TheFutureIsNear

It’s stuff like this why we can’t have nice things. You can’t run a sports franchise like it’s a country club, tell your old drunk buddies to go home Jerry.. Also tells me there was probably 0% Tony was getting fired or leaving if not for his health issue.

Because switching and/or abandoning your favorite sports team is unconstitutional and punishable by death…or at least it should be

If Moncada bounces back to at least a .270/.350/.420 hitter If Giolito can bounce back to 180+ innings if sub 4 ERA pitcher If TA, Robert, and Eloy can all play at least 135+ games If Vaughn and Kopech take the next development step forward If Grandal can catch 85+ games and be a useful hitter IF those things happen…sure we are a World Series contender *(Didn’t mention the uncertainties of Lynn, Clevinger and whoever our 2B is)

I also agree…but fangrpahs somehow doesn’t. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/chicago-white-sox-top-26-prospects-2023/

Not sure if it’s more sad or funny that fangraphs just released our top prospects and Santos is at #9.

Yeah clearly I was very wrong on Varsho’s value, I honestly wasn’t aware of how good his D is when I typed that. But I’ll still wait and see on how smart of a trade this actually is. If Varsho continues to improve with the bat it will be a good trade, but even if he takes a small step back we’re talking about a glove 1st CF’er with a 100 WRC+. Obviously still plenty of value in that player, but for a potential high end catcher and a starting level OF’er? Good luck Blue Jays…

Regardless of whether you think Sheets can play OF or not, he sure can’t play CF, and he hits from the same side as the 2 current projected corner OF’ers. We need another OF’er, preferably RH. We’re another Robert injury away from having Luery/Hamilton/Reyes in CF for an extended period of time …that can’t happen.

Well that has to signal that Jansen is off the table. Jays still have Kirk, but they can get those 2 more than enough AB’s between C and DH

Who I was thinking of. Someone like Sanchez, Roberto Perez, or Jason Castro platooned with Seby/Carlos Perez could potentially keep us afloat if the rest of the lineup is good. Obviously could also blow up and be a complete black hole…but then again if/when Grandal gets hurt we are in the same boat. The reports coming out seem to be pointing in the positive direction for Grandal, but we’ve also all seen players with positive reports in the off-season fall flat. Unfortunately with Grandal we are at the mercy of our front office making a smart informed decision on his health and ability to bounce back and be a useful catcher for at least 80+ games. Not sure how he’s useful to us if he can’t do that.

Looking at his #’s I’m assuming not, but any chance Aaron Hicks could still be a decent 4th OF’er? Was thinking something like this: Liam and Grandal for Gleyber, Hicks, $12M (makes the Hicks commitment same as $18M for Grandal), and a Yankees SP prospect like Clayton Beeter, Will Warren or Randy Vasquez. Obviously would leave us needing to find decent C, but the $ would be there to do so

He’s 21, hit 26 HR’s in his 1st full AA season, and most scouting reports give him a pretty good shot of staying at SS, at worst 3B. And also just won winter league MVP. What about his star do you think has “faded quite a bit”? Not saying I love Mauricio or that he’s close to equal value to Liam, but I sure wouldn’t mind getting him back in a trade. Liam and Leury for McCann, Escobar, Mauricio and another Mets prospect not named Baty, Alvarez, or Parada makes a lot of sense in my opinion.

It’s the Mets and they will clearly do anything to win a WS so very possible they would trade Baty…but I wouldn’t call him “blocked” either. He has already played some LF and pretty much every scouting report thinks he has enough athleticism to be fine there. Mets LF is Canha who’s on the last year of his deal so it makes sense for Baty to get more time in LF at AAA this year. Plus the Mets have Vogelbach at DH who could easily have another bad season.

Continue starting him at 2B? Correa is going to 3B. Eduardo Escobar is out of a job….and probably not good enough to warrant pursuing.

