4 minutes ago, wegner said:

I thought at the time that Daniel Hudson was the move to make.  

And that could have worked.   Ultimately Hahn decided to swing for the fences in hopes of adding a player with Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman type potential.  Obviously we didn’t get that out of Kimbrel and we paid a very steep price.

Kimbrel trade made sense at the time and so far neither side has much to show for it. Madrigal hasn't seen tthe field yet and Heuer will miss all of '22 w/TJ surgery. Much will depend on what if any return Sox get if/when they move Kimbrel. So far...big incomplete.

They're definitely trading him.  My guess is it will be for a package of minor leaguers then they will use those players as part of another trade.  

35 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

They're definitely trading him.  My guess is it will be for a package of minor leaguers then they will use those players as part of another trade.  

For a pitcher on the west coast?

19 minutes ago, fathom said:

For a pitcher on the west coast?

Who you thinking?  Bassitt?

40 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Who you thinking?  Bassitt?

Did Bassitt come back and pitch last season after that nasty liner back at him?

7 minutes ago, wegner said:

Did Bassitt come back and pitch last season after that nasty liner back at him?

Yes I believe he did

6 minutes ago, wegner said:

Did Bassitt come back and pitch last season after that nasty liner back at him?

I believe so. 

10 hours ago, fathom said:

For a pitcher on the west coast?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Question: assuming they add another good, reliable SP and they can't move Keuchel, would you guys be ok with Kopech opening the year in the minors to get stretched out and then replacing Keuchel in like June (if not sooner)? I feel like that ship has sailed but something I would lean towards doing. It just seems like a waste of space in the pen having 2 long-relievers (Lopez and Keuchel) and Crochet on the 2021 Kopech plan if you open with Kopech in the rotation along with a SP from outside the organization.

8 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Question: assuming they add another good, reliable SP and they can't move Keuchel, would you guys be ok with Kopech opening the year in the minors to get stretched out and then replacing Keuchel in like June (if not sooner)? I feel like that ship has sailed but something I would lean towards doing. It just seems like a waste of space in the pen having 2 long-relievers (Lopez and Keuchel) and Crochet on the 2021 Kopech plan if you open with Kopech in the rotation along with a SP from outside the organization.

Kopech is stretched out and should be in the rotation on day one with zero restrictions.  He's 26 years old and 3.5 years removed from TJ.  He's as strong as he'll ever be and there is absolutely no reason to hold him back any further.  I had a lot of questions about him going into last season and he answered them all.  Let the man do his thing.  

14 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Question: assuming they add another good, reliable SP and they can't move Keuchel, would you guys be ok with Kopech opening the year in the minors to get stretched out and then replacing Keuchel in like June (if not sooner)? I feel like that ship has sailed but something I would lean towards doing. It just seems like a waste of space in the pen having 2 long-relievers (Lopez and Keuchel) and Crochet on the 2021 Kopech plan if you open with Kopech in the rotation along with a SP from outside the organization.

I don't think they add another good, reliable SP to be honest.  The rotation is full.  Lopez, Stiever and Lambert will fill in as needed when Kopech needs a break.  I expect they'll add a cheap vet off the FA scrap heap to give Keuchel some competition and an additional fallback option.  

3 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I don't think they add another good, reliable SP to be honest.  The rotation is full.  Lopez, Stiever and Lambert will fill in as needed when Kopech needs a break.  I expect they'll add a cheap vet off the FA scrap heap to give Keuchel some competition and an additional fallback option.  

Yeah I don't think so either. More to discuss with the guys who do believe they will.

6 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

Kopech is stretched out and should be in the rotation on day one with zero restrictions.  He's 26 years old and 3.5 years removed from TJ.  He's as strong as he'll ever be and there is absolutely no reason to hold him back any further.  I had a lot of questions about him going into last season and he answered them all.  Let the man do his thing.  

What do you expect to happen if they trade for another SP? Straight up release Keuchel?

8 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

What do you expect to happen if they trade for another SP? Straight up release Keuchel?

They need an ace.  They need a guy that can matchup in game 1 against TB, Hou, Tor and that guy is no longer out there. Sean Manaea has that ability but like Rodon he can't be counted on to be healthy in Oct.  If they did acquire another middle of the rotation guy I would assume they would trade Keuchel for some salary relief but that doesn't move the needle much for post season success.   

