Chisoxfn

This weekend is the expected outage. Hopefully it isn't too long / too bad.

I took it as - we aren't going to spend big next year; I don't think that is the wrong decision. I don't think that is the year to start spending like crazy. Now I do think they should be making targeted signings to try and be able to flip people at the deadline and build up assets. I also think they should be looking at ways to help teams who are trying to save luxury tax dollars and acquire assets, etc. Now I will caveat - none of the above is anything the Sox have done well - but I think those are things they should do to try and accelerate the window. Now if it was - going and signing some guy to a 5yr 150M deal...I'd probably say why bother to be honest (cause they are just that bad).

I can't disagree with it.

Baldwin and Cannon with good games. 2 walks for Vargas. If Vargas somehow can hit he will be an OBP machine (whether he will end up being able to hit…jury still out). Booo yaaaa…now next time they lose, fire Grifol.

Remind me if I don’t email you tomorrow - but let me figure out. What username there?

I agree - I made fun of him for years but they found a good one. I bet he is full time starting next year.

This is embarsssing enough - got my Sox shirt on today - time to end this streak!

I get that sometimes mistakes happen - everyone is human, but this is a real bad look. Organization better do something big time to make up.

I agree with you - I would have much preferred Keaschall if it was on the table and I'm not worried about an in division trade of Fedde. Sox aren't contending next year and Fedde is NOT a superstar who is going to beat the Sox up for the next 5 years. Zero reason to not maximize value there - presuming the above report was true. Now its on Getz and the scouting staff who decided that Vargas > Keaschall.

Now the thing is - if the reality is the Sox advanced scouting missed on Vargas, than we have a problem. This gets into the real issue with the Sox. In this era - if you aren't going to spend big on payroll (and JR as much as I can complain about his spending - he's consistent and any GM who works for him should know what JR's constraints are). With that said - he isn't horrifically cheap - he just isn't going to go 5+ years and massive money on pretty much anyone...you got to know that going in. That also means you need to leverage the resources in different ways and make it clear to him - spend money on baseball people, advanced scouts, development areas, etc. Fund it by being cheap with MLB players in the first few years (with JR you know you have to do it that way) - but make those infastructure investments to get that part of the operation right and when you do - you will see the benefits emerge on the major league side and can than start to actually pivot and run things the right way. There are no quick fixes though - but I at least appreciated Sox went for some guys further along. Not saying we have any proof to think we can develop the position guys - but I'm hoping we see another wave of hiring as the season ends again where we see the franchise infuse more talent and more individuals into the scouting and development ranks (last year there was some - Bannister being the notable one - but a lot more has to happen - including a major relook on the international front).

It will likely be in 1-2 weeks. Waiting for the latest version of the forum software (vs. the beta version). The look and feel won't be a big change - the big change of the forum software is set to come later this year - but have some stuff that needs to clean-up in advance of that and get onto a more efficient base and some underlying caapbilities that will help with server load/efficiency. I also am working on when we get to that version getting back to a much more simplified ad structure. The ad solution we use kind of takes off and gets out of control (this is NOT something I want to have that much of). So you should see a better experience there. And again - this site makes no money - but the traffic and volumes we get are large so while I appreciate the offer and generosity from others - the reality is - to be on a dedicated server has a material cost so ads are needed to cover it and ensure we can cover the costs. From the day this place started - never have I wanted to ever take anyone's dime or charge anyone to be on this site...but I also recognize the ad structure needs to be less invasive.

Yes - TalkBulls is there if someone ever wants to take the lead adn build up a forum its there for anyone (I don't have capacity to do so - but have always maintained name). And if no one does there, maybe one day one of my kids will take it over and build it out. Talkbears though is a hidden gem in my mind. Not a huge member base - but a quality member base. Far less bickering than on some of the more mainstream Bears forums - where you can't go more than 3 posts without it denigrading into nonsense. But all of those were offshoots - Soxtalk is the original.

I was expecting this to happen. Felt like Getz said it 2 days ago in his presser.

Definitely a shame - he was a really good dude to root for. At least he ultimately got paid. Hopefully he was able to squirrel that money away.

I’m convinced of this - my only hope is the new owner is legit and team stays in Chicago - but this is JR making sure new owner inherits no bad contracts and a fan base who will fall in love with the new owner

I thought our analytics department was smallest - not the scouting. Not that it makes it any better. Probably shrinking by the week as they divert more and more resources to robo dialing suckers (err fans) to get white Sox tickets.

Thome on an interim basis.

The problem is Sox fans expected elite - he has been good and can be frustrating in terms of not living up to his hype - but outside of the injuries he has been a good player. Get him in Dodgers as the 5th/6th best player and they will love him. He is such a good defensive player even though bat hasn’t lived up to hype.

Getz was quoted about his job security and basically said - well I just finished the deadline so lets see what tomorrow brings or something like that. He could have said almost anything better than what he did. Told me - my focus last couple weeks have been on executing trade deadline, now let me figure out what we are going to do with our Mgr (to me that means - who are the interim options and what is our plan and we'll get that aligned here in the next couple of days) and I think the leak around that quote is going to maybe accelerate that timeline.

The last part has been said many times and many times those players revert back to historical norms. I can think of Phil Humber who everyone thought was fixed and after a season...poof went right back to who he was. It happens - especially for someone who didn't have elite swing and miss stuff, which reality is MLB focuses a ton on that. Kopech will be around for a long time on that basis.

I'll just state this - on Robert and Crochet - I don't think they got an offer from either that involved an elite prospect (and I'm being loose on elite - I'm going top 50 guy). I think Crochet would have - but the extension and late news probably ruined any chance, but reality is the inning limit(s) were always a risk. Given that both Robert and Crochet are elite talents and are around a while from a contract perspective -> I think Getz made the right move punting and moving forward. Trading Crochet for a back end top 100 and 2 other top 250 guys isn't worth it in my opinion and would be a poor use of asset(s) and also set a poor precedent. And I fully don't blame any team that wasn't willing to offer that sort of capital up for Crochet knowing it was far more likely they are using chip(s) now for an asset that more likeley helps them next year and the following (vs. this year - teams in contention don't make those type of moves at the deadline). On Robert - I think reality is you would have got 75 cents on the dollar for him - I wonder if maybe a team through something out - but with how big of a funk he was in down the stretch and the Sox probably asking for multiple top end position prospects (which is what he would have been worth a few months ago) - I think rolling the dice on Robert either finishing strong (and/or having a bounce back next year under new management and with a fresh off-season) and than you flip him for far better value than today.

Now seeing the Flaherty deal - I guess one question is - who was worth more, Flaherty or Fedde. But with that in mind - I would probably argue Flaherty had more value - given he has a long term track record where he flashed vs. Fedde being a one year wonder. Both have been very good this year though - Flaherty has a much better ERA and FIP this season and track record. It wasn't like Flaherty got a Top 100 prospect. It seems like the reality is the market for these guys (in fairness Flaherty is a rental vs. Fedde) was not what anyone thought it was. So as I look at that, while I still think they got a guy less, I don't think ultimately the Fedde deal was as bad as I previously thought (unless the Sox wanted to roll the dice and keep him rest of this year and through the trade deadline in which case maybe they get one extra guy or something else).

This was super cool ?

With Sox sucking - been so great to just watch Olympics with the family at night. Nice work by girls gymnastics after the men’s did an awesome job day before.

Caufield - wishing you a quick recovery and no long term impacts. Get better quick!!!