The unofficially official offseason thread

[Lake Shore Drive]

Hahn discusses plans for White Sox outfield, Vaughn and more at GM Meetings

AJ Pollock will not be playing left field for the 2023 White Sox. General manager Rick Hahn confirmed Pollock declined his $13 million player option, receiving a $5 million buyout and becoming a free agent. As for the future White Sox outfield configuration? It’s too early to set any sort

www.mlb.com

AJ Pollock - he gone. Against all expectation - Pollock took the $5 million buyout instead of the $13 million player option. Hahn expects OF help will more likely come from trades and not FA.

I was a little surprised at this. Yes, Pollock gets a $5m jumpstart before hitting the market. But he would need to get a contract more than $8m guaranteed to break even or come out ahead. That's not a gimme by any stretch.

 

[Mingo]

I was a little surprised at this. Yes, Pollock gets a $5m jumpstart before hitting the market. But he would need to get a contract more than $8m guaranteed to break even or come out ahead. That's not a gimme by any stretch.

Or, in the alternative - Pollock has had quite enough of being a White Sox.

 

[idseer]

i'm sorry to see pollock go as i think he's a very good backup outfielder. apparently he still thinks he's a starter. it's also very likely he just not interested in playing with this band of losers.

 

[Mingo]

The likeliest way for Grifol to have impressed in his White Sox interview was to tell the Sox he could make Moncada into Salvidor Perez. Moncada is the least tradeable Sox because of the large distance between Moncado's contract cost and his stats.

When Hahn suggests the Sox will likely make trades for help than sign FAs - the logical bait are the bullpen contracts of Hendricks or Graveman. TLR apparently wanted the bullpen well stocked, but it turns out that bullpen guys play in about 1% of the season innings. There are teams well stocked with money who have only one missing piece - a closer.

 

[Mingo]

Well, here we are. After the highest attendance in the last dozen years and the most disappointing team performance I can remember - Sox fans are told the salaries will remain static and changes will come through trades rather than FA signings.

The Sox are reported to be interested in Sean Murphy A's catcher. Two things are interesting about that - one being the Sox already have the 3rd highest paid catcher in baseball and secondly - based on last year's trade discussions the guy the A's want from the Sox is Andrew Vaughn. Now Murphy is a 5 War catcher - who has won the Rookies of the year, 3 years ago - the golden glove two years ago and the catcher silver bat last season.

There has only been one report of new Sox manager PG spending time with a Sox player and that is attending a hockey game with Grandal. Grandal is reportedly working out under the instruction of a hockey trainer.

For trades there are only two areas of the Sox roster that have heavy salary investment - that figure to be places where a trade might even out the roster from a salary point of view - catcher and bullpen.

I'm not endorsing this idea, but what the Sox appear to be lining up is a potential trade of Andrew Vaughn (and other prospects) to the A's for Murphy. Having Murphy will help the pitching staff defensively and the lineup offensively. If Vaughn goes to the A's - Grandal will likely move to 1st base for the last season of his contract relieving him of the catcher wear and tear and relieving the Sox of a defensive liability behind the plate. Gavin Sheets will likely back up 1st base, DH and RF. I expect Eloy will be the regular DH and back up LF.

If this happens the Sox will need help in the OF with LF and RF open. Oscar Colas will probably get his chance for RF. Either Liam Hendriks or Graveman will be traded for OF help. FA will be used to sign maybe a 2nd baseman an OF and some pitching.

There aren't you happy Sox fans?

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Well, here we are. After the highest attendance in the last dozen years and the most disappointing team performance I can remember - Sox fans are told the salaries will remain static and changes will come through trades rather than FA signings.

The Sox are reported to be interested in Sean Murphy A's catcher. Two things are interesting about that - one being the Sox already have the 3rd highest paid catcher in baseball and secondly - based on last year's trade discussions the guy the A's want from the Sox is Andrew Vaughn. Now Murphy is a 5 War catcher - who has won the Rookies of the year, 3 years ago - the golden glove two years ago and the catcher silver bat last season.

There has only been one report of new Sox manager PG spending time with a Sox player and that is attending a hockey game with Grandal. Grandal is reportedly working out under the instruction of a hockey trainer.

For trades there are only two areas of the Sox roster that have heavy salary investment - that figure to be places where a trade might even out the roster from a salary point of view - catcher and bullpen.

I'm not endorsing this idea, but what the Sox appear to be lining up is a potential trade of Andrew Vaughn (and other prospects) to the A's for Murphy. Having Murphy will help the pitching staff defensively and the lineup offensively. If Vaughn goes to the A's - Grandal will likely move to 1st base for the last season of his contract relieving him of the catcher wear and tear and relieving the Sox of a defensive liability behind the plate. Gavin Sheets will likely back up 1st base, DH and RF. I expect Eloy will be the regular DH and back up LF.

If this happens the Sox will need help in the OF with LF and RF open. Oscar Colas will probably get his chance for RF. Either Liam Hendriks or Graveman will be traded for OF help. FA will be used to sign maybe a 2nd baseman an OF and some pitching.

There aren't you happy Sox fans?

Please tell me Mingo what I bolded is simply a theory you're offering, that there isn't even the slightest bit of possibility to this happening. Nothing against trading for Murphy, but not with Vaughn as trade bait. That would be utterly insane, altho now that I think about it, some of the worst trades in Sox history have been with the A's, so maybe it stands to reason. Don't get me wrong, I like Murphy, but he's pretty much already reached his ceiling or at least damn close to having reached it. He's good, but he's not THAT good, certainly not worth an Andrew Vaughn and other prospects. If the A's are hot on obtaining some up-n-comers, I'd rather see a scenario something along the lines where Hahn perhaps trades out Gavin Sheets, Jake Burger, maybe one of of our higher end pitching prospects, then throw in Grandal as well, where we'd also eat the lion's share of his remaining salary. After all, he only has one year remaining anyway.

