SoxBlanco

Or SoxTalk is just better at Googling "MLBTR Free Agent Predictions" than the front office. Either way, they better adjust and land Conforto.

Also, they could have misread the market for Conforto. Probably thought they could get him to sign already for much less than it will actually take.

In all honesty, I don't think there are as many fans as you think who were claiming "this will be the year" that we sign the big free agents. The issue is that once the talk started regarding our payroll possibly increasing to about $200M, people started to get their hopes up. But in reality, it doesn't take much to raise that payroll to $200M. Were people getting their hopes up that we would finally raise the payroll? Absolutely. But does that necessarily mean their hopes were high for one of the big names? I don't think so. If you polled everybody here, I'd say at least 90% did NOT think we would sign Semien. Same with Scherzer. Conforto? Absolutely, I think at least half of us (myself included) believe we will sign Conforto.

My day is going to be even better because not only am I excited for what you described, but I am also excited to read your responses to those fans.

Did the person you thought we would sign go elsewhere yesterday?

Ray Ray, would you be happy if we signed Conforto and one of Scherzer/Ray/Gausman?

Don’t kid yourself. You’ll be checking for updates in the bathroom.

Thanks. Yeah, that’s kind of what I figured. Hell, if JR is willing to go up to $200M, maybe he’s willing to go to $215M. But I guess the problem with that is the payroll would only increase over the next few years.

What kind of payroll are we looking at if we sign Scherzer and Conforto? Assume we swap Kimbrel for Segura in that scenario, so we’re not freeing up any money with a Kimbrel trade.

I apologize to everyone for my performance at games this year. Only made it out to two games…one was today and the other was the brutal Lynn game against the Cubs. I tried my hardest and it wasn’t enough.

We didn’t go ALL IN this year.

Yes, I did read your first paragraph. Funny how no Cubs fans complain about the Chapman trade. If we had won the WS this year and Kimbrel was lights out, nobody would be questioning the trade. I don’t disagree with everything you are saying. I just hate the hindsight criticism. And people can say they hated the trade whether we won or lost, but I promise you nobody would be complaining if we won the WS.

Yes, of course. Rick made moves trying to win a World Series. Craig and Cesar decided to suck once they got here.

We had two Cy Young candidates in August, plus a guy named Giolito. If Grandal’s defense is the problem, then nobody should be upset with Cesar as our second baseman.

And if we went that route, there would have been so much bitching about the lack of making a deal.

Jesus. You are the worst.

Yep. And by saving McCullers for game 5, you give yourself a chance at the absolute best case scenario, which is winning game 4 without him and having him available to start game 1 of the ALCS. I would be saving McCullers for game 5 without a doubt if I were Dusty.

Found out late last night that I will be in attendance today. Gonna try my hardest to bring home a W.

Couldn’t think of a better guy to start this must-win game thread. Also pumped because that means you’ll be starting the game thread for game 1 of the ALCS. @Chicago White Sox, really sorry about your dog. Let’s get this W.

I wanted Sheets at first too, but it wouldn’t make sense. I’d rather save him for a pinch hit for Engel (or Leury) later.

Me too. But you can definitely get through 5 innings with Tepera, Bummer, Kimbrel, and Liam.

It was a joke.

Let’s GO! Lots of pressure on Houston. They need to win one of the next three if they want to force a game 5.

This is exactly why I wanted Lynn in game 1 and Giolito in game 2. Some people here are acting like the series is over. Everyone said we wanted to leave Houston with 1 win, and that’s still very possible.

Sheets and Grandal got one in the zone during the first time through the lineup.