GreenSox

A scenario like this is my biggest fear in all of this.

One way to avoid that risk is to stop trading for has-beens. Unfortunately, it's ingrained.

They can afford it. Absorbing contracts in return for talent is a decent way to start a rebuild.

for Bailey and 2 decent prospects. Not really a good deal for the Reds unless they do a great job flipping Wood, Puig et al.

And no chance for the Sox to outbid it? Or is the Cubs offer sufficient such that it doesn't matter to him if others offer more.

Not even close to enough.

Well.... I thought it was silly, but they likely traded for Alonso to help lure Machado here. I don't agree with much of what Hahn has done over the years (other than the main parts of the tear-down) but most seem happy with his work.

They really still don't. None of them have proven to be major league regulars, much less studs. In the minors, only Eloy is close among the top tier (maybe Cease). There are some obvious gaps, like 3B however.

That's so ridiculous...what's he supposed to do? Like you said above, it's the White Sox inflated view of their org and clubhouse culture and/or the importance of that to players, as per Alonso, Samardzija and the putative trade for Machado last year. The ire should be directed to the person who traded for him.

Or 3+ years of Yonder Alonso.

Agree. For a White Sox offer to be competitive, it must beat the next best by at least 20%.

If they could confirm it.

Sonny Gray is a 1 year rent. Why should the Sox be interested in trading prospects for that? Plus, the Yankees want the price as if he's the old Sonny Gray, peddling the "he just didn't like NY". That may be the case, but it may not be. Certainly don't pay a price as if it is.

No, unless they are moving Abreu....and there appear to be openings in that regard if they are so inclined. But still no....the love for aging players on 2 year contracts... And for goodness sakes don't trade pitching.

Salary should be reasonable. I don't see much downside risk and the Sox are in a position to make these kind of moves. I hope they sign him.

His walks were out of sight in 2017; they were improved, but still too high in 2018, but his Ks were really high too.

Because they already started. I bet even your Todd Frazier bobblehead knows the actual moves they made this offseason: 2 trades for 2 2-year players. And another for a 1 year player. The controllables were all outgoing. And because that's what they do. I hope this trio, unlike the others, can actually play to their reputations.

Except they aren't going to be swept out. If they weren't swept out after the 2014-16 (especially 2016) debacle, why would they be this time? I guess there could be a tipping point for everyone, but it's hard to have confidence that this will be the tipping point. Re chasing Machado/harper, my fear is that if they sign one, they will then act in desperation to accumulate veteran players at stiff prices. Also, it could be argued that it is distracting them from building this team....not with veterans by by finding trading other young players. They have an abundance of outfield prospects, but are thin everywhere else, including pitching.

Hardly

Which facebook group has all this stuff....I'm willing to risk it.

Because that's just -I don't know what to call it - who the heck does that? And the Sox have done enough in that regard: they downgraded catcher and traded for a first basemen who isn't very good and in a position of non-need. The second trade makes them less competitive and blocks a spot for young player development, and the catcher move arguably might as well.

The point was whether this team can contend in 2019. The only way for that to happen is to start trading these prospects for players like Reamulto and others on 1/2 year contracts...and then signing guys like Pollock, who is injury prone and already in decline at 31. And even with that, it would take a lot of luck. Machado or Harper would be a piece of the core, so I'm all for signing one...but to win next year with one of them is unrealistic and would be damaging to attempt. The only way to build this team into a winner is to build a core of young talent. Right now, the core stands at zero. None of the young players have proven that they are above average starters, much less all star level players. They may become one, they should, but we don't know which ones will and which ones won't. In 2014, they decided that the rebuild/retool was finished, and started trading for rents off of 73 wins. This would be similar.

And then ruin it for 2022 on. This is the nonsense this Front Office pulled in 2014-2016, while they rubbed their lucky rabbit's foot. Adding Machado adds, what, 6 wins to the mighty 62 from 2018? Where are the other 25 wins coming from?

Dick Allen Bucky Dent Wilbur Wood Frank Thomas Mark Buehrle

yes it would be interesting. Prefer this plan to loading up with the Orioles. It also seems to me that any trepidation about competitiveness isn't whether the Sox will be competitive in years 1-2 (they won't be and loading up with Orioles will guarantee it) but in the years after that.