Cody Bellinger to the Cubs

[TradeTalk]

What do you think Sox fans?!

The Dodgers must be tired of waiting for Bellinger (27 years old) to get it together consistently and Giolito (28 years old) is at least a solid #3-4 starter coming off a subpar year.

[oldsox]

Giolito would have loved it.

[Tnetennba]

What exactly would this accomplish?  Other than creating a new hole to be filled w/o actually filling a need?  

[Bob Sacamano]

Bellinger sucks. Already hoping too many guys bounce back as is.

[CentralChamps21]

Didn't Bellinger get non-tendered and become a free agent?

[DirtySox]

Bellinger is a free agent now.

[Harold's Leg Lift]

Bellinger has to show he's finally willing to make an adjustment. He's been a crap hitter for 3 years and he'll continue to be a crap hitter if all he wants to do is take 3 daddy hacks and make a right turn.  Why it took him to get dfa'd to finally realize he needs to change his approach is beyond me and probably a sign that he's happy doing what he's doing.   If that's the case I hope he enjoys Oakland. 

[Jerry McNertney]

Just what the White Sox need, another .210 hitter.

[southsider2k5]

Lol, no.

[GREEDY]

Upside: Good defender.  Versatile defender.  Left handed.  Entering prime.  7 War player in '19.

Downside:  Nagging injury concerns.  Org w/ unlimited resources didn't fix or keep him, even as a useable 4th OF. 

 

For me I strongly prefer Bellinger to any of the mediocre defenders whose names are tossed around here.  We have fly ball pitchers and must field a competent OF in '23.  I also think it comes down to how you are approaching next season.  Is your goal to improve, maybe eek out the division and hope and pray in the playoffs?  Or is your goal to do a 180 and build the best team in the AL?  Because if is the latter, I think you have to roll the dice with one of the higher upside choices.  Also, if you are willing to tear down and rebuild next year, a 1 year guy makes more sense than the Nimmo/Benintendi tier.  

Curious if Cody would be open to some sort of contract that would provide a little team control... just throwing out round numbers here but:

2023:  10 million

2024:  15mm team option w/ a 2mm buyout

2025:  20mm team option w/ a buyout

I doubt he goes for that but that it would make it more enticing to roll the dice.

 

[Johno]

Let’s take a run at this guy, why not.   Organization is really not capable of doing anything else.

[TaylorStSox]

A. Hahn should be fired on the spot if he ever entertained this trade.

B. Bellinger's shoulder is toast. He's done. 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

1 hour ago, GREEDY said:

Upside: Good defender.  Versatile defender.  Left handed.  Entering prime.  7 War player in '19.

Downside:  Nagging injury concerns.  Org w/ unlimited resources didn't fix or keep him, even as a useable 4th OF. 

 

For me I strongly prefer Bellinger to any of the mediocre defenders whose names are tossed around here.  We have fly ball pitchers and must field a competent OF in '23.  I also think it comes down to how you are approaching next season.  Is your goal to improve, maybe eek out the division and hope and pray in the playoffs?  Or is your goal to do a 180 and build the best team in the AL?  Because if is the latter, I think you have to roll the dice with one of the higher upside choices.  Also, if you are willing to tear down and rebuild next year, a 1 year guy makes more sense than the Nimmo/Benintendi tier.  

Curious if Cody would be open to some sort of contract that would provide a little team control... just throwing out round numbers here but:

2023:  10 million

2024:  15mm team option w/ a 2mm buyout

2025:  20mm team option w/ a buyout

I doubt he goes for that but that it would make it more enticing to roll the dice.

 

Crazy talk . He'd kill to get a contract like that. He'll be lucky to get a 2 year $20M contract. There's only so much money anyone wants to pay for guys who can field and run and hit a few HR's like Bellinger and Gallo while batting in the low .200s. Arestides Aquino can do that stuff and I don't see anyone clamoring for him. Hell if Aquino had had as many AB's as Bellinger he probably hits twice as many HR's as Bellinger. He might not be LHH, CF like Bellinger or run like Bellinger but has a hell of an arm and plays a nice corner OF and won't cost squat.

His numbers are similar to Moncada. How do you feel about Moncada ?  Bellinger had a higher fWar than Moncada basically due to more playing time in CF and a being a better base runner.

I know we all want to discuss bigger possibilities than DFA guys but even a top nontender expecting a $10M contract is beyond the Sox grasp. They have too many holes to fill and they are going to have to find much cheaper options. Which is why I've been recommending DFA guys and trades for AAA guys like Outman.

The new rebuild or hard retool, whatever you want to call, it should be starting but it isn't. Hahn is going to keep pretending they are competing to draw the casual fan into attending but it will result in ultimate failure. They could bounce back for a year if they stay healthy and our Bellinger (Moncada) can get his act together but they fucked around for 2 years skipping the finalization part of the rebuild with inept executives in charge. Now it's on life support.

Edited November 19, 2022 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[kitekrazy]

58 minutes ago, Johno said:

Let’s take a run at this guy, why not.   Organization is really not capable of doing anything else.

