Offseason Part 2 - Lets the Rumors & Action Begin

[ChiSox59]

Just spitballing here, but clearly Cincy is just looking to slash payroll.  

Think we could get Mahle by taking on Moustakas?

Something like:

Sox give: Burger, Adolfo, and Keuchel ($19.5M). 

Reds give: Mahle (2 arb years left; should get around $6M) & Moustakas (2 years $38M).

Reds dump ~$24M in guaranteed net savings onto the Sox (more like $34M counting Mahle's 23 arb total), plus get an MLB ready replacement for Suarez at 3B, and an MLB ready OF to give some ABs too. 

Sox might have to add another interesting prospect onto this, but I wouldn't hate it.  Not a huge Moos fan, and this obviously means Sox just roll with Vaughn/Sheets in RF as we spent our money on Mahle and Moose, but it certainly makes the 2022 roster a lot better.  

Edited March 15, 2022 by ChiSox59

[smellysox]

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I’d hope Burger + Thompson/Dalquist + lesser piece is enough for one year of Manaea.  And I’d love to get Allen included as a throw-in.

I would too! I'd think that they push for Sheets instead of Burger. 

[southsider2k5]

4 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Just spitballing here, but clearly Cincy is just looking to slash payroll.  

Think we could get Mahle by taking on Moustakas?

Something like:

Sox give: Burger, Adolfo, and Keuchel ($19.5M). 

Reds give: Mahle (2 arb years left; should get around $6M) & Moustakas (2 years $38M).

Reds dump ~$24M in guaranteed net savings onto the Sox (more like $34M counting Mahle's 23 arb total), plus get an MLB ready replacement for Suarez at 3B, and an MLB ready OF to give some ABs too. 

Sox might have to add another interesting prospect onto this, but I wouldn't hate it.  Not a huge Moos fan, and this obviously means Sox just roll with Vaughn/Sheets in RF as we spent our money on Mahle and Moose, but it certainly makes the 2022 roster a lot better.  

If we take Moose, they had better be giving us prospects.

[Squirmin' for Yermin]

4 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Just spitballing here, but clearly Cincy is just looking to slash payroll.  

Think we could get Mahle by taking on Moustakas?

Something like:

Sox give: Burger, Adolfo, and Keuchel ($19.5M). 

Reds give: Mahle (2 arb years left; should get around $6M) & Moustakas (2 years $38M).

Reds dump ~$24M in guaranteed net savings onto the Sox (more like $34M counting Mahle's 23 arb total), plus get an MLB ready replacement for Suarez at 3B, and an MLB ready OF to give some ABs too. 

Sox might have to add another interesting prospect onto this, but I wouldn't hate it.  Not a huge Moos fan, and this obviously means Sox just roll with Vaughn/Sheets in RF as we spent our money on Mahle and Moose, but it certainly makes the 2022 roster a lot better.  

This would make sense prior to signing another below average second baseman. 

[Chicago White Sox]

4 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Just spitballing here, but clearly Cincy is just looking to slash payroll.  

Think we could get Mahle by taking on Moustakas?

Something like:

Sox give: Burger, Adolfo, and Keuchel ($19.5M). 

Reds give: Mahle (2 arb years left; should get around $6M) & Moustakas (2 years $38M).

Reds dump ~$24M in guaranteed net savings onto the Sox (more like $34M counting Mahle's 23 arb total), plus get an MLB ready replacement for Suarez at 3B, and an MLB ready OF to give some ABs too. 

Sox might have to add another interesting prospect onto this, but I wouldn't hate it.  Not a huge Moos fan, and this obviously means Sox just roll with Vaughn/Sheets in RF as we spent our money on Mahle and Moose, but it certainly makes the 2022 roster a lot better.  

I proposed something similar for Gray, but I think the problem is the stress Moose’s deal puts on our 2023 CBT situation.

[Balta1701]

I totally get the need for starting pitching depth, but it’s worth noting again that a bullpen with Velasquez, Lopez, Keuchel, and to some extent Crochet Is a straight up bizarre construction when none of them can be sent to Charlotte to stay stretched out for spot starts (Crochet could be but no reason to think they’d do that). Half the bullpen is basically long relievers, none of them would be getting regular work until a starter went down, and they’re not ready to throw 80-100 pitches during the scheduled double headers if they’re not doing so.

edit: this is aimed at any trades with the A’s.

[ChiSox59]

Just now, southsider2k5 said:

If we take Moose, they had better be giving us prospects.

