LUIS ROBERT TRADED

[tray]

IMO, Acuna is a utility infielder/outfielder and elite pinch runner.  He can get to balls hit in the gap with his speed and quickness but....yea, he's no Chet Lemon...maybe half a Lemon.

Looking at highlights from his short career on YouTube, it looks like he swings hard but hits way too many ground balls. Maybe the WSox can help with his launch angle or have him try the rolling pin bat that Colson uses. As it stands, with scouting reports preceding him, infield positioning will take away a lot of ground ball hits from him. His swing angle and approach at the plate look pretty rough....he uses a violent upper cut swing which invariably results in a ground ball or swing and miss.  His upper-cut swing doesn't even look good let alone yield consistent results.

Again, IMHO.... IF Kelenic has a strong Spring Training he could earn the starting CF spot. If not, Acuna might be considered the front runner to start there on Opening Day. In any case, I look forward to seeing these guys battle it out for a roster spot in Glendale.

Glad to see Robert, a self-centered, injury-prone freak replaced with a little gamer. I think most fans will be good with this trade over time. It is too early to grade it now. 

 

 

[Dick Allen]

3 hours ago, hi8is said:

Alrighty… so I think we see this playing out in the minds of our genius core at the front office as such:

1.) Pauley is the bank here for player development. They see things in the data and figure they’re buying a generally unknown with strong metrics modeled out.

2.) They’ve penciled Montgomery into RF, Benitendi in left, and figure to sign a veteran who was still standing when the music stopped for center field.

3.) They’ll likely play the brother in a super utility role nearly every day and hope to maximize his value with defense and on the base paths while trying to right his bat.

Most likely outcome: Robert has his best year as a Met and we end up with a middle bullpen arm who has a couple good years covering the 7th inning.

Best realistic hope: Pauley surprises and is a strong number three in the rotation come 2028.

PS ( poop script ) - Good on ya for the strong meme game.

The White Sox can't think too much of Pauley. He threw 4 innings after they passed him up 12 times.

[Dick Allen]

4 hours ago, Jake said:

If Getz was crazy for picking up the option then he can't also be stupid for getting a couple pieces in return for LouBob without paying LouBob any of that supposedly ridiculous money.

Anyway, Sox can now take this money and work on finding an outfielder!

Betting $20 million to win $2 million usually isn't a great strategy. 

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

9 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

The White Sox can't think too much of Pauley. He threw 4 innings after they passed him up 12 times.

His stuff is pretty electric when you look into it. He won't be anywhere near prospect rankings, but the fastball and sweeper have some ridiculous movement on them. They just need to teach him how to use them. He certainly is at least what you call an 'interesting' flyer. 

[WhiteSox2023]

4 hours ago, Fielder Jones said:

i dont expect Murakami was paid for by this trade. There was a long period of time between Murakami signing and this move. If Robert was to be salary dumped to pay for it, the Robert trade wouldve happened that same day. Luis couldve gotten offseason-injured in December and you'd have gotten nothing. So at the very least it was not a mandate to dump $

It makes me think some will be put back into the roster right now, if not all. a pitcher and a OF.

Outside of signing bonuses, MLB players get paid their salaries bi-weekly during the regular season.  I did not hear that Luis Robert played winter ball this offseason, so outside of a very freak and unlikely offseason injury like you mentioned, the Sox definitely had time to trade him to balance out the payroll with Murakami’s signing.  I don’t think it is any surprise that Robert was just traded right before Spring Training workouts start for the Sox on February 10th.  But they definitely didn’t need to trade Robert on the same day that they signed Murakami to balance the payroll with Murakami’s signing.

Edited 1 hour ago by WhiteSox2023

[WhiteSox2023]

1 hour ago, tray said:

IMO, Acuna is a utility infielder/outfielder and elite pinch runner.  He can get to balls hit in the gap with his speed and quickness but....yea, he's no Chet Lemon...maybe half a Lemon.

Looking at highlights from his short career on YouTube, it looks like he swings hard but hits way too many ground balls. Maybe the WSox can help with his launch angle or have him try the rolling pin bat that Colson uses. As it stands, with scouting reports preceding him, infield positioning will take away a lot of ground ball hits from him. His swing angle and approach at the plate look pretty rough....he uses a violent upper cut swing which invariably results in a ground ball or swing and miss.  His upper-cut swing doesn't even look good let alone yield consistent results.

