WestEddy

Suffice it to say, only teams that see themselves in the 2024 playoff picture are going to be kicking the tires on Cease. And those teams probably have faith in their coaching and training staffs to keep Cease on the field, and to wring out his best production. The White Sox aren't going to take a lesser package because of Cease's 2023 numbers, because another team will step in and offer what they want. There's no absolute value on players. It's based on the market at the time.

I'm not arguing that Cease is a #3. My point is that Cease would be no worse than 3rd best pitcher in a very good rotation. Yes, you can use any of your examples as a staff he might be 3rd best on. On the White Sox, he's staff ace, right now.

Yes, I agree with this. Starter of game 1 is a meaningless label. Buehrle had the better numbers on the 2005 team, but Contreras was the hot hand, and thus, started all 3 game 1s. Cease, with 2 cheap years of control remaining, his near-Cy Young pedigree, his reliability and talent ceiling, presents as the best starting pitcher situation available right now. And he's going to command a huge return.

I don't disagree. My point is that, to the greater argument that seems to be happening, Cease is no worse than 3rd best on a very good staff. Every team doesn't have a "very good" rotation. He'd easily be the ace of a third of MLB teams, without even looking.

I'm not sure what's being argued. Sure, Cease doesn't inspire confidence like Pedro, Big Unit, Clemens, Maddux in their prime. He's no worse than a 2-3 on a good staff, and he's probably the best 'package' available, right now. I think you're arguing that.

I like the idea of throwing in a guy nobody in the organization seems to like. I don't think any deal for Cease can be made any sweeter. However, somebody might have taken a shining to Gonzalez on draft day, and he might help Eloy bring back an actual package. Eloy/Gonzalez/Colas could shake loose another AAA catching prospect, an interesting pitcher, or a reliable bat.

Again, just jonesing for names, Elijah Evans throws together 5 random trade ideas, one involving Eloy: https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/five-mocks-trades-that-would-make-both-teams-better/ Brewers Acquire: DH Eloy Jiménez White Sox Acquire: LHP Aaron Ashby and INF Juan Baez

Nobody cares about any of that. Dylan Cease was a veteran with playoff experience.

Baltimore and Miami. Next question.

I agree with you. Cease doesn't present as being injured, or growing old. Every single team has faith in their ability to develop or fix a player with the upside of Cease. And when we see true projects on the free agent market getting multi-year deals for more than what Cease projects to make, whoever deals for Cease will pay for his upside. All you need is one yes, not 12.

I forgot Rodon. 6. I appreciate your argument. Yes, they did try stocking up on arms, and Fulmer was drafted as a "close to ready" college arm. After Fulmer, Crochet and Vera were the first pitching prospects they brought into the system who came with any fanfare. Everybody else were just arms or projects. Arms they didn't have the apparatus to develop. Davis Martin is promising, both as a prospect, and as a newfound ability to develop lottery tickets from the 15th round.

They went into the last rebuild with exactly 5 rotation arms. They traded one, put one in the bullpen, and Kopech went squirrelly. I feel like they have to plan on 10-12 strong, top-level pitching prospects to have a reasonable, home-grown rotation for the next assault.

I'd see a Kopech for India as a change of scenery trade. Cease shouldn't be used to move Moncada's money, or to take back a flame-out. The whole point of trading Cease is to capitalize on his value and rebuild.

Bowden's an idiot.

No, even if you hate your own team, you still say it. Gives you cover when you leave.

Also, AAA bullpen fodder... https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/white-sox-sign-justin-anderson-to-minor-league-deal.html

I keep thinking Salvy is cooked. He hit 48 HRs 2 years ago, and easily has 20 HR power. At $20 million per for the next 2 years, he could be virtually "free" in trade. Eloy's a better hitter and cheaper, but yeah, if dropping Perez in the lineup gets everybody on the same page, it's not quite the albatross everybody's making it out to be.

I'm guessing they're trying to line up another transaction that takes somebody off the 40-man, then they'll announce everything at once.

The fact that nobody's talking about any White Sox makes me comfortable with our 40-man decisions.

Fangraphs has Suarez as 3rd best defensive qualifying 3B this last season. Seby seems to be a commodity, defensively apt catcher. Go figure. Suarez at 3B and Moncada at 2B might offer more offense than whatever it is they're conjuring up for 2024. Yeah, there's about 6 guys who could be dropped from the 40 man and still be with the Sox in a week. I think the crunch was on the 26-man roster in September, and not the 40-man. DFA-ing Grandal would have been a bold first move for Getz.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/11/dbacks-trade-seby-zavala-mariners-catcher.html So, basically, we could have held onto Seby, and traded him and Jonathan Stiever to the Mariners for Eugenio Suarez? Suarez is only being paid about $11 million.

Lenyn Sosa was the opposite of being rushed.

A major problem with their recent drafts is they were drafting too low in each round.

Sosa, Remillard and Romy will see how to act with dignity after being DFAed.

Looking at the 2016 game by game defensive lineups, Saladino actually edged Jimmy Rollins out of the starting role. Once that was happening, Tim Anderson replaced Rollins.