Trade deadline thoughts

[Lake Shore Drive]

Really, only one key thought, which is actually a question. Does Hahn really need to take any action to obtain some sort of talent by the trade deadline?

Probably as recently as last week, I would have replied with an unequivocal and resounding YES!! It seemed like our roster had more holes than a plate of swiss cheese....such as:

2b
C
OF
RP

We've had as many as five starting positional players out recently, four of whom have been or will be long term, and it includes one for the rest of the season. Our pen has been inconsistent much of the season to say the least, as well as also suffering from a number of injuries. You need an up-to-date game program to see who's on the team at the present and who's not. And yet we sit here just a few games away from the AS break with a 7.5 game lead on Cleveland (should have been 8.5 but the damn Royals choked tonite). Despite the gloomy infirmary report. we've managed to win 7 of our last 10 ballgames. Our recent callups from the farm, along with some key vets off the bench, have all contributed in some form or manor to our recent success.

Of course any team, especially one as beat up as ours, could always look for ways to improve themselves. But at what price and more specifically, where is this help really needed. 2b might be one obvious spot with Nick Madrigal out for the season. But Leury Garcia has been filling in quite nicely during his absence. I'm not sure there's anyone out there even theoretically available who's out performing Leury at the present, both with the glove and bat. Grandal's loss is looming large, but maybe we should see what a platoon of Zack Collins and Seby Zavala can provide. I was very encouraged by Lance Lynn's post game positive comments on Seby's handling & calling of his pitches. Right now the combined contributions of Andrew Vaughn, Adam Engel, Billy Hamilton, Jake Burger, Brian Goodwin, and Gavin Sheets have filled in nicely where needed. The pen, as beat up it has been, seems to be holding up ok of late.

Maybe it has been more of a case of smoke-n-mirrors as to how our patchwork roster has been performing of late. I'm just not sure Hahn needs to mortgage too much of the future to acquire some trade deadline help, certainly not for a half season rental. But then again maybe he does. Anyone have a specific take on the matter?

 

[ChiSoxFan]

Really, only one key thought, which is actually a question. Does Hahn really need to take any action to obtain some sort of talent by the trade deadline?

Probably as recently as last week, I would have replied with an unequivocal and resounding YES!! It seemed like our roster had more holes than a plate of swiss cheese....such as:



2b

C

OF

RP



We've had as many as five starting positional players out recently, four of whom have
been or will be long term, and it includes one for the rest of the season. Our pen has been inconsistent much of the season to say the least, as well as also suffering from a number of injuries. You need an up-to-date game program to see who's on the team at the present and who's not. And yet we sit here just a few games away from the AS break with a 7.5 game lead on Cleveland (should have been 8.5 but the damn Royals choked tonite). Despite the gloomy infirmary report. we've managed to win 7 of our last 10 ballgames. Our recent callups from the farm, along with some key vets off the bench, have all contributed in some form or manor to our recent success.

Of course any team, especially one as beat up as ours, could always look for ways to improve themselves. But at what price and more specifically, where is this help really needed. 2b might be one obvious spot with Nick Madrigal out for the season. But Leury Garcia has been filling in quite nicely during his absence. I'm not sure there's anyone out there even theoretically available who's out performing Leury at the present, both with the glove and bat. Grandal's loss is looming large, but maybe we should see what a platoon of Zack Collins and Seby Zavala can provide. I was very encouraged by Lance Lynn's post game positive comments on Seby's handling & calling of his pitches. Right now the combined contributions of Andrew Vaughn, Adam Engel, Billy Hamilton, Jake Burger, Brian Goodwin, and Gavin Sheets have filled in nicely where needed. The pen, as beat up it has been, seems to be holding up ok of late.

Maybe it has been more of a case of smoke-n-mirrors as to how our patchwork roster has been performing of late. I'm just not sure Hahn needs to mortgage too much of the future to acquire some trade deadline help, certainly not for a half season rental. But then again maybe he does. Anyone have a specific take on the matter?

I actually don't know if Hahn needs to do all that much, as weird as that sounds considering the injuries. Getting Eloy back will be akin to an acquisition at this point. The catching situation is...underwhelming. Don't really know what can be done there via trade, though.

 

[Mingo]

I actually don't know if Hahn needs to do all that much, as weird as that sounds considering the injuries. Getting Eloy back will be akin to an acquisition at this point. The catching situation is...underwhelming. Don't really know what can be done there via trade, though.

Yadier Molina - with the Cards - TLR connection - Molina is one of he best catchers in the game, but very old and on the Cards who are not going anywhere. Molina might be a cheap, but valuable acquisition.

 

[Jiddy]

Our whole postseason outlook depends on Eloy and Robert...whether or not they can come back and produce this season. Funny thing is one would think that if their outlook is grim, that we'd be more likely to make a move because of obvious glaring holes. I kinda feel opposite...if their outlook is positive, I'd want us to press for the over the top move. Our SP is our strength and it's sus going into next season due to Rodon/Lynn. Take a chance on this season if those two are in the fold. Since we fans get so little in terms of injury outlook, it's hard to gauge what we are going to do...so just waiting to see at this point.

