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https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5893223/2024/11/04/mlb-top-free-agents-juan-soto-contract/ I kinda wonder if the tv contracts will cause more compression in the mid tier than this expects, but wanted to bring out two position players I was wondering if we'd kick tires on a re-birth. Allow me to dislodge my brain and imagine some things - the sox sign some players they hope will improve the ball club and also be eminently tradeable. First thought - The starting staffs of the AL Central are extremely right handed. There's like 3 across 4 teams at the moment. Platoon outfielders are always a decent shot at trading away in july. The best free agents against RHP were: Juan Soto (I'd sign him! great guy), Joc, Adames, Profar, Santander. Is this the year for Joc? They estimate 1 yr 16 mil, I think that's probably right. But one to watch, as I could see him still out there in early March. I would put him signing with the sox at 2%, but his 150 wRC+ vs. RHP is nice, and he walks more vs. LHP. Jurickson Profar - it would be awesome. Can you imagine Benintendi and Profar in Lf and RF? sorry, i'd strike this as they see him getting 3 for $50, which is reasonable but makes no sense for the sox. Teoscar/Santander were getting long term, $20+mill deals. On down the list. Some realistic options Jesse Winker - predicted 2 yrs $17. Winker is a guy this board had advocated for for last 3 years, so I'd put it likely we sign him when he turns 32 in season and declines. But honestly I do wonder. It's hard to express just how much better Winker is as a hitter than anything we had last year. Seems like a guy we could trade to the braves mid season when their outfielders get hurt. Conforto - 1 year, $10 mill. Last year conforto was better vs lefties , but getting an actual RHH may make sense, and if he, years later, is healthy (lol) and shining, this could be a valuable shot. Also gets him out of SF. Kepler - Kepler was bad last year, and his weakness against fastballs may mean he's cooked. But bad kepler last year would have been one of our best players. He actually wasn't very good vs. RHP, but he is a lefty, and again, if he reverts? Predicted at 1 yr 10 mill Verdugo - 1 year $8 mill In many ways I think Verdugo is maybe the most white sox player of all time. Disappointing, plays like an idiot. Hahn would be all over this. And I do think it makes sense, if he recovers a bit, you get a player with LHH against our RHP division (he was awful vs RHP last year, but better than most of our hitters). He's only 28. Anyway, there is a question here of bounce back vs. old production. Conforto / Kepler / Verdugo are your bounce back guys, could have more value. Winker could easily regress and be a stinker too, but when he hits he isn't as jekyll and hyde as the rest. Anyway I'd sign Pete ALonso and stick him in RF so Vaughn can stay at first.

See Detroit, with hinch under Avila vs new GM.

I don’t have a feel for prices but wondering if giving Kepler a one year bounce back deal or a Tyler o Neil deal for a full regular position would be in cards. if Kepler regains form vs fastballs he could be a decent asset, O’Neill would help us vs RHP and we could trade to a contender for a platoon bat in July if needed.

if grady's up for it I"d prefer him be in the minors again, between him, santos, jirschele that's a much better set of voices for development based on what we saw last year.

lol

I get that it was largely more on Cole, but it is shocking everytime I watch the play that he is unable to get to first. The runner was hustling, but Rizzo made a decision real fast that he no longer had an out at first that seems crazy. He may have been right, but come on, you could hustle and slide into the base

He’s talking about from venables perspective, the job should have runway.

Old man thing to yell about, but clearly freeman was hurting bad in the NLCS. In the WS? He's looked fine. Nightengale cannot stop writing that he's on one leg, but pretty rare to get triples when you are hopping to third. For example, kirk gibson - clearly limping his entire home run trot. Swings with all power on one leg. Freddie freeman - normal swing, runs normally. This doesn't take anything away from freeman, he's clearly the MVP and is delivering a world series on a team that has mookie betts and ohtani. You don't really need to add drama on top of that.

Haven't watched a game yet for the obvious reason but I'm still holding my breath there. They've had years before where the ball movement starts crisp before devolving. They have stuck with it from what I"ve read though, in the face of poor shot making, which has been some of the reason they've gotten out of it in past. Legitimately amazed Ball is playing. Thought he was toast when he said he couldn't walk up stairs without pain 1.5 years in.

I will give a sunshine thought: it's a good thing he is interviewing in person. Likely means he is ready to take on a team. White sox are barely a team tho

are wil venable and craig albernaz going to accept a prescribed pitching team? Will Phil Nevin and Grady ? (yes)

this post was spot on.

Basically I think that one poster's theory of manager agent's using Heyman to drive up price of Marlins job for their clients is correct, and neither would actually work for the sox.

I am sad AJ Ellis is not considered. After reading the Soxmachine article I am fairly certain it is Nevin as well.

When did this occur? Didn't he come with Bochy?

Good post, I thought the other posts were all filled but I think you are right.

I hate that its coming from Heyman.

- Caleb was missing like crazy, the screens were not working. You also had Caleb audibling to unsuccessful plays a lot. That’s just rookie qb on the road. He was 4-14 for 30 yards at one point. - they cut the FB because he hadn’t played in weeks because the only package he was relevant on was replaced by Kramer who was much more successful at it. Go watch the Indianapolis game to pine for blasingame. - they ran a 4 minute drive that scored with 25 seconds left. Washington had only one time out. They scored on a Hail Mary not a highly probable drive down the field. But you’ve convinced me that this isn’t just emotional venting.

I don’t know, seems like it was a pretty tough game that a pretty random play decided. Our d continues to be nails, Caleb found his way end end with really tough running by Swift. But lolbears or something

this is actual a hilarious imitation of what the sox probably sounded like in their evaluation of Brebbia.

Declan cronin was pennies and they paid john brebbia $4 million. Those are the kinds of decisions the sox are constantly bad at. Bannister, and the white sox, in fact do have to be better than other teams and be the best at a few. Our pitching can develop and still be the worst in baseball. It's that pathetic attitude that has led to this organization turning to rust.

I am just saying even if Getz understands the ingredients he needs for the cake, he has no idea the amounts or process and it will still end up a disaster and then people will be like "see, analytics didn't work" and I'm saying people to avoid elder abuse but I just mean Jerry. Shoot...I did it again.

so there you go re: bannister and personnel.

It's weird but Renteria would be the perfect hire again. Poor guy got so screwed. I wanted him gone at 2020 because I thought the sox were a serious org or something that wouldn't be idiots, but the disaster of 2020 is so funny to look back on. Our starting rotation was on absolute fumes. Keuchel was near toast. Gio was a classic hahn. We had a bunch of young arms that had to deal with the extremely weird ramp up. We had a mediocre closer. And hahn saw that and did nothing really and we couldn't even get through a 3 game series without running out of pitching lmao.

I thought he was enjoyable with mets, he mellowed out a lot while still disciplining that team more (frankly the core of the mets then had a lot of white sox 2019-2022 core in em). Him and Dusty aged into that role much nicer than Tony did imo.