12 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

No, I'd have us adding an everyday LF as well, but I don't think that will happen until we clear some payroll first (with the Hendriks trade needing to happen first).  My plan right now assumes a total cash payroll of ~$185M including buy-outs / dead money ($7.7M).  Under that assumption, I'd be looking at adding Brantley (who I went with) or Gallo to play LF with Outman more as a AAA depth piece / insurance plan.   If the buy-outs / dead money can be excluded, then I'd target Conforto for LF instead (who I expect to be in the $14M-16M range) and look at adding another cheap reliever.  The other move I have is trading Jake Burger for additional depth, in this case to the MIL for Robert Gasser.

Not the sexiest of off-season plans and I'd rather anchor off someone more impactful like Nimmo, but I don't see that happening based on what's been signaled.  Ultimately, I like the SP depth considerably more under this plan with Pepiot & Gasser added on top of Martin & Burke.  I think the OF defense is significantly better even with an aging Brantley in LF (he was slightly positive last year in terms of DRS).  I think Duvall is a perfect 4th OF as he's actually strong defender at all three spots and can hit LHP well.  Again, I'd rather have an impact player, but trying to balance my approach with what I assuming are the financial realities.  Still hoping for Conforto for LF somehow.

I have this as a 93 win team assuming normalized health and I don't think any of the these projections are all that ridiculous.  I think the reality is our core guys should be much better next year and moving Vaughn & Eloy to 1B & DH respectively helps in many ways.  The bullpen is the biggest risk, but at some point Crochet should be back, Pepiot has the arm to move to a higher leverage role, and you can always trade for reinforcements.

Well thought out plan.  I dig it.  I too would prefer a different name in LF, but switch that to Conforto and I like it alot. 

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

I am expecting a big trade this WM. 

It's going to be active. I'd be kinda surprised if the there isn't a Sox trade.

2 hours ago, Quin said:

My expectations are low and I plan on being disappointed.

I’ve set my expectations even lower, I expect a terrible/questionable trade. 

1 minute ago, ShoeLessRob said:

I’ve set my expectations even lower, I expect a terrible/questionable trade. 

Go for the gusto.

A trade that 90% of people here are enthused about that somehow turns into an absolute disaster once hindsight is available. 

5 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Go for the gusto.

A trade that 90% of people here are enthused about that somehow turns into an absolute disaster once hindsight is available. 

Oh let me try this.

Sean Burke, Gavin Sheets and Jose Rodriguez for Gleyber Torres.

Definitely not a 90% of the board thing, but there'd be celebrators. 

Kenny used to shake the money tree when there was a deal he really wanted to close if he put his neck on the line. Not sure if Rick is that kind of dynamo.

This is either going to be a Carlos Lee type trade that we all hate and leads them to greater things...or it's going to be a disaster and close the window most likely. Strap in. 

4 minutes ago, EloyJenkins said:

This is either going to be a Carlos Lee type trade that we all hate and leads them to greater things...or it's going to be a disaster and close the window most likely. Strap in. 

I just don’t think the Sox really have many trade candidates on the MLB roster. Most of the guys are either at their lowest value after a poor or injury plagued season (Moncada, Eloy, Robert, Giolito), are major contributors to the MLB club (TA, Hendriks, Cease), or just have no value (Grandal, Kelly, Leury). 

Feels more like a Sox pushing their beat non-Montgomery and Colas minor league chips into the pot and trying to get the best LH OF bat they can find for it kinda off-season. 

25 minutes ago, pcq said:

Kenny used to shake the money tree when there was a deal he really wanted to close if he put his neck on the line. Not sure if Rick is that kind of dynamo.

This is a really good point. 

45 minutes ago, Quin said:

Oh let me try this.

Sean Burke, Gavin Sheets and Jose Rodriguez for Gleyber Torres.

Definitely not a 90% of the board thing, but there'd be celebrators. 

