he gone.

Appears all of the MLB did. Giants have the best record. A bit surprising considering all the teams who need pitching and are chasing playoff spots. Particularly the Cardinals (happ, lester, etc.) , Mets (need arms), Padres ( i mean they took a look at arrieta), blue jays (need bullpen), reds (no bullpen at all) and rays (who love these type of fixer uppers). $1.5mm is a bit steep for a month of service, but some of those teams would have seemed to have some sort of upside. I never understand front offices. Q has had his rough spots, but enough of a bright spot in the bullpen plus underlying stats + track record. would seem worth it for somebody.

Another reclaim project for the Giants ... this one does seem to have legs to it. Wouldn't have minded to see the Sox claim him to be honest. Owed $1.5mm for remainder of season. Despite his terrible ERA his underlying stats are closer to a 4ERA and has produced CSW and groundballs. He's been especially good out of the bullpen. Type of upside arm I think may have been worth the claim, if nothing else, he'd had a lot of success previously on the Southside. Wish him well, hopefully he gets his shot and performs for the Giants.

3 months ago if we were having a discussion about Reynaldo v. Keuchel it would've been asinine. Clearly that is not the case now, however it's baseball & weird things happen. We have the division won, so let's just keep throwing him out there and see what happens. If he continues to hurt the team via bullpen usage or (somewhat) critical losses as we try to secure home field throughout? then you reassess. But there is value if he can go out there and give you 6IP every 5th day, even if that equals 4-5ER in each of those starts.

Everybody is short everything when you make no effort. Go try and find a White Sox listing looking to hire. I don't think one can ...

This is a good analysis. Unlikely the Sox would've pushed him into that role so soon. They tend to only do so when the team is contending (Sale, Crochet, Vaughn), but otherwise play a bit of the game. So looking at 2018 roster you had Moncada already logging 149 games at 2B. Holding everything constant in terms of Tatis development? You likely just keep Moncada at 2b and you see that Yolmer Sanchez logged 141 innings at 3b. In RF you had 87 games of Avi Garcia and 43 of Palka. Based on Tatis arm and athleticism? I think it's fair to say he would've slotted in 3B, possibly with some OF time. Your top OF prospects were Eloy and Robert at the time. Not to play butterfly effect and "what if" even more since it hurts already, but seeing as you have Moncada at 2b in 2018, and you have Tatis rocketing through your system? The 2018 draft looks different too. There would be no need to take a Madrigal if you already had Moncada penciled in at 2b. Now Burger tore his achilles the 1st time that spring, so maybe the Sox would be looking for additional IF help, but likely with Tatis starting his rise, plus Anderson and Moncada across the IF we would turn to OF help. Mind you, we traded for Rutherford the year before and Basabe was still a thing along with Adolfo, but I'd guess we'd go OF, possibly more pitching. Don't shoot the messenger -- Jarred Kelenic -- pretty local guy -- was picked at #6 that year. Pitching wise? Ryan Weathers, Grayson Rodriguez, Logan Gilbert, Matthew Liberatore, and Brady Singer were some of the next pitchers picked. Based on where we were in the rebuild? I don't exactly think we'd pick any of those HS guys ... which leaves Logan Gilbert, Travis Swaggerty, Brady Singer as possibilities. Maybe Jonathan India too if we did indeed go infield help. Enjoy what we have though, because who knows how all this plays out in the end. That's life. But ... Anderson SS Tatis 3B Eloy LF Abreu 1B Grandal C Moncada 2B Robert CF Vaughn DH Kelenic RF

Definitely agree it seems like a lull. it also corresponds with a tough stretch. At the end of the day, i dont know about this board but the last few weeks have been tough to get up for even for myself. I find myself watching like 2-3 innings and turning it off. Regardless if they're winning or not. It's the dog days of August and unless your team is in a hunt for a playoff spot there seems to be a let down. Of course ours is a good one being up so many games, but I'd think that has something to do with this, along with the noted points above. Come a week from now we'll have expanded rosters and some of these guys back plus the end of the season divisional games which should allow us to start rounding into shape and hopefully a hot streak. Hoping the Cubs series brings some energy, along with an off day in there, pirates and another off day. should really put us in a position to get on the right track. then you have teh expanded rosters and finish with Texas, Detroit, and Cleveland for 5 all on the road. Home for good against Cinci for a tiny series which should be nice in terms of a tougher team, plus a team playing for something in the NL and then Detroit for 3 more. Hopefully that sets us up well where we're home on september 27th for approximately 2 weeks .... the last series + the WC play in games, plus the days off before the ALDS starts. If we have home field advantage for that series we'll be home through October 10

