Jump to content

Offseason Part 2 - Lets the Rumors & Action Begin


Chisoxfn

Recommended Posts

3 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

I haven’t thought about our roster in a long time, but given CWS’s 3 choices for RF I’m starting to think that NO MATTER WHAT our corner OF defense is going to suck.  
 

Eloy/Robert/Conforto- sucks

Eloy/Robert/Bryant- sucks

Eloy/Robert/Castellanos- sucks

Eloy/Robert/VaughnSheets- sucks

 

Outside of a huge trade it’s going to suck out there, but Robert probably makes up for that all by himself.  
 

So if you admit it’s going to suck, what do you do?

Getting Eloy out of LF would help otherwise he’ll be out of LF and DH because he’s on the IL. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Sign a good hitter and hope you are winning big early and plug Engel or good defensive outfielder out there in the 7th or 8th

Totally agree.  I see the value of Bryant being versatile, but his bat might just be a tick slow now.  
 

If for some reason we have enough money for Bryant, maybe it makes sense to go Conforto/Schwarber for the same price or less.  
 

2 LHH, 5RHH and 2S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, maxjusttyped said:

The players are all comparable enough where I'd default back to Bryant because of positional versatility. I think being able to play LF, RF, CF (he'd be overextended here but he did play over 100 innings in CF last season), 3B, & 1B at a star caliber level gives him value that isn't reflected in WAR. In a lot of ways, he is a 2022 version of Ben Zobrist. I know this might seem like a stretch, but given how willing Bryant has been to play other positions, I think he could likely be passable at 2B if a team had to start playing him there in a pinch.

"In 2018, Doug Fearing, former Dodgers head of research and development and current head of Zelus Analytics, penned an academic piece about the value of versatility to a roster. He focused on Ben Zobrist in that paper, but his findings presaged Chris Taylor’s importance to the Dodgers. By trying to “quantify the impact of flexibility on team and individual performance and explore the player chains that arise when injuries occur,” the paper showed that “top teams can attribute at least one to two wins per season to flexibility alone, generally as a result of long subchains in the infield or outfield.”

I found this quote, from an Eno Sarris article last year, interesting and it's stuck with me ever since.

I love the versatility, but given all our needs I think Conforto provides the best value.  He’s the better defender in RF and is the better hitter against RHP.  And while this will sound ridiculous, we just gave Leury $5M/year for his versatility and I’d rather get the best possible fit for a position of need.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d be super happy if we ended up with Bryant, but I’d take Conforto over him if it were up to me.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I’m holding Sheets and dumpster diving SP. i know it’s likely Sox will make a trade or two and Sheets is at top of the list of who’s going, but 1 year of Bassitt in return is rough. Another SP would be nice but I’d rather have Gavin around for when we’re sure to need him. This team is plenty good as is to win division. Bassitt isn’t moving the needle on the playoff rotation. 

You want to go to war with Dallas Keuchel as your #4 starter come October?  And that’s assuming everyone is healthy at that point.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Chicago White Sox said:

You think Sheets is worth a good SP with three years of control?

This is where the Sox are really going to feel having a bad farm system. Good pitchers (or just players, generally) with >3 years of team control are probably unattainable unless Vaughn or Crochet are put in the deal.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jack Parkman said:

touche. It was 2023 actually. 

I completely owe you for getting me reinstated. I'm going to a few games this year so maybe I'll buy you a brewski at the park. 

Where the hell has Ron been for a while? 

You got yourself a deal Jack! We'll grab a beer at a game this season. The lockout + the Bulls being good had me not thinking about baseball much. Bulls look like shit now and the lockout is ova, so I'm back ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

 

So if you admit it’s going to suck, what do you do? 

You get 30+ HR from each  corner outfielder and a bunch of clutch hits.  Hopefully  that wins more games than  stellar defense does.

HR are the biggest part of today's major league game, especially from a fan perspective.  It has been that way for a while.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, HOFHurt35 said:

But then again goes this unnecessary anxiety folks have about having to add another SP right now.  

Not many teams contending are going ACES 1-5 out of the gate.

I want Kopech to get a chance to start, PERIOD.   I understand his innings limit, but I'm also not blocking him right now to get a chance to get those innings in. 

And Keuchel isn't going anywhere too.  

So where does another SP fit to start the season? 

Let's use those few bullets we have in $$$ and trade pieces to solidify 

a) Second Base 

b) RF (and even RF I'm not to worried about right now since I also need Vaughn to play the field everyday) 

 

Keuchel can go to the bullpen to start the year.  He was absolutely terrible and his numbers are starting to catch up to his stuff.  Relying on him would be a major risk.

What 2B are you interested in that’s going a lot of money or trade pieces?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Exactly. Rotation is full. We have mlb ready guys who can take some starts. Grab a cheap vet to compete with Keuchel and go to war.  Keep Gavin. If you’re gonna make a trade, grab an expiring asset SP for Burger + fluff and call it a day. 

