Vargas drawing interest

[GreenSox]

10 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/breaking-down-white-sox-four-big-offseason-decisions.html

 

“ And if something should happen to Vargas, they have Curtis Mead, who could take over at third.”   What????  On what planet does Mead have an skills at all?

Getz needs to stop trading for org guys.  Especially from tampa.

 

Edited November 21 by GreenSox

[caulfield12]

3 minutes ago, GreenSox said:

“ And if something should happen to Vargas, they have Curtis Mead, who could take over at third.”   What????  On what planet does Mead have an skills at all?

Getz needs to top trading for org guys.  Especially from tampa.

 

Well at least they're not ex Royals. 

Moving over to a more competitive division. 

[WhiteSox2023]

32 minutes ago, GreenSox said:

“ And if something should happen to Vargas, they have Curtis Mead, who could take over at third.”   What????  On what planet does Mead have an skills at all?

Getz needs to stop trading for org guys.  Especially from tampa.

 

Replacing mediocre with Meadiocre.  Always a good way to improve your team.  But honestly, at this rate, neither player may end up being a part of a winning Sox team so it may not even matter.

Edited November 21 by WhiteSox2023

[Kyyle23]

I like how much GreenSox seethes about Mead 😂

[WhiteSox2023]

4 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

I like how much GreenSox seethes about Mead 😂

He really does hate him, but he did bash the trade right from the start.  I just like calling him Meadiocre because it’s such a perfect nickname.

Edited November 21 by WhiteSox2023

[WestEddy]

37 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

He really does hate him, but he did bash the trade right from the start.  I just like calling him Meadiocre because it’s such a perfect nickname.

I'll give you that. 

[caulfield12]

37 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

He really does hate him, but he did bash the trade right from the start.  I just like calling him Meadiocre because it’s such a perfect nickname.

And if that's not enough to wet your whistle... there's always Jacob Gonzalez, a former first rounder with no discernible elite tools whatsoever. 

Well, at least his team did well at the College World Series...just like Madrigal and Jared Mitchell. 

[WhiteSox2023]

10 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

I'll give you that. 

I still hope he breaks out.  It’s amazing how a guy can crush it in the minors like he did and then look completely clueless in the majors.  But like Fathom says all the time, it just seams like he has zero power.

Edited November 21 by WhiteSox2023

[caulfield12]

5 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

I still hope he breaks out.  It’s amazing how a guy can crush it in the minors like he did and then look completely clueless in the majors.  But like Fathom says all the time, it just seams like he has zero power.

At least zero in-game power... 

That's always the test of every corner hitter, having at the very least gap if not home run power to the opposite field on a neutral field without any wind. 

[chitownsportsfan]

10 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Looking at his status, Vargas actually hits arb next year, so I wonder if there is something to his name showing up on a list like this as more of the Sox floating him out there, versus someone actually asking about him.

If we live in a world as Sox fans where as a bottom 1/4 payroll we are worrying about some 1 WAR guy playing making 7 million a year a few years down the road we are completely cooked, just move to Nashville now.

Edited November 21 by chitownsportsfan

[Ozzie for Manager]

Vargas made a pretty big jump from 2024 to 25. If he makes another jump than maybe he hits .265 with 22 HRs and 80 rbis and .770 OPS. That's a decent player to have in the lineup.  Are you really going to get anything back in a trade better than that.  

[WhiteSox2023]

8 minutes ago, Ozzie for Manager said:

Vargas made a pretty big jump from 2024 to 25. If he makes another jump than maybe he hits .265 with 22 HRs and 80 rbis and .770 OPS. That's a decent player to have in the lineup.  Are you really going to get anything back in a trade better than that.  

True, but Vargas could also be 30+ by the time Ishbia takes over ownership of the team and the Sox finally spend some money to try to win.  But I agree with you.  I don’t think right now is the time to trade him but it definitely could be after next season if he improves on his 2025 season.

Edited November 21 by WhiteSox2023

[DFAthewave69420]

21 minutes ago, Ozzie for Manager said:

Vargas made a pretty big jump from 2024 to 25. If he makes another jump than maybe he hits .265 with 22 HRs and 80 rbis and .770 OPS. That's a decent player to have in the lineup.  Are you really going to get anything back in a trade better than that.  

