Crochet Traded to Boston

[almagest]

4 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

A couple replies.

First, although Quero is listed as a switch hitter, his OPS in the minors against lefties is like 300 points higher than his OPS against righties. So on paper, this actually sets up a decent catching platoon, and you could play around with the DH and pinch hitting a lot to make matchups work if you’re willing to risk losing your backup catchers.

Second, I will grant you Montgomery is a risk. I’m not sure he’d be as available without the injury, so there’s a risk reward here, but yes we are hanging a lot on the White Sox’s ability to evaluate injuries having improved. We can leave this open until the season starts, as an early IL stint or a lot of struggles could be a real red flag in an organization where other prospects with the same last name may also be having unacknowledged physical issues.

This all makes sense to me. You'd just need to make sure you find enough at-bats for both Quero and Teel if they hit. Being the weak side of the platoon could be rough at C.

[Quin]

3 minutes ago, almagest said:

This all makes sense to me. You'd just need to make sure you find enough at-bats for both Quero and Teel if they hit. Being the weak side of the platoon could be rough at C.

Getz did say he wanted a rotating DH.

[steveno89]

30 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Here's my nerves on this deal.  Getting another catcher isn't a horrible thing, but we also can't afford for Teel to be much less than a pretty good every day catcher.  If he is, then the need for him to be a 30 homer guy increases a lot if he moves off of catcher to a place like 1B or DH.

The one that really worries me is Montgomery.  I love his profile, but the ankle injury really scares me.  Maybe is Robin Ventura trauma but if he loses anything in the ankle, the rest of the pieces of what makes him a top prospect suffer.  He's not going to have as much range in the OF, he's not going to have nearly as much power in the box, and he could even suffer on his throwing if it limits his flexibility. 

The last two guys have the types of profiles you would have expected as 3rd and 4th pieces in a deal like this.  Would have been nice to get a crazy wild card Latin signing as one of those types last pieces, but you can at least squint and see something if everything goes right.  The bottom line is the Sox have to get two six to ten year starters out of Teel and Monty, and hopefully get a piece out of the other two.

Teel is a great catching prospect, but I am not sure I see huge offensive upside beyond him being a solid regular at the position. That is still a valuable player, but I am not sure he will ever be a star. He should start the year in AAA and would probably benefit from a full season there to work on hitting and defense. 

Montgomery has a high ceiling, but the ankle injury absolutely gives some cause for concern. Hopefully he is fully healthy and gets off to a strong start in the lower minors in 2025.

Meidroth looks like a utility player/bench bat at the next level who could carve out a role. The fringy defense, speed and lack of pop probably prevent him from profiling as a regular, but you never know?

Gonzalez is a reliever at the next level, but there's some upside there if his control can improve. Sox may continue to try him as a starting pitcher considering he was better in the second half of 2024. 

[hi8is]

11 minutes ago, fathom said:

I thought all reports were that Montgomery’s injury was not nearly as complex as that of Ventura’s or Mitchell’s.

It’s not.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

1 hour ago, Quin said:

During the previous rebuild they had 10. The rankings are fun, but don't mean anything unless they produce.

What’s the most they ever had at one time? I’d be surprised if this rebuild didn’t produce 10 over a 24 month period that started 6 months ago.

[Chick Mercedes]

3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

I guess looking at the whole package, it is a bit more than a expected, but a lot less than I had hoped for.  I am really surprised no one else stepped up to beat this with Boston's top 3 off of the board.

We probably should have gotten one of the top 3 tbh. Happy, but maybe you hold out until you do

[Chick Mercedes]

We have to ask why the Sox always have to import prospects though. And then Moncada and Kopech make me leery of dealing with the RS

[WhiteSox2023]

4 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

We have to ask why the Sox always have to import prospects though. And then Moncada and Kopech make me leery of dealing with the RS

Upcoming free agency $$$ that Jerry doesn’t want to pay for.

[steveno89]

8 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

We probably should have gotten one of the top 3 tbh. Happy, but maybe you hold out until you do

I'm assuming Mayer was made available by the Red Sox, but the White Sox were leery about his injury history? 

Anthony and Campbell were never going to be on the table for obvious reasons 

[Baron]

 

 

Just for fun to crap on them. But that starting rotation is not looking too great.

[ptatc]

30 minutes ago, fathom said:

I thought all reports were that Montgomery’s injury was not nearly as complex as that of Ventura’s or Mitchell’s.

