7 minutes ago, bmags said:

We don't know the cost of JD yet, he was suppressed his last go around in free agency despite productivity. If he drops off at all this year it will be used against him.

If he isn't shaping up for that kind of money then he shouldn't opt out.

Just now, Balta1701 said:

If he isn't shaping up for that kind of money then he shouldn't opt out.

Oh, right, good point.

Looks like 3/62 mill for ages 32-34 seasons. He may be able to get an additional year and 20 mil, but that's a pretty nervewrecking trade off. Tough call for him.

1 minute ago, bmags said:

Oh, right, good point.

Looks like 3/62 mill for ages 32-34 seasons. He may be able to get an additional year and 20 mil, but that's a pretty nervewrecking trade off. Tough call for him.

If his year next year matches 2018 he's probably good, maybe he even can just easily re-up with the Red Sox, but if he shows any dropoff next year, with other competing options on the market and limited numbers of DHs, he'd be at a huge risk of winding up with something like a 1-2 year deal if he were to opt out.

Normally I'd be the conservative one and just stick with the established contract, especially with this market, but baseball players often surprise me by turning down qualifying offers when they should accept them, so I dunno.

14 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Maybe I'm in the minority but I love the idea of Collins and Seby splitting catcher duties for 7 years.

I don’t think the catcher of the future is in the organization currently 

16 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I hate the idea of a DH type being one of our best hitters. If you ever reach the World Series in hurts you greatly in the road games and is especially bad if you don't have home field advantage.

By the time the Sox have to worry about this, the NL will have the DH.

4 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

By the time the Sox have to worry about this, the NL will have the DH.

By the time the NL has the DH JD Martinez will be in the season where he turns 35. 

1 minute ago, Balta1701 said:

By the time the NL has the DH JD Martinez will be in the season where he turns 35. 

Somehow I think he will still be able to hit a little.  

As for the question of this thread, I think it is too early to tell.  Could be Rendon or Goldschmidt, but either could easily be signed to an extension, or have poor years.  Not really worth thinking about yet.

Are there any executives that are free agents?

As far as managers, I know Maddon is one. I'm not a big fan, but I'm sure if the Sox would have interest, they could probably work in a second place finish for him.

Edited March 7, 20197 yr by Dick Allen

4 hours ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

JD Martinez will 100% opt out. He re-enters the market next time with a QO though. He should be able to get another 5/100 deal though. The Sox should be more than willing to do that. Hell, the Sox should have done it last off-season. 

I think JD Martinez would be a great addition to the White Sox. There were numerous stories in Boston media about his clubhouse influence on some of their younger hitters. But I really doubt he leaves Boston. He loves hitting at Fenway w the wall and he really likes Cora. I think he signs a new deal w them before he opts. 

I’m warming on the idea of Castellanos. More versatile and younger than JD. Having said that, I’d still prefer JD.

2 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

I’m warming on the idea of Castellanos. More versatile and younger than JD. Having said that, I’d still prefer JD.

Honestly you could do both.

Manny, is that you?

47 minutes ago, bmags said:

Honestly you could do both.

Both puts one of them in the OF with Eloy, which is a bad idea.  Neither of them have played an inning of 1B in their MLB career, but I suppose Castellanos played 3B early in his career, so that transition isn't impossible. 

I would have to say Cole, Rendon, and Grandal probably fit best. But if Tim Anderson just continues to be an ok, 2-WAR player, then I'm great with them signing Bogaerts and either trading Tim away, or finding a new position for him in CF.

I just can't see the Sox being this serious about moving Moncada to 3B, just to have him back to 2B next season when signing Rendon.  It doesn't add up at all. 

8 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Both puts one of them in the OF with Eloy, which is a bad idea.  Neither of them have played an inning of 1B in their MLB career, but I suppose Castellanos played 3B early in his career, so that transition isn't impossible. 

1b/dh. Castellanos can absolutely play 1b.

This org has some good prospects but past Eloy there aren't a lot of bats that project as elite.

7 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I just can't see the Sox being this serious about moving Moncada to 3B, just to have him back to 2B next season when signing Rendon.  It doesn't add up at all. 

Versatility doesn't hurt.

2 hours ago, bmags said:

Oh, right, good point.

Looks like 3/62 mill for ages 32-34 seasons. He may be able to get an additional year and 20 mil, but that's a pretty nervewrecking trade off. Tough call for him.

Which is why I think he potentially agrees to a bit of an extension with the Red Sox before he even opts out.