I'd be 100% in on this move. A lot of people are talking about other moves for bounce-back guys like Gallo (I don't understand that one) or Winker, but I would bet on Gleyber Torres being the player to most benefit from a change of scenery.

 

1 minute ago, MiddleCoastBias said:

I'd be 100% in on this move. A lot of people are talking about other moves for bounce-back guys like Gallo (I don't understand that one) or Winker, but I would bet on Gleyber Torres being the player to most benefit from a change of scenery.

 

Gleyber is just more of what we have though.  Right handed hitting below average defender that isn't great against RHP. 

I'd be fine with Gleyber if they also spent $ to fix the OF, but in a vaccum, I don't like him as a target at all.

We are also in no position to be trading away Sean Burke who is the closest thing we have to SP depth after Martin. 

3 hours ago, Quin said:

My expectations are low and I plan on being disappointed.

I am already disappointed. Can't get disappointed if you stay disappointed 

8 minutes ago, BigHurt3515 said:

I am already disappointed. Can't get disappointed if you stay disappointed 

Just wait until Twins and Guardians make big moves

12 minutes ago, BigHurt3515 said:

I am already disappointed. Can't get disappointed if you stay disappointed 

My Sox fandom suggests otherwise.

Does JR still own the team? We'll trade major league contracts (Liam) for marginal minor leaguers..... and like it! 

5 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

My Sox fandom suggests otherwise.

I try to protect myself every season and winter and I end up disappointed anyway.

No matter how bad I think it's going to be, it's worse the majority of the time.

Just life as a jaded Sox fan. 

54 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I just don’t think the Sox really have many trade candidates on the MLB roster. Most of the guys are either at their lowest value after a poor or injury plagued season (Moncada, Eloy, Robert, Giolito), are major contributors to the MLB club (TA, Hendriks, Cease), or just have no value (Grandal, Kelly, Leury). 

Feels more like a Sox pushing their beat non-Montgomery and Colas minor league chips into the pot and trying to get the best LH OF bat they can find for it kinda off-season. 

By this time next year everyone will be copying exactly what the Sox do.

14 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

I try to protect myself every season and winter and I end up disappointed anyway.

No matter how bad I think it's going to be, it's worse the majority of the time.

Just life as a jaded Sox fan. 

Things are never worse than you thought they were going to be.  Stop kidding yourself. 

9 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Things are never worse than you thought they were going to be.  Stop kidding yourself. 

That's true. If things ended up like he expected, there still wouldn't be any games being played because of Covid.

2 hours ago, Pal said:

It's going to be active. I'd be kinda surprised if the there isn't a Sox trade.

Would you expect it being our major leaguer(s) or prospect(s) traded?

34 minutes ago, fathom said:

Just wait until Twins and Guardians make big moves

Whatcha got?  I think the Twins have something big up their sleeve (Contreras?) but I'm not sure about the Guards.  Maybe a semi-impact trade (Plesac, Civale) or a signing like JD Martinez who makes a bunch of sense for them.  

2 hours ago, Pal said:

It's going to be active. I'd be kinda surprised if the there isn't a Sox trade.

Somehow I missed this and now my expectations are high and I'm prepared to be crushed after a foodie says we're trading for Devvers.

38 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

My Sox fandom suggests otherwise.

30 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

I try to protect myself every season and winter and I end up disappointed anyway.

No matter how bad I think it's going to be, it's worse the majority of the time.

Just life as a jaded Sox fan. 

I was just joking - don't drag me into your thing

 

 

 

6 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

Whatcha got?  I think the Twins have something big up their sleeve (Contreras?) but I'm not sure about the Guards.  Maybe a semi-impact trade (Plesac, Civale) or a signing like JD Martinez who makes a bunch of sense for them.  

I think Twins bring back Correa and sign a good starting pitcher.  Guardians will trade for Murphy and get another bat.

I keep going back to some type of Sox-Brewers trade with Sox getting Wong and Houser for Giolito.