1 hour ago, PaleAleSox said:

River Ryan is 28 though.

With very little mileage on his arm.

Put it this way: If Ryan were slotted into the Sox rotation right now (assuming his hamstring was fine), I feel confident he’d easily be their second best starter instantly.

1 hour ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

So Smith is a top 25 prospect in the MLB?

Certainly not ranked that high or even close to it, partly because he was nowhere at start of season. Since then, he has been one of the best hitters in Minors. Who has been better? Not many. If he finishes strong with Mariners, he'll be ranked.

1 hour ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

24 is the average player age in AA.

1 hour ago, PaleAleSox said:

Feel like that's heavily weighted by dudes who are never going to come close to making it.

1 hour ago, Bob Sacamano said:

That’s not really a rule

What PaleAleSox said, it's heavily weighted by guys who are never going to make it and guys who got sent down, etc.

Is there a rule that says such? No. But I could also say there's no rule that says anyone over 30 can't still be considered a prospect. Being logical, you would tell me you're not a prospect. Tell me what other players on the flip side of 25 are considered top prospects in baseball. I genuinely don't know.

54 minutes ago, Snopek said:

Put it this way: If Ryan were slotted into the Sox rotation right now (assuming his hamstring was fine), I feel confident he’d easily be their second best starter instantly.

Maybe, but that's not saying much. Shane Smith was our best starter last year. What does that prove? That he's a future Cy Young winner or at least a stud? If so, why wouldn't the Dodgers ship off Glasnow or their other pitchers before River?

To me, that just proves how bad someone's rotation is, not necessarily how great this player is.

1 minute ago, nitetrain8601 said:

What PaleAleSox said, it's heavily weighted by guys who are never going to make it and guys who got sent down, etc.

Is there a rule that says such? No. But I could also say there's no rule that says anyone over 30 can't still be considered a prospect. Being logical, you would tell me you're not a prospect. Tell me what other players on the flip side of 25 are considered top prospects in baseball. I genuinely don't know.

Pretty sure Michael Busch stayed on that list until he was 26. Just blocked at the positions he could play

11 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Not the Dodgers fault they are trying to win, playing by the rules in place.

You want to blame someone? Blame cheap owners like JR, Miami, Pirates, A's et al.

https://www.mlb.com/news/tarik-skubal-dodgers-tigers-trade

you keep pointing to the same 5 worst owners in MLB as some sort of proof that there isn't a competitive balance problem. Any league is always going to have a handful of terrible owners regardless of the CBA. That's how it's always been and will always be and that's not the issue here. You never mention teams like Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay but always the A's, Marlins, and Pirates. So, what's your solution - force 15 to 20 of the MLB owners to sell their teams so that they can bring in someone who will spend like the Dodgers even if they don't have the revenue streams of the Dodgers?

I expect your response is that the players will never accept a cap. While that may be true, once again, that doesn't mean the system isn't broken. Both things can be true.

EDIT: I'll even add that I'm not even pro hard cap or pro owners. I just want the system fixed and just repeating that the problem is that 20 owners are too cheap isn't going to fix MLB's problems.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by 77 Hitmen

3 minutes ago, nitetrain8601 said:

Maybe, but that's not saying much. Shane Smith was our best starter last year. What does that prove? That he's a future Cy Young winner or at least a stud? If so, why wouldn't the Dodgers ship off Glasnow or their other pitchers before River?

To me, that just proves how bad someone's rotation is, not necessarily how great this player is.

They’re not mutually exclusive. The Sox rotation is bad AND he’s an excellent pitching prospect.

Try not laughing at this. Simply horrifying…

1 minute ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Try not laughing at this. Simply horrifying…

That's a sleep demon.

Just now, PaleAleSox said:

That's a sleep demon.

Even funnier is the replies asking why he’s wearing a swimming cap. 🤣

4 minutes ago, Snopek said:

They’re not mutually exclusive. The Sox rotation is bad AND he’s an excellent pitching prospect.

4 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Try not laughing at this. Simply horrifying…

Name pitching prospects who have been excellent at the age of 28? If he was excellent, why were the Dodgers rolling Eric Lauer out there? Why did Henriquez pitch Friday? Why were the Dodgers looking for an ace considering their rotation?

