Braves sign Donaldson to 1 yr 23M deal pending physical

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

13 minutes ago, fathom said:

A lot of money to pay for a “possible” trade chip with massive health issues of late.  

What's the alternative? Run Yolmer out there at 3rd for another year? No thanks.

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, Whitesox27 said:

What's the alternative? Run Yolmer out there at 3rd for another year? No thanks.

It literally does not matter who plays 3B in 2019 for the White Sox.  It could be the ghost of Joe Crede or Manny Machado himself.  This isn't going to be a playoff team and dropping $25 million-ish to outbid the Braves on a one year deal does what for this franchise?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.

At this stage of the rebuild the Sox should be whale-hunting and roster filling.  Donaldson doesn't fit that today.

[ChiSox59]

3 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said:

What's the alternative? Run Yolmer out there at 3rd for another year? No thanks.

I am fairly certain we won't see Yolmer out there full time.  Pretty sure we'd see Rondon before Yolmer, but fairly certain we'll see a FA over there.  

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

It literally does not matter who plays 3B in 2019 for the White Sox.  It could be the ghost of Joe Crede or Manny Machado himself.  This isn't going to be a playoff team and dropping $25 million-ish to outbid the Braves on a one year deal does what for this franchise?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.

At this stage of the rebuild the Sox should be whale-hunting and roster filling.  Donaldson doesn't fit that today.

What if signing Donaldson helped them land a "whale" like Harper? To say that it doesn't matter who plays 3B for the Sox next year just isn't correct.

[southsider2k5]

2 minutes ago, Whitesox27 said:

What if signing Donaldson helped them land a "whale" like Harper? To say that it doesn't matter who plays 3B for the Sox next year just isn't correct.

If it doesn't, we wasted $25 million and draft position to set back the rebuild.  Which do you think is more likely?

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

Just now, southsider2k5 said:

If it doesn't, we wasted $25 million and draft position to set back the rebuild.  Which do you think is more likely?

They wouldn't have had to give up a draft pick to sign Donaldson. And they have so much money to spend, a 1 year deal isn't going to make or break the future of this team.

[ChiSox59]

21 minutes ago, Greek-konerko said:

Kyle seager

Seager is now 31 and is coming off a .221/.273/.400 (OPS+ 86) season and is due $19M each of the next 3 seasons.  

I am not taking back Seager unless the M's eat half the remaining deal and literally take nothing in return.  Even then, still probably turns into a bad deal for the Sox.  I've always liked Seager, but I don't think the Sox should touch him with a 10 foot pole. 

[southsider2k5]

Just now, Whitesox27 said:

They wouldn't have had to give up a draft pick to sign Donaldson. And they have so much money to spend, a 1 year deal isn't going to make or break the future of this team.

But they would lose draft position due to winning more meaningless games, meaning both worse picks up front, and less money to play with as a draft pool in 2020.  It would also mean worse waiver position and Rule 5 draft position.

Again, at this stage, unless Harper flat out is telling this franchise I will sign with you if you sign Josh Donaldson, it is a waste to sign Josh Donaldson.  Blowing $25 million on the small chance it might get you Harper seems like a giant waste of resources.  I would rather see the team bring on a Robinson Cano/Zach Grienke and get assets to do it if we were going to spend money for the sake of spending money.  If there isn't a deal like that out there, move on with the rebuild as scheduled.  The whole point of this time period is to spend this time being awful to accumulate as many assets as possible for the future to create a pipeline of talent stretching from now into the next 5 to 7 years that won't be as possible when this team is winning a lot more games. 

How many draft positions are you willing to give up in 2020 for the rights to watch Josh Donaldson play for a bad baseball team?  I would much rather have the extras from winning fewer games in 2019 than paying Josh Donaldson for Josh Donaldson's contribution to this team in 2019.

[ChiSox59]

8 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

But they would lose draft position due to winning more meaningless games, meaning both worse picks up front, and less money to play with as a draft pool in 2020.  It would also mean worse waiver position and Rule 5 draft position.

Again, at this stage, unless Harper flat out is telling this franchise I will sign with you if you sign Josh Donaldson, it is a waste to sign Josh Donaldson.  Blowing $25 million on the small chance it might get you Harper seems like a giant waste of resources.  I would rather see the team bring on a Robinson Cano/Zach Grienke and get assets to do it if we were going to spend money for the sake of spending money.  If there isn't a deal like that out there, move on with the rebuild as scheduled.  The whole point of this time period is to spend this time being awful to accumulate as many assets as possible for the future to create a pipeline of talent stretching from now into the next 5 to 7 years that won't be as possible when this team is winning a lot more games. 

How many draft positions are you willing to give up in 2020 for the rights to watch Josh Donaldson play for a bad baseball team?  I would much rather have the extras from winning fewer games in 2019 than paying Josh Donaldson for Josh Donaldson's contribution to this team in 2019.

While I agree that Donaldson probably wasn't a fit, I am not making decisions based on draft position any longer.  This team needs to learn to start winning.  Spending $25M on Donaldson probably isn't the best use of resources, but I am not avoiding the move because you're now the 8th pick instead of the 3rd.  

It is time to turn the page on the tanking days.  I really hope the front office at least agrees there.  

[Bob Sacamano]

If they signed someone like Harper before Donaldson signed, then sure. Signing him could make sense as you may want to nudge the window open next year and hope to catch lightning in a bottle knowing that you may only have Harper for 4 years (if he were to opt-out).