They're giving us a mid rotiation SP with two years of relatively cheap control without giving up much of anything, and dumping Keuchel.  That's probably more valuable to the Sox than a prospect at this juncture.  

[FoxForce2]

6 minutes ago, Lillian said:

In addition to their pitchers, what about Tyler Naquin for RF? He will be a free agent, at the end of the year, so he shouldn't cost much in prospect capital. LH bat and decent right fielder.

Good point. Affordable too.

[wegner]

4 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Just spitballing here, but clearly Cincy is just looking to slash payroll.  

Think we could get Mahle by taking on Moustakas?

Something like:

Sox give: Burger, Adolfo, and Keuchel ($19.5M). 

Reds give: Mahle (2 arb years left; should get around $6M) & Moustakas (2 years $38M).

Reds dump ~$24M in guaranteed net savings onto the Sox (more like $34M counting Mahle's 23 arb total), plus get an MLB ready replacement for Suarez at 3B, and an MLB ready OF to give some ABs too. 

Sox might have to add another interesting prospect onto this, but I wouldn't hate it.  Not a huge Moos fan, and this obviously means Sox just roll with Vaughn/Sheets in RF as we spent our money on Mahle and Moose, but it certainly makes the 2022 roster a lot better.  

I can't see anyone taking Dallas off our hands unless we pay some of his contract not just swap another contract....seems like we might be in that same situation with Kimbrel.

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

They're giving us a mid rotiation SP with two years of relatively cheap control without giving up much of anything, and dumping Keuchel.  That's probably more valuable to the Sox than a prospect at this juncture.  

Cincy isn't taking on contracts.

[FoxForce2]

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

If we take Moose, they had better be giving us prospects.

I have no idea what the Sox would do with Moose.

[ChiSox59]

3 minutes ago, Squirmin' for Yermin said:

This would make sense prior to signing another below average second baseman. 

I mean at that point Harrison just becomes a bench piece, which is probably preferable anyway.  

[ChiSox59]

4 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Cincy isn't taking on contracts.

They're dumping $35M in that deal.  No one is taking Mous off their hands without some bad contract that isn't quite as bad as Moos going back.  Again, just spitballing but it makes some sense of the surface but lots of moving pieces and dollars so probably not realistic.  

[Bob Sacamano]

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Cincy isn't taking on contracts.

Agreed.

[southsider2k5]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

They're dumping $35M in that deal.  No one is taking Mous off their hands without some bad contract that isn't quite as bad as Moos going back.  Again, just spitballing but it makes some sense of the surface but lots of moving pieces and dollars so probably not realistic.  

Hence the inclusion of prospects instead of a contract.

[EloyJenkins]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

They're dumping $35M in that deal.  No one is taking Mous off their hands without some bad contract that isn't quite as bad as Moos going back.  Again, just spitballing but it makes some sense of the surface but lots of moving pieces and dollars so probably not realistic.  

get a third teamer involved for Castillo? MEGA tank blockbuster!

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

2 hours ago, thxfrthmmrs said:

I absolutely agree we could do better against quality RHP, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we have to go after an LHH RF. Castellanos for example is an RHH but has hit RHP the as well as he did LHP the last two years. We don’t have the data for Suzuki, but there is little indication his L/R split is drastic. At this point we think or we hope their endgame is Conforto, but if we miss on him, the other LHH options left either don’t hit RHP as well as the two guys I mentioned, can’t field well, doesn’t play RF, or all of the above. It’s just a bad strategy to be fixated on one requirement and rule out other options that do not meet this requirement.

Well it really wasn't one requirement until 2nd base was filled by RH old man Harrison . I'd be open to Nimmo , Ketel Marte or Daulton Varsho if he brought along Zac Gallen. None of those guys are a masher but provide other qualities like OBP, good fielding and versatility that can always be very helpful. If the Sox are going to get a RH RF then I'd prefer Bryant who can play multiple positions .

No one has brought up the fact that going into the playoffs last year many here speculated Sox were a pretender to a World Series because they sucked on the road and Rodon went down. Their bats were great at home and were terrible on the road. The playoffs only reinforced those  arguments . A more balanced lineup could provide a bit more consistency along with the maturation of our core youngsters. The babies need to not be afraid to leave home.

Edited March 15, 2022 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[Bob Sacamano]

4 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Well it really wasn't one requirement until 2nd base was filled by RH old man Harrison . I'd be open to Nimmo , Ketel Marte or Daulton Varsho if he brought along Zac Gallen. None of those guys are a masher but provide other qualities like OBP, good fielding and versatility that can always be very helpful. If the Sox are going to get a RH RF then I'd prefer Bryant who can play multiple positions .

