Eminor3rd

He was the 15th best pitcher in the MLB last year by fWAR. What is a TOR pitcher to you?

Wheeler was the guy. He was the only realistic shot at TOR performance that didn’t require a $160M+ contract. The other “fish in the sea” are either substantially worse or substantially more expensive. I don’t think the abject despair some are feeling is overblown if you look at the context of the market. The only way to get the pitching they need now is via trade, which would pull from a talented bun already thin system, thus hurting the teams chances, and all, again, for the sake of saving money. The team is simply not operating at the same level as the rest of the MLB. If this is how they are going to act, only blind luck will ever bring a championship

5/125 is perfectly reasonable for a 29 year old coming off of two consecutive 4+ win seasons. This franchise is a fucking joke.

All bluster

Addressed several times in subsequent posts

Yes, if they fail to address the rotation in a major way, despite several options being available for just money, which is the asset they’ve been working so hard to save to use, and directly promised they would, yes. Major disappointment.

The implication is what was wrong about what you said. I’m arguing that the Phillies are much more likely to win a free agent bidding war than the White Sox, given that they’ve done so several times in recent history, and consistently have bff run substantially higher payrolls for the past two decades. You’re trying to argue against that, I guess based on them not signing every player they were interested in last year, the same year they won the bidding to give out the richest free agent contract in the history of baseball?

They got Harper lol

I said more than the White Sox. Not the Nationals.

Phillies being involved is not good news. If they want the guy as much as the White Sox do, they’ll absolutely be willing to pay more.

A DH coming off a career year , largely driven by one great half, with Boras as his agent.

Jon Lester was a way better pitcher at the time of his signing than Bumgarner is now. He was coming off a five win season, 2.46 ERA/2.80 FIP over 219 innings. Strasburg in 2019 is a better comp for Lester in 2015.

I mean I believe literally every organization can be the one to bid high enough to make the White Sox uncomfortable.

Dude he's the GOAT and he's still under thirty. You would take the contract.

Yes, seconding this. These are looking like they’re gonna be even scarcer than originally estimated.

Who then? Keep in mind he's not a 4 win player unless he's playing SS. Projected 97 wRC+ via Steamer. And he's a one year player and costs $10M. Who ya got?

You're right about that, but I don't see a fit in the AL.

If the Reds don't end up with him, Idk what they're doing.

I don't know, maybe it's just around here. But everyone has been decrying Cashman for not beating it. Also maybe it was Boras talk. But, regardless, it seems like a similar situation in Wheeler, but seems to coming at a lot less.

I don't think is steep at all. It seems very reasonable to me, to be honest. This guy is coming off of two consecutive 4+ win seasons, his stuff is at its peak, and there's even speculation/some evidence that he could be better if he improved his sequencing (https://blogs.fangraphs.com/zack-wheeler-is-good-but-not-as-good-as-he-could-be/). There's tons of risk with every pitcher, but how is this guy not worth five years at ~$20M? I mean, it's a very similar and arguably even better profile than Corbin had going into last offseason, what with Corbin's only one great season (albeit a better platform season, statistically) and diminished velocity/heavily increased slider usage (plus similar injury history), and he was disappointed to get 6/$140M or whatever. I don't know, I'm confused, but I seem to be higher on Wheeler than a lot of people, so maybe it's me.

Ellsbury was released, finally.

Right — but like I said, between now and the rule 5 is the time to do it, because with so many teams locked into a full 40 man, you minimize the chances of this. Not a lock, but this is their best shot to push him through.

Because then you weed out everyone who would only be willing to carry him on the 40 man instead of the 25. If Yolmer is faced then only with minor league deals, you would assume the White Sox have an advantage. If someone wants to sign him to a MLB deal and commit an active roster spot, well — good for Yolmer.

Outrighting him now makes perfect sense if they wanted to work out a new deal with him -- every team just solidified their 40-man in preparation for the Rule 5 draft. A team would have to like him more than either someone they just protected or whoever it is they planned to try to snag in the draft for them to make a claim.

Doesn't help much if you're never on base.