Mitchell's was a rupture of the posterior tibialis tendon. Much harder to repair than an ankle fracture.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

3 minutes ago, Baron said:

 

 

Just for fun to crap on them. But that starting rotation is not looking too great.

They’re slipping fast as their division rivals continue to improve. Window about to close here soon unless they make some shrewd moves.

[WhiteSox2023]

4 minutes ago, ptatc said:

Mitchell's was a rupture of the posterior tibialis tendon. Much harder to repair than an ankle fracture.

Is there ever any nagging anything from a healed ankle fracture?

[Chick Mercedes]

46 minutes ago, reiks12 said:

Ill go on record to say i feel luke warm with the return, hoping we get 2 solid mlb pieces in the coming years with this but im skeptical 

Not sure there’s any true star potential. At least Moncada and Kopech had that. Albeit Sale was a bigger commodity. In a way I’d be more exited with just 1 mega prospect 

[southsider2k5]

15 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

We have to ask why the Sox always have to import prospects though. And then Moncada and Kopech make me leery of dealing with the RS

Well they seem to be admitting they can't develop anyone if they don't have the exactly right attitude for whatever this crew needs.  Granted, that seems to be every player who goes through Chicago now, but sure.

[WhiteSox2023]

7 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

Not sure there’s any true star potential. At least Moncada and Kopech had that. Albeit Sale was a bigger commodity. In a way I’d be more exited with just 1 mega prospect 

The only mega prospect the Red Sox have (Anthony), they weren’t trading.

[Falstaff]

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

Why would anyone be pissy and complain about literally the worst season in MLB history?  Happens all of the time.  We will be in the playoffs in no time with all of this talent.

All I can say is anyone that is an Admin on a White Sox board after 121 losses, thank you for your service.

[ptatc]

8 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Is there ever any nagging anything from a healed ankle fracture?

Sure, there is alays a chance. But more commonly if there is a complicated fracture of multiple bones. By all accounts that I can find it was a simple fibular fracture that did not require surgery. I may be wrong but that's what it looks like from what I can find.

Ventura had a triplanar fracture with a dislocation. That required extensive surgery with plates and screws.

[Balta1701]

11 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

Not sure there’s any true star potential. At least Moncada and Kopech had that. Albeit Sale was a bigger commodity. In a way I’d be more exited with just 1 mega prospect 

People have been trying to imagine a rotation with Crochet, Smith, and Schultz, but if we think of it this way - a rotation with Smith and Schultz as the actual team stars, combined with a lineup that at least has several good players in it rather than a complete black hole 1-9, is at least a start. You actually have to turn those pitchers into 5 WAR+ lefties and many other spots matter, but at least if you turn these guys into big league regulars, its a start.

[WhiteSox2023]

Very happy Getz didn’t accept some combination of Abreu/Casas/Wong.

[southsider2k5]

22 minutes ago, Baron said:

 

 

Just for fun to crap on them. But that starting rotation is not looking too great.

They are going to absolutely f*** around and miss their window.  With the Yankees and Red Sox in your division you can't wait around, you have to take advantage when they are down.

[WhiteSox2023]

32 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

We probably should have gotten one of the top 3 tbh. Happy, but maybe you hold out until you do

Unless they were getting Anthony, I think 2 through 5 is a crapshoot, and they got 2 of those guys.

[ChiSox59]

1 hour ago, T R U said:

Robert has to be traded, this roster has now been stripped down to the studs (or duds if you will) with the exception of Robert. You never hold on to him for the next painful 2-3 years. He has to go.

I don't think so.  It all depends on the offers really.  If they aren't there, you're better off betting on a better performance April-June, and cashing in then.  Now if you can get a really good up the middle prospect now, and a supporting piece or two, then sure. 

[WhiteSox2023]

4 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

They are going to absolutely f*** around and miss their window.  With the Yankees and Red Sox in your division you can't wait around, you have to take advantage when they are down.

I’m not buying it yet.  They will get a starter.  Will it be enough?  Maybe not.  But they didn’t just sign Tyler O’Neill for $49.5 million and Gary Sanchez for $8.5 million to come up short on their primary need.

[ChiSox59]

26 minutes ago, Baron said:

 

 

Just for fun to crap on them. But that starting rotation is not looking too great.

The sox are the laughing stock of MLB, but man, the O's are stupid.  I got so much joy out of watching them get swept out of the first round this season, and 2025 isn't going to be any better.  That simply isn't a play-off caliber pitching staff.