Sarava

I think you're way over-thinking this. Jerry Reinsdorf has always been terrified of paying pitchers while they sit on the DL. Carlos Rodon was amazing for the Sox for the first several months of the season - but then didn't give the Sox much in the last 2 months or in the playoffs. I would of been surprised if they offered him the QO, and if they had, Rodon would of certainly taken it (despite Boras saying otherwise). That's giving up 18.4 mil, for a guy that you don't even know will pitch next year. Or if he does, will he break down halfway through again? The Sox need more certainty with that 18.4 mil IMO. I think the Sox will acquire a TOR starter one way or another and this will all make sense then. Their idea probably is to use that money towards someone who is more likely to be healthy and ready to help in an October push for a World Series.

Schwarber's bat would fit in to this lineup probably better than anyone else I can think if. But the Sox don't need a DH, and isn't his range in the OF terrible? I know he has a cannon of an arm, but they really need to get some better defense. Otherwise I'd want Castellanos, who also is poor in the OF.

Ray scares me with the sky-high walk rates before this past season. Probably a bluff as others have said though.

Even if one isn't a fan of Eloy, and I am - selling low on him right now would be horrible asset management.

I get that the Sox are limited in what they can give up. I'm not against moving Vaughn for the right piece. I would say the same about Crochet. But a one year rental is not it. If there's no match for Chris Bassitt, then there's no match. As for Eloy, the only guy more untouchable than him is Luis Robert. Maybe Timmy as well.

Oh....yeah we're not trading Vaughn or Eloy for a rental. Come on man. Are you trying to end the rebuild by next year?

Olson is a stud, but where would he play on the Sox? And I would love Chris Bassitt back on the Sox. Would something like Burger/Sheets (pick one) and Kelley work? You don't think much of Eloy do you? Now you're bringing him up in trades for rentals. Earlier today you wanted to trade him to the Twins.

I love the 'go big or go home' approach. But for the love of God, please don't ever suggest sending Eloy to the Twins. I think some people are forgetting how it was mentioned when he first got injured how he might not have his power back until 2022. Don't sell low on Eloy. He could easily be a top 3 or 4 hitter in baseball next year.

I agree with you guys on not really wanting Segura. I'm not saying he's overpaid, but his salary would probably restrict the Sox ability to fill out the pen, RF and hopefully acquire/sign a TOR starter.

In the Sox 3 losses to Houston, they scored a combined 6 runs. 2 of the 4 games they only scored 1 run, which basically gave them no chance to win. That went along with what we often saw from this offense, particularly after the all-star break - they were an all or nothing offense. All or nothing offenses tend to get shutdown easily in the playoffs, as the Sox were. To me it's crazy to think this team doesn't need offense. As I said in another post, see the Dodgers as an example. They traded for Mookie Betts while they already had the deadliest roster in baseball. Then won a World Series. Then traded for Scherzer and Turner the next year, but came up a bit short. This all said, they must get a TOR starter. If they were to sign Semien and Conforto, to me that leaves no place for Vaughn. So you sign those 2 guys and try to move Vaughn for a very live arm for the rotation. Probably a young up and comer that doesn't cost a ton of dollars, since the dollars would be heavily spent on the 2 free agent bats.

That would be insane. Sign these two guys and find a way to trade for a TOR starter, and the Sox become one of the World Series favs easily.

B, though I'd prefer if they can avoid trading Jose Rodriguez.

I hate to kind of, sort of agree with Jack here. But really - the Sox hard offer of $250 mil + a bunch of incentive money that was unlikely to ever be achieved, just wasn't an offer that was going to get Manny signed. At the end of the day, I felt like the Sox pursuit of him was a bunch of hot air. And all the while, Rick Hahn kept spewing crap about the Sox having a seat at the table, as if us fans were supposed to feel good about that. It was weird.

Actually I stand corrected. It had changed to a 2nd rounder already. But I'll add in...both of those guys were viewed on the downtrend at that point.

Pretty sure QO compensation was a first rounder when Keuchel and Kimbrel were left unsigned until midseason.

Is a QO really that big of a deterrent now? It's no longer a first round pick, I just don't see teams passing on a good signing over a 2nd round pick.

There's a lot of ways to skin a cat. The Sox could sign an aging TOR guy and hope he has some left in the tank still. That mitigates the risk via a shorter annual contract. If the Sox do attempt to acquire a TOR starter, this is the White Sox most likely method based on past experiences. They could also make a trade, and really the only extremely valuable and somewhat expendable asset in the organization is Andrew Vaughn. This could be for an established veteran or for a rising young up and comer (like the Burnes rumors from a year ago). Now as for the Verlander rumors. I was flying back from Vegas yesterday, so by the time I read the rumor, he had already signed with Houston. This could be a few things. It could be the Verlander camp throwing that out there to push Houston over the edge for a contract demand. It could be the Sox putting out phony interest, so they can say sorry we tried, like they did with Machado. Or it could be legit, and he decided to stay, and maybe they move on to the next target.,That's my guess here...I'm I don't want to view this in a cynical way.

Agree. And the offense wasn't always great. They get shutdown way too often for comfort - which leads to the lefthanded power bat need you mention. And while the Tigers look to be ready to push the Sox - I'm going to approach this like the Sox likely will make the playoffs. And they need a horse to throw out there every 4 days that will shut the other team down. And I'm not thinking in May or June, I'm thinking in October. I don't think we have that guy. I'm comfortable with Giolito as a #2 in the playoffs. And Lynn may even be fine if the Sox aren't playing Houston. But we need that guy badly. The important thing is you don't stop because you think you're already loaded. See the Dodgers acquiring Mookie Betts despite already having the best roster in baseball. Then Scherzer a year later. Keep pushing. If ever there was a time for Jerry to bust his comfort budget from across his 40ish years as White Sox owner, it's right now.

Regardless on signing Verlander, I do hope this is a sign that the Sox recognize they must get a TOR starter. A TOR starter is a bigger need then a 2B or RF.

I'm in the camp that doesn't want Conforto. If this even sniffs around a 100 mil contract. To me that's lunacy to spend that kind of money on someone you're hoping bounces back.

I agree with him on the draft issue. And it's not just baseball, as we see it in other sports. A couple years ago there was that slogan 'Lose for Hughes' in the NHL, which was about teams jockeying for position to potentially draft Jack Hughes with the #1 overall pick. The solution is so simple, randomize draft order among all teams that missed the playoffs. The best team to miss the playoffs would have the same odds as the worst team in the league. And not just for the top 2 or 3 picks, do it for all of them. The worst team could pick first, or they could pick 14th.

Ooh, selling low on Eloy would piss me off. Let's see what the guy can do healthy.

Or if at some point next year he misses significant time, as he does pretty much every season. The dude was awesome for us this season. But if Rich Hahn doesn't feel comfortable resting his entire 2022 hopes on Rodon's health, and wants to earmark those dollars on something he deems a little more certain, then how can we blame him? Because if Hahn did offer the QO - Rodon certainly would of taken it. And if he broke down as he usually does, we would of all been calling Hahn stupid for throwing all his eggs in the basket of a chronically injured pitcher.

Oh and I'll predict here that Carlos Rodon signs with the Cardinals.

Jerry Reinsdorf has always been afraid of guaranteeing big money to pitchers because they break down so easily. I really don't know why some people are surprised here. This was a no brainer that they would not offer him a QO. And while I've often gotten on JR for being cheap, and I may do so again this winter - I wouldn't assume that not offering Rodon a QO means they wont spend elsewhere. He just doesn't want to hand 18 mil to a pitcher who never puts a full season together and ended this season with arm problems of some sort.