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Gavin isn't that good - he ain't going to get you much.

Yo, can we get a SIGN KRIS BRYANT soxtalk hype going? I know we have not been connected to him, but i want him.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSss

Just wanted to shout out AEW again for saving wrestling glory. This company literally does everything I have been begging WWE to do for 8+ years. It's *really* not difficult to make me happy as a fan. Good storylines with nice payoffs, prestigious and credible title belts with proper divisions, letting your wrestlers be creative, producing amazing matches that don't continually repeat every week, not wasting 80% of your TV time every week on replays/repetitive matches/bad programs, etc. Truly amazing.

This. This should be a very bad look for MLB. Again, I am not well versed in this area, but from what I've been reading so far it seems exploitation exists badly under the current system. A draft could help this significantly? This I am on the owners side for.

Can I say how fucking ridiculous it is that we are at this point in the negotiations where we are talking about an international draft and discussing how fucked up of a situation some of these international CHILDREN are living in with their families and the buscones? Like, my fucking god, get a grip baseball (and players).

MAN, don't do this to me baseball... GET IT DONE! it's 2PM EST right now, I know that deadline is coming up. LETSSS GOOOO

Look - That's an AMAZING offseason but there's a few problems here: 1) That's not enough for an MVP caliber player like Ketel Marte. You are going to have to add. 2) As cool as Clayton Kershaw would be he a) would not come to the white sox and b) is highly injury prone. I would suggest looking at Rodon (also injury prone, but an obvious white sox dude and had an insanely good year last year obviously, and younger). 3) Tepera is something I'm ALL about too. If we're going to trade Kimbrel, it'd be lovely getting Tepera back. Great move with Graveman. 4) Conforto would be DOPE! Good deal there. Personally, I'd like Bryant, but Confo is a better balance.

If we are willing to sign Castellanos, why not just get Bryant who is better defensively and more versatile? makes no sense

I used to be very anti-banning shift, but after seeing discourse on it, I'm at least open to it. I don't think it would be as bad as you are making it out to be. I think Joey Gallo brought this discussion to life over on twitter recently. Hitting is extremely hard. We can't be telling the hitters to 'just BeAt ThE ShIfT' because it's incredibly difficult to do. So the idea of banning the shift might be a way to workaround it. It's not as simple as 'ban all shifts' but there can be distinct rules to follow. I'm... at least open to the idea and I think we all should be. The bigger bases have proven to increase steals in the minor leagues where they were enacted.

What's wrong with banning shifts and oversized bases? Playing a little devil's advocate here... but I don't paint these rule changes in the light that you seem to. Oversized bases = supposed to be safer and enable more steals. I'm OK with that for sure if those claims hold up. Banning shift = I don't think people want to 100% ban the defensive moves, but they just don't want infielders turning into 4th outfielders etc. There's a slimit some people would say to the shift. If it makes the game better to watch, maybe its worth discussing.

I've been very negative about offseasons and trade deadlines in the past, but ill go on record saying if this is the outcome this offseason - then its a good offseason. There's definitionly others I prefer... but I have np with Conforto/Bassit/Tepera.

Can anyone link us to Kris Bryant? I want him more and more every day

Essentially, a higher-seeded team in the 'wild card' round would start the series up 1-0 in like a best of 5 and would have home field all games. So they'd just need to win 2, while opposing team would need to win 3. From what I understand - other sports leagues internationally successfully do it.

I'm reluctantly fine with 12 team playoffs... I'd be reluctantly ok with 14 IF and ONLY IF there were massive incentives to being a top team (division winner). Like Ghost wins + home field. I'd rather lockout than a straight-up 14 team playoffs. Fuck that mess.

That's my biggest worry-- even if MLB Players make a conceding proposal, the owners reject just to scrap games.

I want Kris Bryant because my wife would watch every single game with me if he is on our team.

Yup, 100%. Everything from the effects of expanded playoffs to small market teams refusing to spend to a floor and be competitive is pathetic… and then you have the whole minor league debacle… unbelievable. For the first time, it’s starting to make me reconsider following baseball as a hobby

fuck expanded playoffs to 14. That's lunatic. Is that a done deal? The tweet suggests it is?

Do you guys think there is any chance the wsox bring back rodon? I really liked watching him

What a shitty take. Fuck those guys for working for free and letting the owners use their month long work, travel time away from their family, and the intense stress that they are under trying to fight for jobs? That's absurd. When I found out that they don't get paid for spring training, but owners make all the money from concessions, etc., I was shocked and did not come to the statement "fuck the players". Check yourself. Again, another horrible take. Look at what sport athletes are getting paid in every major sport. Think about the insane skill and insane life that these guys lead. Then, think about the insane profits billionaire owners are making compared to the average MLB salary. It fucking blows, but i'll sit out a year to support the players. I'm not happy, it will kill me, and this is a horrible look for the sport, but god damnit - the players have been getting ripped off for way too long to continually cave in while the owners destroy the game.

You are right financially, it would be a boom for owners (and if they do it right, for players as well). It's honestly, probably a good strategy for the general fan/public. You are also 100% right that if they can find a way in the CBA to influence more competitive teams, then a larger playoff tournament might actually be OK/work, but I highly doubt that we see teams becoming THAT competitive over this CBA. Drama will still happen, and in your scenario it will probably happen more often. But for me, as a diehard loving baseball fan, I live for every single MLB game in the season. I love the season meaning something. The idea of half the league making the playoffs and taking away games from the season kills that for me. I would hate this down to every bone in my body as baseball is the only sport I follow/love. It would honestly make me consider not following baseball long term. So I am very anti extended playoffs even in light of a sound argument for it as I think it will water down the regular season, which, for me, is truly why I am a baseball fan - for the deep, enduring regular season.

Trading Vaughn is just a terrible idea. There's no huge upgrade that makes trading him worth it in any sense. We already have an amazing offense and a really good staff. Of course we have some holes, but all of the holes can be filled for free in free agency, or at worst, using other assets.

Just for arguments sake - I think there's a big difference between letting in 4 playoff teams vs. 14-16 teams. Using the playoffs to seek the difference in the 4 top teams may have some merit (?). Having a random 14th seed barely above .500 sneak into the playoffs and gain some luck is a travesty to the regular season.

yes, 100%. I'm 100% pro players and I feel owners are manipulating shit here, BUT the players union could definitely do more to be more open as well. Anyone else REALLY worried that playoffs are going to expand big time? I am literally depressed just thinking about it. It would, IMO, be the worst possible change. Baseball would fundamentally change for me.