harper is a threat to win an mvp any given year, Machado isn’t.  And yes he’s lefty, and yes he’s a walk machine and power bat.   He also helps the rebuild a lot more by being an outfielder.  

 

He’s also marketable and not as much of a douchebag

He won MVP once and deserved it that year, but outside of 2015, he's never had a 5+ WAR season. Machado has had 4 5+ WAR seasons, including 6+ WAR in 3 of the last 4 seasons. If you believe in the predictive power of outliers, then your argument is sound. Otherwise, Machado is the better bet.

Edited October 29, 20187 yr by Dam8610

24 minutes ago, Dam8610 said:

He won MVP once and deserved it that year, but outside of 2015, he's never had a 5+ WAR season. Machado has had 4 5+ WAR seasons, including 6+ WAR in 3 of the last 4 seasons. If you believe in the predictive power of outliers, then your argument is sound. Otherwise, Machado is the better bet.

Totally understand the argument.  I’m more of an OBP guy so Harper is the more attractive choice by a long shot for me.  Plus LH.

As I’ve mentioned, one of the biggest reasons for me is that he is an OFer and not a 3B/SS.  

 

Using WAR exclusively isn’t for me but I get why you like it. 

43 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I wrote about Manny Machado for today. He is the White Sox primary target. 

 

https://theloopsports.com/2018/10/29/white-sox-the-pursuit-of-manny-machado/

Jimmy, would he move to Third Base?

10 minutes ago, oldsox said:

Jimmy, would he move to Third Base?

I'm not sure. I'd worry about that later. I would prefer he go to 3B. 

2 hours ago, oldsox said:

Jimmy, would he move to Third Base?

If he's getting paid large sums of money I don't see why he wouldn't.

2 hours ago, oldsox said:

Jimmy, would he move to Third Base?

He already played 3rd for the LAD.

If I was a GM, I would offer Manny more to play 3b than SS. He is less valuable as a SS. 

Whispers today that the Yankees are "lukewarm" on Machado due to his antics. Not sure if I buy it 

Dodgers appear to be out on Machado.  One thing I have to ask...if you are the White Sox...would you rather offer a ton of money to Harper (who is literally one of the "faces" of MLB) or Machado (the better statistical player)?  There is a component to the Sox of landing star power (I.e., Harper...who also has obviously oodles of talent...albeit has had health and other things pop up which have got in the way of fully maximizing it). 

Or are you better off staying completely away from all of these big name guys and going bargain shopping?  

7 minutes ago, Jose Abreu said:

Whispers today that the Yankees are "lukewarm" on Machado due to his antics. Not sure if I buy it 

My guess is that a "cooling" campaign was going to come regardless prior to the actual negotiating. Nobody wanted to start at $300 million, and now they have cause. If it wasn't this it would be the pressing to be SS in his last year.

That said, his play was maddening. Hard to want to go much more than $240 million if you ask me.

3 hours ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I wrote about Manny Machado for today. He is the White Sox primary target. 

 

https://theloopsports.com/2018/10/29/white-sox-the-pursuit-of-manny-machado/

Great article!  I really hope the organization is prepared to go all-in for Manny.  He would be such a game-changer both on & off the field.  

16 minutes ago, Jose Abreu said:

Whispers today that the Yankees are "lukewarm" on Machado due to his antics. Not sure if I buy it 

Good...hopefully a lot of organizations get a bit nervous throwing $350M+ his way.

11 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

Dodgers appear to be out on Machado.   

Where did you see this? It's interesting to me that it's literally day one of the offseason and we're seeing reports of teams not being so crazy for him. If this isn't all just posturing and smoke, maybe it really will be the Phillies and us as the top bidders 

My ideal offseason:

-Sign Manny Machado to a 10 yr, $350 million deal

-Sign JA Happ to a 2 yr, $36 million deal

 

Anderson SS

Moncada 2B

Machado 3B

Eloy LF

Abreu 1B

Palka DH

Avi RF

Narvaez C

Engel CF

 

Happ-Lopez-Rodon-Giolito-Covey

Burdi-Jones-Fry-Hamilton-Bummer-Minaya-Frare/Ruiz/Fulmer

 

Plan for in-season is to bring Cease up around June to replace the weak link in the rotation and hope that Basabe has another great season and can get to Chicago by midseason to take over in CF. Long term plan would be for eventually move Moncada to OF once Madrigal is ready for 2B.