Not sure this deserves a whole topic, but it's the dog days of summer. Next year you have a bit of a conundrum with our rotation. More arms than slots, and then you have Rodon too. That said, my proposal would be to give Rodon the same contract we gave Keuchel. 3 years, $55mm with an option for $20mm if he hits 160ip in his final season. Two angles here. A) resigning Rodon obviously improves the team, but also limits IP next year for the rotation which will help the team as it rebounds from innings limits and hopefully a long playoff run. It also keeps them fresher for hopefully another longer playoff run B) it's kind of like trading a year of Keuchel for a year of Rodon. If were to go with a rotation of Lynn, Giolito, Kopech, Cease, Rodon, Keuchel the likelihood of Keuchel hitting his $20mm option are all but not. So you're shedding a commitment while giving that equivalent money to Rodon. I think it's a fair/team friendly deal for Rodon. You get him for a 3 year contract, paying him well, but limiting the downside. Of course you could always go the other route which is to use Keuchel out of a bullpen/long relief role to limit his innings, this is just less sloppy.

This statement will likely not stand the test of time

i think if we didn't have a 99.99% chance of winning the division he'd be closer to the 4-6 week time frame. Plus what is a 4-6 week timeline? until he's able to do baseball activities? play in a rehab game? be up with the sox? it's all relative. like it's been mentioned above it may be a situation where we're just trying to time out the expanded rosters for September 1. Also, give me Yermin and 2 catchers (so 2 catchers plus and emergency catcher) over Collins as my third catcher. One at least offers an upside of a bat.

good analysis. i've felt like when ive watched in real time that he was pressing and that appears to be the case. so far he's answered the call each time pitchers adjust to him, so hopefully that continues and he readjusts over the next 4-5 weeks in time for playoffs.

this is true, i was just going to let it lay. but ya, i was saying that these guys are hooking up all the time. not in the manner that trevor bauer is at all. more saying there are women pursue these guys, and the other way around, these players who pursue these women. obviously many times these players are in a relationship or with kids and that there's going to be cases of "blackmail" to keep hush. we as fans hear about almost none of it ... which just goes to show how outside the norm and how much of a crazy person, and how bad the behavior was by bauer. i will be interested to see if there's a team or owner that takes a chance on bauer in the coming year(s). Steve Cohen would seem to be one. he's a businessman, i can see him taking on bauer at a discounted price seeing as they were involved on him before and that he isn't afradi to be outspoken. i kinda doubt it happens this offseason, but maybe the next.

This. the mlb is full of rich, athletic young men with women who throw themselves at them for a lot reasons ... the difference is 99.99% of them go under the radar, even in today's world where everything is recorded on a phone. the fact that this one is out in the public tells you everything you need to know about bauer. he's a grade A scumbag.

given the implied pay outs i'd take ...... and this is a business/gambling decision ... not as a fan. blue jays - payout is great for a team with the bats and who have a nice 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation white sox astros rays in that order at this point.

The 18 year old "you're an adult" threshold has always been kind of arbitrary and driven by old school thoughts, not science. Though all humans are different, the brain doesn't really fully develop until 25 for men, and a few years earlier for women. I dont know about all of you, but college to me served a number of purposes, but one main one is the social development and maturity. Give 18 year old myself a paycheck and tell him to go out in the real world and I'd be found shotgunning beers. Hell, that was even me at 23. I'm not sure we need school, school through K-14. But maybe something like a transitionary school from grades 12-14 or 12-15. Maybe less of sit down memorize, and more take this and apply towards every day needs in the real world. Either way, I am all for more education, making it free or affordable, and building a better, more well rounded society.

