steveno89

It's all lip service until they prove otherwise

Ryu's injury history likely will frighten the Sox. If they are going multi year they are going to want a guy they can reasonably expect to pitch 180+ innings.

I agree. Not sure I can justify going multi year on Puig. There may be interest for him to take a one year prove it deal and hit the market again next year?

I do not either, but he's a tier above other starting pitching options.

Reality = Sox are totally out on Cole/Stras for obvious reasons We need to sign one of: Wheeler/MBum/Ryu/Kuechel/Odorizzi (at a minimum). This has to be a top priority, our rotation needs veteran help. Multi year signing. We need to sign another starter, although the second one will likely be more of a backend/innings eating option, although hopefully with upside. Perhaps a guy like Porcello on a one year deal? Wheeler's market is going to be really robust, which has me concerned about our ability to separate from the pack.

I'm admittedly terrified of going five years for nearly any pitcher, especially given that he missed a ton of time between '15-17' with injuries. Huge amount of risk in a deal that long.

Agreed. Pretty much every team could use a starter like Wheeler to bolster their rotation. He will cost far less than Stras/Cole as well, giving him widespread appeal. Expect 5-10 suitors, with 3-5 getting serious about him. He might be able to squeeze that fifth year out of a team at an AAV between $18-22 million. Wheeler's floor should be 4/$75 million, ceiling might be 5/$115 million? I do not see any club that will be willing to go to six years on him though like Corbin got.

We have seen so many high K%, low BB%, with power guys come and go from Chicago. I'd like to add players that get on base, even if they sacrifice some power.

Hardly a surprise at this stage. Sox have plenty of money to throw around should they choose, and Wheeler makes sense.

Meh. Mazara is essentially the same player at age 24 that he was as a rookie at age 21. Mazara is arguably worse than Avi Garcia...let that sink in. Why would we bother with him?

Pressure and expectations should be increased big time at this stage in the rebuild. Sox have tons of financial flexibility to use this and next offseason if they play their cards wisely, but badly need to inject impact talent as they shift from tanking to contention. 2020, while unlikely to be a true contention season, is pivotal in taking the step and getting to .500 or better. A 75 win season would be a disaster and fans would be right to call for heads to roll. Rebuilds cannot be perpetual, and the time is now to make bold moves.

Mazara just does not move the needle the next two seasons enough to be worth trading for. Potential still is there, but we need to be adding higher quality players than him moving forward.

White Sox should want no part of a 3/50 million reported deal that Jose is seeking. This is the modern MLB, not fifteen years ago where a deal like that would regularly happen. Sox tactically cratered Abreu's market with the qualifying offer, and would be smart to sit back and wait. No other club is going to give up the compensation and offer enough years and dollars that the Sox would not match if needed. Ideally we go year to year with Abreu moving forward. Anything beyond 2/30 would be a mistake.

I would not mind Calhoun on a one year deal. His glove and arm are solid, and his bat has some pop. It would be far from a splashy signing, but combined with more higher profile signings it could make sense. This also gives us financial flexibility next offseason. I like Castellanos, but his defense is well below average, hindering his value. If we signed him to a long term deal I would worry that we are inking the 2017 version of him, an unspectacular 1.5 WAR player that ends up being overpaid. The poor defense puts a ton of pressure on his bat, and he does not exactly draw tons of walks.

My hesitation with Castellanos is the poor glove as well. They would be asking a ton of Robert in CF to pick up the slack from poor LF/RF defense. Calhoun is far from a sexy addition, but on a short term deal he could hold his own for us in RF.

I'd much rather have four years of control over Lopez than two years of Mazara right now. Lopez could take the next step and develop into a quality starter, or even hang around long term as a backend starter. That has value.

Bingo^ Sox would be foolish to punt four years of control on a young arm for two years of Mazara, who just is not that great. Lopez has more value than Sox fans might perceive, and he still has the potential to get better. Pitching can take time to figure things out, but when it all clicks you can see a huge turnaround. Look at 2018 vs. 2019 Giolito and tell me why Lopez should be sold off for pennies on the dollar?

We have plenty of prospects that should interest other clubs, especially a guy like Stiever.

Wheeler is going to get paid, but I am not sure if he will get a guaranteed fifth season from teams given his past injury history. A four year deal would be ideal. Mazara for Lopez would be a poor trade for the White Sox, as Lopez has four years of control remaining to just two for Mazara. Also Mazara has been flirting with replacement level production, I do not see the fit.

Hell no. Bummer and Stiever have surplus value, especially Bummer. That alone plus another piece would be a solid offering for Benintendi alone, let alone the awful Price contract.

Boston is screwed from the standpoint they do not have any payroll flexibility to improve the roster, and their farm is one of the thinnest in the entire league. They are not good enough to contend in 2020 onward, but strapped with huge money owed to aging players. Cannot picture the Sox being willing to take on Price's contract. Just does not make sense.

Hell yeah I would be happy. That would be far beyond anything Sox fans could reasonably hope for. Sprinkle in Kopech, Robert, Madrigal, plus perhaps a pen arm and we would be far better in 2020. Still does not address the catcher position long term though. I feel like the Sox will look to make a trade involving Stiever and Walker/Adolfo/Rutherford/Gonzalez plus perhaps a lower level prospect.

The Price contract is not going to be easily for the to move, especially with a weak farm system. Boston is not in great shape moving forward, with tons of money owed to a handful of players.

Expecting playoffs? Absolutely not. Collins has not shown enough to be our DH, and banking on Realmuto next year would be a mistake. Grab Grandal and EE now, along with two starting pitchers and either trade for or sign a RF.

I'm more inclined to go 1/10 with EE and provide more flexibility going into 2021. Moustakas is not bad in the field, and would likely want more than a DH role considering his ability to play 3B and 2B in a pinch. One year deals for Abreu and EE essentially would become an in house competition to see who gets signed back for 2021 as Vaughn could be knocking on the MLB door