Perfect Vision

Much more plausible that they buy out his next two seasons at a higher value than would be expected in arbitration and in exchange they get a team option for his first free agent year at like $20 mil. I could see him going for that.

Is it asking too much for the price to be Painter, Miller, and Caba from the Phillies? There's just so much team control left here with Robert. 3 1/2 years. If they hold on to him, they could still get a huge package for him next deadline, and probably still get a pretty big package for him at the 2026 deadline.

This is the correct take.

I think you can make the case that the biggest mistake made, that created a domino effect to where the team is now, was not going all in on signing Harper when the opportunity for them couldn't have been better. The lack of a competent RF and a power lefty bat has led the organization to make a number of decisions over the last few years that have turned out poorly for the team.

Before heaping too much praise on the Padres going for it, just remember that Preller has emptied his farm system and is "going for it" in a year where we know with certainty they will only be a wild card team, and with a high chance of being the road team in all the games of a best of 3 series.

So an employee who doesn't get his way should either resign or he's a "yes man"? I'm pretty sure Hahn isn't telling Jerry that TLR is doing a great job and was a great hire, which is, by definition, what a "yes man" is. The fact that Hahn doesn't have authority to hire/fire the team's manager is probably very frustrating to him, but not something to resign over.

Come on. Chances are pretty high that Hahn has told Reinsdorf that TLR isn't working out and the team would perform better if they went in a different direction, and Reinsdorf wouldn't allow TLR to be fired. That's not Hahn being a yes man or a coward. That's being an employee. What do you want Hahn to do? Resign? None of us would do that. The boss decides and you go back to work. Hahn might not like the decision but he's not going to resign over it and to insult him because of it is silly. The signings of Leury and Harrison, sure. But we all know TLR continuing to manage the Sox is out of his hands.

Actually it's on Moncada, for being so terrible offensively that TLR had to put an admittedly inferior defender at 3B to get some offensive production from the position.

He's doing well. Certainly could be in the 80-100 range of top prospects. Guys like that have a good chance to be solid average MLB players, like I said.

Honestly, no one. It's a bad system. Montgomery and Colas have a chance to be average MLB regulars. But there are no potential stars here and the ceilings of pretty much all of these guys, other than Montgomery and Colas, is MLB middle reliever/bench player. It's not worth anyone's time following who might become the next Leury Garcia or Danny Mendick. Do something else.

Brewers. Eric Lauer would be the Sox best starter, and he's the Brewers #4.

It's supposed to be 42-43 for the whole game. That's not even that cold.

It really sucks that prices are what they are today. And of course it hurts the kids the most. Adults will continue going to games because (1) they can more easily afford paying for just themselves, (2) they have fun tailgating and/or don't mind sticking to water during the game, and (3) the game itself is the focal point of the experience. For families with kids, it's totally different. A huge part of the experience for kids is eating hot dogs, drinking soda, having ice cream, picking something out in one of the gift shops, and the sights and sounds of the ballpark. The game is secondary to them. The increase in prices just means fewer families can afford to go and those who can will go less.

I'm getting ready for the disappointment of Mendick at 3B and Burger on the bench.

They'll take their time with Montgomery. Anderson and Moncada aren't going anywhere until after the 2024 season at the earliest. No reason to rush him up to the big league team just to have him sit on the bench or play out of position. Could see him split 2022 between A/A+, but have a full season next year at AA, and another full season at AAA. And that's assuming he's doing well of course.

And what exactly is Engel's trade value? I think you could get wildly divergent opinions on it.

I think very serious. The only viable path to future playing time with the Sox is if he can play a passable 2B. He's just not going to be taking any starts from Moncada, Vaughn, or Abreu (assuming the Sox extend him past this year to DH). And of course being more versatile would increase his trade value, if that's the way the Sox go. Personally, I really hope the Sox don't trade him and he can play an adequate 2B. And I'm weirdly optimistic he'll be able to do it. I mean, if Dan Uggla can stick at 2B, why can't Burger.

Andrew McCutchen, in his age 35 season, just took a 1 year/$8.5 mil deal. However Pollock performs, it's quite likely he'll exercise his player option.

If you haven't seen it, go on youtube and see if you can find Bo Jackson's interview where he described the injury and his conversations with doctors afterwards. Should put your concerns to rest. There is a 0% chance that Vaughn's injury is the same as that.

In situations like this, though, Boras' MO is pretty much always to get an early opt out in the deal. And it makes perfect sense for Conforto: gives him an opportunity to have a bounce back year, allows him to shed the QO, and allows time for the covid mandates/restrictions to possibly be dropped (opening up the NY teams and TOR as possibilities). There is close to a 0% chance he signs a 4/75 deal or something like that with no opt outs. If it's 4/75, there will be an early opt out. Otherwise, I think he'll sign a 1 year deal. There will certainly be some team out there willing to sacrifice the draft pick to sign Conforto to a one year contract. This is all to say that the Sox have to offer an opt out if they want Conforto. They have to. Or there's no prayer.

FWIW, just got a text that Heyman was on MLBN this morning and on Conforto, is hearing Rangers, Jays, Giants, Mets, and White Sox.

All offseason I think the Sox FO has assumed they were going to cruise to another division title, and they'd make another move at the deadline like they did last year to shore up what they see as their biggest need. In that vein, I'm glad that the Twins signed Correa and have reportedly been heavily involved in trying to acquire one of the A's starters. Hopefully a bigger perceived threat to the division will motivate the Sox FO to act now to improve the team rather than wait 4 months into the season.

If Hahn has discussions with LAD about Kimbrel, he should bring up Bellinger and Lux. But if he is rebuffed, what about a pivot to Michael Busch? He is even more blocked behind Lux. May not help this year but would be a great add to the system and be a long term solution at 2B (and LH power).

A 5/100 contract with an opt out after 2 makes perfect sense to me. Yes if he's good after two he leaves, but that means the contract was 2/40, which I think the Sox would be much more in favor of Conforto signing today than 5/100. And if he's bad and you're stuck with him, well, it would be the same as if the contract was 5/100 with no opt out. In other words, adding an opt out should be a no brainer and no issue for the Sox whatsoever.

It is accurate that Harper was seen as less of a fit than Machado, which is why the Sox choose to pursue Machado and not Harper. 3B was seen as a bigger area of need than RF in large part because of those prospects I mentioned. These points aren't really up for debate.