Offseason Thread

[caulfield12]

3 minutes ago, hankchifan said:

We sure could have used Narváez, Semien and Avi this season.  They would have covered our weaker spots at defensive catcher, 2B and RF.

Which is further irony because all three of those guys were dealt due to defensive shortcomings the White Sox were either unable to identify and/or fix…

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

How come everyone failed except the Braves with Eddie Rosario? How come no Soxtalk expert said the Sox should pick him up?

I think everyone was pretty realistic they weren’t getting Springer but wanted to take a shot at that tier right above in the $9-12 million range…and yes, Rosario was coming off an inconsistent 2020, which knocked down his price tag.  Plus he was already more familiar with the Central than anyone.  One of the knocks, though…was his defense, and hoping to strengthen the corners rather than weaken them around Robert.  Jimenez was already in LF, which is Rosario’s natural spot compared to RF.  In retrospect, we didn’t really get stellar offense OR defense, ultimately.

It’s the same thing with Conforto this time around, although he’s closer to the $14-16 million per year range.   A lot of posters mentioned Starling Marte and Pederson for the last couple of years, too.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

Which is further irony because all three of those guys were dealt due to defensive shortcomings the White Sox were either unable to identify and/or fix…

Neither semien nor garcia were let go because of defensive shortcomings. What are you talking about. Avi wasn't even dealt. Jfc.

And why could the sox have used Omar Navarez? Were the sox going to sit their star catcher in thr playoffs lol.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

56 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

I think everyone was pretty realistic they weren’t getting Springer but wanted to take a shot at that tier right above in the $9-12 million range…and yes, Rosario was coming off an inconsistent 2020, which knocked down his price tag.  Plus he was already more familiar with the Central than anyone.  One of the knocks, though…was his defense, and hoping to strengthen the corners rather than weaken them around Robert.  Jimenez was already in LF, which is Rosario’s natural spot compared to RF.  In retrospect, we didn’t really get stellar offense OR defense, ultimately.

It’s the same thing with Conforto this time around, although he’s closer to the $14-16 million per year range.   A lot of posters mentioned Starling Marte and Pederson for the last couple of years, too.

Rosario had a fluke playoff run. Acting as if that is somehow predictable is comical,

[caulfield12]

32 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Neither semien nor garcia were let go because of defensive shortcomings. What are you talking about. Avi wasn't even dealt. Jfc.

And why could the sox have used Omar Navarez? Were the sox going to sit their star catcher in thr playoffs lol.

In the world where they never traded for Colome and developed Narvaez as the Mariners and Brewers did.

Two were trades, Avi was “let go” meaning not offered a contract.

Semien was shuffled back and forth between three different positions and never allowed to get comfortable…and not given enough playing time before they pulled the plug on him since he wasn’t considered a top prospect coming up since he wasn’t a first or second round draft pick.

This is a bit of the chicken and egg thing…defensive problems caused by moving him around and classifying him as utility guy before his career got started, or his offense disappointed because he let some of his defensive issues and not feeling confident about the organization’s belief in him as an everyday starter?

Garcia couldn’t stay healthy, couldn’t repeat his best season…and wasn’t adept at anything but collecting assists his best year, like Eaton, but he at least profiled like a 1.5-2.5 fWAR player with occasional higher peaks, which was a heckuva lot better than anything Mazara ever put together. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by caulfield12

[Bob Sacamano]

2 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

In the world where they never traded for Colome and developed Narvaez as the Mariners and Brewers did.

Two were trades, Avi was “let go” meaning not offered a contract.

Semien was shuffled back and forth between three different positions and never allowed to get comfortable…and not given enough playing time before they pulled the plug on him since he wasn’t considered a top prospect coming up since he wasn’t a first or second round draft pick.

Garcia couldn’t stay healthy, couldn’t repeat his best season…and wasn’t adept at anything but collecting assists his best year, like Eaton, but he at least profiled like a 1.5-2.5 fWAR player with occasional higher peaks, which was a heckuva lot better than anything Mazara ever put together. 

If Semien stuck with Sox, he would have been a free agent before this season so it’s not like it’s some guarantee he would have been a factor this year. It would have been nice to trade him at some point in the rebuild though after one of his great seasons.

[caulfield12]

5 hours ago, Bob Sacamano said:

If Semien stuck with Sox, he would have been a free agent before this season so it’s not like it’s some guarantee he would have been a factor this year. It would have been nice to trade him at some point in the rebuild though after one of his great seasons.

Kinda a sad state of affairs when we simply assume a player of that caliber would simply be gone in FA instead of being retained by the White Sox.  We've become conditioned like Pavlov's dogs...guess we will see what they decide to do with Giolito and TA.

[Flash]

11 hours ago, poppysox said:

That would be a terrible overpay IMO.

Guess it depends on what value you assign to Career .805 OPS/111 OPS+, positional versatility and 25 HRs ('21).

[caulfield12]

14 hours ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Rosario had a fluke playoff run. Acting as if that is somehow predictable is comical,

He's also had three big league seasons with a 2.4 or higher fWAR, including 3.4 as recently as 2018.

