ChiliIrishHammock24

Damn I just drove past Pepperdine a few days ago. My girlfriend had asked me if it was a good school.

Not if they are going after Machado, because they would already be a healthy amount over the tax threshold.

I forgot to include my reasoning that Burger sets back their timeline for a 3B prospect. Senzel is going to be ready by 2019. Burger is looking at what, sometime in 2021? Maybe even 2022? Saurez will still be under contract, and India will likely be ready by then, so now you're looking at Burger taking over at 1B if they were to trade Votto in his late 30s. It's a fair point that they may have no use for Burger, but the main cog of that deal is certainly Cease, so you could swap Burger for someone like Adolfo or Luis Gonzalez and make it work as well.

I copied the template below from SouthSideSox's Offseason plan. Offseason Plan Introduction My plan, because it's more fun, is to vastly accelerate the rebuild for 2019, in hopes that Kopech steps back in to a situation in 2020 where the team is ready to take the division. I'm going to be spending a ton of money. A ton. So the chances of this happening are slim, I grant you that. But without further adieu....here we gooooo. Arbitration-eligible (with projected salaries from MLBTR? José Abreu – $16 million - TENDER Avisaíl García – $8 million - NONTENDER Yolmer Sánchez – $4.7 million - TENDER Carlos Rodón – $3.7 million - TENDER Matt Davidson – $2.4 million - TENDER Leury García – $1.9 million - TENDER Impending Free Agents Miguel González (2018 salary: $4.75 million) - Cut loose Hector Santiago (2018 salary: $2 million) - Cut loose CURRENT PAYROLL GOING IN TO FREE AGENCY - $52M Free agents Using the list of free agents, tell us who you’d sign, keeping in mind our salary cap, and good, old-fashioned logic. Include your maximum offer (total years, total salary). Explain your choice at least briefly, even in the case of the most obvious, superstar signs. There is no minimum or maximum number of free agent deals. For illustrative purposes, here’s an idea that by no means you should implement: Bryce Harper (11 yrs, $424 million, $38.5M AAV, Opt outs after years 5, 6, 7) I don't really feel the need to explain this one. Sox need an absolute thumper in their line-up to pair with Eloy. Imagine the nightmare of these guys batting lefty and righty next to each other in the line-up. I would also welcome Machado, or certainly Arenado next year, but the idea of this bat coming from a lefty makes me tight in my White Sox male romper. Opt outs are a trend. Everyone wants opt outs. Fine, Bryce, take your stinkin opt-outs. But you aren't getting one until we get 5 years out of you, sir. The Sox may not even be a playoff team for the first 2 years of that deal. Can't give an opt out any sooner than 5 years in my world with the possibility that this rebuild fails and we blew unbelievable amounts of cash to go no where and see him walk. LHP Patrick Corbin (5 yrs, $115 million, $23M AAV) I honestly did not have him originally in my plans until I saw a rumor suggesting that a White Sox source said he was #1 on their offseason target list. I'm choosing to bite completely on that rumor. A 29-year-old lefty than can be the Sox veteran anchor of the competitive window. The Sox have recently been extremely left-handed, with Sale, Q, Rodon, and Santiago all in the rotation at one point. But now, Rodon is the only lefty in the system for.....a while. Giolito, Lopez, Kopech, Cease, Dunning, Stephens, Hansen; all RHP. The next lefties anywhere on the future radar are Pilkington and Medeiros, but they are both likely ranked after all of those guys in the pecking order. Corbin has completely blossomed as a starter and Arizona is a tough, TOUGH place to pitch. Nearly every single metric has trended positively for him over the last 3 years (GB% has gone backwards 3 years in a row, interestingly enough). I know the