steveno89

You do not know what else goes on in these negotiations though. I always suspected it would be difficult to get Bumgarner to leave the NL, especially the West. Ryu and Keuchel remain unsigned, we cannot really talk what ifs until the ink is dried. What we do know if that Ryu has an extensive injury history and going multi year with him would be a massive risk. Keuchel remains a possibility, but the Sox will sit back and continue to monitor free agent markets. There are years and prices that make sense, and years and prices that do not. Going out and spending on players for the hell of it is not smart. There are very real red flags on these guys.

I am not saying this is necessarily what I want to happen, but it is looking more and more likely that this is what happens. Ryu is made of glass and is unlikely to leave the West Coast. Keuchel makes degrees of sense, but really depends on at what cost and how many years. There is not a clear answer following the miss on Wheeler. Unfortunate, but reality.

We all hope Vaughn is on a 2021 MLB trajectory, but hard to pencil him in until he mashes in 2020. McCann will likely be gone after 2020, and Abreu and Vaughn could trade off 1B/DH.

https://theathletic.com/1460540/2019/12/16/mailbag-where-do-the-white-sox-go-from-here-and-will-they-ever-sign-a-scott-boras-client/?source=shared-article James does a great job at answering questions and alluding to what the front office is likely dealing with. Missing on Wheeler was huge, because they projected him to still be a quality option in years two, three and four, whereas you really cannot do that with many of the remaining FA pitching options. It will not make people happy, and is far from sexy, but I am starting to expect two bargain bin starters on one year deals being added to the 2020 team. The Central is winnable, but James' point about going from low 70's wins to near 90 is not easy to do in a single offseason. Overpaying now for pitching we may not even want in twelve months is a difficult decision. I am not here to carry water or to say this is an acceptable approach, but long term it may be in our best interests. Our farm is top heavy and fairly thin on depth that we should not be stealing from at this stage to bandaid the MLB roster. Colome/Herrera come off the books after 2020, opening up nearly $18.8 million in payroll. Yes, we will need to address the bullpen, but that breathing room will be nice. We need internal options to develop and be MLB ready.

Is it? Have you seen him face live batters since September 2018? We have no idea how he will fare until Spring Training, and even then, exactly what ChiSox59 said

Kopech has zero basis to file a grievance

You get the lost season of control back for a player like Kopech. There's no reason to rush him back and toss him into a MLB rotation in early April. There's a strong chance you do not like what you see from him this spring anyway, and he will need that minor league time to work his way back.

Not saying it is. We could do worse than a player like Gonzalez as our fifth starter though. He should not cost too much and could be had on a one year deal. Far from sexy, but could be a reasonable bounce back to a 2+ WAR season kind of guy. I have higher hopes, but getting better is getting better.

Sox are certainly going to acquire two more starting pitchers prior to spring training, even if only for depth purposes. Covey and Fulmer will not be a part of the rotation, if they are then the offseason was an utter disaster.

Cease has faced hitters in 2019, Kopech has not. Sure, they will see how Kopech does in spring training, but he is still ticketed to start in AAA, where he will not be asked to immediately be throwing 5+ innings as a starter. You cannot pencil in a guy coming back from TJS surgery for anything until you see how it goes with him on the mound for awhile.

Kopech has 14 MLB innings to his name and has not earned a starting rotation spot in any sense. Kopech absolutely should be sent to AAA for at least a month to build up his arm and face hitters. Sox absolutely are going to get the lost year of service time back, but there's zero argument against having him be in AAA for 1-2 months.

We are not privy to what actual asks/contract demands are. Ryu/Keuchel are likely asking for big money and years. Do you want Ryu at 3/$75 million? Do you want Keuchel at 4/$80 million? No.

Has anything you have seen suggested the Sox are truly in on any free agent starting pitching right now? Ray, I'm on board with you on that. Overpaying declining starters gets teams in big trouble. I know we should try to compete in 2020, but not at the expense of forcing it with players we do not want long term. Sox are conscious of age curves and have been reluctant to ink players much over thirty to multi year deals, with the exception of Grandal.

Sox should want no part of Price I cannot imagine Boston would eat $60 million just to move him, there's a difference between teams expressing interest and actually trading for him.

That article is lunacy. The more I think about it, the Red Sox would have to eat $60 million of that contract to have a chance at moving it. Lets say the Red Sox ate $50 million of the deal, would Price receive 3/$46 million if he were a free agent? No way.

The Sox do not seem enamored with any of the available FA starting pitching right now. Reading between the lines I have my doubts we seriously pursue Keuchel or Ryu, and either look to made a trade or ink inexpensive stopgaps.

I'm fine going with one bargain bin type starter, but they must either trade for or sign at least one quality option.

Agreed, both Boston and NYY would have to sweeten the deals to get teams to take Price/Happ off their hands. Jackie Bradley Jr. for one season does not impact the trade all that much. A real asset like E Rodririguez or A Benintendi would have to be attached, along with money.

Encarnacion is a far better DH option than McCann/Collins at this stage. The 26 man roster allows keeping three catchers to be easier, but EE would be the first legitimate DH we have had in awhile. A one year deal for around $10-12 million should get it done.

Teams regularly cobble together production out of less expensive players, it's called getting value. Homer Bailey was paid $555K in 2019 and had a nearly 3 WAR season as an example.

The more I think about it, I'm not sure if I even want an aging David Price on the Sox. We would be stuck with three seasons of him at a likely substantial cost, why make that our problem? There are bargain bin players available that are younger and cheaper that could give us similar production.

I would not expect Kopech to be pitching in the majors until May/June at the earliest. April should be spent in AAA, and they will see how it goes from there. Working back from TJS takes time, anything we get from him this season is gravy

It is mid December in the offseason, wait to judge the roster until March Despite fans being impatient, the front office is aware of what the rotation and roster currently look like. If you are patient I will bet they add at least 1-2 starting pitchers, a bullpen piece or two and likely position players

Where have you been seeing this?^ I see way more doom and gloom than optimism lately from the fanbase. We just need to be patient and wait to see how this offseason unfolds

Based on what?^ It is currently December 13th, still early in the offseason. The AL Central is the most winnable division in the MLB, I do not buy your argument at all.