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OT: Baseball offseason and free agents 2019-2020 edition

Alvious

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Sep 7, 2010
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Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Now that the World Series is over, the silly season has begun. Obviously the top targets are Garrit Cole and Anthony Rendon. It's a pretty good bet that neither of those two will end up in Chicago.

The Sox have a few holes to fill and the cash to make it happen, but it remains to be seen if NU alum Jerry Reinsdorf (there's my Northwestern connection for this thread) is willing to spend.

Yasmani Grandal opted out of his contract and is now available. Lots of people would like to see him on the south side.

In the next few days,we will know of JD Martinez opts out of his deal with Boston. I say even if he doesn't, the Sox should pursue a trade with Boston and try to land him that way.

What say you, the baseball-following horde of Northwestern football fandom?
 
Now that the World Series is over, the silly season has begun. Obviously the top targets are Garrit Cole and Anthony Rendon. It's a pretty good bet that neither of those two will end up in Chicago.

The Sox have a few holes to fill and the cash to make it happen, but it remains to be seen if NU alum Jerry Reinsdorf (there's my Northwestern connection for this thread) is willing to spend.

Yasmani Grandal opted out of his contract and is now available. Lots of people would like to see him on the south side.

In the next few days,we will know of JD Martinez opts out of his deal with Boston. I say even if he doesn't, the Sox should pursue a trade with Boston and try to land him that way.

What say you, the baseball-following horde of Northwestern football fandom?
Who cares! Certainly not the so called Sox fan base, as their attendance ranks 23rd out of 30 teams. BTW, the Cubs rank #4!
 
Wasn't unhappy to see them trade Welington Castillo; was never a fan of his. Possibly opens the door for Grandal?
 
Now that the World Series is over, the silly season has begun. Obviously the top targets are Garrit Cole and Anthony Rendon. It's a pretty good bet that neither of those two will end up in Chicago.

The Sox have a few holes to fill and the cash to make it happen, but it remains to be seen if NU alum Jerry Reinsdorf (there's my Northwestern connection for this thread) is willing to spend.

Yasmani Grandal opted out of his contract and is now available. Lots of people would like to see him on the south side.

In the next few days,we will know of JD Martinez opts out of his deal with Boston. I say even if he doesn't, the Sox should pursue a trade with Boston and try to land him that way.

What say you, the baseball-following horde of Northwestern football fandom?

I've heard about the Sox being potentially in on a bunch of different guys. Priorities seem to be a SP and a corner OF and potentially a 1B (although I will be very surprised if they don't resign Abreu. The names that seem plausible to me past JD Martinez (will he opt out?) are Tanner Roark or Wade Miley (with a big longshot of Zack Wheeler) at SP and Nick Castellanos (or possibly finally getting a deal done for Joc Pederson) at OF. They have a lot of interesting pieces, but supplementing them appropriately is crucial.
 
Now that the World Series is over, the silly season has begun. Obviously the top targets are Garrit Cole and Anthony Rendon. It's a pretty good bet that neither of those two will end up in Chicago.

The Sox have a few holes to fill and the cash to make it happen, but it remains to be seen if NU alum Jerry Reinsdorf (there's my Northwestern connection for this thread) is willing to spend.

Yasmani Grandal opted out of his contract and is now available. Lots of people would like to see him on the south side.

In the next few days,we will know of JD Martinez opts out of his deal with Boston. I say even if he doesn't, the Sox should pursue a trade with Boston and try to land him that way.

What say you, the baseball-following horde of Northwestern football fandom?
They have lots of holes to fill, but I'd probably start with the rotation. Even adding a mid-tier starter like Kyle Gibson or Homer Bailey would help a lot. They have to replace Nova's "production" (2.0 fWAR) and find another starter.

I'd consider letting Abreu walk and signing Thames for less. Maybe go after Brian Dozier or Asdrubal Cabrera. Eloy really belongs at DH, so you might need to find 3 OFs. Lurid Garcia is not the answer. Maybe you trade for CF Harrison Bader, and stick him between two big-hitting pylons in the corners like Marcell Ozuna and Nick Castellanos.
 
They have lots of holes to fill, but I'd probably start with the rotation. Even adding a mid-tier starter like Kyle Gibson or Homer Bailey would help a lot. They have to replace Nova's "production" (2.0 fWAR) and find another starter.

I'd consider letting Abreu walk and signing Thames for less. Maybe go after Brian Dozier or Asdrubal Cabrera. Eloy really belongs at DH, so you might need to find 3 OFs. Lurid Garcia is not the answer. Maybe you trade for CF Harrison Bader, and stick him between two big-hitting pylons in the corners like Marcell Ozuna and Nick Castellanos.

