Sox sign Adam Eaton 1 year, $7m plus option

[Orlando]

3 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

Did I say NSC? I don't think so. Let me go and check. Nope, didn't say NSC

Wow they discussed Lynn? You mean two "insiders" said MAYBE a contender will try to trade for a SP from a team who sucks? Now that is some insight!

Portillos has mentioned both. Beef announced a trade was happening minutes before it went down. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Orlando

[Dick Allen]

Just now, KipWellsFan said:

I can't speak to his personality and effect on team chemistry. Some of you may have a point there.

But let's also remember he managed to win a World Series in 2019. In that World Series he was second on his team in average, OBP, and OPS (Soto was first).

I don't see Joc Pederson as vastly superior.

I figured Springer was the elite. Then you had a tier of Joc, Eaton, Rosario, and Schwarber. Joc is probably the best one if everything goes right. He is also the most expensive, and even as Eaton's defense has declined, its still better than Rosario or Schwarber playing RF.

[Harold's Leg Lift]

I don't like this.  I'm going to need a very good explanation for it.  

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

Just now, fathom said:

Chuck will be around to say how great of a guy he is again. 

By all accounts, Edwin was a great guy but that doesn’t mean I wanted him back. The good guy/bad guy stuff is overrated. Eaton was an important piece in the Nationals World Series team just last year.

[EloyJenkins]

I'm not mad. I'm just confused. Why sign this now when he could have been cheaper later on FA? Unless this is to save money for a big Starter, I just don't get it. As a player he is fine. As an organization move, it's just kindy icky

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

21 minutes ago, bmags said:

Wow that's amazing. Sox fans saying "wow if we just get average production after getting awful production last year, we are great" just works out every time doesn't it? This was the exact line people said about melky cabrera, and boy, this is a melky cabrera signing.

Adam Eaton was worse than Nomar Mazara last year. We replaced a dirt hole with a blackhole.

[bmags]

1 minute ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

Which I'd think you'd try doing.

Adam Eaton wRC+

2018 - 122 (95 games)

2019 - 107 (150 games)

2020 - 75 (40 games)

BB %

2017 - 13%

2018 - 10.3%

2019 - 9.9%

2020 - 6.6%

 

[chetkincaid]

You guys think signing Eaton was a LaRussa move or a Hahn move?

I bet it was LaRussa.

[SonofaRoache]

Just now, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Adam Eaton was worse than Nomar Mazara last year. We replaced a dirt hole with a blackhole.

That's true, but I think Eaton will bounce back to 2019 form. That is okay if money is spent elsewhere. But will money be spent is the question. 

[Sox80]

The money will be spent.  Even joc is out of Jerry's price range.  I don't like it.

[hogan873]

We won't know until the season gets underway, but I do feel that he'll have a better year than 2020.  If he has a 2019-like season, it's a great addition.  If he struggles mightily, it's a cheap add that can be subtracted.  If he's an asshole in the clubhouse, Lance Lynn can sit on him.

[daggins]

Shitty declining player with a shitty attitude and beef stroganoff for knees

[SoxAce]

The only thing I don't like about this move is he is injury prone and especially the chemistry issues. I wonder if they feel with LaRussa in charge that it won't be much of a problem? I expect a big bounceback from Eaton though (not what he once was, but still a solid player offensively). That 2019 season was an outlier for him across the board. But it's hard to justify a toxic player who is injury prone. But I am not doubting the bat bouncing back. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by SoxAce

[ron883]

1 minute ago, bmags said:

Adam Eaton wRC+

2018 - 122 (95 games)

2019 - 107 (150 games)

2020 - 75 (40 games)

BB %

2017 - 13%

2018 - 10.3%

2019 - 9.9%

2020 - 6.6%

 

Joc was bad in 2020 tho

[southsideirish71]

1 minute ago, EloyJenkins said:

I'm not mad. I'm just confused. Why sign this now when he could have been cheaper later on FA? Unless this is to save money for a big Starter, I just don't get it. As a player he is fine. As an organization move, it's just kindy icky

This is not about saving money for a big acquisition.   This is TLR checking boxes on the type of players he wants on the team.   JR loves it because he gets to guard his fortune.  

[Squirmin' for Yermin]

1 minute ago, bmags said:

Adam Eaton wRC+

2018 - 122 (95 games)

2019 - 107 (150 games)

2020 - 75 (40 games)

BB %

2017 - 13%

2018 - 10.3%

2019 - 9.9%

2020 - 6.6%

 

OBP and OPS+ in line with his career years with us apart from his 2020.

[TheTruth05]

Just now, chetkincaid said:

You guys think signing Eaton was a LaRussa move or a Hahn move?

I bet it was LaRussa.

It's evident TLR is running the show.

[KrankinSox]

Did anybody just hear Adam Eaton hang up on Carmen and Jurko? LOL

[ron883]

Just now, KrankinSox said:

Did anybody just hear Adam Eaton hang up on Carmen and Jurko? LOL

Lmao really? I gotta look this up

[chetkincaid]

1 minute ago, TheTruth05 said:

It's evident TLR is running the show.

Yep. SMH.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

2 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Adam Eaton was worse than Nomar Mazara last year. We replaced a dirt hole with a blackhole.

The king of sample sizes is comparing two players during covid shortened seasons? Interesting. I’m not in love with the move but for the first time since Eaton was traded I’m expecting a positive WAR value from our starting RF. Small victories

[fathom]

1 minute ago, KrankinSox said:

Did anybody just hear Adam Eaton hang up on Carmen and Jurko? LOL

What happened 

[he gone.]

9 minutes ago, almagest said:

It seems the Sox definitely aren't spending much this offseason. I'm assuming a decent reliever or two (assume Colome comes back) and maybe they'll bring up Vaughn halfway through the year and rotate the DH before that. Maybe Yermin gets a shot though I doubt it.

All told this is pretty typical White Sox free agency. Eaton sure as hell isn't going to put up 6 WAR again. He'll probably slot around 0-1 and they'll move on from him in 2022. At that point it's Adolfo or Colas, because the free agent list isn't great from what I see - Michael Conforto, Tommy Pham, Starling Marte, Corey Dickerson, Nick Castellanos (opt-out), Charlie Blackmon (player option), Andrew McCutchen (club option).

This team is going to be carried on the backs of their home grown players. They won't be getting much long-term star-level help unless they luck into someone. I don't see this trend resulting in a perennial contender over the next 5 years. It's disappointing for sure.

This. It does allow us to keep the window open via trade, but yes, unless you get a Conforto or an older Marte not sure there are many options next year either. Its almost like Harper wouldve been the perfect fit haha. 

[Rowand44]

24 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

I'm throwing away Eaton's 2019 co-vid short season. He has more than enough of a track record to show that was an outlier season for him. The defense isn't elite anymore after that knee injury, but he is still solid enough in the OF. And the bat is miles better than Mazara. 

Is it though?  Even if you want to throw away 2020, it's not like Eaton's bat was miles better than Mazara's in 2019.  Eaton was a tad above average offensively in 2019 but as I said was trending downward even before 2020.  Even if you want to look at this thing optimistically the best you can expect is an average offensive player who can't really play defense anymore.  Add in the clubhouse issues and it's just not worth it.

[Orlando]

4 minutes ago, chetkincaid said:

You guys think signing Eaton was a LaRussa move or a Hahn move?

I bet it was LaRussa.

Depends. If he does well it was Rick Hahn if not it was KW, Jerry and La Russa