I wouldn't disagree there. I think part of it is as you get lower in the 1st round the "sure fire" (degree of) college talents are mostly gone. So you're left more with the Nico Hoerner types at the back of 1. Which is not a knock on Nico, it's more just the Andrew Vaughn types aren't likely to fall that late with 3-4 extra years of scouting. I would argue I'd like to continue drafting those types over the next 2-3 years because those type of guys supplement our roster. That said, I'd guess the line of thinking from the Sox is that our window is approximately 4-6 years ... that we have young, controllable talent, that barring injuries, we have pretty significant talent across all parts of the diamond. Where we don't we can add cheaper, season veterans who can fill those roles. Therefore, the upside to drafting a higher upside High schooler outweighs the surer, lower ceiling guys who'd be around late in round 1. I see both sides, I'd just prefer the college route for a few more years. Who knows, maybe we've just improved our scouting and someone like a Montgomery is ready to rock and roll in 5-6 years as our current group is starting to splinter, get older, and more expensive.

That's such a cop out. yes picking higher results in better conversion rates, but baseball in general is not that easy. there are a ton of "busts" that never pan out, 1st round or not. Some comparable teams would be who then? Rangers? Seattle? Miami? Orioles? Pirates? The truth is there are people who are just negative and have made up their mind. The sox can't draft. Once one decides that mindset, then they do their best to dig in and defend that stance. Internet 101. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/draft/baseball-draft.php?yr=2010 Go to Baseball almanac and just look through 1st round picks .... see how many don't make the majors. See how many are just replacement level or worse. Then come back and see the Sox and how many are making differences on this team today. I get it, you will find a reason to back your argument but baseball drafts aren't easy Rangers: Kevin Matthews, Zach Cone, Lewis Brinson, Joey Gallo, Collin Wiles, Alex Gonzalez, Travis Demeritte, Luis Ortize, Dillon Tate, Cole Ragans, Bubba Thompson, Chris Seise, Josh Jung, Davis Wendzel, Justin Foscue, Jack Leiter Mariners: Danny Hultzen, Mike Zunino, DJ Peterson, Alex Jackson, Kyle Lewis, Evan White, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Emerson Hancock Marlins: Jose Fernandez, Andrew Heaney, Colin Moran, Matt Krook, Tyler Kolek, Blake Anderson, Josh Naylor, Braxton Garrett, Trevor Rogers, Connor Scott, JJ Bleday, Max Meyer, Khalil Watson Pirates: Barret Barnes, Austin Meadows, Reese McGuire, Cole Tucker, Connor Joe, Kevin Newman, Kebryan Hayes, Will Craig, Nick Lodolo, Shane Baz, Travis Swaggerty, Quinn Priester, Nick Gonzalez Diamondbacks: Archie Bradley, Stryker Trahan, Branden Shipley, Touki Toussaint, Dansby Swanson, Anfernee Grier, Pavin Smith, Matt MClain, Corbin carroll, Blake Whatson , Bryce Jarvis White Sox: Chris Sale, Keenyn Walker, Courtney Hawkins, Keon Barnum, Tim Anderson, Carlos Rodon, Carson Fulmer, Zack Collins, Zack Burdi, Jake Burger, Nick Madrigal, Andrew Vaugh, Garrett Crochet. Brewers: Taylor Jungmann, Jed Bradley, Clint Coulter, Victor Roache, Mitch Haniger, Kodi Medeiros, Jake Gatewood, Trent Clark, Nathan Kirby, Corey Ray, Keston Hiura, Tristen Lutz, Brice Turang, Ethan Small, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick Orioles: Dylan Bundy, Gausman, Hunter Harvey, Josh Hart, DJ Stewart, Ryan Mountcastle, Cody Sedlock, DL Hall, Grayson Rodriguez, Adley Rutschman, Heston Kjerstad I picked all those teams at random - teams that were near or at the bottom of their division for a decade off top of my head... kinda the worst teams of the 2010's if you will. Looking at that ... the pirates actually had the best picks ... sox clearly had those three drafts in a row from hawkins to barnum that were just awful... but i think you saw a very focused approach to step away from the toolsy, high upside guys after that. Anderson was another one of those, but panned out. But then we just kept going college guy after college guy and the results have been very, very positive.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2019/06/03/a-team-by-team-look-at-baseballs-draft-from-1996-2018/39539549/ This would confirm the negative line of thinking for those who'd like to run with that narrative. It also includes picks back to 1996. I wouldn't argue that the Sox were pretty poor at drafting and developing back then. I do think they've turned the corner significantly over the past decade. I feel like the narrative that we suck at drafting goes back to people who've followed the sox for decades and decades and decades. CHICAGO WHITE SOX Total WAR for all drafted players: 371.7 (MLB rank: 22nd) Total WAR for drafted players who signed: 305.6 (rank: 22nd) Total WAR for drafted players who did not sign: 66.1 Impact players (10 WAR or more) drafted: 10 (rank: 28th) Impact players drafted and signed: 8 (rank: tie-27th) Most recent impact player drafted and signed: Marcus Semien, 2011, sixth round (14.8 WAR) Lowest pick for impact player drafted and signed: Mark Buehrle, 1998, 38th round, pick No. 1,139 (59.2 WAR) Best draft class, based on total WAR (impact players listed): 1998, 93.8 WAR (Mark Buehrle, Aaron Rowand) Best draft class, counting signed players only: 1998, 89.1 WAR (Mark Buehrle, Aaron Rowand) Highest pick: Carlos Rodon, 2014 (pick No. 3) Best player drafted and signed, based on career WAR: Mark Buehrle, 1998, 38th round (59.2 WAR) Best player drafted who did not sign: Jeff Weaver, 1997, second round (15.2 WAR) Best player drafted and signed from first round: Chris Sale, 2010, pick No. 13 (43.6 WAR) Details: Buehrle was one of baseball's best late-round picks to date. In fact, in the history of the draft, only three overall No. 1 picks (Alex Rodriguez, Chipper Jones and Ken Griffey Jr.) have compiled more WAR than Buehrle.