Yankees are suppose to have big interest in him, and he's publicly said it would be great to pitch for his childhood team, but I am going to assume the Yankees play in to that leverage and offer him a little less than his asking price, hoping they can get a discount for his childhood fantasies. RHP Garrett Richards (3 yrs, $27 million, $9M AAV, with a team option for $17M for 4th year with $3M buyout) This would be a relatively low risk-high reward situation. Garrett Richards is can be a stud. He is recovering from Tommy John surgery (sup Kopech), but as we know, that's nothing to be afraid of anymore. For this reason, he will miss the entire 2019 season. So this signing would really be more like 2 yrs/$27M, with a team option. Drew Smyly got 2 yrs/$10M last season in the same situation, and he's not even close to the level that Richards is on. Richards gets $30M promised with this deal, with a chance at $44M over 4 years if he proves healthy and successful. RHP Trevor Cahill (2 yrs, $20 million, $10 AAV) Cahill had one of his best seasons ever in 2018. But more importantly, he actually saw his velo tick back up, to the 2nd highest it has ever been. That's encouraging for an oft-injured 30 year old. He also uses his slider a lot more now, and gets a lot of groundballs leading to a very good HR rate last year. He is basically just a guy we would sign to give us some innings and then hopefully flip either next offseason or July of 2020. He is keeping the seat warm for Kopech and Richards return, or Dunning. RP Adam Ottavino (3 yrs, $27 million, $9M AAV) Ottavino found a couple years of decent success out of the Rockies bullpen in his late 20s. But it wasn't until he dove completely head first in to analytics and advanced technology that he saw a breakout year in 2018 at age 32. He turns 33 in a couple of weeks, so there is certainly some risk here, but the guy seems smart enough to adjust to what his arm is allowing him to do. His strikeout rate soared, and his HR rate plummeted. Get him out of Coors and let him set up Zack Burdi in the future. CURRENT PAYROLL AFTER FREE AGENCY (using AAV) - $141.5M Trades White Sox acquire RP Shawn Armstrong from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for 1B Gavin Sheets and RF Ryan Cordell The Mariners are tearing shit down. Unfortunately, the guys they likely to want to move don't fit my contention window for the Sox, or cost too much money. Shawn Armstrong, fits that window and doesn't cost much. Would the Mariners have any motivation to move Armstrong? Maybe not, but oh well I'm offering them prospects for a RP, just take it, Jerry. Why would the Mariners want Gavin Sheets when they have Evan White in AAA who plays 1B? I dunno guys, maybe they need a DH? Stop asking the tough questions. Swap out Sheets for Alex Call or Steele Walker or AJ Puckett or any other back-end top 25 guy. The point is that Shawn Armstrong has seen a slight tick up in velo since his short stint with the Mariners. He's throwing his plus curveball more, and his cutter more. He struck out 97 batters across 70 innings between AAA and Seattle (12.47 K/9) to go along with a 3.6 BB/9 and 1.67 ERA with only 4 HR allowed. He is still pre-arb, so the Sox would have him under control through 2022. He's 28 years old. White Sox acquire 3B Nick Senzel from the Cincinnati Reds for SP Dylan Cease, SP Alec Hansen, and 3B Jake Burger Oh boy is this one juicy! You like how I buried it after the Armstrong trade? I'm a sneaky b****. Nick Senzel is a fucking stud. He's an easy top 10 prospect in baseball, maybe top 5. This trade would be an effort to even out prospect needs. The Sox need someone who can play 3B in their org. The Reds desperately need pitching. We give them a stud pitching prospect in Dylan Cease who is exploding up the charts. But given that Cease is likely a top 25-40 pitcher on most lists, the Sox will have to sweeten the pot a bit more