I'm not saying play service time stuff with him. I'm saying since he has 3 options, if he doesn't piss on the ball in ST then they can send him down and start someone else if they so choose to do so. I am pretty positive Mazara and his camp wouldn't be able to do a thing if the Sox chose todo this. This allows them a LOT of roster flexibility with him
OT: Baseball offseason and free agents 2019-2020 edition
- Thread starter Alvious
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I'm not saying play service time stuff with him. I'm saying since he has 3 options, if he doesn't piss on the ball in ST then they can send him down and start someone else if they so choose to do so. I am pretty positive Mazara and his camp wouldn't be able to do a thing if the Sox chose todo this. This allows them a LOT of roster flexibility with him
Plus, the last couple of seasons have not been kind to players money wise. Some agent not named Boras starts playing games and things could go ugly in both directions.
The next baseball strike is going to be a doozy.
The Sox currently have better odds in Vegas to win the World Series than the Cubs. 10-1 for the Sox and 12-1 for the Cubs.
Taxpayers helping to bring the post season to the south side! Thanks @willycat for your annual contribution. Bill coming your way around April 15 to help us pay that pretty good new catcher.
I think he's defeated, even before the inevitable Bryant trade. What a shame the Cubs are cash poor.
That’s funny. I’d still lay better odds on the Cubs (not that they are good odds).
The Sox are markedly better, but they have probably added 10-15 wins to a 69 win team (Pythagorean). I still think they are two players away. Those players might be guys like Madrigal, Cease, Dunning, etc, but it’s hard to count on them being major (2+ WAR) guys right now.
Unless Granpa Rossy is Billy Martin, the trajectory of these teams is going in different directions.
Probably won’t be this year, the intersection on Wins for these two teams isn’t that far away.
Rich Hill and Homer Bailey to the twinkies on one year deals. Fight to the bat rack.
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What’s the bag policy at Target Field?
Twins are in play for Donaldson, but this is what I've heard: they have a 4 year offer on the table for him, but he REALLY wants to stay in ATL, who only has a 3 year offer on the table for him. Lozano could very well be using the Twins as leverage for the 4th year, but I got that from someone really trustworthy at the same time.
The Twins have Berrios, Odorizzi and 5 miles of shit between them and their 3-5. Homer Bailey is the definition of a dickballer
Why do they need another bat? They already mash the ball. Every penny they got should go into the rotation.
There’s no good money to sink into pitching right now, at least not on the free agency market. There’s been some chatter between Miami and Minnesota on a pitching for bats deal - Rosario and Cave were the names mentioned in exchange for Smith, Urena or Lopez. But that seems less likely now that Miami signed Dickerson.
Anyway, if the Twins sense a chance to upgrade, why not take it? If you can’t strengthen a weakness, strengthen a strength. It’s still strength. Their window is wide open right now. Landing Donaldson would allow them to move Sano over to 1B, where he’s better off. That allows them to move Martin Gonzalez to 2B or back to his Houston super-utility role. And Donaldson is excellent defensively, so that’s a net win in itself.
5-7 WAR players don’t grow on trees, and other than an injured free agent walk year, that’s basically what Donaldson has been for the last half-decade on both sides of the ball at a challenging position. Great player, and good-glove, athletic, power-hitting 3B have aged well in the past. Look at Adrian Beltre. Something like 3/$70 would be ideal, but stretching to 4/$90 isn’t bad. If he regresses to a 3-WAR player by years 3-4, you still win on the market math, and you have the best chance to win big when Cleveland is down and Chicago’s not yet reached its peak.
White Sox do six-year $50million deal with Roberts. Smart move IMHO. Looking forward to see how he adjusts in Spring Training. And looking forward to seeing how Kopech comes back. Can he, Lopez, or Rodon (when he is back) pitch like a #3?
I don’t even see that as a risky deal for the Sox. They’ve got him basically through his prime with the two options.
