2021-22 Free Agents

[caulfield12]

Should we go with another starting pitcher as insurance for Kopech, as Lopez would be first man up...assuming they still plan to start Kopech?

Or do they add a value guy like Conforto or Baez rebounding from a down season on a one year "make good" deal (assuming we won't spend $17.5+ million guys here)?

If we did sign Baez, we wouldn't need Hernandez or Leury, so the hit to payroll actually wouldn't be all that far off from balancing...which is going to be critical if we plan on keeping Kimbrel around.

Maybe the best case scenario is trading Kimbrel for a backend starter...but wouldn't it be easier just to sign the next Robbie Ray, Taijuan Walker or spend the money on SF Giants' front office members to identify FA pitching?

Of course, Hahn wants to prove the value of his two acquisitions and TLR loves himself some Leury.

Edited August 27, 2021 by caulfield12

[Buehrle>Wood]

Force one of the loaded ss class to move to 2b

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Force one of the loaded ss class to move to 2b

Baez and Story will be the names. Semien, Seager, Correa are going to be too expensive or getting longer term guaranteed deals.

Simmons is the other choice to hope for an offensive rebound.

Edited August 27, 2021 by caulfield12

[South Side Hit Men]

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

Should we go with another starting pitcher as insurance for Kopech, as Lopez would be first man up...assuming they still plan to start Kopech?

Or do they add a value guy like Conforto or Baez rebounding from a down season on a one year "make good" deal (assuming we won't spend $17.5+ million guys here)?

If we did sign Baez, we wouldn't need Hernandez or Leury, so the hit to payroll actually wouldn't be all that far off from balancing...which is going to be critical if we plan on keeping Kimbrel around.

Maybe the best case scenario is trading Kimbrel for a backend starter...but wouldn't it be easier just to sign the next Robbie Ray, Taijuan Walker or spend the money on SF Giants' front office members to identify FA pitching?

Of course, Hahn wants to prove the value of his two acquisitions and TLR loves himself some Leury.

I'm struggling to see how Kopech will be able to transition into a starter for more than a few months next season. The club never disclosed his innings target, but it is apparent his injury time away and role shift from multi-inning / occasional spot starter to almost exclusive one inning outings upon his return in July has diminished his innings pace (94 IP pre injury to the low 60s) .

That said, perhaps the club has recognized he is struggling to ramp up to even reach 60 innings this year, and that it will be a reasonable two year process (2023 rotation target) due to the length he was out and his prior injury issues.

• April [IP 15 2/3;  Pace 94 IP; ERA 1.72]
• May [IP 15 2/3; Pace 94 IP; ERA 1.72]
• June [IP 0; Pace 62 2/3 IP; ERA N/A]
• July [IP 11; Pace 63 2/3 IP; ERA 4.91]
• August 1-26 [IP 8 1/3; Pace 61 IP; ERA 8.64]

Edited August 27, 2021 by South Side Hit Men

[bmags]

I too am thinking about the offseason after a decade of no playoffs where we are currently in a 9 game lead with a month to go.

[oldsox]

1 hour ago, bmags said:

I too am thinking about the offseason after a decade of no playoffs where we are currently in a 9 game lead with a month to go.

7 games in the Loss Column.  There is a 3 game series with Cleveland next month.

[bmags]

7 minutes ago, oldsox said:

7 games in the Loss Column.  There is a 3 game series with Cleveland next month.

we should pretty much just write-off this year and put all our resources to next at this point

[RibbieRubarb]

35 minutes ago, oldsox said:

7 games in the Loss Column.  There is a 3 game series with Cleveland next month.

You're right. They got us dead to rights.

[Quin]

2 hours ago, bmags said:

I too am thinking about the offseason after a decade of no playoffs where we are currently in a 9 game lead with a month to go.

Well, Caulfield's trying to figure out the Padre's next move.

[southsider2k5]

[Timmy U]

2 hours ago, oldsox said:

7 games in the Loss Column.  There is a 3 game series with Cleveland next month.

To be clear: That's a 5 game series to cap off an 11-game road trip. I don't think Cleveland is going to suddenly become world-beaters after dominating a swoon Angels team and Texas, but the memory of last year's collapse there is still fresh. 

[Tony]

2 hours ago, oldsox said:

7 games in the Loss Column.  There is a 3 game series with Cleveland next month.

[CentralChamps21]

I like to start with what we know we have and then build from there:

OF/DH: Jimenez, Robert, Vaughn, Engel

IF: Moncada, Anderson, Hernandez (opiton), Abreu

C : Grandal

SP: Lynn, Giolito, Cease, Keuchel, Kopech

RP: Hendriks, Kimbrel (option), Marshall, Cordero, Crochet, Bummer, Lopez

That's 10 position players and 12 pitchers, so we need 3 more position players and 1 more pitcher

• One position player needs to be backup catcher. Collins, Zavala and Mercedes have all proven to be seriously flawed so hopefully this is an acquisition
• Really need a LH or SH bat that can be the primary RF, or be the primary 2B and move Hernandez to a RF platoon with Engel. Not sure the Sox are ready to count on Gavin Sheets yet for this so this figures to be an acquisition
• Need a utility player and unless some team offers Leury a starting job I'd think he would sign back with the Sox.
• Don't see Kopech starting for a full season so a starter is a possible acquisition. Retaining Rodon is a long shot. If the Sox are comfortable going with Lopez as the 6th starter, then re-signing Tepera could be an objective. Of course trading Kimbrel to fill one or more of the other needs is a possibility so that would open up another bullpen spot.