for Senzel who has never stopped hitting since he was a small child. What the Reds will get are 2 guys who could easily be mid to back-end top 100 guys, if not for injuries. They are rather risky prospects, for that reason, and ones the Sox should be willing to gamble away if a deal presents itself. Senzel is only on the table because the Reds currently have the revelation of Eugenio Suarez at 3B, and even Senzel's 2nd position, at 2B, is blocked by Scooter Gennett who has also bloomed. Senzel was then tried out at SS to help find him an unblocked path to the Reds, but even there they have Jose Peraza who had a very good 2018 season as well and is only 24 years old. This is all to just add to the fact that the Reds 2018 1st RD draft pick was 3B Jonathan India at #5 overall and is an advanced college bat. They also happen to take a SS with their 1st RD pick in 2017 in Jeter Downs. AND THEN they also have a prospect named Shed Long who is a top 100 prospect who plays 2B. The Reds are LOADED in the infield. The Sox could honestly make a trade for Jonathan India and do it without losing Cease, but Senzel is lined up perfectly with this wave of prospects, whereas India might be more of a late 2020 debut guy if everything goes great for him. White Sox acquire C Keibert Ruiz and SS Gavin Lux from the Los Angeles Dodgers for SP Carlos Rodon I love Rodon. I really do. But he only has 3 years left with the Sox, and his shoulder issues scare me. This may be the right time to move him, before he has another injury and tanks all of his value. I would say even this trade may be a little lobsided in the Sox favor, if not for the fact that, like Senzel, Ruiz is so totally blocked in the Dodgers system. Yes he is their #2 prospect according to Fangraphs....but their #1 prospect is ALSO a catcher, Will Smith. And Smith is just about ready for the majors. But they also have Austin Barnes in the majors. So Ruiz is a 20-year old switch hitting catcher with amazing plate discipline at his age, and spending half of his 2018 season as a 19-year-old in AA. He struck out only 8% of the time in AA, and walked almost as much, to go along with 12 HR. Also considered an above average defender. Gavin Lux is a guy who myself and many others really really wanted in the 2016 draft with our 2nd pick at #26. The Dodgers ended up popping him at #20 instead. Lux spent his age 20 season in A+ and AA where he hit .324 with 15 HR, 13 SB, a walk rate of about 11% and a K% just under 17%. Another kid with great plate discipline, a bit of pop, but plays a premium position with 60 grade speed. Oh, and he bats lefty. Still love me some Gavin Lux. He is rated the Dodgers #8 prospect. Summary A lot of my moves are more for the year 2020 and beyond. Not too much for the 2019 season, as I would expect most of these plans to be laid out. But I also continued to stockpile high end prospects by adding Senzel and Ruiz to the mix. Senzel is an easy top 10 prospect. Ruiz could be a top 25-30 guy. I also spent a ton of money. I doubt the Sox add $90M in AAV, but I'm not the Sox, and I want to win. 2019 projected team Line-up: 1) SS Tim Anderson 2) 3B Nick Senzel 3) RF Bryce Harper 4) 1B Jose Abreu 5) LF Eloy Jimenez 6) 2B Yoan Moncada 7) DH Daniel Palka/Matt Davidson 8.) C Wellington Castillo 9) CF Adam Engel Bench: Omar Narvaez, Luery Garcia, Yolmer Sanchez Rotation: 1) LHP Patrick Corbin 2) RHP Reynaldo Lopez 3) RHP Lucas Giolito 4) RHP Trevor Cahill 5) RHP Dylan Covey Bullpen: Nate Jones, Jace Fry, Ian Hamilton, Caleb Frare, Aaron Bummer, Shawn Armstrong, Adam Ottavino Payroll - $137.8M The next year, Covey gets kicked out or bumped to the 'pen, and Cahill gets traded as Richards and Kopech take their spots. Dunning possibly takes over for Giolito if he continues to struggle. Burdi takes over for Nate Jones if he can't stay healthy. Ruiz will hopefully be ready to take over the catching duties by then as well.