Obviously, there’s a chance he doesn’t become a star, but he’s not being paid like a star. He’s being paid like a solid big leaguer.
For reference, Ronald Acuña is entering year two of an 8-year, $100 million deal that was signed after his rookie season.
Obviously, there’s a chance he doesn’t become a star, but he’s not being paid like a star. He’s being paid like a solid big leaguer.
For reference, Ronald Acuña is entering year two of an 8-year, $100 million deal that was signed after his rookie season.
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Bryant will be gone in a few weeks. That'll be exciting.
But most importantly - and I do mean *most* - even more than wins - is that the Cubs will have higher attendance!
Will Harris to Nats, 3 years, $24MM... that's STEEP. I would have been hesitant to give him 2 years
Nats needed relievers, and they must have liked what they saw out of Harris in the WS, especially the home run pitches he gave up in games 6 and 7....
Eh, the AAV is okay...kinda...but the term is too long. Hard to believe they couldn’t have gotten it done for 2 years, but they’re locked into ages 35-37 now. Like I said the other day, no real good money to sink into pitching right now.
On the other hand, Steve Cishek is licking his chops now. He’ll get either 2 at $9-10 per, or extend it out to 3 around the same rate as Harris. He’s younger and just as good. Ryan Buchter is another name to watch. And I’m interested to see who takes a leap of faith on Taijuan Walker on a prove-it deal. He’s talented if healthy.
I actually know Buchter. My college roommate is his agent. I'll ask on him in the AM when I'm not sitting on NU message boards at 3am like a creep
Update: Buchter is getting really screwed over by the 3 batter minimum rule. His splits haven't been good, so he's only got non-roster ST invite offers on the table. He's looking for a big league deal (as he should, he's been good for a decent while now)
Not sure I've said it on this thread but I HATE that rule. It's going to put a lot of people out of work
Not sure I've said it on this thread but I HATE that rule. It's going to put a lot of people out of work
I am all for shorter games, but the 3 batter rule seems extreme. I always enjoyed watching LOOGYs and their wipeout 88 MPH sliders turn lefty hitters into spinning tops. It really will become a lost art with this new rule.
They've really improved that roster from that 84 win team last year! It'll totally be addition by subtraction once Bryant is dealt
I'd say that's likely. They are less flawed on the whole than the Sox.
Everyone who doesn’t have to watch Stevie Wilkerson pitch because his manager used up the bullpen by the 8th benefits.
It’s a good rule.
That sucks. I don’t care for the rule. But I believe you can pitch to fewer than 3 batters if either of the first two is the final out of an inning, in which case I have to imagine there’s still utility for a great death-to-lefties guy.
Oh well, you can do what my Marlins just did and sign a switch-pitcher.
Well, the White Sox just landed Cishek for 1/$6 plus an option for another year at $6.75. Another really nice add for the South Siders. I'm surprised he couldn't get more. He's been good for a long time, and that includes defying peripherals for a while because he's so funky.
Wait someone jumped from the Cubs to go to the poorly attended team across town that plays in a taxpayer funded stadium? Oh the humanity.
Looking at the Sox roster, I'm curious as to who the 24th/25th man will be this year. Will it be an extra reliever or another bench bat? I'm assuming:
Grandal
Abreu
Madrigal
Anderson
Moncada
Jimenez
Roberts
Mazara
Encarnacion
Garcia
Engel
McCann
Giolito
Keuchel
Kopech
Gonzalez
Lopez
Herrera
Cishek
Colome
Bummer
Marshall
Cordero
Suspect that Cease and Rodon end up in and out of the rotation as needed. I'm guessing one more reliever, but who? Do the Sox keep Zack Collins up or does Danny Mendick stick? The flexibility of Leury Garcia helps a ton and they've invested enough in McCann to use him in a variety of ways. Does that leave a role for Collins? Just keeping fingers crossed that Donaldson doesn't end up in Minnesota.
