ChiSox59

Sending Kopech, who has a grand total of 14.1 major league innings under his belt, to AAA to shake the rust off after getting elbow reconstruction surgery is the furthest thing from “shady”.

Which.....makes a ton of sense!!!

Not the umpires finest game.

He gets 90% of 2020 to make adjustments, plus an entire offseason. The Sox are trying to spread things out a bit. It’s smart.

Cmon man, have some patience. I sorta understand wanting Cease up, but Robert 100% should not be in the bigs before late May 2020. Show a sliver of restraint.

Coming from the dude that would surely roast the Sox if they DFAd Fulmer and he became even just a decent reliever elsewhere. SMH.

Yah, it all got hurt.

Gotcha. Insert joke flying over stick figure gif.

Meh. Jay's lifetime OPS+ against RHP is 103, 91 against LHP. He has hit .280 against LHP in his career and definitely takes his walks, so he is definitely solid against LHP, but I don't see the Sox reverse platooning him - that would be bizarre. I suspect he'll be in RF most days regardless once he arrives.

I agree - but FWIW, Fulmer will be out of options next season. So we won't be able to option him back to AAA next season without exposing to waivers.

Yoan back in the lineup. Hopefully he attempts a swing today. A little surprised to see Leury out there today, especially in CF. He was moving at about 75% speed last night, it seemed.

Not really. He hasn't made a start in 2019. They could use him as 2-3 inning opener, but they're not going to stretch him back out in the bigs. Fulmer is a reliever.

Jay is most certainly going to take the RF at bats once he comes up, until he is likely traded for the ultimate lottery ticket in late July. I don't really see how Tilson and Jay coexist on the roster, so I think Tilson is the one to get demoted. If Jay plays RF against RHP, when exactly is Tilson going to play?

Tilson has 0.5 fWAR, just FYI. That is above replacement level.

With Banuelos on the shelf, the Sox pretty much have to call up Cease this weekend. Literally no other options in the upper minors even remotely worth trying, and they are not going to roll with 4 starters, though they maybe could with 2 more off days in the next 8 days.

There is frankly no reason to move on yet.

I agree it shouldn't be a problem, and I suspect we'll see the Sox make a splash in FA this winter. As has been laid out, there is clearly plenty of money to spend. In regard to the red - none of the Sox young players are getting to arb for a couple more seasons. No one important is getting meaningfully more expensive next season. The Sox did have the chance to change their lack of signing a major FA last offseason, but they also were at best a .500 team this season, and it made sense (IMO) to note give Machado or Harper a blank check. The Sox are clearly much closer to being a playoff team in 2020 as opposed to 2019.

Its worked out OK for the Sox. I agree last offseason was the time to get him, but had they done that we wouldn't have McCann at dirt cheap for 2 years, and that has become an enormous value. Thankfully we can still have Grandal + McCann.

I like Nimmo alot as a target, just wonder if the Mets are interested in trading him right now. He's struggled with a bulging disc is his neck all season. But he's a great fit as LH stick with a career OBP of .383. Yes please. I'd give them their pick of Gonzalez/Basabe/Rutherford, plus pick of Hansen/Lambert/Flores, plus a 40 man throw in they can use in the OF this season (Tilson, Cordell, Engel, Palka). Not sure if that is enough though. They'd probably ask for something like Dunning, Walker and Basabe.

Would be wise of them to try.

I kinda of expect Leury IL stint starting today. He looked like he was playing a 75% speed yesterday.

We tend to agree on most things, and I certainly wouldn't be mad if the this was the Sox offseason, but a few questions (mainly nitpicking): You really think Wheeler is going to get $19M AAV? Seems like a lot. I am not against Wheeler by any means, but I probably would prefer other options if he's getting anywhere near $20M AAV. Just pay the extra $50M spread over 5-6 years and get Cole at that point. I don't think we need both a 2B and a reserve infielder, but definitely need one. I'd prefer Scooter Gennett to play 2B, and then shift him to RF/super sub when Madrigal is ready. Yolmer is reserve infielder. I assume the Sox traded Colome in this scenario? I'd be sort of surprised to see him go at this point. I think the Sox won't get anything exciting enough offered to them next few weeks. The Sox I think plan to contend in 2020, and to contend you need backend guys. If the Sox could get someone interesting they could plug into the OF for the rest of this season, or a super high upside youngster, I for sure make the deal. But I think the days of acquiring fringey dudes that take up 40 man spots is over. Grandal, Grandal, Grandal. YES PLEASE. He should frankly be the Sox top priority. While I think Cole should be, but I digress. McCann has been great, but I do expect regression. Grandal doesn't have huge platoon splits, and his a little better LH, but no significant. A Grandal/McCann/Collins DH and catcher platoon. YES PLEASE. I've never been much of Justin Smoak fan, but he could be another option at 1B/DH if the Sox decide to let Abreu walk. I don't see that happening, but some additional pop from the left side wouldn't hurt. Smoak would be pretty cheap and couldn't likely get him on a 1 year deal to hold down a spot until Vaughn is ready. I liked the Ozuna idea a lot more before Vaughn. An OF with Eloy and Ozuna in it scares me. It'd maybe work for a year, but 1B/DH is just so crowded now - what are you going to do with Ozuna in 2021-23/24. I was really hoping someone would emerge from the Basabe/Gonzalez/Rutherford/Adolfo foursome to grab 2020 RF by the balls, but that doesn't look like its in the cards. I do think RF may be a position Hahn tries to get creative with on the trade market and find a controllable OF that hopefully bats LH. Perhaps clear some of the 40 man by trading a few prospects that are blocked or have stalled out. Not sure who the target would be (Nimmo / Conforto do make sense), or who we'd look to deal but Dunning, Burdi, Rutherford, Hansen, Lambert, Flores, and Mendick will all need to be added to the 40 man by December 2019, or will be at risk for the rule 5 draft. There is plenty of fat to chop off the current 40 man (Banuelos, Cordero, Despaigne, Minaya, Osich, Castillo, Rondon, Palka, Jay, Tilson, Engel), but something is going to have to give. I see Hahn clearing up some of jam by trading some excess for an OF. Ultimately my plan fantasy plan would be: Cole (6/$168M), Grandal (3/$60M), Abreu (2/$20), Gennett (3/$36M), Wood (1/$10M). Adds about $80M in 2020 payroll. Sox overpay roll would be in the $125-130M range.

No, he's not. He is a FA after this season.

Yah, Leury May need his annual 10 day rest. Jay was pulled early tonight...

His entire take is that while the Sox May spend up to $20M a year on a player, there is no chance that player will be worth it. But also roasts the team for not signing premier FA. Can’t win. And frankly the Sox have earned that skepticism. But there are clearly brighter days ahead.