1 hour ago, Jose Abreu said:

Where did you see this? It's interesting to me that it's literally day one of the offseason and we're seeing reports of teams not being so crazy for him. If this isn't all just posturing and smoke, maybe it really will be the Phillies and us as the top bidders 

Well, I think the Dodgers being out is mostly just a logic thing. They already have Turner locked up for a while and Seager is coming back, so they really just don’t need him. 

Plus they are going to have to give Kershaw an extension, probably. 

Realistically, who would be in the market for Machado? The Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, Cardinals, and us? Honestly, I think Machado's antics recently might help us get him.

1 minute ago, Whitesox27 said:

Realistically, who would be in the market for Machado? The Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, Cardinals, and us? Honestly, I think Machado's antics recently might help us get him.

That would be nice. 6 WAR players aren't easy to come by.

6 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said:

Realistically, who would be in the market for Machado? The Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, Cardinals, and us? Honestly, I think Machado's antics recently might help us get him.

Exactly, and i think the dodgers are a long shot.  They already have plenty of infielders with Seager back next season.  It's really Phillies, Yanks or White Sox. 

4 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said:

Realistically, who would be in the market for Machado? The Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, Cardinals, and us? Honestly, I think Machado's antics recently might help us get him.

Wouldn't be terribly surprised to see the Cubs kick the tires on him. Russell has likely played his last game in a Cub uniform.

Watch the Sox shock the world and sign both Machado and Harper.  Wouldn't that be sumthin'...

6 minutes ago, Dam8610 said:

That would be nice. 6 WAR players aren't easy to come by.

It sure would be. I don't think there will be as many teams involved in the bidding as originally thought because of his behavior recently. I'm personally able to overlook his flaws because he is a helluva player. I think it will ultimately come down to money. I would not be surprised at all if he is in a White Sox uniform on Opening Day.

I'm not saying the Sox would be a playoff team next year if they got Machado, but he would make this team so much better. Adding a legit middle of the order bat at a position of need at 3rd base (if he's willing to play there) to this team would be absolutely huge. That doesn't even factor in Eloy, Cease, and hopeful improvement from Moncada, Giolito, Rodon, etc.

6 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said:

I'm not saying the Sox would be a playoff team next year if they got Machado, but he would make this team so much better. Adding a legit middle of the order bat at a position of need at 3rd base (if he's willing to play there) to this team would be absolutely huge. That doesn't even factor in Eloy, Cease, and hopeful improvement from Moncada, Giolito, Rodon, etc.

I honestly think the offense would be fine if Eloy is who we think he is, Moncada makes any sort of jump and other production is similar or improves a bit.

The starting pitching is the issue. Every person in our rotation are such wildcards.

4 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said:

I'm not saying the Sox would be a playoff team next year if they got Machado, but he would make this team so much better. Adding a legit middle of the order bat at a position of need at 3rd base (if he's willing to play there) to this team would be absolutely huge. That doesn't even factor in Eloy, Cease, and hopeful improvement from Moncada, Giolito, Rodon, etc.

If the Sox add Machado, they will most definitely splurge on a few more short-term pieces and give this team a chance to be a contender in the highly unlikely “everything goes right” scenario.  

The real challenge is the OF.  Jimenez will be up at the end of April, but the other two spots are huge question marks.  Engel & Avi would be the starters right now in CF & RF respectively and it would be very difficult to count on either of them.  With Basabe the closest prospect to the majors and still adjusting to AA, I feel like you pretty much have to add one proven OF to a short-term deal if we land Manny.  And preferably that would be a CF but the market it pretty much dry after Pollack and he’d require too long of a commitment IMO.