Exactly.  No point in giving up in Vargas yet.

[joejoesox]

18 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

True, but Vargas could also be 30+ by the time Ishbia takes over ownership of the team and the Sox finally spend some money to try to win.  But I agree with you.  I don’t think right now is the time to trade him but it definitely could be after next season if he improves on his 2025 season.

I mean, he will factually be 30+ 🫠

Edited November 21 by joejoesox

[caulfield12]

9 minutes ago, joejoesox said:

I mean, he will factually be 30+ 🫠

Heard over and over again that Burger was too old at 27/2....and now there's basically no way to sustain this current wave of players into the 2029-30 season  when they will all be late 20s. 

Then another rebuild...but with Ishbia bucks behind it? 

Crazy to me Ishbia has spent more time talking to fellow owners in one year than JR in the last 10-15. 

Edited November 21 by caulfield12

[WestEddy]

Vargas should be drawing interest. He OPSed something like .769 after his famous hand adjustment of 4/23/2025. My expectation would be that he would bulk up a little further, and a breakout would probably look something beyond what @Ozzie for Manager mentioned. But this is the year for him. Only Braden Montgomery and Sam Antonacci will be crashing the gates this season.

[WhiteSox2023]

31 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

True, but Vargas could also be 30+ by the time Ishbia takes over ownership of the team and the Sox finally spend some money to try to win.  But I agree with you.  I don’t think right now is the time to trade him but it definitely could be after next season if he improves on his 2025 season.

I think technically he could still be 29 if Ishbia takes over in 2029, but I could be wrong.  😀

[WhiteSox2023]

10 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Vargas should be drawing interest. He OPSed something like .769 after his famous hand adjustment of 4/23/2025. My expectation would be that he would bulk up a little further, and a breakout would probably look something beyond what @Ozzie for Manager mentioned. But this is the year for him. Only Braden Montgomery and Sam Antonacci will be crashing the gates this season.

So if he breaks out after this season, do you keep him or sell him high?  The timeline of Ishbia taking over tells me to sell him high.  But for right now, I doubt trading him gets you much so it probably isn’t worth it.

Edited November 21 by WhiteSox2023

[chitownsportsfan]

20 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Vargas should be drawing interest. He OPSed something like .769 after his famous hand adjustment of 4/23/2025. My expectation would be that he would bulk up a little further, and a breakout would probably look something beyond what @Ozzie for Manager mentioned. But this is the year for him. Only Braden Montgomery and Sam Antonacci will be crashing the gates this season.

I'm not expecting a breakout but FFS at a certain point this isn't OOTP and you just sorta roll with a solid young player that has like a 15% chance of a breakout. He went true talent wise from like a replacement level player to probably weak starter, he's 26, pre arb and you have nobody banging down the gate at his position in a year you ain't contending, the f*** you doing looking to move him?

edit: man really annoyed I had to get the edit tag on this post because I had to change role to roll.

Edited November 21 by chitownsportsfan

[WestEddy]

28 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

So if he breaks out after this season, do you keep him or sell him high?  The timeline of Ishbia taking over tells me to sell him high.  But for right now, I doubt trading him gets you much so it probably isn’t worth it.

Vargas will never get beyond solid starter, IMO. Like, in the next 4 years, if he has a primary position, maybe he has a 3-4 WAR year, or two. The end. I believe the Sox will be pushing the upper 70s in wins this year, and be competing for the last wild card spot in 27, so no, don't trade him. He's a place-holder. But Bonemer, Carlson, 2026 1st rounder will be moving him off of his spot in the coming years. I really don't think the Sox are building for a window. This is the "steady flow" of talent Hahn always dreamed of. If they can draft and develop guys like Bonemer, Vargas will become expendable. 

25 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I'm not expecting a breakout but FFS at a certain point this isn't OOTP and you just sorta roll with a solid young player that has like a 15% chance of a breakout. He went true talent wise from like a replacement level player to probably weak starter, he's 26, pre arb and you have nobody banging down the gate at his position in a year you ain't contending, the f*** you doing looking to move him?

edit: man really annoyed I had to get the edit tag on this post because I had to change role to roll.

I don't think the Sox should trade Vargas. I think he should be a Sox regular (if he earns it) until he's pushed out. I'm just saying that of course he should be getting interest because I think he has one more plateau to reach as a hitter. 