 

[Jiddy]

I "love" that the combination of Grandal (our highest paid player ever) being garbage and our owner not just paying a FA catcher (Contreras) has us considering trading away for a catcher.

What a f*cking sh*tshow.

 

[Mingo]

Please tell me Mingo what I bolded is simply a theory you're offering, that there isn't even the slightest bit of possibility to this happening. Nothing against trading for Murphy, but not with Vaughn as trade bait. That would be utterly insane, altho now that I think about it, some of the worst trades in Sox history have been with the A's, so maybe it stands to reason. Don't get me wrong, I like Murphy, but he's pretty much already reached his ceiling or at least damn close to having reached it. He's good, but he's not THAT good, certainly not worth an Andrew Vaughn and other prospects. If the A's are hot on obtaining some up-n-comers, I'd rather see a scenario something along the lines where Hahn perhaps trades out Gavin Sheets, Jake Burger, maybe one of of our higher end pitching prospects, then throw in Grandal as well, where we'd also eat the lion's share of his remaining salary. After all, he only has one year remaining anyway.

Yes, it is obviously a theory, but I think it lines up with the White Sox tea leaves. Where does Vaughn play on this White Sox team? If Eloy becomes the regular DH - like he finished the season - Vaughn doesn't play there. Now look at last season - who played the majority of innings at 1st when Pito wasn't there - Sheets and Grandal did. If Vaughn was the 1st baseman of the future - he would have been playing 1st. The A's want Vaughn based in last year's demands when the Sox made him untouchable. The Sox have too many DH/1st basemen even with Abreu gone. It's not the play or trade I'd make.

 

[idseer]

do you ever seriously wonder about why you root for this team?

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Yes, it is obviously a theory, but I think it lines up with the White Sox tea leaves. Where does Vaughn play on this White Sox team? If Eloy becomes the regular DH - like he finished the season - Vaughn doesn't play there. Now look at last season - who played the majority of innings at 1st when Pito wasn't there - Sheets and Grandal did. If Vaughn was the 1st baseman of the future - he would have been playing 1st. The A's want Vaughn based in last year's demands when the Sox made him untouchable. The Sox have too many DH/1st basemen even with Abreu gone. It's not the play or trade I'd make.

The only way I see Vaughn being trade bait is if we sign Pito to an extension. This is something we can't rule out, altho based on what I've read, I don't think it's likely to happen, but you never know. So, if Pito does what's expected and signs with another team, I see nothing or no one standing in the way of Vaughn taking over full time duties at 1b. Certainly not Grandal, who Hahn should be making every effort available to move him or maybe even outright cutting him and just eat the final year. Maybe the brass has enough confidence in Sheets handling 1b - that's his natural position as well - so this too could possibly make Vaughn expendable, but hopefully not at the cost of simply acquiring Murphy. Again, nothing against trading for him, but he's not worth a Vaughn, let alone additional prospects to boot.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

So Hahn/Williams couldn't come up with similar value for the opportunity of obtaining Teoscar Hernandez from the Jays?????

Blue Jays trade All-Star outfielder Teoscar Hernandez to Mariners

The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder was dealt to the Seattle Mariners for a pair of arms on Wednesday.

sports.yahoo.com

Granted, he'd most likely be just a rental for us, being he's a FA after this coming season, but it's not like the M's gave up anything big time to land him. This All Star brings some much needed power and could have fit in quite well with our team. I mean, WTF!

 

[podsox]

Looks like grandal is going to be the every day first baseman heading into the season.... Vaughn in left

 

[Mingo]

Looks like grandal is going to be the every day first baseman heading into the season.... Vaughn in left

Thats why I believe Vaughn may be on the trading block - he was the worst LF in mlb last year.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Looks like grandal is going to be the every day first baseman heading into the season.... Vaughn in left

Thats why I believe Vaughn may be on the trading block - he was the worst LF in mlb last year.

I'm getting this >< close to boycotting the damn Sox next year. Seeing Grandal at 1b at the expense of having traded away Vaughn just might do the trick.

 

[Mingo]

I'm getting this >< close to boycotting the damn Sox next year. Seeing Grandal at 1b at the expense of having traded away Vaughn just might do the trick.

Well, I've been thinking - the plan maybe 1 year with Vaughn in LF and then to 1st base when Grandal's contract ends. I'm no longer sure thar Vaughn fits the development window the A's are trying to put together. He's young enough but will get to FA to quickly for the A's.

 

[Mingo]

Personally, I was surprised to see Danny Mendick get non-tendered. He has always been a good utility guy and cheap on the budget.

I see that Moncada and Robert are signed up to play for Cuba's team.

 

[idseer]

Personally, I was surprised to see Danny Mendick get non-tendered. He has always been a good utility guy and cheap on the budget.

I see that Moncada and Robert are signed up to play for Cuba's team.

this is simply a very stupid organization. has been since 1981.

 

[Jiddy]

Looks like grandal is going to be the every day first baseman heading into the season.... Vaughn in left

*facepalm*

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Personally, I was surprised to see Danny Mendick get non-tendered. He has always been a good utility guy and cheap on the budget.

I see that Moncada and Robert are signed up to play for Cuba's team.

Even more surprised at seeing Engel get likewise. His problem, which is a big one, is that he can't stay healthy. When he is, he's arguably our best OFer. But he spends way too much time avoiding the IL.

 

[Bearsfan81]

White Sox Showing Strong Interest In Mike Clevinger

The White Sox are showing strong interest in free agent starter Mike Clevinger, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

They’re not even pretending to do anything but “buy low.”