Maybe he's not


Kaplan is already backtracking on what he said about Jed earlier in the week. He said he would go nuclear if Jed didn't get Skubal or Miller or any other top shelf guy.

2 minutes ago, nitetrain8601 said:

Name pitching prospects who have been excellent at the age of 28? If he was excellent, why were the Dodgers rolling Eric Lauer out there? Why did Henriquez pitch Friday? Why were the Dodgers looking for an ace considering their rotation?

Maybe he's not


Kaplan is already backtracking on what he said about Jed earlier in the week. He said he would go nuclear if Jed didn't get Skubal or Miller or any other top shelf guy.

Because the Dodgers don’t settle for question marks. They get the best available. Doesn’t mean Ryan won’t be good though.

2 minutes ago, nitetrain8601 said:

Name pitching prospects who have been excellent at the age of 28? If he was excellent, why were the Dodgers rolling Eric Lauer out there? Why did Henriquez pitch Friday? Why were the Dodgers looking for an ace considering their rotation?

Maybe he's not

Because Ryan is on the IL with a hamstring issue.

Because the Dodgers have the luxury of not rushing a prospect into their rotation.

Because the Dodgers have the luxury of comfortably acquiring the best pitcher in baseball.

11 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

you keep pointing to the same 5 worst owners in MLB as some sort of proof that there isn't a competitive balance problem. Any league is always going to have a handful of terrible owners regardless of the CBA. That's how it's always been and will always be and that's not the issue here. You never mention teams like Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay but always the A's, Marlins, and Pirates. So, what's your solution - force 15 to 20 of the MLB owners to sell their teams so that they can bring in someone who will spend like the Dodgers even if they don't have the revenue streams of the Dodgers?

I expect your response is that the players will never accept a cap. While that may be true, once again, that doesn't mean the system isn't broken. Both things can be true.

EDIT: I'll even add that I'm not even pro hard cap or pro owners. I just want the system fixed and just repeating that the problem is that 20 owners are too cheap isn't going to fix MLB's problems.

....i'll also point out that this is the Tigers trading away their ace. Is the problem that Ilitch is too cheap? Is the solution that he sell the Tigers to someone who is willing to spend like the Dodgers? I don't know about that - he's been willing to spend on his team in the past. We can't blame Nutting, Fischer, and Reinsdorf on this trade.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by 77 Hitmen

11 hours ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

Can't wait to see how much money is deferred in the extension he signs next week to get ahead of the CBA

$413M luxury taxable payroll this season. They have over $1B in deferred money.

It’s an unhealthy league when one team can spend 400% more on its roster than another.

I know this Skubal deal isn’t about the loot, but they don’t have that farm system to make these types of midseason deals without big FA signings. Ya know, like throwing $60M/yr at Kyle Tucker last offseason.

8 minutes ago, Snopek said:

Because Ryan is on the IL with a hamstring issue.

Because the Dodgers have the luxury of not rushing a prospect into their rotation.

Because the Dodgers have the luxury of comfortably acquiring the best pitcher in baseball.

Ryan's had a hamstring problem for how many years? Emmett Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski were in the same draft. Surely the Tigers could've asked for them. Why didn't they?

In what sport do we say "hey, this 28 year old guy might be able to have a future with this team?"

River Ryan is a dime a dozen pitching prospect. What's bad for baseball is the Dodgers getting the bonafide, best starter in baseball for very little chance of org altering players. The OF was the third best OF on his minor league club. The pitcher was the worst of the three starters in that draft and is old.

48 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Try not laughing at this. Simply horrifying…

lol…I both love and hate Kaplan.

21 minutes ago, nitetrain8601 said:

Ryan's had a hamstring problem for how many years? Emmett Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski were in the same draft. Surely the Tigers could've asked for them. Why didn't they?

In what sport do we say "hey, this 28 year old guy might be able to have a future with this team?"

River Ryan is a dime a dozen pitching prospect. What's bad for baseball is the Dodgers getting the bonafide, best starter in baseball for very little chance of org altering players. The OF was the third best OF on his minor league club. The pitcher was the worst of the three starters in that draft and is old.

We’re so far from being on the same page that I’m not going to spend any more time on this.

You’ll see enough of Ryan in the division to let that determine how you feel about him.