Again, IMHO.... IF Kelenic has a strong Spring Training he could earn the starting CF spot. If not, Acuna might be considered the front runner to start there on Opening Day. In any case, I look forward to seeing these guys battle it out for a roster spot in Glendale.

Glad to see Robert, a self-centered, injury-prone freak replaced with a little gamer. I think most fans will be good with this trade over time. It is too early to grade it now. 

 

 

Acuna is a lemon alright.  A formerly hyped-up prospect that likely won’t amount to anything other than a utility guy at best.  I think you have commented on players’ sizes before regarding their hitting profiles and Acuna just doesn’t have it.  He’s almost as small as Madrigal in size and stature and has very little pop to his bat.  But he can play multiple positions and has speed.  Honestly, this feels like acquiring a better Leury Garcia from years ago.

Edited 1 hour ago by WhiteSox2023

[WhiteSox2023]

5 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

JR is very happy tonight as the Sox payroll is hitting ridiculous lows. 

That being said Robert needed to go (a few years ago in fact...)

I think it’s at around $72 million now but hopefully someone else knows the precise number.

Edited 1 hour ago by WhiteSox2023

[PaleAleSox]

Seems like no one, including the Sox, have wanted him for the last two years. 

[WhiteSox2023]

25 minutes ago, PaleAleSox said:

Seems like no one, including the Sox, have wanted him for the last two years. 

Well, the nice thing with his contract is that it is an either/or choice.  If Robert has a good season, you have the choice to bring him back with his final $20 million option.  If he stinks in 2026, you can cut him loose with a $2 million buyout.  It’s basically either a 1-year, $22 million dollar contract or a 2-year, $40 million dollar contract.  But yeah, the time to sell high on him was long past.

Edited 45 minutes ago by WhiteSox2023

[MiddleCoastBias]

And with Robert now gone, may I introduce the 2026 White Sox!

[Timmy U]

This trade has me bummed out. There is no way it makes them better in 2026, which means that they feel zero urgency to not lose 100 games for the fourth year in a row. The number of failed prospects they’re hoping to catch lightning with would be very appropriate on a AAA team. It seems like they are comfortable running out absolute crap teams for the foreseeable future as long as they can have one of the three lowest payrolls in the league. 

[The Mighty Mite]

I’m not sure how I feel about this trade, I’m hoping they use Robert’s salary and sign a more than decent free agent, right now our outfield is loaded with AAA guys. Probably a stretch with his defensive problems but It would be nice if Sosa could become our everyday left fielder.

[Timmy U]

1 minute ago, MiddleCoastBias said:

And with Robert now gone, may I introduce the 2026 White Sox!

They could get 6 2b into the line up: Antonacci, LF Acuna, CF, Baldwin, RF, Vargas, 3b, Meidroth, 2b, Sosa, 1b/dh.

[PaleAleSox]

6 hours ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Mets are in Chicago Aug 21-23. Can't  wait for Luis to have like 3 HR 10 RBI and a GG catch just to spite us

Brave of you to think he will be healthy. 

[WhiteSox2023]

6 hours ago, Jake said:

If Getz was crazy for picking up the option then he can't also be stupid for getting a couple pieces in return for LouBob without paying LouBob any of that supposedly ridiculous money.

Anyway, Sox can now take this money and work on finding an outfielder!

Getz is crazy for not trading Robert coming off of his best season in 2023 after Getz was named GM, considering he immediately started another rebuild after his promotion.  Considering this rebuild plan by Getz, it was obvious that Robert was not going to be around for the next good Sox team, so why not sell high on him?

Honestly, what upset me the most was seeing this Jeff Passan tweet on the trade before the actual return was announced.  It’s technically true, but “two young players” was exciting for a fleeting moment.  😢

 

Edited 50 minutes ago by WhiteSox2023

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

But but but, I thought getz wasnt actually trying to trade him unless he was blown away.

This team picked up an option to trade it to save money when they have a historically low payroll lol.

[PaleAleSox]

2 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

But but but, I thought getz wasnt actually trying to trade him unless he was blown away.

This team picked up an option to trade it to save money when they have a historically low payroll lol.

But if they aren’t going to spend the money then isn’t picking it up and trading him for SOMETHING better than just doing absolutely nothing with the saved cash?

[WhiteSox2023]

NBC Sports on the trade from the Mets’ perspective:

”Mets acquired OF Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox for INF Luisangel Acuña and RHP Thomas Pauley.