[Snopek]

4 hours ago, bmags said:

I too am thinking about the offseason after a decade of no playoffs where we are currently in a 9 game lead with a month to go.

We are happy but we are restless. In a way, this feels like waiting for spring training to wind down.

[ChiSox59]

Michael Conforto should be priority A.

Anderson SS, Moncada 3B, Abreu 1B, Eloy DH/LF, Conforto RF, Robert CF, Vaughn LF/DH, Grandal C,  Hernandez 2B 

BN: Engel, vet FA catcher, Mendick, FA utility guy (fully expect them to resign Leury)

SHOW ME A LOSS ON THE SCHEDULE!

[chw42]

16 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Michael Conforto should be priority A.

Anderson SS, Moncada 3B, Abreu 1B, Eloy DH/LF, Conforto RF, Robert CF, Vaughn LF/DH, Grandal C,  Hernandez 2B 

BN: Engel, vet FA catcher, Mendick, FA utility guy (fully expect them to resign Leury)

SHOW ME A LOSS ON THE SCHEDULE!

Conforto is a good buy-low candidate to give a prove-it 1 year deal to. I bet the Mets will offer him the QO though. 

His xwOBA is actually .357, much more in line with his career numbers. 

[ChiSox59]

5 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Conforto is a good buy-low candidate to give a prove-it 1 year deal to. I bet the Mets will offer him the QO though. 

His xwOBA is actually .357, much more in line with his career numbers. 

1 year prove it deal would be nice.  Would happily give him more years tho. Dude looked like a $100M type guy 12 months ago.  I'd happily sign him to 3/$45-50M deal.  Whoever signs him to that deal is going to be happy.    

Edited August 27, 2021 by ChiSox59

[caulfield12]

Hernandez in RF?

When he won a GG at second...well, that would be so White Sox.

Guess pretty much everyone in the organization but Burger has tried outfield at least once this year.

[EloyJenkins]

13 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

1 year prove it deal would be nice.  Would happily give him more years tho. Dude looked like a $100M type guy 12 months ago.  I'd happily sign him to 3/$45-50M deal.  Whoever signs him to that deal is going to be happy.    

Why wouldn't he just take a 1 year prove it deal with the Mets? Cohen will throw stupid money around again this offseason. 

[Tony]

17 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

1 year prove it deal would be nice.  Would happily give him more years tho. Dude looked like a $100M type guy 12 months ago.  I'd happily sign him to 3/$45-50M deal.  Whoever signs him to that deal is going to be happy.    

 

22 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Conforto is a good buy-low candidate to give a prove-it 1 year deal to. I bet the Mets will offer him the QO though. 

His xwOBA is actually .357, much more in line with his career numbers. 

I always love these type of posts. While I don't think either of you are wrong per say....if he was on the Sox all season and put up the numbers he has....you'd be counting the days until he's gone. But he's not on the team, you're not watching him everyday.....so it's a totally different perspective. 

[hi8is]

7 hours ago, bmags said:

I too am thinking about the offseason after a decade of no playoffs where we are currently in a 9 game lead with a month to go.

This. 1,000,000% this.

[BFirebird]

5 hours ago, oldsox said:

7 games in the Loss Column.  There is a 3 game series with Cleveland next month.

Cleveland is going to have to play out of their minds to even get this close. There are only 33 games left. 

[ChiSox59]

53 minutes ago, Tony said:

 

I always love these type of posts. While I don't think either of you are wrong per say....if he was on the Sox all season and put up the numbers he has....you'd be counting the days until he's gone. But he's not on the team, you're not watching him everyday.....so it's a totally different perspective. 

You must be have confused with someone else. Conforto is a very good baseball player, SSS 21 be damned. 

[Tony]

23 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

You must be have confused with someone else. Conforto is a very good baseball player, SSS 21 be damned. 

Grammar aside.....I'm not disagreeing with the fact Michael Conforto has put up good numbers in the past and still may very well in the coming years. 

What I am saying is being on Soxtalk for well over a decade....if the Sox "star" RF put up a slash of .218/.342/.356 and was up for a new contract.....people wouldn't be screaming for his return. Seeing a player put up that line everyday for the team you root for changes things, it just does. 

[ChiSox59]

2 hours ago, Tony said:

Grammar aside.....I'm not disagreeing with the fact Michael Conforto has put up good numbers in the past and still may very well in the coming years. 

What I am saying is being on Soxtalk for well over a decade....if the Sox "star" RF put up a slash of .218/.342/.356 and was up for a new contract.....people wouldn't be screaming for his return. Seeing a player put up that line everyday for the team you root for changes things, it just does. 

I hear ya. Guess I’m just not one of those people. @chw42 isn’t either. We are two of the people who support Grandal alot here against the bozos you’re referring to because he’s a really fucking good baseball player. All I see in Conforto's 21 performance is making an unattainable player attainable. He’ll be a steal in his next deal, and I hope is for the Sox cause he's an awesome fit.  

Edited August 27, 2021 by ChiSox59