Eminor3rd

Pentecost is obviously the biggest name that has been floated. Obviously the shoulder is a concern, but we have to assume that if the Sox target him, they are satisfied with the medicals. Sounds like Cashman has been poo-pooing the idea of any big acquisitions, so I'd imagine that he's not planning on moving Sanchez, who is finally hitting in AAA. If anyone is still dreaming about Schwarber for Quintana or something, I'd recommend letting that thought go. I think the Astros see Stassi as their long-term solutions and are going to let their older guys go to free agency.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 02:52 PM) The problem your article ignores (still great analysis BTW), is that Alexei will be 34 next season. You more than anyone on this site should acknowledge that even if he has been unlucky this year, he's due for significant regression in the very near future. IMO, hoping for bounceback in luck AND no decline due to age is a gamble not worth taking at $10M. For that kind of money, we should be able to get a younger, better bounceback candidate at a different position of need. I'm assuming you mean "decline" instead of "regression" -- but yes, I agree. The problem is that we have to keep in mind that we have to deal with a weak replacement for him as well. I'm not sure what we can get for $10m that will improve another spot and also be worth the difference between Alexei and Saladino. To me, it looks more likely that Alexei will produce $10m of value than it does that Saladino will turn out better than anyone ever expected. That, and there's really nothing on the free agent market (or likely trade market) that looks like a significant upgrade at C or 3B that can be made possible with $9m.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 01:59 PM) With Alexei having a $1 million buyout/$10 million option next year, there's very little reason to "give him a chance to bounce back". You do that with guys who are under contract, not guys where you're picking their options up. QUOTE (shysocks @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 02:20 PM) The question is, a bounceback to what? Right now the 2014 power output is the aberration and his peripherals most resemble 2013 Alexei, except it seems to me he's making a lot more weak contact. 2013 Alexei without the plus defense seems like a bad guy to spend $10M on when we don't have to. I'm not convinced that $10m can be re-allocated in a way to make up for the difference between a bounce-back Alexei and what Tyler Saladino is likely to produce. The FA market for SS is weak, and if you're going to "let the kids play," you're not likley to use the money anyway.

QUOTE (shysocks @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 01:53 PM) Flowers will be around as long as Chris Sale likes him. Folks should get used to it. I really wish we could prove that he's actually good for our pitchers, because he sure looks like he sucks at absolutely everything related to baseball.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 11:51 AM) While I totally disagree with the conclusion, I also offer compliments on the article and post. Well done. QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 12:56 PM) Great job, Mike! Thanks guys!

Saladino will be around next year, too. I don't see any harm in giving Alexei a chance to bounce back/rebuild some value. As it is, a trade at this point would probably be a salary dump anyway. If he's this bad next year, he can be DFA'd or dumped for Saladino. Like I said in the article, it's certainly possible there's something the numbers are totally missing, but from what I c an tell, betting on a bounceback here makes a ton of sense. Might not happen, but it looks more likely than most of the other lottery tickets we see.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jul 20, 2015 -> 10:51 AM) Great article, nice first blog post, Mike. Thanks!

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Apr 6, 2015 -> 08:04 AM) Conor Gillaspie is near worthless, loses starting job. Doesn't seem so bold in retrospect.

They need to move Samardzija now. The market is ripe. Plenty of fish in the sea this offseason to replace him.

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Jul 15, 2015 -> 06:44 PM) Hope not. Off injury, terrible year, free agent in 2017. So you wouldn't swap Samardzija for Lucroy?

Eno is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Wish I could make this.

I'm disappointed. Sucks when, even in a lost season, you can't see your best player play in the AS game.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jul 14, 2015 -> 02:30 PM) Well the article suggested you can get one loan per year. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jul 14, 2015 -> 02:30 PM) Well one thing to point out is, you would only be able to acquire 1 player on loan (so it isn't as if you could acquire a new roster...just one guy). I do agree, that it would mean numerous stars trade hands. It could also be extremely exciting. Maybe you add an extra wrinkle that you could only do it every other year (which would further dilute what changes hands). The big wild card is what happens when an injury happens and well, lets be honest, they would happen. You also lose the ability to control the pitch counts, etc, of your player so they could run your pitcher into the ground and thus sets you back the following year. I would think this would be a major benefit for small market teams. While rebuilding, they might have a star player who they could leverage to gain more assets (and thus rebuild faster). When I first read the title I thought I would totally hate it, but when I read the restrictions put in place and fact that money wasn't really going to be the factor, it became far more intriguing. Yeah, I just don't see the issue with just trading for the guy, though. I don't know. I don't like the "feel" of it, I guess.

I would absolutely hate this. Every playoff franchise would get a bunch of ringers every year, and it wouldn't even feel like it was the same franchise that actually got through the season in the first place. I understand that trades for pending free agents are kind of halfway there already, but as a fan, I can at least consider the rental player a "part of my team."

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jul 14, 2015 -> 01:46 PM) Montas and Adams for Cruz. Get it done. Shut up, Kenny!

I'd give up Avi for Bruce in a heartbeat before even considering the implications or direction of the team.

Between warmups and the one inning of work he'll get, he'll throw maybe 40 pitches. Normal side session.

WHERE ARE THE DINGERS?! I'm going to call it Dingerfest UNTIL I GET SOME DINGERS! The rest of you can call it SWEEPFEST! Tune in as this gentleman: Gets eaten by this gentleman: O/U -- Dingers, ever: 0.5

Aaaaaand the easy over takes it with 18 total Ks.

I no longer believe there will ever be any dingers again, but I'm titling it Dingerfest again simply because we're on a winning streak. For those so inclined, pretend it says K-fest instead. A candid shot of both of tonight's probables together: O/U -- Combined team strikeouts: 15.5

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Jul 10, 2015 -> 09:27 AM) The title is wrong, Rodon has a 4.18 ERA and a 3.67 FIP My bad, I was glancing and accidentally used his projected ROS numbers.

The dingers will come today. The ones that were meant for yesterday will be added to today's occurrences. vs. O/U -- Combined team dingers: 3.5

You Unders won. One measly dinger.

QUOTE (kapzk @ Jul 9, 2015 -> 02:08 PM) Let's lock up Jeff in the offseason after trading him at peak value Fixed

Jeff Sullivan ‏@based_ball 20h20 hours ago White Sox position players in July have been worth 0.0 WAR, which is the group's best month of the season