moonslav59

Man! .300!!! Yes, the manager lost control of the team.

Yes, but isn't there a decent 2B/CF'er out there, too? (FA)

We could go with something like Duran/Wilson/Hamilton, but I'd go with Pillar, if his contract is close to 2020's. I'd prefer spending much more on pitching than CF or 2B/1B. I like the idea of signing a CF/2B. I forget the guy you mentioned.

Do you think we'd have gotten much higher than 40% over 162 games?

Lovin' it! Beat the cheaters!

We'll need a CF and probably a 4th OF'er who can play CF. Here are this year's CF FAs: Center Fielders George Springer (31) Starling Marte (32) — $12.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout Kevin Pillar (32) Jackie Bradley Jr. (31) Brett Gardner (37) — $10MM club option with a $2.5MM buyout Jon Jay (36) Good D but Bad O: Jarrod Dyson (36) Jake Marisnick (30) Billy Hamilton (30)

We were horrible, this year. No dispute.

Agreed. I was an early advocate for moving Devers to 1B, but I see a lot of promise with his D.

I'm hoping we sign or acquire 2 solid SP'ers, this year. I'm usually one to advocate for rebuilding from the top, but I doubt we go after Bauer. Here's the list of FA starters: Starting Pitchers Trevor Bauer (30) Marcus Stroman (30) Jake Odorizzi (31) Masahiro Tanaka (32) Taijuan Walker (28) Robbie Ray (29) James Paxton (32) Charlie Morton (37) — $15MM club option with no buyout Mike Leake (33) — $18MM mutual option with a $5MM buyout Jon Lester (37) — $25MM mutual option with a $10MM buyout Mike Minor (33) Chris Archer (32) – $11MM club option with a $250K buyout Jake Arrieta (35) J.A. Happ (38) Trevor Cahill (33) Tommy Milone (34) Rick Porcello (32) Jose Quintana (32) Julio Teheran (30) Michael Wacha (29) Brett Anderson (33) Rich Hill (41) Corey Kluber (35) — $17.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout Tyler Chatwood (31) Alex Wood (30) Kevin Gausman (30) Anthony DeSclafani (31) Chase Anderson (33) – $9.5MM club option with a $500K buyout Homer Bailey (35) Gio Gonzalez (35) — $7MM club option with a $500K buyout Cole Hamels (37) Mike Fiers (36) Robbie Erlin (30) Merrill Kelly (32) — $4.25MM club option with a $500K buyout Wade LeBlanc (36) Matt Moore (32) Garrett Richards (33) Tyson Ross (34) Ivan Nova (34) Jimmy Nelson (32) — $2MM club option (can become $9MM mutual option based on innings total) Jeff Samardzija (36) Anibal Sanchez (37) — $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout Matt Shoemaker (34) Drew Smyly (32) Adam Wainwright (39) Jordan Zimmermann (35)

...and he was worse on D back then.

It was official before this, but 1967! That drives the point home.

We have to start doing better with IFA signings, too. Our bonus pool will be the largest in years.

We do better drafting bats and signing or trading for aces.

Dud. Not that uncommon. Maybe one DD should have traded.

Maybe Leiter will drop to 4th. Usually someone takes a HS player top 4.

We need pitching, but I'm still not sure drafting one is the right way to get there. We suck at drafting pitchers, but with a new GM, with a history of finding young arms, maybe you are right. Here are our top pitching picks over the years: 2020: Wu-Yelland #118 2019: Zeferjahn #107, Song #137 2018: Feltman 100, Ward 160 2017: Houck 23 2016: Groome 12, S Anderson 118 (traded), Shararyn 148, Nogosek 178 (traded) 2015: Lakins 171, B Taylor 201, L Allen 231 (traded), Poyner 411 2014: Kopech 33 (traded), Jake Cosart 103 2013: T Ball 7, Stankiewicz 45 2012: B Johnson 31, Pat Light 37, J Callahan 87, A Maddox 118, T Buttrey 151 2011: Barnes 19, H Owens 36, Noe Ramirez 143 2010: Ranaudo 39, Workman 57 2009: Alex Wilson 77 2008: Casey Kelly 30, Bryan Price 45, Stephen Fife 85, Kyle Weiland 108 2007: Hagadone 55 2006: Bard 28, K Johnson 40, C Clay 44, Masterson 71 2005: Hansen 26, Buchholz 42, Bowden 47 2004: A Dobies 3rd R, T Hottovy 4th R, R Schroyer 5th R, Cla Meredith 6th R 2003: Abe Alvarez 2nd R 2002: Jon Lester 2nd R 2001: Matthew Chico 2nd R 2000: Dumatrait 1st R, Delcarmen 2nd R 1999: Brad Baker 1st R, Casey Fossum 1st R

The draft started in 1965. Here are the Sox highest picks of all time: 3. Mike Garman 1967 4. Ken Brett 1966 4. ________ 2021 5. Billy Conigliaro 1965 7. Trot Nixon 1993 7. Andrew Benintendi 2015 7. Trey Ball 2013 12.Nomar Garciaparra 1994 12. Jason Groome 2016 12. Tom Fischer 1988 12. Jeffrey Everett 1998

Some mock draft picks: prospects365 1. Kumar Rocker (RHP Vandy) 2. Jud Fabian (OF Florida) 3. Jack Leiter (RHP Vandy) 4. Adrian Del Castillo (C Miami) 5. Jaden Hill (RHP LSU) 6. Gunnar Hogland (RHP Miss) Mymlbdraft 1. Rocker 2. Leiter 3. Brady House (SS/RHP HS) 4. Matt McLain (SS UCLA) 5. Fabian prospectslive 1. Rocker 2. Jordan Lawiar (SS HS) 3. Fabian 4. Leiter

Watch the Chi-Sox win it all.

The highest pick since the 60's. Yes. It's a cliff.

Agreed. the only way one or both stick around is if we sign just 1 OF'er.

Certainly, yes. He's been up and down. He's still young. He makes some great plays and makes too many throwing errors. We may also move him to 1B, eventually. He's the best player on our roster. I can't imagine winning without him.

Agreed. I also think he makes a pretty big trade. (JD, Eovaldi Vaz or Beni or a shocker like Bogey, due to his opt out coming soon.)

I was thinking that with our 40 man roster so weak at the bottom, maybe Bloom tries something very unique- like signing 9-11 free agents to low/moderate contracts- mostly 1-2 year deals. The problem might be making the 26 man roster. I guess, if some have options, we could pack our AAA team with a few and then let the season play out, in hopes that 6-8 workout. He's so good at signing marginal players that surprise. A look at the 26 man roster and options: Assume Sale, Pedey and ERod start on the 60 day IL, but when they comeback, someone needs to be DFA'd or demoted (see options remaining) 2020 Roster 3 Bogaerts 3 Devers 2 Verdugo 1 JD 0 Vazquez 0 Eovaldi 0 Perez 2 Barnes 2 DHern 2 Taylor 3 Houck 1 Pivetta 3 Beni 2 Valdez 1 Covey 0 Arroyo 2 Chavis 1 Munoz Red= not likely demoted or can't be demoted There are only 13 players that look like locks- add Houck, who may see his innings limited in 2021, and we're at 14. That leaves room for 11 free agents to fight for a spot on the big club and players we can demote, if they win the job.