6 out of 10 are OF. 3 are SP, 1 is an IF.

Seriously. This is a non-story for those who don't like Renteria. He can still be fired at any moment. It's only good news for those who support Ricky.

Fuck, that's blueprint.

President O'Rourke will have to do, then.

Don't forget that we've already heard that Manny and Beef Wellington are supposedly really close friends.

For what, a sign a flip in July? 2 yrs/$25M seem about right?

Awful. Stan just tightened the noose around his own neck.

Huh? From 2012 to 2017 Kyle Seager was a borderline all-star or better every single year. He put up 25.6 fWAR over that span, good for the 3rd best of all 3B, and 13th for all hitters in baseball. Seager has been awesome. He is now 31, so his ceiling may only be 3+ fWAR a season for the remainder of his contract, but if he can be had for cheap, especially with money coming back, I would be all over that. He's a lefty who can slug 25+ HR and doesn't strike out very much along with good defense at 3B. I'm in.

Again, why are the Rockies just giving away Jon Gray???

Basically what your post boils down to is....you hate our farm system and disagree with the industry consensus of it being a top ranked farm system. Hard to get any more pessimistic than that

Good point. We always had a top of the line farm system 2011-2014 and that got us no where. Baseball America/Prospectus ranked the system #27 in 2011, #30 in 2012, #28 in 2013, #21 in 2014. And all that amazing talent got us no where in 2016. Ugh. Mired in mediocrity again! /Green

I'm fine with trading Rodon in a deal for Senzel, but I just don't think Rodon fits the Reds timeline to compete. Rodon needs to go to a contender if we are going to move him. Maybe Rodon to a team like the Dodgers who may lose Ryu, for a package around their catching prospect Keibert Ruiz, who was 19 when he made AA ball this year and is in a Dodgers system that is deep with catchers. https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=sa872528&position=C

The Show 18 is the first time I haven't bought a baseball game in maybe 16 years. Like you said, they just don't change enough from year to year. Yes, they are still very good and very polished, but I will likely be buying it every OTHER year now unless some big advancements take place. Really wish 2K or someone else would make games to push SCEA to have to actually compete for our dollars.

I'm only 1 hour in, and so far it's just tutorial type missions. No open world for me yet. And there seems to be a LOT of gameplay mechanics to remember. I can already tell the "make sure you eat or else your guy will be weak!" aspect of the game is going to be annoying. I understand the need to provide food for the camp, but having to make my guy open his satchel and eat a can of beans so I can finish a mission seems like it's going to be lame. I'll be putting in a couple of more hours tonight though.

My crazy Republican uncle who is a minor celebrity in my area on local radio has already started calling all these bombs fake and that it was Democrats planting all these to frame Republicans in to looking violent. So I'm sure this ridiculous van covered in obvious Pro-Trump paraphernalia will only stoke his theory of this being a giant conspiracy to make Republicans look bad. I can smell the mockery already.

How murky is our future 3B situation?

Nick Senzel is someone I've been thinking about figuring out to acquire. Would you guys do Cease and Rutherford for Senzel? I would. Senzel is going to be rated over Cease by virtually all publications, but the gap shouldn't be that large. The Reds also just drafted Jonathan India, so they are kind of loaded at 3B right now, but India being a few years away helps delay the need to worry about Saurez blocking him. Senzel is going to be ready for the majors by June. And the Reds seem to be atrocious at developing pitching, so Cease would likely anchor their core rotation until Hunter Greene makes it up.

Where do people get off thinking Jon Gray sucks and can be had for spare parts? In about 3 full seasons worth of starts (89 starts), he has a 10.3 fWAR. That's about 3.5 fWAR per year. That's firmly above average and borderline all-star quality. His ERA wasn't shiny and he gave up a lot of dingers this year, but his other peripherals have been great over his young career and he has an arm you can dream on. You'd literally have to give up Yolmer + Dunning + Burdi or something like that to get Gray.

You just answered your own question.

Definitely not implying that he's a prospect. Just surprised he was released after successful offensive seasons.

White Sox sign C Darrell Miller to a minor league deal. He just turned 25 and is only played in A-ball. What confuses me about his B-R page is that in 2017 rookie ball with the Royals after he got drafted he hit .376 with 5 HR, and a 25/25 K/BB ratio. Then he got traded to the Dodgers and got sent to A-ball where he hit .310/.365/.612 for an OPS of .977 in 15 games before he was released. He finished up his 2018 season in Indy ball with the Schaumburg team. Just a weird career path. Maybe the Dodgers just had no room for him, but having only had success so far, it's strange to think he had to go play for an Indy ball team halfway through the year.