Robert has been largely ineffective the last two years and has quite the injury history, but he’s 28, he’s a legit center fielder and he has a career 111 OPS+. This is definitely worth a shot for the Mets, who will be responsible for paying $22 million for one year or $40 million for two. They’ll presumably handle him better than a White Sox organization that mostly expected position players to play through injury. Tyrone Taylor had topped the Mets’ depth chart in center, but now he’ll serve as the fourth outfielder he’s meant to be. He’ll presumably be on the short side of a platoon with Brett Baty in left initially, assuming the Carson Benge now starts off in Triple-A. With Acuña, who was out of options, departing, Ronny Mauricio seems poised for a utility role.”

Edited 42 minutes ago by WhiteSox2023

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

5 hours ago, Fielder Jones said:

i dont expect Murakami was paid for by this trade. There was a long period of time between Murakami signing and this move. If Robert was to be salary dumped to pay for it, the Robert trade wouldve happened that same day. Luis couldve gotten offseason-injured in December and you'd have gotten nothing. So at the very least it was not a mandate to dump $

It makes me think some will be put back into the roster right now, if not all. a pitcher and a OF.

How many times do you need to be punched in the face by these cheap, incompetent, dweebs before you stop thinking theyre coming in for high five? 

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

2 minutes ago, PaleAleSox said:

But if they aren’t going to spend the money then isn’t picking it up and trading him for SOMETHING better than just doing absolutely nothing with the saved cash?

Acuna is getting nothing for him. So no, it doesnt make sense to spend all the time, energy and resources to trade a better player for a worse one in my opinion..

[WhiteSox2023]

6 minutes ago, PaleAleSox said:

But if they aren’t going to spend the money then isn’t picking it up and trading him for SOMETHING better than just doing absolutely nothing with the saved cash?

Some posters were saying that Getz didn’t actually have to trade Robert for such a low return and could wait until ST or even the trade deadline to see if he could have a good first half and recoup some trade value.  I didn’t think this was ever going to happen with Robert’s injury risk, and here we are.  Getz pretty much insinuated the same but meanwhile, he didn’t even hold onto Robert until ST workouts begin.

Edited 37 minutes ago by WhiteSox2023

[WhiteSox2023]

8 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

How many times do you need to be punched in the face by these cheap, incompetent, dweebs before you stop thinking theyre coming in for high five? 

Well, there could be an addition, if you like burnt toast outfielders like Michael Conforto.  I don’t care if Boras is his agent.  That dude has to hope that some team will offer him a cheap one-year deal to stave off retirement for another year.  Unfortunately, I could see the White Sox being the team to help him.

Edited 34 minutes ago by WhiteSox2023

[PaleAleSox]

1 minute ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Some posters were saying that Getz didn’t actually have to trade Robert for such a low return and could wait until ST or even the trade deadline to see if he could have a good first half and recoup some trade value.  I didn’t think this was ever going to happen with Robert’s injury risk, and here we are.  Getz pretty much insinuated the same but meanwhile, he didn’t even hold Robert until ST workouts begin.

Yeah people have been saying it for two years and Robert just kept getting hurt and not being good. 
 

Looking at non Sox fan reactions, everyone seems to think the Sox did okay enough/maybe just a little light for a guy who is injured way too much and only ever got to where he was supposed to be once a few years ago.

It really doesn’t matter. You either let him walk for free or do this move, and I’m okay with this move because it gives more bites at the apple on finally hitting on someone. 
 

 

 

[Dick Allen]

I guess Getz was lying when he stated on multiple occasions just how much the White Sox wanted Robert to be their CF.  I guess the opportunity to acquire Acuna with little power, low OBP and the ability to play 2B was too good to pass up. 

[WhiteSox2023]

2 minutes ago, PaleAleSox said:

Yeah people have been saying it for two years and Robert just kept getting hurt and not being good. 
 

Looking at non Sox fan reactions, everyone seems to think the Sox did okay enough/maybe just a little light for a guy who is injured way too much and only ever got to where he was supposed to be once a few years ago.

It really doesn’t matter. You either let him walk for free or do this move, and I’m okay with this move because it gives more bites at the apple on finally hitting on someone. 
 

 

 

I mostly see non-Sox fans saying that the Sox held onto Robert for too long before finally trading him at his lowest value, which is exactly what Getz did.