[Dominikk85]

Good Move by the braves who have a top30 prospect waiting in Austin riley but probably not quite ready. 

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

While I agree that Donaldson probably wasn't a fit, I am not making decisions based on draft position any longer.  This team needs to learn to start winning.  Spending $25M on Donaldson probably isn't the best use of resources, but I am not avoiding the move because you're now the 8th pick instead of the 3rd.  

It is time to turn the page on the tanking days.  I really hope the front office at least agrees there.  

The non-tanking talent isn't really here yet.  If it was, I would feel differently.  Again, if we land a whale, the calculus changes, but as of today, meh.  I'd rather have another 3rd pick in 2020 than have Josh Donaldson push us for 5 more wins.

[ChiSox59]

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

The non-tanking talent isn't really here yet.  If it was, I would feel differently.  Again, if we land a whale, the calculus changes, but as of today, meh.  I'd rather have another 3rd pick in 2020 than have Josh Donaldson push us for 5 more wins.

I worry deeply about Giolito, Lopez, Moncada, Anderson, Eloy (when he arrives) and a lesser extent the meaningful young bullpen pieces and Rodon taking it on the chin for another season.

Like it or not, we need those guys to develop at the big league level and learn to win.  Plenty of money to spent to fill holes and create at least a decent roster.  I hope that is the direction they go.  I guess we'll see. 

[southsider2k5]

5 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I worry deeply about Giolito, Lopez, Moncada, Anderson, Eloy (when he arrives) and a lesser extent the meaningful young bullpen pieces and Rodon taking it on the chin for another season.

Like it or not, we need those guys to develop at the big league level and learn to win.  Plenty of money to spent to fill holes and create at least a decent roster.  I hope that is the direction they go.  I guess we'll see. 

There is no realistic amount of money this winter that is going to turn this into a playoff roster.

[ChiSox59]

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

There is no realistic amount of money this winter that is going to turn this into a playoff roster.

I didn't say a playoff appearance.  There is a middle ground.  A step forward.  

[southsider2k5]

2 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I didn't say a playoff appearance.  There is a middle ground.  A step forward.  

They will make a step forward this year organically, which is fine.

[Dominikk85]

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

There is no realistic amount of money this winter that is going to turn this into a playoff roster.

The only thing that could turn it into a playoff team is 3-4 young guys taking a big step forward and several rookies making an immediate impact. Not impossible but unlikely.

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, dominik-keul@gmx.de said:

The only thing that could turn it into a playoff team is 3-4 young guys taking a big step forward and several rookies making an immediate impact. Not impossible but unlikely.

It would take about a 3rd standard deviation scenario of everyone going from zero to ceiling all at the same time.  It isn't even enough of a possibility to entertain in any realistic fashion.

[ChiSox59]

9 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

It would take about a 3rd standard deviation scenario of everyone going from zero to ceiling all at the same time.  It isn't even enough of a possibility to entertain in any realistic fashion.

Mixing in some veterans on short term deals that don't block meaningful pieces is the way to improve this team, along with steps forward from the young guys. 

[southsider2k5]

17 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Mixing in some veterans on short term deals that don't block meaningful pieces is the way to improve this team, along with steps forward from the young guys. 

What is the team going to get for moving from 73 to 78 wins by adding Josh Donaldson?

[ChiSoxJon]

Thankful Hahn didn't pursue, yikes

[ChiSox59]

8 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

What is the team going to get for moving from 73 to 78 wins by adding Josh Donaldson?

Again, I don't really care much for Donaldson at  $23M.  But I hope the Sox are at least receptive to these types of ideas.  Rolling basically the same group out there next season is a terrible idea, IMO. 

[southsider2k5]

3 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Again, I don't really care much for Donaldson at  $23M.  But I hope the Sox are at least receptive to these types of ideas.  Rolling basically the same group out there next season is a terrible idea, IMO. 

Again, why?  I am not sure what the big addition of moving up another 5 -10 games over what this team will do anyway organically is.  It isn't going to do anything for attendance.  It isn't going to do anything for ratings.  It isn't going to get fans excited at all. 

What am I missing here?

[ptatc]

2 hours ago, fathom said:

Sox want a long-term premium 3rd baseman. Signing Donaldson to a 1 year deal would have been a waste of money for the Sox.

For once, we agree. The Sox don't need someone for just next year.

[Chicago White Sox]

1 hour ago, Eminor3rd said:

23 mil to play for a contender. What would it have cost to play for us? 25? 28?

It is really naive to assume that JR spending TWENTY FIVE MILLION dollars on a one year player in 2019 wouldn’t affect his appetite to spend money on long term pieces in the future.

Budget money doesn’t just appear and disappear magically each year. Yes, it would have made sense for us if the price was reasonable, but a contender was always going to be motivated to outspend a rebuilder to get JD on a one year deal. 

I’m not sure what you mean by “budget money doesn’t just appear & disappear magically each year”.  We have no idea what the Sox do with their excess cash.  You are making the assumption that it’s just sitting in the bank waiting to be used in future years.  Ownership may very well be cashing out their profits.

The other factor you’re ignoring is investing in the team should generate some economic return.  Improving the quality of the on-field product will improve interest in the team and lead to increased revenue.  This is especially important when we have our local TV deal expiring and have bottomed out in terms of ratings.  Donaldson alone may not be a game changer, but if combined with other additions it might provide an economic benefit.