Will turn 29 at the end of the 2020 season, before hitting free agency.

Will he still get a 10 year or more deal, assuming he stays healthy?   $400 million?  $450?  $500 million?

2019-20 offseason still seems like it might be the best time to go for it, if Harper and Machado (less likely) sign 4 year deals with the Dodgers and Yankees to put them back out on the market at age 30.

It gives us the entire 2019 season to figure out who to keep and who to trade...and you’re not forcing Harper or Machado onto the rebuilding roster when they don’t really want to be there until 2020 or 2021 (and feel more assured about the direction of the franchise.)

 

Next year, the headliners are Arenado, Rendon, Bogaerts, Goldschmidt, JD Martinez (will be 32 at end of next season, opt out a good bet if he repeats), Sale, Cole, Bumgarner, Verlander, Wheeler, Porcello...feels like a lot more options that we would be targeting long-term if they were available right now, yes?

Out of all the remaining players on the current market, AJ Pollock was the only other long-term guy, and age/injury risk seemingly prevent that type of move.  Donaldson on a short term deal at $20 million never was going to fit.  We can argue endlessly about Moustakas, I guess.

Yasmani Grandal also makes sense unless you’re a huge believer in Collins, because there won’t be any premium options (FA) available without sacrificing our minor leaguers in trade (see Realmuto asking price.)

3 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Will turn 29 at the end of the 2020 season, before hitting free agency.

Will he still get a 10 year or more deal, assuming he stays healthy?   $400 million?  $450?  $500 million?

2019-20 offseason still seems like it might be the best time to go for it, if Harper and Machado (less likely) sign 4 year deals with the Dodgers and Yankees to put them back out on the market at age 30.

It gives us the entire 2019 season to figure out who to keep and who to trade...and you’re not forcing Harper or Machado onto the rebuilding roster when they don’t really want to be there until 2020 or 2021 (and feel more assured about the direction of the franchise.)

 

Next year, the headliners are Arenado, Rendon, Bogaerts, Goldschmidt, JD Martinez (will be 32 at end of next season, opt out a good bet if he repeats), Sale, Cole, Bumgarner, Verlander, Wheeler, Porcello...feels like a lot more options that we would be targeting long-term if they were available right now, yes?

Out of all the remaining players on the current market, AJ Pollock was the only other long-term guy, and age/injury risk seemingly prevent that type of move.  Donaldson on a short term deal at $20 million never was going to fit.  We can argue endlessly about Moustakas, I guess.

Yasmani Grandal also makes sense unless you’re a huge believer in Collins, because there won’t be any premium options (FA) available without sacrificing our minor leaguers in trade (see Realmuto asking price.)

Trout could sign a deal for any number of years: 4 years, 6 years, 8 years, even 9 years or 12 years, and for any amount.  Seems $40M AAV is the starting point but I could see him getting $50-$60M.  Hell, Stanton, Greinke & Kershaw are $30M players and add Harper & Machado to that list soon.   

 

Then you got your other guys like Bogaerts and Goldschmidt who could cash in and maybe they slide on the backside of deals for Moustakas (who you mention- $25M for 5.5yrs?).  So you’re looking at shelling out a quarter of payroll for Goldschmidt, Bogaerts and a Rendon.  Rendon is a wildcard; Does he resign? Does he go out West and join Kershaw & Hill (if he doesn’t leave. He might want a reunion with the cubs)?

Does Arenado sign a 4 year deal like Harper and Machado?  Think it all depends on Lemahieu and the direction the Rockies want to go- maybe the Rockies back up the wagon for trout and offer him the $65M AAV K. Perry talked about.  Seems ridiculous to me. 

Thats why we should put feelers out for a Sale reunion (hopefully he talks his other Florida buddies into joining the Sox).  All depends on Grandal for Sale and Rendon.  Arenado is a pipe dream but that’s probably what the Yankees thought about Stanton, Judge & Andújar.  Just look at the history of baseball and back in the late 80s before the Thomas Griffey revolution.  

I agree though on Moustakas & Grandal being the X factors. 

White Sox: Yasmani Grandal, C
Even closer to Yonder Alonso than Yonder's brother-in-law, Machado, Grandal is a more than adequate consolation prize if Machado and Harper, as predicted, go elsewhere.

https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/one-player-for-every-team-on-christmas-day/c-302129216

2 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

 Machado, Grandal is a more than adequate consolation prize if Machado and Harper, as predicted, go elsewhere.

Hardly

6 minutes ago, GreenSox said:

Hardly

It’s not going to create a long line at the ticket office, that’s for sure.   Then we’d have to dump Castillo for pennies on the dollar, as well.

If Trout reaches free agency as the same player he is today, it will blow this year out of the water, in terms of buzz/dollars/amount of teams interested. 

I don’t think we should plan on being able to win that bidding war. 

Can we wait to see what this years half a billion dollar players sign for?

I like Yolmer a lot, but Arenado is my main target and would be totally fine losing out on Machado and Harper if we could land Nolan. He's a brilliant 3B, plays the game like a man possessed, and would solve one of our positions we have in question.

1 minute ago, kwolf68 said:

I like Yolmer a lot, but Arenado is my main target and would be totally fine losing out on Machado and Harper if we could land Nolan. He's a brilliant 3B, plays the game like a man possessed, and would solve one of our positions we have in question.

why not just get Manny, who you know is a free agent and is younger and is an excellent 3B?

Just now, fathom said:

why not just get Manny, who you know is a free agent and is younger and is an excellent 3B?

 

Because we may not get him. Don't know if it's media smoke, but they are saying he wants to play for the Yankees. 

46 minutes ago, kwolf68 said:

 

Because we may not get him. Don't know if it's media smoke, but they are saying he wants to play for the Yankees. 

And Arenado might not even sniff free agency.  No guarantee we get him either.  Machado is also you know *checks notes*, better.

The biggest problem with Arenado is going to be those home/road splits and the transition to the AL.

That said, the two most successful Sox position player acquisitions of the last 10-15 years or so (trade-wise) both came from the NL West, Carlos Quentin and Adam Eaton.

1 hour ago, justBLAZE said:

And Arenado might not even sniff free agency.  No guarantee we get him either.  Machado is also you know *checks notes*, better.

True enough, but he's a great player who does things the right way. I get it, Machado is really good, and yea his Johnny hustle comments are probably overblown but I honestly won't kill myself if we don't get him or Harper. 

https://www.mlb.com/news/most-improved-farm-systems-in-2018/c-302225978

Three AL Central teams, M’s and (sigh) Astros five most improved farm systems

Mike Trout could conceivably  command a contract in the $50M a year category 

Sale minimum 12 year offer yes!! 

Why not just bequest the White Sox to Sale in the JR Revocable Trust plan if you’re giving him the 12 year?...that way, he can spend the rest of his years cutting up different jerseys.  Drake LaRoche can be permanent batboy.   Old-timer’s games can be filled with former Sox prospects who failed to put up a lifetime 650 ops.  By the end, they can lop off the entire upper deck.

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

Why not just bequest the White Sox to Sale in the JR Revocable Trust plan if you’re giving him the 12 year?...that way, he can spend the rest of his years cutting up different jerseys.  Drake LaRoche can be permanent batboy.   Old-timer’s games can be filled with former Sox prospects who failed to put up a lifetime 650 ops.  By the end, they can lop off the entire upper deck.

What in the fuck are you talking about.

52 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

What in the fuck are you talking about.