1 hour ago, 77 Hitmen said:

....i'll also point out that this is the Tigers trading away their ace. Is the problem that Ilitch is too cheap? Is the solution that he sell the Tigers to someone who is willing to spend like the Dodgers? I don't know about that - he's been willing to spend on his team in the past. We can't blame Nutting, Fischer, and Reinsdorf on this trade.

Let's put it this way since the MLBPA will NEVER agree to a salary cap, nor should they, the only other solution is to shitcan the cheap ass owners (and there are more than the teams I listed) and get those teams to start trying to win.

And personally I care about the White Sox, first and foremost. I could care less about the "state of the game," or "competitive balance" I'd LOVE for the Sox to turn into the Dodgers and start kicking ass at the expense of every other team in baseball.

And guess what, if the Blue Jays had gained an extra foot on that play at the plate they would have won the World Series last year, it was that close. And of course teams like Tampa Bay, Milwaukee and Cleveland blow apart the idea that smaller markets can't compete at all.

By the way Ilitch isn't even close to the spending that his dad was doing when he had the club.

4 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Let's put it this way since the MLBPA will NEVER agree to a salary cap, nor should they, the only other solution is to shitcan the cheap ass owners (and there are more than the teams I listed) and get those teams to start trying to win.

And replace them with what? People don't become billionaires by leaning into their altruism, or succumbing to the urge to pour their last penny into a slot machine. They suck every single dollar out of everything around them. If you put $4 on the table and told any generic billionaire they could have that $4, but that child over there will die, that money will be in their pocket in the blink of an eye. I'm not sure how we've made up this fairy tale of "savior owners" who have screwed over everybody they've ever met just to give you a baseball team that makes you feel better about yourself.

It wouldn't surprise me to find out that all 30 MLB owners have focus grouped player line dancing between innings to wring more money out of this thing sticking out of their portfolio.

7 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

And replace them with what? People don't become billionaires by leaning into their altruism, or succumbing to the urge to pour their last penny into a slot machine. They suck every single dollar out of everything around them. If you put $4 on the table and told any generic billionaire they could have that $4, but that child over there will die, that money will be in their pocket in the blink of an eye. I'm not sure how we've made up this fairy tale of "savior owners" who have screwed over everybody they've ever met just to give you a baseball team that makes you feel better about yourself.

It wouldn't surprise me to find out that all 30 MLB owners have focus grouped player line dancing between innings to wring more money out of this thing sticking out of their portfolio.

I'd be a good billionaire and say how about I keep two dollars and the kid just gets really sick.

19 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

Let's put it this way since the MLBPA will NEVER agree to a salary cap, nor should they, the only other solution is to shitcan the cheap ass owners (and there are more than the teams I listed) and get those teams to start trying to win.

And personally I care about the White Sox, first and foremost. I could care less about the "state of the game," or "competitive balance" I'd LOVE for the Sox to turn into the Dodgers and start kicking ass at the expense of every other team in baseball.

And guess what, if the Blue Jays had gained an extra foot on that play at the plate they would have won the World Series last year, it was that close. And of course teams like Tampa Bay, Milwaukee and Cleveland blow apart the idea that smaller markets can't compete at all.

By the way Ilitch isn't even close to the spending that his dad was doing when he had the club.

You seem like a smart guy Lip but your financial acumen is certainly lacking. You can theoretically kick out all the shitty owners and their replacements still can’t spend what the big market clubs do. Not sure how this doesn’t process with you, but the game will be forever broken until a floor & cap is implemented. It’s really that simple.

7 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

And replace them with what? People don't become billionaires by leaning into their altruism, or succumbing to the urge to pour their last penny into a slot machine. They suck every single dollar out of everything around them. If you put $4 on the table and told any generic billionaire they could have that $4, but that child over there will die, that money will be in their pocket in the blink of an eye. I'm not sure how we've made up this fairy tale of "savior owners" who have screwed over everybody they've ever met just to give you a baseball team that makes you feel better about yourself.

It wouldn't surprise me to find out that all 30 MLB owners have focus grouped player line dancing between innings to wring more money out of this thing sticking out of their portfolio.

Lip thinks that the small market owners should endure massive losses to ensure parity with the big market owners who leverage their structural revenue edges to finance massively unfair payrolls.

If the owners have a problem with how much money some are making, they should simply work it out amongst themselves if the money needs to be moved around.