I'm going all in on JD if he opts out. Not sure he will though, as he'll get a qualifying offer and Boras has gotten a lot of players with QO's attached to them burned big time. I know they have a lot of DH type guys, but he's so good at hitting I don't care.

That, and would love Howie Kendrick as a super utility guy. I do think they end up trading for a RF, while also moving at least a couple of the guys that are rule 5 eligible so they don't lose them for nothing.

After that I'm going all in on Wheeler to sure up the rotation along with someone like an Alex Wood. My other hot take is they sign someone for more than $100MM this winter, which is what Wheeler will command IMO.
 
I'm going all in on JD if he opts out. Not sure he will though, as he'll get a qualifying offer and Boras has gotten a lot of players with QO's attached to them burned big time. I know they have a lot of DH type guys, but he's so good at hitting I don't care.

That, and would love Howie Kendrick as a super utility guy. I do think they end up trading for a RF, while also moving at least a couple of the guys that are rule 5 eligible so they don't lose them for nothing.

After that I'm going all in on Wheeler to sure up the rotation along with someone like an Alex Wood. My other hot take is they sign someone for more than $100MM this winter, which is what Wheeler will command IMO.
I'd love if they could get Wheeler, but I worry that the big sabermetrics teams will be in on him big and drive up the years/price. Wouldn't be surprised if his number went up bigger.

One of things about JD that is hard is that it's very difficult to roll out a team with Abreu, JD, and Eloy. But, figuring out how to use JD would be a great problem to have!
 
Garrit Cole will probably end up in Anaheim. He's a SoCal native, and they really need starting pitching.

After the final WS game, he wore a Scott Boras hat and argued about doing team interviews, saying he was no longer employed by the Astros. Both he and the team know he's not coming back.
 
It is a very good FA market for starters. Cole, Strasburg, Ryu, Hamels, MadBum, Wheeler, Odorizzi, Teheran, Bailey, Keuchel...There's quality at the top and good depth. This should help the Sox.

If the Sox let Abreu walk and sign JD, do you think about trading Eloy?
 
It is a very good FA market for starters. Cole, Strasburg, Ryu, Hamels, MadBum, Wheeler, Odorizzi, Teheran, Bailey, Keuchel...There's quality at the top and good depth. This should help the Sox.

If the Sox let Abreu walk and sign JD, do you think about trading Eloy?

Trade Eloy???? I'm not trading Eloy for hardly anything right now. He's going to be a perennial 40+ HR, .950 OPS guy. Can sprinkle in a few legit MVP years I believe. He'll hit 50 home runs by accident during his prime.

I wouldn't really care if Abreu walked but that ain't happening. He'll be back.

As far as the SP FA depth, you nailed it. I'd sign any two of those guys, but I think they'll end up with one. Wheeler is who I'd go all in for
 
I like the idea of getting Alex Wood on a "prove-it" deal for a year or two. If he's healthy, he has a high ceiling.

Everyone seems to have the hots for Zack "Stealers" Wheeler, so he may be difficult/expensive to sign. If the Sox can't get him, my next choice would be Madison Bumgarner. Health is an issue with him, but we know he has demonstrated that he won't freeze up in the playoffs. I'd prefer him over Jake Odorizzi. Hyun-Jin Ryu wouldn't be bad, either. I think it is absolutely imperative for the Sox to sign one of these pitchers.

I think the Sox should keep Abreu around, but not for more than 3 years. 30 HR and 100 RBI guys don't grow on trees.

I think they should get Yasmani Grandal, but he's more of a "want" than a "need". Right field and DH are more pressing concerns.
 
They have lots of holes to fill, but I'd probably start with the rotation. Even adding a mid-tier starter like Kyle Gibson or Homer Bailey would help a lot. They have to replace Nova's "production" (2.0 fWAR) and find another starter.

I'd consider letting Abreu walk and signing Thames for less. Maybe go after Brian Dozier or Asdrubal Cabrera. Eloy really belongs at DH, so you might need to find 3 OFs. Lurid Garcia is not the answer. Maybe you trade for CF Harrison Bader, and stick him between two big-hitting pylons in the corners like Marcell Ozuna and Nick Castellanos.
Harrison Bader? There is a guy named Luis Robert that will be playing after 3 weeks and this guy will be a stud. Eloy is not going to DH. He is going to be a monster at the plate and Robert can cover a lot of ground to cover for him. Why the urgency to dump Abreu? Led the league in RBI’s and the kid they drafted in the first round isn’t ready. A guy like JD at DH is what the doctor ordered. There DH position last year was awful.

it all comes down to pitching. Giolito came into is own last year. Kopech will hopefully be in the rotation early in the season. Cease will get better. Rodon later in the season. We’ll see if Lopez can take a Giolito leap next year or he goes away. Dunning coming back from injury. With this payroll I wouldn’t get outbid for Cole. Doubt he comes here either way but so the fans you mean business. You need a couple mid rotation guys while youngsters sort themselves out. The bullpen needs nearly a total overhaul. If you suck, these are always good trade pieces.

would be surprised if they don’t come away with a few decent players. The war chest has been building.
 