No one has brought up the fact that going into the playoffs last year many here speculated Sox were a pretender to a World Series because they sucked on the road and Rodon went down. Their bats were great at home and were terrible on the road. The playoffs only reinforced those  arguments . A more balanced lineup could provide a bit more consistency along with the maturation of our core youngsters. The babies need to not be afraid to leave home.

Gallen isn't going to be ready for Opening Day due to his shoulder.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

4 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Gallen isn't going to be ready for Opening Day due to his shoulder.

Ok but the point remains the Sox need a high quality starting pitcher when you lost your best starting pitcher, Keuchel looked terrible and Kopech is still wet behind the ears.

[Wisebri224]

9 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Ok but the point remains the Sox need a high quality starting pitcher when you lost your best starting pitcher, Keuchel looked terrible and Kopech is still wet behind the ears.

Agreed here.  At this point, if you really want to go after some of the better SP with any control on the team's that want to tank anyway, you are going to have to give up legitimate goods and lots of them.  Vaughn, Sheets, multiple of your pitching prospects, maybe even someone like Crotchet, and throw everything in the basket for the next couple of years.  Once the rest of these team friendly deals are blowing up in price, this is over.  Go for 2022-23.  All of the, we'll give you our #6 and #7 prospects from one of the worst systems in baseball for your stud pitcher isn't going to cut it:)

[smellysox]

46 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Just spitballing here, but clearly Cincy is just looking to slash payroll.  

Think we could get Mahle by taking on Moustakas?

Something like:

Sox give: Burger, Adolfo, and Keuchel ($19.5M). 

Reds give: Mahle (2 arb years left; should get around $6M) & Moustakas (2 years $38M).

Reds dump ~$24M in guaranteed net savings onto the Sox (more like $34M counting Mahle's 23 arb total), plus get an MLB ready replacement for Suarez at 3B, and an MLB ready OF to give some ABs too. 

Sox might have to add another interesting prospect onto this, but I wouldn't hate it.  Not a huge Moos fan, and this obviously means Sox just roll with Vaughn/Sheets in RF as we spent our money on Mahle and Moose, but it certainly makes the 2022 roster a lot better.  

I'm in on this. I like it.

[Ducksnort]

2 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

I think the idea that everyone is fixated on one requirement is something of a straw man also. If a LH hitter was all people wanted, there should be more interest in Schwarber.

What you actually see is a preference for Castellanos because after some consideration of how injury and COVID affected his 2021 performance, he’s the only one who can give lineup balance and a defensive upgrade.

Schwarber balances the lineup but provides no defensive help. Suzuki probably provides defense and would be a decent bat but that lineup balance is important. Castellanos provides none of those but apparently hits home runs at inopportune time.

Plot twist. Joe Kelly will be auditioning for an outfield spot! Sox analytics department have determined any human being that has legs, arms and can look up have over 50% chance of catching any flyball. With Kelly being able to throw a baseball extremely hard...can you imagine all of the outfield assists he will rack up?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

1 minute ago, Wisebri224 said:

Agreed here.  At this point, if you really want to go after some of the better SP with any control on the team's that want to tank anyway, you are going to have to give up legitimate goods and lots of them.  Vaughn, Sheets, multiple of your pitching prospects, maybe even someone like Crotchet, and throw everything in the basket for the next couple of years.  Once the rest of these team friendly deals are blowing up in price, this is over.  Go for 2022-23.  All of the, we'll give you our #6 and #7 prospects from one of the worst systems in baseball for your stud pitcher isn't going to cut it:)

I like the idea of one of the Cincy pitchers + Naquin.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Just now, ScooterMcGee said:

Plot twist. Joe Kelly will be auditioning for an outfield spot! Sox analytics department have determined any human being that has legs, arms and can look up have over 50% chance of catching any flyball. With Kelly being able to throw a baseball extremely hard...can you imagine all of the outfield assists he will rack up?

That job belongs to Velaquez.

[Ducksnort]

11 hours ago, The Beast said:

No, RH and his half assed lawyer answers and JR’s bad money being spent is a tough read. This board is bearable if you read over the tweets and don’t follow the same people who b**** at each other. Scroll for the good shit and ignore the rest.

The majority of what I do when I come to this board, especially during the offseason is scroll for tweet updates haha. Usually filter out the rest, but will from time to time respond to other comments (like this). Definitely my primary source for baseball news.