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Just draft the best players available. Don’t worry about position and don’t worry about college vs high school. The pitching situation can work itself out. The Sox have two pitchers they drafted slated to start in their opening day rotation, including one who was a first round pick (and is quite possibly the worst of the five, and definitely one everyone wants to see bumped back into the bullpen). So maybe first round pitchers for the sake of taking first round pitchers isn’t the way to go. In fact, that seems like an even worse strategy than what they’ve been doing. Just take the player you think has the best future…

Bench Hayward, who only brings defense to the table, but is still worse defensively than Betts in RF. Put Mookie in RF. Put Miguel Rojas at SS, as Rojas is basically to SS what Heyward is to RF. The Betts-Rojas lineup is significantly better defensively than the Betts-Heyward lineup. And not much worse offensively. Am I missing something? Or are the Dodgers really this f***ing stupid?

Cora is not exactly known for his attention to defense either. But both guys - especially Cora - are heavy into metrics…

Yeah. That type of thing rarely has sources that are exactly. Most people don’t even understand what they are ranking, myself included…

That’s what happens when you draft high schoolers. At almost every high school in the USA, the best player is the SS. Are you suggesting the Sox should instead draft players who lost out on the SS position to another kid? Especially when you remember the position played by high schoolers is irrelevant…

Actually 15th seems high. I mean, they did have a record roughly indicative of league average last year. But given their division, the chances of even making the postseason should be less than that. That’s why I don’t like Vegas odds as predictors of MLB. Certain teams have their odds artificially reduced by the amount of bets placed on them so as to minimize payouts just in case…

Daughter is a huge Cubs’ fans. I plan on going several times already anyway. And I do watch their games with her. Plus the Other Sox are always dirt cheap and never sell out, unless the team is winning, which is not expected this season. Very easy to get good seats even on game day…

It was 30th out of 30 four years ago. 14th might not excite you, but it is a massive step up…

I’m starting to think the Dodgers are stupid. So they’re taking the best defensive right fielder in the game today and moving him to SS why? Why not leave him in RF? Because of Jason Heyward? Crazy thought Dave Roberts - put Mookie in RF, Miguel Rojas back at SS, and bench Hayward. Problem solved. Geez. $300million dollar payroll with no shortstops. That’s just sad…

I do agree with every word here. But I think the overall lack of effort from the front office is still disappointing. And the only saving grace for the FO is there are still a few free agents left capable of making an impact…

But he was born a pauper to a pawn on Christmas Day when the New York Times said God is dead so he dumped his tobacco spittoon on a baby’s head. That actually rhymes better, sadly…

Up next - Lorenzen and German? Let's see how little they go for to other teams...

Stanek to the Mariners. notin favorite Brad Keller (whom notin admits he probably likes more than Keller actually deserves) to the White Sox. I do get avoiding Keller, who is coming off TOS. But Stanek was right there for only $4mill. Is that too much now?

That's my point. There is a rush to add someone to the 40 man, particularly if that someone is a pitcher still in search of a contract...

I agree. Unless his plan is to get the payroll so low he makes his money with revenue sharing, it doesn't make sense. In Chicago, for years the Blackhawks were owned by alcohol distributor Bill Wirtz, who decided to forego any TV deals for his team to force fans to attend games and purchase massively overpriced beverages, figuring that would be more lucrative. Instead it plunged the Blackhawks deep into irrelevancy. It was always a stupid plan. TV deals themselves can generate more money that beer sales. And by allowing the team to be broadcast, it stimulates greater interest. But by not being on TV, attendance plummeted to record lows and there was no one there to purchase all that booze. After Bill Wirtz died, his son took over and got the team back on TV. A couple extremely solid drafts later and the Hawks were the talk of Chicago winter sports and even went on to win the Stanley Cup 3 times. And more important to the Wirtz family, the team became a viable source of wealth again. Fans bought tickets. And once they bought tickets, they did purchase that booze. Fans want winning teams. Nothing excites especially the casual fan more...

They did try to extend Devers earlier, right after Bogaerts rebuffed the 4 year $90mill extension.. They offered Devers a deal similar to the extension Matt Olson received in Atlanta, with the article stating they viewed him as a first baseman long term. Devers did not agree with their assessment...

Also, you can't bring up that you like FIP and then call someone out for using it. Especially when comparing it favorably to two pitchers you have repeatedly called out the Sox for not bringing back...

Never should have been let go in the first place, and is always overlooked among the departed players.

Lance Lynn was right behind him with 20HRs. Is his career over too? (St. Louis felt differently.) And why is Houston wasting time with Hunter Brown, who gave up 17 HRs in that same stretch?

And that is where the moronicness? Moronosity? Moron-ness? Oooh - stupidity! I mean, if they signed Montgomery and Stanek, I think they could be competitive at the very least. German and Stanek? I'm less confident but at least appreciate that some effort was made. But something does need to be done quickly. Opening day is not that far away...

His FIP without the x in 2022 was 4.06. Better than the 2022 FIPs of both Wacha and Eovadi...

As an example of a pitcher whose weak finish did not indicate an injury was forthcoming. Because that's not always what a weak finish means...

Cleavon Little would be proud...

Thank you. It needed that...

You're correct. He did have 2.8 bWAR with the White Sox, but negative bWARs with both Cleveland and Anaheim...