Edited March 7, 20197 yr by soxfan2014

3 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Just to be the jerk who points this out, Daniel Palka had a wrc+ of 109 last year in a rookie season, so while 135-130-120-115 over 4 years would be a clear and obvious upgrade if Palka did not improve, is it a $100 million upgrade?

What else do you suggest we spend our money on?

If the White Sox are going to pay premium salary, they should get a premium player.

That was why they should have signed Machado or Harper. Guys who, even if you gave them a large and lengthy contract, were going to give you their first ballot HOF prime years. So what if you gave them 1-2 years at an inflated salary? If you won big during those prime years, it would have been worth the invesmtent.

With Arenado already off of the board, I would save my money and make a huge offer in a few years to Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Mookie Betts, or Alex Bregman. Sure, you have to outbid large market teams with deep pockets. Sure, it would need to be in the same realm as Harper or Machado. Yet, those are the players you pay that kind of money to. Not an aging guy like JD Martinez. That was why Hahn and Kenny royally f***** up this off-season.

23 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Maybe I'm in the minority but I love the idea of Collins and Seby splitting catcher duties for 7 years.

If Adley Rutschman (somehow) fell to third in this year's draft (yeah, right), I love the idea of dumping Collins and Selby for Rutschman.

Edited March 8, 20197 yr by YouGottaBeBleepingMe

12 hours ago, Whitesox27 said:

JD Martinez is a stud, but I could totally see him being one of those guys on the wrong side of 30 whose performance falls off a cliff once they sign with the White Sox. It would be so predictable.

LOL. Agree.

That would be such a White Sox thing to do too! Lose out on Machado and Harper. Try to appease a pissed off fanbase by overpyaing (oh the irony) for a productive guy and gambling that he will produce on the wrong side of 30.

Edited March 8, 20197 yr by YouGottaBeBleepingMe

10 hours ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

If we got 150, 136, 130, and 115 from JD on a 4/$85M type contract, I’d be thrilled.

The Cubs sat our Machado and Harper because they knew they were going to write large, comparable checks to Bryant and Baez (plus solid checks to Schwarber and possibly others).

The Red Sox know they will need to bring Betts up into the Machado and Harper realm. They will need to bring Sale up closer to Kershaw level soon.

The Yankees know they will have to bring Judge up into the Machado and Harper realm.

That is why Martinez would be a great singing for the White Sox. They can offer him more than the Red Sox will likely want to spend. Sadly, he will want a 6-7 year deal that includes per year money in between Machado and Harper. Since the White Sox will not want to pay him 1-2 years of potentially declining production, I would urge this MB to not hold its breath. Somewhere between 6/$150, 8/$200, or 6/$175, 8/$225 will be the price for Martinez. If anyone thinks he would take 4-$85, please step off of the ledge.

9 hours ago, SCCWS said:

I think JD Martinez would be a great addition to the White Sox. There were numerous stories in Boston media about his clubhouse influence on some of their younger hitters. But I really doubt he leaves Boston. He loves hitting at Fenway w the wall and he really likes Cora. I think he signs a new deal w them before he opts. 

Depends on what kind of money Boston offers him to stay. Knowing they will need to reward Betts and Sale, there may not be enough money to offer him more than 20-25 per year. He might take it if he likes it there so much. If he wants the money, Boston will not go more than say 25 per year, and another team will give him 27-28 per year, I say he leaves. It is all about the money.

37 minutes ago, YouGottaBeBleepingMe said:

If the White Sox are going to pay premium salary, they should get a premium player.

That was why they should have signed Machado or Harper. Guys who, even if you gave them a large and lengthy contract, were going to give you their first ballot HOF prime years. So what if you gave them 1-2 years at an inflated salary? If you won big during those prime years, it would have been worth the invesmtent.

With Arenado already off of the board, I would save my money and make a huge offer in a few years to Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Mookie Betts, or Alex Bregman. Sure, you have to outbid large market teams with deep pockets. Sure, it would need to be in the same realm as Harper or Machado. Yet, those are the players you pay that kind of money to. Not an aging guy like JD Martinez. That was why Hahn and Kenny royally f***** up this off-season.

This is spot on, there’s nobody in next year’s free agency class that I want, you use that money for the big guns even though the Sox will just end up finishing in 2nd every time. I don’t want them touching any of the junk next year. And with that being said they’ll overpay for some aging bum next year only to say “hey we spend the money”. They screwed up this offseason and deserve to be destroyed for it. I for one will not forgive them for blowing this offseason.