2010 Chris Sale LHP Florida Gulf Coast University 13 $1,656,000 2011 Keenyn Walker OF Central Arizona College 47 $795,000 2012 Courtney Hawkins OF Mary Carroll HS (TX) 13 $2,475,000 2012 Keon Barnum 1B King HS (FL) 48 $950,000 2013 Tim Anderson SS East Central Community College 17 $2,164,000 2014 Carlos Rodon LHP North Carolina State University 3 $6,582,000 2015 Carson Fulmer RHP Vanderbilt University 8 $3,470,600 2016 Zack Collins C University of Miami 10 $3,380,600 2016 Zack Burdi RHP University of Louisville 26 $2,128,500 2017 Jake Burger 3B Missouri State 11 $3,700,000 2018 Nick Madrigal SS Oregon State University 4 $6,411,400 2019 Andrew Vaughn 1B University of California 3 2020 Garrett Crochet LHP University of Tennessee 11 I will take that track record over the past decade. I wonder if some site tracks WAR by draft picks, by team. I'd guess the Sox are in the top third.

Rutherford has been on a nice little run in AAA over the past month and change. Mercedes has shown his ability in the majors before and Adolfo has that power you can't just replicate. There aren't easy decisions when your team is good ... this ain't the 2015 white sox anymore. We have decisions to make and they're just going to get harder as we get better. its a good problem.

One would say that would imply me being fun at cocktail parties. brian anderson was known to have a few too many cocktails.

his numbers were strong in AAA. all hands on deck as we try and limit innings. we've got the division wrapped up ... i could care less about momentum over the next 21 days. get this team primed and ready to go starting around mid-september. let engel rest and get healthy. let everybody rest and get healthy. i have a feeling were gonna have some sox fans soon that are going to be reallll antsy when we win like 3-4 games over these next 3 series against the A's, Rays, and Jays.

you sound fun at cocktail parties.

that will help future college participants. not allowing to discharge even in BK is what created this mess in the first place. it took the free market out of the equation leaving lenders to know they'll be able to recoup their investment regardless. so lending/underwriting (if you want tot even call it that) went out the door and colleges took full advantage of it basically going all SEC Football on their campuses. upgrading buildings, upgrading dorms, spend, spend spend. 18 year olds were funding campus upgrades via debt. a buncha thieves and corporations and politicians led to this mess. unfortunately someone has to get the brunt of it, and it's mostly 20-40 year olds. 30 year olds probably have it the worst.. the most expensive and useless degrees with a poor economy.

lots of anger in this thread! we're watching day baseball games in August that matter. they're called the dog days of baseball for a reason! That said, ooof leury. give me robert

not absurd at all. what you'd want to do is find the market value. he has the pedigree to pitch like a $30mm a year pitcher. You balance that by injury history and track record. I think there's a market value in there of something like $15mm a year for 4-5. You get a discount on price and on years and it's win/win for everybody. I'd do 4/70mm personally. if you get a healthy version for 75% of the time you get a decent value.