The rotation isn't full. The average team uses like 10 starting pitchers in a given season. We all feel good about Gio, Lynn, Cease, & Kopech. But there's no scenario where Kopech is going to pitch ~180 innings next year. He will get skipped and have short starts. Guys will get hurt. Keuchel and Lopez are both best suited starting the season in the bullpen. Particularly when there's really no credible upper minors pitching depth behind those guys.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Chicago White Sox said:

You want to go to war with Dallas Keuchel as your #4 starter come October?  And that’s assuming everyone is healthy at that point.

In no scenario would Keuchel be my 4 when he’s in a rotation with Giolito. Lynn, Cease and Kopech. 

I am not against adding a SP, but it should be a longer term fit if it’s for Gavin. I’d trade Burger + for Bassitt tho. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

I haven’t thought about our roster in a long time, but given CWS’s 3 choices for RF I’m starting to think that NO MATTER WHAT our corner OF defense is going to suck.  
 

Eloy/Robert/Conforto- sucks

Eloy/Robert/Bryant- sucks

Eloy/Robert/Castellanos- sucks

Eloy/Robert/VaughnSheets- sucks

 

Outside of a huge trade it’s going to suck out there, but Robert probably makes up for that all by himself.  
 

So if you admit it’s going to suck, what do you do?

Conforto is actually a league average defender.  An outfield with him, Robert, and Vaughn or Eloy in LF would be fine defensively and leagues better than those other options IMO.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Keuchel can go to the bullpen to start the year.  He was absolutely terrible and his numbers are starting to catch up to his stuff.  Relying on him would be a major risk.

What 2B are you interested in that’s going a lot of money or trade pieces?

Keuchel is not going to the bullpen, we need to stop with this. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

In no scenario would Keuchel be my 4 when he’s in a rotation with Giolito. Lynn, Cease and Kopech. 

I am not against adding a SP, but it should be a longer term fit if it’s for Gavin. I’d trade Burger + for Bassitt tho. 

Gavin isn't that good - he ain't going to get you much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, maxjusttyped said:

The rotation isn't full. The average team uses like 10 starting pitchers in a given season. We all feel good about Gio, Lynn, Cease, & Kopech. But there's no scenario where Kopech is going to pitch ~180 innings next year. He will get skipped and have short starts. Guys will get hurt. Keuchel and Lopez are both best suited starting the season in the bullpen. Particularly when there's really no credible upper minors pitching depth behind those guys.

I just don’t think the Sox are going to stick Keuchel in the pen. He’s going to be in the rotation to start the season if he’s healthy. It’s not like the vesting option is 80 innings. He hardly even hit it last season. I’m well aware that Kopech can’t throw 180 innings as well. Lopez, Stiever and Lambert will all get starts, as will others.

As I just said, im Not necessarily opposed to adding SP but if you’re gonna move Sheets for it, I’d want a better deal than 30 Bassitt starts at best. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, maxjusttyped said:

This is where the Sox are really going to feel having a bad farm system. Good pitchers (or just players, generally) with >3 years of team control are probably unattainable unless Vaughn or Crochet are put in the deal.

Exactly.  I think two years of a good SP is about all that is attainable.  Sonny Gray or Frankie Montas are possibilities, but we’re probably looking at a four for one, quantity over quality type trade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, iWiN4PreP said:

Gavin isn't that good - he ain't going to get you much.

Which is precisely why I’m not trading him. I’m not a huge Gavin guy or anything but he has a skill set that’s Quite valuable to the Sox to have as depth. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

I haven’t thought about our roster in a long time, but given CWS’s 3 choices for RF I’m starting to think that NO MATTER WHAT our corner OF defense is going to suck.  
 

Eloy/Robert/Conforto- sucks

Eloy/Robert/Bryant- sucks

Eloy/Robert/Castellanos- sucks

Eloy/Robert/VaughnSheets- sucks

 

Outside of a huge trade it’s going to suck out there, but Robert probably makes up for that all by himself.  
 

So if you admit it’s going to suck, what do you do?

Conforto and Bryant are both solid defensive outfielders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Exactly. Rotation is full. We have mlb ready guys who can take some starts. Grab a cheap vet to compete with Keuchel and go to war.  Keep Gavin. If you’re gonna make a trade, grab an expiring asset SP for Burger + fluff and call it a day. 

Or alternate Lopez and Keuchel depending on matchups and keep trying to build up Reynaldo's trade value where you can pair him with Sheets or Burger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I just don’t think the Sox are going to stick Keuchel in the pen. He’s going to be in the rotation to start the season if he’s healthy. It’s not like the vesting option is 80 innings. He hardly even hit it last season. I’m well aware that Kopech can’t throw 180 innings as well. Lopez, Stiever and Lambert will all get starts, as will others.

As I just said, im Not necessarily opposed to adding SP but if you’re gonna move Sheets for it, I’d want a better deal than 30 Bassitt starts at best. 

I understand your perspective, there is a chance you're right. I think Keuchel being left off the playoff roster was an indication they aren't going to handle him any differently than his performance warrants just because he's on an expensive contract. Maybe if the Sox had more upper minors pitching depth ready to break through, but he & Lopez are really the only guys in the organization you can feel are better than replacement level after the big 4 and I think they'll know that isn't enough pitching depth for a world series contending team.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...