The Sox pitching and catching is in a really bad spot. They need some serious starting pitching help. If they want to really compete, they'll have to trade some big prospects IMO.

I'm at the point where I'm not sure if I want them buying. They really need to make a big splash in free agency. Maybe we get lucky and there is a salary floor, so they have to spend big bucks on somebody like Skubal.

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by ron883

They should not be buying. Buying in the last week is always an overpay, and the Sox have too many holes for ine player to make enough of an impact.

Just flush it.

There is no way Reinsdorf gives his blessing to be buyers. This is still a rebuild.

Even if they were able to take on money, I think they should neither buy nor sell, but stand pat. That being said, I have no idea how many years of control they have on Martin/Burke, so if it's 2.5 or less then maybe they should sell them.

Being around 1st place is a pleasant surprise, but nobody expects the Sox to win the pennant and they don't have the horses to do so, even as buyers.

They should and I almost guarantee they will. To what extent, we shall see. To suggest selling when you’re in first place is insane though. Are we White Flag fans or White Sox fans?

They are ahead of any reasonable rebuild schedule. Enjoy being ahead. Digging a hole to fill a deeper hole just leaves two holes.

5 minutes ago, Texsox said:

They are ahead of any reasonable rebuild schedule. Enjoy being ahead. Digging a hole to fill a deeper hole just leaves two holes.

So, drop the shovel?

34 minutes ago, Baseball Gal said:

Even if they were able to take on money, I think they should neither buy nor sell, but stand pat. That being said, I have no idea how many years of control they have on Martin/Burke, so if it's 2.5 or less then maybe they should sell them.

Being around 1st place is a pleasant surprise, but nobody expects the Sox to win the pennant and they don't have the horses to do so, even as buyers.

Both through 2030...this is insanity.

45 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Both through 2030...this is insanity.

I did not know they had that much time left.

I could have sworn that Martin only had 2-3 years left and I had no idea about Burke.

1 hour ago, Texsox said:

They are ahead of any reasonable rebuild schedule. Enjoy being ahead. Digging a hole to fill a deeper hole just leaves two holes.

It's really a hard decision that Getz has to make. What happens the rest of the week against the Yankees and Rays will probably decide the situation.

If they play well that would show they can stay with arguably the two best teams in the league, if they get beat up, lose say six of seven, that would probably tell Getz a lot as well.

In that case I'd agree with you, no sense trading some of your better prospects in the vain hope of making a deep run in the post season, assuming you claimed a spot in the first place.

Getz is going to earn his money with this call.

They should buy when it makes sense. May that be controllable assets or rentals that are reasonable and don’t require prospect capital.

Just because they started this home stand with two losses, that absolutely changes nothing when it comes to the deadline approach.

Your poll is too black and white - this situation is much more nuanced.

5 minutes ago, hi8is said:

They should buy when it makes sense. May that be controllable assets or rentals that are reasonable and don’t require prospect capital.

Just because they started this home stand with two losses, that absolutely changes nothing when it comes to the deadline approach.

Your poll is too black and white - this situation is much more nuanced.

Massive unknown…how much additional salary JR is willing to add with that 20% attendance/revenues generated increased.

Right now they’re 28th or 29th in payroll, I think.

Only CLE and maybe Miami behind them.

6 minutes ago, hi8is said:

They should buy when it makes sense. May that be controllable assets or rentals that are reasonable and don’t require prospect capital.

Just because they started this home stand with two losses, that absolutely changes nothing when it comes to the deadline approach.

Your poll is too black and white - this situation is much more nuanced.

I agree. I don't want them to buy to the extent that they're giving up high-ceiling prospects like Bonemer and Carlson.

Many of the Sox players who had a great first half seem to be coming back down to earth. I don't think we're one good catcher and one starting pitcher away from being pennant winners. As much as our catchers suck, they haven't been the only problems with our offense the last few weeks. Please don't pull a Kenny Williams and trade away future All-Stars with go-for-broke trades that don't put us over the top. That doesn't mean I'm all for "prospect hugging" and never trading anyone in our top 30 for serviceable veteran players - like you said, the situation is very nuanced.

It's great that we've gone from 100+ losses to first place and debating how aggressively we should be buyers. That's terrific progress in just one season, but there's still a lot of work to do.

Also, if the Sox do get a pitcher and catcher and go on to win the pennant this year, people are welcome to pin this post and ask me to eat crow in October.

11 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

I agree. I don't want them to buy to the extent that they're giving up high-ceiling prospects like Bonemer and Carlson.

Many of the Sox players who had a great first half seem to be coming back down to earth. I don't think we're one good catcher and one starting pitcher away from being pennant winners. As much as our catchers suck, they haven't been the only problems with our offense the last few weeks. Please don't pull a Kenny Williams and trade away future All-Stars with go-for-broke trades that don't put us over the top. That doesn't mean I'm all for "prospect hugging" and never trading anyone in our top 30 for serviceable veteran players - like you said, the situation is very nuanced.

It's great that we've gone from 100+ losses to first place and debating how aggressively we should be buyers. That's terrific progress in just one season, but there's still a lot of work to do.

Also, if the Sox do get a pitcher and catcher and go on to win the pennant this year, people are welcome to pin this post and ask me to eat crow in October.

Tatis and Erik Johnson were included because JR wanted to pay even less of Shields' deal than Moores was willing to chip in as a subsidy.

The early May 2016 "false record" that had Hahn thinking they were contenders.

Liriano/Escobar was one of KW's worst.

Or Todd Ritchie for Wells/Fogg/Lowe.

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by caulfield12

KW and Hahn negligently included Tatis Jr in the trade to get Shields...not JR. It was a fireable offense.

7 minutes ago, tray said:

KW and Hahn negligently included Tatis Jr in the trade to get Shields...not JR. It was a fireable offense.

Since when does JR include players in trades? He listens to the proposed trade agreements from his GM and either rejects them (mostly due to money) or approves them. In any case, JR approved the trade so he obviously had no problem taking on $27 million of Shields remaining contract and giving up Tatis Jr.

I doubt JR had ANY idea about the potential value that Tatis Jr had and certainly neither KW nor Hahn did. I was pleading to not take on Shields without even knowing about Tatis Jr.

Here come the Panicans. Tra la la, tra la la.

21 minutes ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Here come the Panicans. Tra la la, tra la la.

So you want to trade for Miller and Detmers?

For who exactly?

Surely you won't have to trade Bonemer nor Carlson.

Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by caulfield12

2 hours ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Many of the Sox players who had a great first half seem to be coming back down to earth.

I think it’s WAAAAAY to premature to say this. They’ve only played what… 6 games so far since the break and are .500 in them?

I just checked. 8 games played. 4 wins and 4 losses. +6 run differential.

Waaaaaaay too soon to call that “coming back down to earth.”

They could have won two more of those games. If they had we’d be looking at a 6-2 record since the break and we‘d be up 3.5 games.

Everyone’s tune would be totally different.

Take a Xanax and give it some time. This is going to be a dog fight in August and I’m here for it.

7 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

It's really a hard decision that Getz has to make. What happens the rest of the week against the Yankees and Rays will probably decide the situation.

If they play well that would show they can stay with arguably the two best teams in the league, if they get beat up, lose say six of seven, that would probably tell Getz a lot as well.

In that case I'd agree with you, no sense trading some of your better prospects in the vain hope of making a deep run in the post season, assuming you claimed a spot in the first place.

Getz is going to earn his money with this call.

This

According to Bob, the Sox are telling teams they won't trade any of their top 10 prospects, but will assume money. It seems to be a reasonable stavce.