13 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

They need an ace.  They need a guy that can matchup in game 1 against TB, Hou, Tor and that guy is no longer out there. Sean Manaea has that ability but like Rodon he can't be counted on to be healthy in Oct.  If they did acquire another middle of the rotation guy I would assume they would trade Keuchel for some salary relief but that doesn't move the needle much for post season success.   

No one is giving you salary relief for Keuchel with no minimum payroll coming and the vesting option in his contract as a poison pill. Even if he got hot for another team, the option hurts them. Not unless the white Sox attach someone really valuable, like one of their top 2-3 prospects, or the White Sox pay most of the deal - which means no salary relief.

1 hour ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

Kopech is stretched out and should be in the rotation on day one with zero restrictions.  He's 26 years old and 3.5 years removed from TJ.  He's as strong as he'll ever be and there is absolutely no reason to hold him back any further.  I had a lot of questions about him going into last season and he answered them all.  Let the man do his thing.  

I'd defer to PTATC on this. In looking at his 2021 numbers, he threw 69 IP, and landed on the DL for a month in June. His 2nd half FIP went up, from 2.41 to 3.55, his OBP allowed went up from .239 to .313.

So, on it's face it looks like Kopech isn't exactly "stretched out" to give this team ~150+ IP over a regular season and post season. Going from 69 IP to 150+ would be a huge ask, IMO.

At the same time, this roster just lost 4.9 fWAR when Rodon walked out the door. Asking Kopech to provide both the IP AND replace the fWAR lost is foolish, IMO.

The other elephant in the room are Keuchel and Lynn and their war against Father Time. Whether or not those two can stave off the invincible ravages of aging is another question. Meanwhile, the MiLB depth looks suboptimal at the moment, if Lopez is the best we've got.

 

So, from my view, given questions about how "stretched out" Kopech might be, how durable a 34 year old Keuchel and a soon-to-be 35 year old Lynn could be, and an abject lack of MLB-ready depth, I'd like another SP, please.

Don’t think it happens, but for some reason I had a feeling last night the Sox could shock us all with Kris Bryant.  Makes sense given his position flexibility. 

9 minutes ago, fathom said:

Don’t think it happens, but for some reason I had a feeling last night the Sox could shock us all with Kris Bryant.  Makes sense given his position flexibility. 

Hope not. Get a legit LHH. 

No Bryant, no Castellanos.

 

23 minutes ago, fathom said:

Don’t think it happens, but for some reason I had a feeling last night the Sox could shock us all with Kris Bryant.  Makes sense given his position flexibility. 

I wouldn't mind Bryant, TBH. Positional flexibility, above average defense at multiple positions, and proven above average production year over year?

Yes, please.

And while he's not LHH, a career 128 WRC+ v. RHP is within spitting distance of Conforto's 136 career wRC+ v RHP. (Bryant's @ 155 wrc+ v LHP, while Conforto's only a 94.)

 

I agree its unlikely, but I'd take Bryant ahead of Conforto or Castellanos. 

Edited March 10, 20224 yr by Two-Gun Pete

1 hour ago, fathom said:

Don’t think it happens, but for some reason I had a feeling last night the Sox could shock us all with Kris Bryant.  Makes sense given his position flexibility. 

I love that he can play 5 positions, 6 with the DH. The only thing that concerns me is he isn't the hitter he once was.

4 hours ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

They need an ace.  They need a guy that can matchup in game 1 against TB, Hou, Tor and that guy is no longer out there. Sean Manaea has that ability but like Rodon he can't be counted on to be healthy in Oct.  If they did acquire another middle of the rotation guy I would assume they would trade Keuchel for some salary relief but that doesn't move the needle much for post season success.   

Ace and Sean Manaea shouldn't be used together.

Get Conforto now. If they can't, pivot to Schwarber quickly. 

No excuses.

51 minutes ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

Ace and Sean Manaea shouldn't be used together.

My target from Oakland would be Frankie Montas. His stuff will play up in the playoffs. 

The Sox aren't getting a true ace unless either Cease or Kopech develop into one. 

This thread is about to blow up. HELL. YES.