GreenSox

The Sox needed, and still do need, a real 2B more than they need Conforto.

My first year following the Sox as a child. They finally made playoffs when I was an adult. RIP, Pete Ward.

Righteous bucks.

Abreu/Robert of course, was Ken Williams. Rick Hahn can't evaluate talent; nor can his top assistant. He squandered opportunity during the buildup period (post Sale trade) to improve the farm, trading viable relievers in July for Rule 5 guys (often who were also relievers) instead of a real prospect. Note that he traded a prospect, not rule 5 guys, for each of Tepera, Hernandez, Mazara, et al. "Chicago White Sox" makes a compelling argument that there is no window beyond 2024. The problem is that there is so little to trade. On the major league roster, we have a) Sheets and b) Crochet. Re Sheets, we are short LH hitters as it is; PLUS the team trading for Sheets will want much more as they can't be sure about him just like we can't. As for trading Crochet, well, I guess if all he is is a reliever (side note; another FRD for a reliever). But I was kind of hoping with all of these veteran bullpen signings, they would "stretch him out" and see if he can start. In the minors, it's the 2 guys from 2021 draft and maybe one of the pitchers who hasn't imploded his value.

While I would prefer signing a starter, I like the approach. The upper (and perhaps lower) system is light on pitching, so we sign it. We have young ML ready hitters, so use them.

Sheets was a 2nd round pick who made a steady, albeit deliberate, progress in the minors. His lights came on, when the stage lights were off: at the ATF in 2020. We heard murmurs of his leap 2020, and then when the lights came back on in 2021, we saw it. His OBP was solid; Palka's was 298. Sheets advanced through our system; Palka had already been through two other systems, released by the last. He's one of the few LH hitters we have; he absolutely raked last year. The idea that "he has no future with this org." is just beyond me. Sure he may be a platoon hitter. So what -plenty of winning orgs platoon. Yes, he may be a Palka - it's more than worth the wait to find out. "Selling high" (there's always a first time, I guess) still won't be particularly bountiful. And another, largely coincidental and "apropos of nothing", the Sox haven't had a 2nd round pick who ended up worth a hoot in 30 years. Maybe we finally do.

He has a lot of talent, but another guy who walks too many. Seems to have lost whatever he had. Maybe new scenery and coaching will help.

I can see it if Leury is the presumptive 2B. Otherwise, it takes away another bat. But to me, 2B is in more of a need of upgrading than RF. Engel's played really well when healthy; and sheets was a monster against RHP and he didn't do it Palka-style.

"Overbuilding" the relief staff. We're definitely not heavy on starters. Hopefully they can finesse Kimbrel into something.

Didn't think the sox needed another utility infielder, but okay.

Cost the Mets neither a top 100 prospect nor a ML ready player. In the end, it looks like fair market value for a rent-a-pitcher like Bassitt.

There sure is a reason.....

smh

Those trades looked terrible at the time they were made. In retrospect, they were disastrous. The same GM and the same #2 are still in charge, so it's impossible to forget them (nor should they be). And I would prefer that they dynamic duo not create another "have to rebuild" situation.

Probably but not as ferociously. Kimbrel as well. (I do have a bias against young for old). Sox didn't need KImbrel. Lynn had some 1/2 bona-fides. Bassitt/Manaea are 3/4 guys. While the Sox got what they wanted out of Lynn, the Rangers have 2 very viable young pitchers. As for Conforto and context, the Mets, who are adding like crazy, are moving on from him. That should signal something as well. That's what Samardzija was - a 3/4 guy who had a career year. As paid top dollar for him for a playoff run and then they pawned him off on the Sox. And the Sox got what he really was: a 3/4 guy. Here's a trade for Bassitt. Kimbrel, Collins and a prospect. Let the As polish up Kimbrel and flip him in July - they're good at that sort of thing. But no way should the Sox trade promising young talent for an average rent-a-pitcher...especially when we're howling "we need a left handed hitter."

Could be, if it's for Montas. Sheets for Bassitt would be ridiculously lazy and a great way to rebuild Oakland again, like Hahn did several years ago. And then add on Conforto, when Sheets out-hit him by a mile last year.

There's no way this org. should rebuild after 2024. Nor should it have to.

I agree with this part.

The energy of your post deserves a thumbs-up, VaFan. And if he's healthy, let's sign him.

"Thank you, sir, may I have another?" The friendly As again. Of course. They gladly let us rebuild them again. And the As won't want our low minor guys as centerpieces for one of these rents. They don't rebuild from the nub. They will want someone like Sheets+ for a rent-a-pitcher. Sox can just sign Conforto, and problems solved. Until Sheets outhits Conforto....

Over the last 15-20 years, the Sox system has both a)been ranked pretty low most years (a few of the rebuild years, due to the trades, excepted) and b) churned out more and better players than the rankings suggest that it should. I think that will continue. The accuracy of the evaluation of their own prospects and what they do with them are the questions.

Confotro was terrible last year, and the Mets, who are investing in their team, are still moving on from him. Reasonable chance he continues to decline going forward. His career OPS is .824. That’s fine, but it’s nothing special. And there isn’t much of a market for him, so, sure, easy enough to sign. The higher priority is SP, and, arguably, 2B. The Sox don’t need an ace; they need a solid 2/3 guy. Such pitchers were available in December at reasonable prices, and the FO wasn’t ready or they didn’t bother. Same with 2B. Sure they can trade for one. This FO never minds tacking on 1 or 2 extra young players to get the deal done; easy enough. Meanwhile, Sheets showed a lot of promise from the left side. He’d be on the first train out in one of the trades. We’ve seen players like Conforto before; we’ve seen this FO trade for veterans (and it's the same dudes: Hahn and Haber); and we’ve seen young for old exchanges. Generally not pretty.

Pass. Just a lazy move.

Not as dismal an eval as I would have expected for the #30 farm. I remember the write-up the Angels as a #30, and I think I would have needed an IV had that been the Sox.

Unless they could use the minors to develop Crochet as a starter; this will be season #3 in the pen, which is about the time to shift him, if he's going to start. He's a good reliever, but that's not what round 1 is for, and lordy does this FO use a lot of resources on relievers.