Harrison Bader? There is a guy named Luis Robert that will be playing after 3 weeks and this guy will be a stud. Eloy is not going to DH. He is going to be a monster at the plate and Robert can cover a lot of ground to cover for him. Why the urgency to dump Abreu? Led the league in RBI’s and the kid they drafted in the first round isn’t ready. A guy like JD at DH is what the doctor ordered. There DH position last year was awful.

it all comes down to pitching. Giolito came into is own last year. Kopech will hopefully be in the rotation early in the season. Cease will get better. Rodon later in the season. We’ll see if Lopez can take a Giolito leap next year or he goes away. Dunning coming back from injury. With this payroll I wouldn’t get outbid for Cole. Doubt he comes here either way but so the fans you mean business. You need a couple mid rotation guys while youngsters sort themselves out. The bullpen needs nearly a total overhaul. If you suck, these are always good trade pieces.

would be surprised if they don’t come away with a few decent players. The war chest has been building.

I get crucified every time I say this, but I think Robert struggles big time for a little while. Big league pitching will expose him, he doesn't have good patience right now and swings too much
 
Trade Eloy???? I'm not trading Eloy for hardly anything right now. He's going to be a perennial 40+ HR, .950 OPS guy. Can sprinkle in a few legit MVP years I believe. He'll hit 50 home runs by accident during his prime.

I wouldn't really care if Abreu walked but that ain't happening. He'll be back.

As far as the SP FA depth, you nailed it. I'd sign any two of those guys, but I think they'll end up with one. Wheeler is who I'd go all in for
If Eloy could play a premium defensive position passably, then he’s off the market. But if a team with a really deep system and a surplus of starters came calling, you’d have to kick the tires on a trade.

Eloy had a fine rookie season. But it was still only a 1.9 fWAR season. Guys that can rake but can’t defend rarely get much higher than 4 fWAR.

JD Martinez is a great hitter. But he’s still a 4 fWAR player. That’s quite good, but he’s no Mike Trout, Yelich, Bergman, Marte or Devers.
 
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If Eloy could play a premium defensive position passably, then he’s off the market. But if a team with a really deep system and a surplus of starters came calling, you’d have to kick the tires on a trade.

JD Martinez is a great hitter. But he’s still a 4 fWAR player. That’s quite good, but he’s no Mike Trout, Yelich, Bergman or Devers.

I’ll go oppo. I think LuBob has shown the ability to adjust. I think he adjusts quicker than Eloy.
 
Strasburg is on the open market!

It was a good October in Washington, but it’ll be verrrrryyyy tough to repeat.
 
I like the idea of getting Alex Wood on a "prove-it" deal for a year or two. If he's healthy, he has a high ceiling.

Everyone seems to have the hots for Zack "Stealers" Wheeler, so he may be difficult/expensive to sign. If the Sox can't get him, my next choice would be Madison Bumgarner. Health is an issue with him, but we know he has demonstrated that he won't freeze up in the playoffs. I'd prefer him over Jake Odorizzi. Hyun-Jin Ryu wouldn't be bad, either. I think it is absolutely imperative for the Sox to sign one of these pitchers.

I think the Sox should keep Abreu around, but not for more than 3 years. 30 HR and 100 RBI guys don't grow on trees.

I think they should get Yasmani Grandal, but he's more of a "want" than a "need". Right field and DH are more pressing concerns.
Don't they already have two DH guys in Jimenez and Abreu?
 
Today is the deadline for JD Martinez to opt out. I have a feeling that he's not going to. I think he would've done it already.

I am getting that same feeling unfortunately. Boston will still look to move him though, at least that's the rumor. Dombrowski really sold his should to the devil for the 2018 World Series
 
Braves declined Julio Teheran, who will be entering his age 29 season and fits the boring old guy mold. No idea what his market might be. He was great during the summer but faded off the playoff roster.
 
a lot of talk lindor and betts can be had in final year of contract

I still don’t expect this to happen, but there have been some whispers all year in Miami about the marlins pushing their chips in for Lindor. They’ve been accumulating assets and he’s a transcendental player. I think it’s a good idea but two years too early for them, unfortunately.
 
JD Martinez does not opt out, meaning that if the Sox want him, they have to trade for him. Worth taking a look, in my opinion.

Worth taking a look, sure, but he's allowed to revise his NTC. He'll almost assuredly have the Sox on there. If he's playing for the Sox next year, it'll be on his terms and his terms only unfortunately.

Not the worst news, but would have been nice. Gotta shift to Grandal/Wheeler now IMO
 
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