[46DidIt]

Of course he's drawing interest. Probably has a good investment manager

[WhiteSox2023]

2 hours ago, WestEddy said:

Vargas will never get beyond solid starter, IMO. Like, in the next 4 years, if he has a primary position, maybe he has a 3-4 WAR year, or two. The end. I believe the Sox will be pushing the upper 70s in wins this year, and be competing for the last wild card spot in 27, so no, don't trade him. He's a place-holder. But Bonemer, Carlson, 2026 1st rounder will be moving him off of his spot in the coming years. I really don't think the Sox are building for a window. This is the "steady flow" of talent Hahn always dreamed of. If they can draft and develop guys like Bonemer, Vargas will become expendable. 

I don't think the Sox should trade Vargas. I think he should be a Sox regular (if he earns it) until he's pushed out. I'm just saying that of course he should be getting interest because I think he has one more plateau to reach as a hitter. 

I do think Getz is doing the right thing by acquiring guys like Vargas, Mead, Pereira, [Canario 🤣], etc., but make a decision and either go all in on tanking or don’t.  Jerry was and is never going to approve enough spending to make this team a contender until he sells it.  So as the GM, don’t make short-sighted moves like Mena for Fletcher, or Fajardo for Booser.  He should never be in the situation to trade another young prospect for an older reliever.  It makes no sense for where this team is and where it will still be in 3-4 years.  If we are even talking about trading Vargas, that’s all the proof I need for this post…

Edited November 21 by WhiteSox2023

[caulfield12]

"I really don't think the Sox are building for a window. This is the "steady flow" of talent Hahn always dreamed of... "

 

The 1998-2000 and 2017-2019 waves of talent put this recent one to shame. 

Even then, injuries and non performance wiped it out to the point where F.Garcia/Contreras/Jenks and all those other KW moves put that team over the top.   They went from 7 top pitching prospects down to Burhrle and Garland. 

Moncada Robert and Jimenez were all higher ranked than guys like Teel and Braden.  Colson. is the only comp in terms of a teens prospect ranking,  but he fell all the way off many Top 100 lists entirely. 

Then you have Burger Vaughn Madrigal Crochet in the next wave. 

 

Even if all the positional prospects live up to their billing, you're left with a Bottom 1/3rd offense...especially in the power department. 

Almost nobody expects Colson to repeat his pace of 2025 and there are injury/positional concerns due to his back. 

 

2027

Braden Montgomery RF  Baldwin

?????  CF Baldwin

Baldwin LF

Vargas 3B  Bonemer

Colson SS  Bonemer

Meidroth or Antonacci  2B

Sosa 1B  Mead  (neither are close to ideal fits) 

Teel and Quero  catcher

Rotating DH  (Benintendi primary) 

 

Once again... only three positions that project out at above average MLB production: C SS RF. 

 

Not even sure that beats upside of Twins with Buxton, a healthy Royce Lewis, Jenkins, BLee, Keaschall, Jeffers, Clemens, Culpepper, Emmanuel Rodriguez,  Larnach and Wallner.  On paper it doesn't. 

Ofc their bullpen will be a mess and pitching in shambles when they trade Joe Ryan and/or Pablo Lopez with Z.Matthews M.Abel Taj Bradley behind them. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 21 by caulfield12

[JoeC]

7 hours ago, Ozzie for Manager said:

Vargas made a pretty big jump from 2024 to 25. If he makes another jump than maybe he hits .265 with 22 HRs and 80 rbis and .770 OPS. That's a decent player to have in the lineup.  Are you really going to get anything back in a trade better than that.  

Depends on if he makes another revolutionary swing change.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

8 hours ago, chitownsportsfan said:

If we live in a world as Sox fans where as a bottom 1/4 payroll we are worrying about some 1 WAR guy playing making 7 million a year a few years down the road we are completely cooked, just move to Nashville now.

Soxtalk needs to talk about something other than just nicknames for bad players. 

It may take till the ownership change to actually see supplementing our prospects with impact talent through free agency. JR isnt going to pay for that now. The Sox are a lame duck team waiting for the impact of new structural changes to start paying dividends maybe a year or 2 before the Ishbia's take over. It's a boring waiting game now every off season. Prospect and young players watch has to wait til the season starts.