Now to pick one guy specifically out of Soler, Duvall, Pederson and Rosario...that would be almost impossible to predict.  But you are able to secure FOUR of those guys when the White Sox had a difficult time coming up with just ONE during the season is pretty remarkable, and also sound scouting.

They acknowledge their clear weaknesses after the early-season injuries and went out and addressed them.

[Dick Allen]

8 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

He's also had three big league seasons with a 2.4 or higher fWAR, including 3.4 as recently as 2018.

Now to pick one guy specifically out of Soler, Duvall, Pederson and Rosario...that would be almost impossible to predict.  But you are able to secure FOUR of those guys when the White Sox had a difficult time coming up with just ONE during the season is pretty remarkable, and also sound scouting.

They acknowledge their clear weaknesses after the early-season injuries and went out and addressed them.

So the Sox should have picked up all 4 of these guys. Who should they have cut? Do you have any posts other than hindsight showing how obvious this move was? 

[ChiSox59]

25 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

So the Sox should have picked up all 4 of these guys. Who should they have cut? Do you have any posts other than hindsight showing how obvious this move was? 

TBF, any of Duvall, Pederson or Rosario would be a been sizable upgrade in RF to the situation we ran out there in RF this season.  But none of them are world beaters either.  Braves have caught lightning in a bottle here.  

[GREEDY]

Well, only 14 shopping days until MLBTradeRumors predicts a George Springer like contract for Conforto and Sox fans everywhere wake up to the fact that Jerry won't buy him. 

[Kyyle23]

4 minutes ago, GREEDY said:

Well, only 14 shopping days until MLBTradeRumors predicts a George Springer like contract for Conforto and Sox fans everywhere wake up to the fact that Jerry won't buy him. 

Ok

[ChiSox59]

12 minutes ago, GREEDY said:

Well, only 14 shopping days until MLBTradeRumors predicts a George Springer like contract for Conforto and Sox fans everywhere wake up to the fact that Jerry won't buy him. 

Conforto won't get half of the guaranteed $ Springer got.  

[Harold's Leg Lift]

I think for the first time in our lifetime the Sox are going to act like a big market team this off season.  

[hi8is]

5 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

I think for the first time in our lifetime the Sox are going to act like a big market team this off season.  

They certainly should. Numerous factors at play. Cubs rebuilding. Jerry isn’t getting younger. Window open. Hall of Fame Manager DUI likelihood high.

[ChiSox59]

8 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

I think for the first time in our lifetime the Sox are going to act like a big market team this off season.  

So you've already mentioned Scherzer.  Do you think its possible we see the Sox sign legitmately above average big leaguers in RF and 2B as well as signing a high end SP like Scherzer? 

Going to cost Jerry close to $200M to do that, and it won't get cheaper for the next 3-4 years.  

[caulfield12]

54 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

So the Sox should have picked up all 4 of these guys. Who should they have cut? Do you have any posts other than hindsight showing how obvious this move was? 

Obviously the Braves needed to replace an entire outfield.

The White Sox only needed two of those guys…and should have sent Vaughn to the minors to get regular playing time in an effort to get him back into any type of offensive rhythm again.  Yes, he was also injured, but he’s a pretty significant question mark at this point in his Sox career.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Conforto irrationally annoys me because of this site's random fascination with random players ala Nimmo.

[ChiSox59]

2 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Conforto irrationally annoys me because of this site's random fascination with random players ala Nimmo.

Likely because a healthy Nimmo is also a fantastic fit for RF.  Unfortunately the Mets, Nimmo is never healthy. 

Nimmo has a lifetime slash of .266/.393/.445 across 1700 PA.  Dude is very good when he plays. So that is the fascination.   

Edited October 25, 2021 by ChiSox59

[Harold's Leg Lift]

20 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

So you've already mentioned Scherzer.  Do you think its possible we see the Sox sign legitmately above average big leaguers in RF and 2B as well as signing a high end SP like Scherzer? 

Going to cost Jerry close to $200M to do that, and it won't get cheaper for the next 3-4 years.  

Yes.  Yes I do.

[Tony]

18 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Conforto irrationally annoys me because of this site's random fascination with random players ala Nimmo.

I know, it's really hard to figure out why so many here would like a player who bats LH, plays solid OF defense and slashed .292/.401/.437 in 2021 and is still cost controlled. 

Bunch of weirdos. 

[Bob Sacamano]

21 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Conforto irrationally annoys me because of this site's random fascination with random players ala Nimmo.

Nimmo is good. Just can’t stay healthy.

[ChiSox59]

6 minutes ago, Tony said:

I know, it's really hard to figure out why so many here would like a player who bats LH, plays solid OF defense and slashed .292/.401/.437 in 2021 and is still cost controlled. 

Bunch of weirdos. 

Right!?!? What a bunch of IDIOTS!

[southsider2k5]

Here's the thing.  Everyone is in a meltdown about Kimbrel's two years before this year serving as redflags, despite what he had done for the first half of 2021 with things back to relative normalcy.  Conforto has many of the same red flags in his 2021 regression.  He scares me.