Very good at getting NL players who don't perform for them.

Fans are getting to the point of considering any outsider with a pulse.  More dumpster diving.

The Dodgers have superior coaching and somehow the Sox would turn him around?

Amazing how are conditioned to a failed value system.

Over half of the games Sox scored 3 runs or less.

[ChiSox59]

2 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Crazy talk . He'd kill to get a contract like that. He'll be lucky to get a 2 year $20M contract. There's only so much money anyone wants to pay for guys who can field and run and hit a few HR's like Bellinger and Gallo while batting in the low .200s. Arestides Aquino can do that stuff and I don't see anyone clamoring for him. Hell if Aquino had had as many AB's as Bellinger he probably hits twice as many HR's as Bellinger. He might not be LHH, CF like Bellinger or run like Bellinger but has a hell of an arm and plays a nice corner OF and won't cost squat.

His numbers are similar to Moncada. How do you feel about Moncada ?  Bellinger had a higher fWar than Moncada basically due to more playing time in CF and a being a better base runner.

I know we all want to discuss bigger possibilities than DFA guys but even a top nontender expecting a $10M contract is beyond the Sox grasp. They have too many holes to fill and they are going to have to find much cheaper options. Which is why I've been recommending DFA guys and trades for AAA guys like Outman.

The new rebuild or hard retool, whatever you want to call, it should be starting but it isn't. Hahn is going to keep pretending they are competing to draw the casual fan into attending but it will result in ultimate failure. They could bounce back for a year if they stay healthy and our Bellinger (Moncada) can get his act together but they fucked around for 2 years skipping the finalization part of the rebuild with inept executives in charge. Now it's on life support.

I don’t think 2/$20m is that different from 1/$10m with a $15M team option. I’d take the over on both honestly. I think the team option deal is great because the team gets to reap the rewards for a year or two if he figures it out. 

Not sure how Aquino and Bellinger are remotely similar. Sox need LH OF bad; Aquino is just a guy that had a really good month on a bad tram. Bellinger may be broken, but he’s over a year younger that Aquino and has an MVP. If Sox could get Belly on @GREEDYproposed deal, I’d jump on it. He slides in third on my OF wish list after Nimmo, and then a large drop to down Conforto. 

[JoeC]

2 hours ago, TaylorStSox said:

A. Hahn should be fired on the spot if he ever entertained this trade.

Agreed. He should be fired for giving LA a player in return for signing a player they released.

[Flash]

I like the Dodgers as a trade partner. They're gonna need a SS and Closer and probably another SP to replace Tyler Anderson. For the Sox, I feel its as much about improving team chemistry and culture as it is shaping the roster. Guys I would dangle to Dodgers include TA, Gio and Hendriks...all of whom have strong surplus value. Guys I would target from Dodgers are Lux and some combo of their major league-ready fireballers like Bobby Miller and/or Andy Pages plus maybe James Outman, a LH hitting OF'r who might be able to step into Sox OF immediately.

[Balta1701]

10 minutes ago, Flash said:

I like the Dodgers as a trade partner. They're gonna need a SS and Closer and probably another SP to replace Tyler Anderson. For the Sox, I feel its as much about improving team chemistry and culture as it is shaping the roster. Guys I would dangle to Dodgers include TA, Gio and Hendriks...all of whom have strong surplus value. Guys I would target from Dodgers are Lux and some combo of their major league-ready fireballers like Bobby Miller and/or Andy Pages plus maybe James Outman, a LH hitting OF'r who might be able to step into Sox OF immediately.

I do genuinely get why the White Sox might be willing to sell off half their team to the Dodgers.

But if they did this…aren’t they rebuilding? Two outfield rookies, 3 rookies in their top 6 pitchers, a weird infield setup where I’m not sure who is at shortstop? Is that going to compete this year?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

1 hour ago, ChiSox59 said:

I don’t think 2/$20m is that different from 1/$10m with a $15M team option. I’d take the over on both honestly. I think the team option deal is great because the team gets to reap the rewards for a year or two if he figures it out. 

Not sure how Aquino and Bellinger are remotely similar. Sox need LH OF bad; Aquino is just a guy that had a really good month on a bad tram. Bellinger may be broken, but he’s over a year younger that Aquino and has an MVP. If Sox could get Belly on @GREEDYproposed deal, I’d jump on it. He slides in third on my OF wish list after Nimmo, and then a large drop to down Conforto. 

And what do you do about the rest of the holes after you blown your wad on yet another guy you'd be expecting a comeback from ? You're spending $10M on Bellinger when the Sox might only spend $15M ?

[ChiSox59]

32 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

And what do you do about the rest of the holes after you blown your wad on yet another guy you'd be expecting a comeback from ? You're spending $10M on Bellinger when the Sox might only spend $15M ?

I’d acquire one of the left handed hitting OFs and a SP and go to battle. Might be tough to do with $15M. I will assume Sox will operate with $190-200M payroll until they don’t. Which means they have more like $25-30M to spend. 

