JUSTgottaBELIEVE

Exactly. Sounds like he has a strong arm and runs well but needs work on routes that will come with more reps. Certainly seems like a good fit for RF long term.

Seems like there’s a ton of risk with him but also potentially a very high reward. Also, seems like a great long term fit for the RF black hole (potentially). I like that his arb clock hasn’t started yet too compared to Dominguez. Also, Hampton is probably the best pitching prospect we’ve seen in any of these potential trade proposals outside of the early Braves’ proposals. I really like that as well.

FWIW, fangraphs in their update a few weeks ago has Jones as the Yankees top prospect (55 FV) and as someone else pointed out previously he’s probably a better fit for the Sox timeline than Dominguez. Fangraphs has Hampton at #5 (50 FV) and Lombard at #7 (45+ FV). That package plus a lotto feels about right. You’ve got two top 100 mlb prospects, one with massive upside, and another fringe top 100 guy.

Isn’t one of Williams’ biggest critiques that he also takes too many sacks? Fields 2.0?

Is the Bears OL really that bad or does Fields’ style of play make them look much worse than they are? I’m in the camp of the latter but that’s just me.

And for this exact reason I hate referencing fangraphs for catching defense. They seem to overly inflate framing for whatever reason. There’s no way Grandal was an average defensive catcher last season, which they seemed to rate him as.

I’m not familiar with those writers from The Athletic. Are they more reliable than Mark Feinsand?

Getting a lotto as the 4th instead of Houck. But I’m really high on Jett (I think he’s their best prospect) and I like Gilbert a lot too.

Well, he has more homers and nearly as many stolen bases in just over a year of pro ball (at age 18/19) as Madrigal has in 5+ years (minors included) so I doubt it.

But slugged .451 in A/A+ as a 19 yo. He’s built like a rock at 175 lb. Altuve 2.0

I’d be fine with that too. I like Houck but excluding him wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me.

Sweet. Gilbert + Jett + Vasil + Houck and we have a deal!

Ok so like #25 in mlb. I think they’ll be better than that. Either way, it helps Cease.

Just take a guess. I’m sure you have an opinion.

He only goes by fangraphs unless it hurts his narrative like it does with Cease then fangraphs doesn’t count. I don’t think Benintendi is a great defender but I think he’s average. There are a lot of really poor defensive LFers in mlb.

Where do you think the Sox will rate as a team defensively in 2024? I say they’ll be in the # 10-15 range in MLB depending on what they do with RF and injuries. They were dead last in 2023 by pretty much any measure. You don’t think that’ll help Cease across the board?

I said the combo of Maldonado/Stassi should be average defensively and should also be a defensive upgrade from what the Sox put out there last season at catcher. I’m not expecting 30 year old Maldonado.

Again, anything is an upgrade over Grandal despite Grandal’s “terrific” framing. Do you think Seby was a better defender than Stassi too?

Or maybe a hall of fame manager trusted Maldonado more than Diaz on the biggest stage? But you probably know more than Dusty and his coaching staff, who am I kidding.

I’ve said it for a long time but the one position I think fangraphs is terrible at assessing defensive value is catching. Grandal was a “premier” defender before the Sox signed him and yet the Dodgers would bench him in the playoffs. Yanier Diaz rated as a “better” defensive catcher than Maldonado last season and yet the Astros started Maldonado every playoff game even though Diaz is the far superior hitter. Maybe the Dodgers and Astros are dumb and fangraphs knows better? Or maybe fangraphs has no clue when it comes to rating catchers’ defensive value. Which is more likely?

I just looked it up. Maldonado caught 87 out of 99 innings played last postseason for the Astros. If he was so terrible defensively, why did he catch basically every inning pitched except when they subbed him late in games for a pinch hitter??

How much did you actually see Maldonado catch last season and if he was as terrible as you say why was he catching for them in the playoffs??? Surely, the Astros are smarter than that… Fangraphs inflated Cease’s value in 2023 but it didn’t inflate Grandal’s defensive value over his entire career? Not sure how anyone that watched Grandal catch for the white sox over the past four seasons could argue he’s anything but a terrible defensive catcher, especially the last couple seasons. Even before the Sox signed him I said his defense was way overrated but everyone would always reference fangraphs and his great “framing.” That’s great and all but the guy can’t block, he can’t throw, and he made some huge mental mistakes. I won’t even get into the pitch calling. He was terrible.

Huh? Stassi didn’t play last season. And Grandal caught 92 games (started 79) so I disagree. Zero chance Maldonado is a worse defender than Grandal.

Maldonado/Stassi will still be an upgrade from what they ran out there last season and average overall defensively imo. I also think Benintendi will be fine out there, nothing great but not a liability either. Dejong, phillips, and López would all be significant defensive upgrades from last season.

Add Clifford or Gilbert to that deal and I think that feels about right for both sides.