ChiSox59

The coaching staff, and the fact that pretty much all their best players were either hurt, bad or both. That might matter too, idk.

Yeah, that $5M buyout sucks. 1/$8M sounds about right for AJ. At least you can squint and see a useful player there if his at bats against tough RHP are limited. And certainly provides some injury insurance you noted.

Problem with that is Sox then need 2 OFs. Can you find one better than Pollock for 1/$7M? Maybe…but the net cost is about right

Its really not that difficult of a situation to figure out. It is actually quite simple, really.

How in Benintendi in the OF? He doesn't play any RF. While not ideal, probably not a deal breaker as Colas can cover RF. But we'd be back to the Pollock in RF games to start 2023. Gallo's being a pretty good OF helps a lot. I think there is a decent chance he'd a solid player. But he'd be third on my list after Nimmo and Conforto.

Gallo.

I think the Sox have made themselves pretty clear on the Jose front.

Between Leury, Sheets, AV and Eloy, they should be able to cover the 15 or so games until Colas takes Sheets spot on the roster. Mendick and Romy can both play a corner if needed too, and will likely be on the roster. Doubt Mark Payton survives the offseason on the 40 man, but he's out of options so could let him break with the club too if needed. You could also just throw Cespedes in the fire if you had to to cover a couple weeks. Honestly, he won't be much worse than 2022 Engel. They have options. Its likely a month at most until Colas is in Chicago.

This is the way forward. Nimmo should be plan A, B and C. Assuming that bidding exits the Sox comfort level, Conforto, Gallo, and to a lesser extent Benintendi and Brantley should be all be the next tier. They have options.

Misread the post.

Haseley does not have the ability to reject. So he'll stay in the org. Not awful non-40 man insurance to have in Charlotte.

I am sure Balta will tell you his numbers are better, but I have it more like $168.8M at the moment, not including signing bonuses spread across multiple years, a differed $1M due to Abreu, etc. True salary is $168.8M. I also believe Sox final 2022 payroll was $197M. Guaranteed Lynn - $18.5M Grandal - $18.25M Moncada - $17M Hendriks - $14M Pollock - $13M (player option with $5M buyout) Anderson - $12.5M (team option) Jimenez - $9.5M Robert - $9.5M Kelly - $9M Graveman - $8M Garcia - $5.5M Bummer - $3.75M Diekman - $3.5M *This assumes White Sox turn down Harrison's $5.5M team option* *Other impending FA's include Abreu, Cueto, Valasquez, and Andrus* TOTAL GUARANTEED = $142M Arbitration Eligible *updated based on MLBTR projections* Cease (arb 1) - $5.3M Kopech (arb 1) - $2.2M Mendick (arb 1) - $1M Giolito (arb 3) - $10.8M Lopez (arb 3) - $3.3M Engel (arb 3) - NON TENDER (MLBTR projection of $2.3M) Ruiz (arb 1) - NON TENDER (MLBTR projection of $1M) Crochet (pre-arb) - $700k Gonzalez (pre-arb) - $700k Lambert (pre-arb) - $700k Sheets (pre-arb) - $700k Vaughn (pre-arb) - $700k Zavala (pre-arb) - $700k TOTAL ARB = $26.8M; TOTAL PAYROLL = $168.8M The White Sox 2022 payroll was ~$197M, so this gives the Sox around $30M to spend to match 2022 payroll

Depends on who you ask, but yeah, Sox should have somewhere between $25-30M AVV to spend on the 2023 roster to stay under$200M, and around where they were were this past season.

I am thinking 1/$12-14M, with a $20M team option with $3M buyout. So $15-17M guaranteed.

Crick should be able to reject the assignment, and surely will. Not sure if Haseley has enough service time, and since he was once a fairly highly regarded prospect, I doubt he's been outrighted before. He may actually stay in the org.

He means attaching something like Joe Kelly and Leury to AV. The Sox aren't going to do that, though.

Trading the 24 year old cost controlled future franchise cornerstone who's value is depressed due to playing out of position, and turning around and investing $15M+ for 2023 into a comparable 36 year old bat on the decline is.......very bad business. I lose Jose Abreu. Build him a statue. But this is not the route forward unless Miami wants to hand us Jazz Chisholm for AV, AND Jose will take a nice discount. Signing Jose also means we aren't getting an OF. Its just terrible asset allocation.

They need more than a "warm body, and I don't think they need to fill "several OF spots". Pollock is a perfectly fine stop gap in LF to Colas, and is actually a great platoon partner for him as he does still hit lefties well. The price point isn't ideal, but it is what it is. You have to assume he's on the roster until he's not, and if he's not, Sox suddenly have a few more million to play with. You know I want Nimmo. I doubt the Sox actually get him. But they need to at least get someone from the next tier of LH hitters - Benintendi, Conforto, Gallo, maybe Brantley though his defense would scare me.

I am hopeful that Sox plan is for a Colas / Pollock platoon and to make him earn his spot. Sign or acquire an OF. If Colas pushes his way into the mix by May, Pollock goes to bench. There will be plenty of playing time for all these guys.

If the White Sox don't acquire a starting caliber OF that complements the teams weaknesses (LH; good vs RHP; at least an average defender) they may as well trade everyone of value.

Perhaps. But it seems this Tovar guy is really respected for what he's done with their young hitters.

Royals fans seem legitimately disappointed by this. I’d say that’s a pretty good sign.

Agreed. To me, Gavin is a placeholder for 3-4 weeks until Colas arrives and then is in AAA purely as an injury insurance. Gavin is a fine depth piece to have around to fill in for a couple weeks when needed, but he's close to worthless as bench piece. He has an option; hope to Sox abuse it this year. Same goes for Burger, btw.

That's....not happening. He keeps saying it, but it continues to not be very likely at all. However, Grifol being a catching guy may want the FO to find a catcher that is a much better receiver than our options. Or maybe he can just make Seby into a better one. So perhaps the chances of Sox just cutting bait with Grandal went from 1% to 5%. Still think you just gotta hope Yaz legs are healthy this spring and he can be useful as a part time catcher and pinch hitter. The shift ban will help him a bit. Its unlikely he just completely forgot how to hit; he was playing on one leg all season. The other angle is here is Grandal may factor into the 1B rotation a bit more this year. Assuming Pito is gone, when you pinch run for AV late in the game, someone has to play 1B. Gavin may be around early in the year, but its going to be hard to keep him on the roster if its fully healthy once Colas arrives. Now this roster staying fully healthy is very unlikely, but point being, Yaz is probably going to play more 1B than he has the last 2 seasons. Not like 1B is a hard position and you can stick Leury or some s%*# there if needed, but not a lot options after AV/Sheets/Grandal, unless you want Eloy to try to learn how to do it occasionally.

Charlie Montoyo for bench coach has been rumored, if you missed that.