If Sox can only spend $15M this offseason, not only are they their biggest impediment, but they should just trade everyone of value because they aren’t going to win jackshit.

[Jack Parkman]

24 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I’d acquire one of the left handed hitting OFs and a SP and go to battle. Might be tough to do with $15M. I will assume Sox will operate with $190-200M payroll until they don’t. Which means they have more like $25-30M to spend. 

If Sox can only spend $15M this offseason, not only are they their biggest impediment, but they should just trade everyone of value because they aren’t going to win jackshit.

This. 

If the $180M number is true, then they have to at least trade Hendriks to give them $30M. 

They can't really fill holes without that. And, even if they trade Giolito they're going to spend that $10M to replace him anyway. The only reason to do that is if they just want to go with two lefties in the rotation. 

Not only are they toast with budgetary restrictions, but they'd probably have to trade all of their top prospects just to fill holes, including Schultz and Pallette. 

 

Edited November 19, 2022 by Jack Parkman

[Chicago White Sox]

30 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I’d acquire one of the left handed hitting OFs and a SP and go to battle. Might be tough to do with $15M. I will assume Sox will operate with $190-200M payroll until they don’t. Which means they have more like $25-30M to spend. 

If Sox can only spend $15M this offseason, not only are they their biggest impediment, but they should just trade everyone of value because they aren’t going to win jackshit.

I love your optimism, but it seems painfully clear that Reinsdorf is cutting the budget and we’ll have very little financial flexibility to work with.  Your plan would make sense with any other owner, but Jerry will use the lack of playoff revenue to not fill holes the easy way via free agency.  Hahn will have to be very creative to pull off a successful off-season and up until now Rick hasn’t proved to be overly effective in that regard.

[ChiSox59]

6 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I love your optimism, but it seems painfully clear that Reinsdorf is cutting the budget and we’ll have very little financial flexibility to work with.  Your plan would make sense with any other owner, but Jerry will use the lack of playoff revenue to not fill holes the easy way via free agency.  Hahn will have to be very creative to pull off a successful off-season and up until now Rick hasn’t proved to be overly effective in that regard.

Yeah I mean, I guess I just need to see it to believe it. If I were Rick I’d underpromise as well. He’s gone the over promise route and he gets skewered for it daily.  I don’t really give two shits about what Twitter blowhards like Josh Nelson, Eloy v Wall, NBB and the foodies have to say on the budget. 

But yeah, if for some reason $180M is the number, may as well trade everyone not named Luis Robert, hope he has a monster season, then trade him too. Because you can’t build a competitive roster with $10M when you have 1 OF and 4 SP, and all the main offensive issues from 22 are still present, less perhaps the best hitter on the team. 

and fwiw, I don’t really think projecting the same payroll as 2022 should be labeled optimism. I think it’s just the baseline projection until it’s not, despite the meaningless early offseason chatter. 

Edited November 19, 2022 by ChiSox59

[Chicago White Sox]

Just now, ChiSox59 said:

Yeah I mean, I guess I just need to see it to believe it. If I were Rick I’d underpromise as well. He’s gone the over promise route and he gets skewered for it daily.  I don’t really give two shits about what Twitter blowhards like Josh Nelson, Eloy v Wall, NBB and the foodies have to say on the budget. 

But yeah, if for some reason $180M is number, may as well trade everyone not named Luis Robert, hope he has a monster season, then trade him too. 

The $180M number comes from James Fegan and that figure is consistent with Hahn’s tone since his end of season press conference.  Look, I’m not trying to be a Parkman like pessimist here, but all signs point to a payroll cut.  I really hope I’m wrong because I agree we really just two B tier free agents to put us in a decent spot.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

13 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I’d acquire one of the left handed hitting OFs and a SP and go to battle. Might be tough to do with $15M. I will assume Sox will operate with $190-200M payroll until they don’t. Which means they have more like $25-30M to spend. 

If Sox can only spend $15M this offseason, not only are they their biggest impediment, but they should just trade everyone of value because they aren’t going to win jackshit.

I'm operating on the assumption they won't spend squat and they'll be dumpster diving all season or making trades. They're already pinning their hopes on guys rebounding . To add another rebound candidate doesnt make any sense to for so much money. If the Dodgers couldn't  get Bellinger fixed in 3 season I'm not going to count on the Sox to do it when they can't get there own guys fixed.

Spend on starting pitching with the limited funds available. Hope the Dodgers will trade Outman for Hendriks and let Colas, Outman Robert and maybe Stone Garrett patrol the OF. Pretty good defense there and nice chance for some rookie production . Can't see any hope for much else. Aquino strictly a depth piece. As you noted he had 6 HRs in Sept/Oct. but who on the Sox hit 6 HR's in Sept/Oct. Did Eloy ?

Of course my outfield hinges on prying Outman away from the Dodgers which may not be possible. Aquino would be AAA depth but if you can find a LHB with his kind of power and defense already on the scrap heap you are welcome to try since he is RH corner OF. He's definitely not a CF but Garrett and Colas can play CF in case of injury as can Cespedes I suppose if you had to.