One advantage to what I proposed is it doesn't force/require Collins to be anything next year.  If he needs more time in AAA to develop as a catcher fine.  If you have Grandal as a primary, your secondary catcher, who should still catch 40-60 games can be a lefty or righty.  If Collins bat plays now you can still get him catching work on days he DHs or plays first and still get him 20-40 catching.  Catching is also a strenuous position and while Grandal has been relatively injury free, several teams were significantly hurt when their primary catcher went down.  This allows resting and injury protection at a major position with a youngish pitching staff.

2 hours ago, BamaDoc said:

One advantage to what I proposed is it doesn't force/require Collins to be anything next year.  If he needs more time in AAA to develop as a catcher fine.  If you have Grandal as a primary, your secondary catcher, who should still catch 40-60 games can be a lefty or righty.  If Collins bat plays now you can still get him catching work on days he DHs or plays first and still get him 20-40 catching.  Catching is also a strenuous position and while Grandal has been relatively injury free, several teams were significantly hurt when their primary catcher went down.  This allows resting and injury protection at a major position with a youngish pitching staff.

But that just relegates the Collins dilemma to another year of waiting and I think next year is the year he really needs to show what he has with the Sox since Kopech Cease Robert Madrigal will all be in the beginning stages of their careers and Lopez also needs another year also which is why I don't see a playoff appearance next year but with the other signings we proposed might get us close to the playoffs or at least into the mid 80's+ in wins.

Young pitchers could take 2-3 years to find the right combination of pitches and command to reach full potential but hopefully because of pedigree they can be good by the 2nd year like Giolito did but I see that as the exception rather than the rule. Some of those guys might not ever find it much like Rodon who only showed flashes but never found the consistency due to injury or being unable to sustain it for long stretches.

Edited October 1, 20196 yr by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

Here would be a real possibility, McCann reverts to previous form.  Collins gets early year experience maybe starting in Charlotte catching Kopech, Dunning, and Lambert.  He comes up mid season and the bat gets him additional work at DH/1B.  Grandal has a year learning/ developing rapport with staff.  2021, Collins could be #2 if you don't bring McCann back or use the three headed monster at multiple positions.  Depends on if Collins glove/defense allows him to be a 2 vs 3.  Collins splits in minors significant.  

.224/.327/.447 .774 ops vs lefties (which I would be fine with) but he crushed righties to .306/.433/.589  1.022ops !    In majors in obviously small size had a nearly .400 ops split difference.