They would just add prospects. McCann is negative value and Escobar doesn’t have much value. I might be the most pro trade Liam here…but you’re way undervaluing him if you think McCann and Escobar is a good deal. Maybe the 2 catchers and Baty would be off the table, but we should be able to get at least 2 of the Mets top 15 prospects back in that deal

I brought it up before, but San Fran would be an interesting destination. Unless I’m missing something looking at their roster they don’t have a decent backup C option behind Bart and their DH spot also seems to be pretty wide open. Grandal could (in theory) be a good mentor for Bart and Kapler loves to platoon/play matchups so Grandal could easily see a decent amount of AB’s at C/1B/DH (most of their options seems to be RH). Sox could easily take back Tommy LaStella as a salary dump as he doesn’t seem to really have a roster spot after the Correa signing (they have Flores for Utl)

No, there is no one close to Jansen on the free agent market. And if there was they would be going for 12+M on a multi year deal. Omar Navarez just got 8 mil and hasn’t had a WRC+ above 100 in 3 years. Not even trying to be a dick…but what’s the point of holding onto a closer on a team that clearly isn’t good enough in most other areas? For the warm fuzzy feeling of comfort? Liam is about to be 34 and the Sox aren’t a World Series contender…what’s the plan? Hold on to him to continue closing meaningless games?

Not saying either are great players by any means, but we don’t have a 2B and it’s very questionable whether Grandal can catch any kind of significant amount anymore. Escobar and McCann would definitely fill rolls we likely aren’t going to spend $ on in free agency. If Hahn could get those 2 AND prospects we’ve reallocated bullpen $ to fill needs while also improving the future of the team. Something like Liam and Luery for McCann, Escobar, Mauricio, and Butto (or pick your 2 favorite Mets prospects not named Baty, Alvarez and Parada) works out $ wise for both clubs and gives the Sox minor league depth we desperately need. And I realize this may not line up with the front office is trying to do, just my opinion on what a pretty good move would be. I’m not a fan of clinging on to an older closer for a team that isn’t going to win a World Series. If Liam’s elbow issue gets worse there’s a possibility that the Sox paid a closer a bunch of $ to never even win a playoff series(still a strong possibility without injury). If you aren’t a legit WS contender then cash in on value while you can is my thought, but I could see why some wouldn’t want to

Whether or not he is realistic is 1 thing, but Alvarez was in the majors at the end of last year and at least showed power. He’d be a mid ‘23 addition at worst. And even tho he was just drafted I highly doubt Parada needs 2-3 years. Most highly touted college catchers move up fast. Seems like a guy you would start in AA this year and see how fast he can can progress. With the Sox development team maybe it takes a little longer, but I don’t think expecting him to contribute in ‘24 is unrealistic. But you are correct that it’s not a move a team looking to win a World Series this coming year would do…also not sure what moves the Sox are making that make a WS possible this year.

It doesn’t have to be cost cutting. There is a a 3rd option of reallocating that $ to fill other needs.

If it’s only 1 prospect coming back it has to be either Alvarez or Parada. The combo of power and ability to play middle infield is obviously intriguing with Mauricio, but no way we should be trading Hendricks for a prospect that refuses to walk and has a questionable hit tool.

They absolutely could…but trading 1 of your better hitters for a setup man and counting on a rookie in what is essentially a do or die WS year? Doesn’t make sense to me, but it is the Mets so who knows

Hard to see a Mets deal working honestly. Are they going to open up a hole in their lineup by trading McNeil to get a really expensive set-up man?…after already giving David Robertson 10mil to presumably fill that role. Escobar definitely works to fill our 2B hole, I’m just not sure how Escobar + prospects makes sense for us. Unless it’s Baty, but that would leave a hole for the Mets at 3B. Maybe a 3 team deal, but good luck coming up with that proposal.

Which is why I said we need to add arms for AAA depth. Doesn’t change the fact that another legit MLB starter isn’t signing to pitch out of our bullpen as an emergency option. Search for another Cueto like arm…obviously easier said than done, but as you said, we have room to take multiple shots.

What starting pitcher is signing with the Sox to be the 6th starter? And how do we fit a 6th starter on the 26 man roster while keeping them stretched out to start in a pinch? We should absolutely be looking at minor league depth/NRI deals, but I don’t see how anyone can logically think we are signing a proven, healthy MLB starter right now.

I see he played CF in 2022, but is Duvall still capable of holding down CF for any kind of extended time? That would be the only thing that worries me as we are another Robert injury away from having Luery/Billy Hamilton as our starting CF.