 

[idseer]

smart money is on wait and see. hard to see a 7.5 game lead as panic time. last thing i'd want is to give away another tatis jr. for some rental, and if kw has too much say i could certainly see that happening again. sit tight for now and see how things are going.

 

[Jiddy]

smart money is on wait and see. hard to see a 7.5 game lead as panic time. last thing i'd want is to give away another tatis jr. for some rental, and if kw has too much say i could certainly see that happening again. sit tight for now and see how things are going.

That man haunts me nightly on the sports news highlight reels. Not cool.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Our whole postseason outlook depends on Eloy and Robert...whether or not they can come back and produce this season. Funny thing is one would think that if their outlook is grim, that we'd be more likely to make a move because of obvious glaring holes. I kinda feel opposite...if their outlook is positive, I'd want us to press for the over the top move. Our SP is our strength and it's sus going into next season due to Rodon/Lynn. Take a chance on this season if those two are in the fold. Since we fans get so little in terms of injury outlook, it's hard to gauge what we are going to do...so just waiting to see at this point.

I think our chances at resigning both are zilch. I'd give it maybe 50-50 to inking one of them, and even that may be a bit optimistic. I'm sold on Kopech taking over one of the spots, but at this point I have little faith in Crochet, who has been oft-mentioned to also cover the rotation. So it's quite possible that Hahn could be on the offseason hunt for another starter.

 

[Jiddy]

I think our chances at resigning both are zilch. I'd give it maybe 50-50 to inking one of them, and even that may be a bit optimistic. I'm sold on Kopech taking over one of the spots, but at this point I have little faith in Crochet, who has been oft-mentioned to also cover the rotation. So it's quite possible that Hahn could be on the offseason hunt for another starter.

We might be in trouble with Keuchel falling off next season too...34 next year. Hopefully not, but it happens eventually.

 

[idseer]

We might be in trouble with Keuchel falling off next season too...34 next year. Hopefully not, but it happens eventually.

i think he's already fallen off.

 

[Jiddy]

i think he's already fallen off.

Well...He's a 4th man right now thanks to Rodon's come-uppance...so his performance for that kind of pitching rotation spot is ok as far as it goes. But yeah, that will be one of the intriguing possibilities of a postseason for us. Do we just run a 3 man with Lynn/Giolito/Rodon? That would be plenty interesting to see considering Keuchel was the one mouthing off at the beginning of last season when things weren't going well. We would be counting on him more next season with Lynn/Rodon possibly gone to follow up something like that. Tough decisions for LaRussa. Best option is he picks it up and makes it easy for TLR to slate him in for postseason starts. We'll see.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Keuchel has indeed declined in his performance, but he's inked thru next season. How his situation is handled is up to the brass. I was referring to the strong possibility that we could lose both Rodon and Lynn, who are each in essence rentals.

 

[idseer]

Keuchel has indeed declined in his performance, but he's inked thru next season. How his situation is handled is up to the brass. I was referring to the strong possibility that we could lose both Rodon and Lynn, who are each in essence rentals.

all i have to say about that is, if they don't resign lynn, they're stupid.

i wish i could take the time to look this up but, i recall saying in rodon's 2nd or 3rd year 'this is gonna be a guy who's injured and pretty much worthless during his whole sox tenure and after all the $$$ the sox spent on him he'll move on and become really good ... for someone else. the system completely sucks. contracts should read the length is determined by "healthy" contributions a player makes, not just by time. you're out a year a year gets tacked on to your contract ... a half year, same thing. it's the only fair way to go imo. i'm surprised the owners haven't done this years ago.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

all i have to say about that is, if they don't resign lynn, they're stupid.

i wish i could take the time to look this up but, i recall saying in rodon's 2nd or 3rd year 'this is gonna be a guy who's injured and pretty much worthless during his whole sox tenure and after all the $$$ the sox spent on him he'll move on and become really good ... for someone else. the system completely sucks. contracts should read the length is determined by "healthy" contributions a player makes, not just by time. you're out a year a year gets tacked on to your contract ... a half year, same thing. it's the only fair way to go imo. i'm surprised the owners haven't done this years ago.

Your second part first. I'm no contracts expert by even the slightest stretch, so take this with a grain of salt. But I believe the CBA prevents such conditional performance/injury clauses. I know, it flat out sucks that we never got our money's worth with Rodon when we had him under a controllable contract. But I suppose we have to count the good as well, being he's pitching at a Cy Young candidate level so far and he's only costing us 3 mil. That is the ultimate bargain.

Now onto Lynn. I could not agree more, but if we want to be more sure of retaining his services, our chances of him pitching for the Sox next year and perhaps thereafter are greatly improved if Hahn can work out an extension before season's end. I fear once Lynn (and Rodon for that matter) hits the open market, our chances decrease, and likely significantly at that.

 

[idseer]

Your second part first. I'm no contracts expert by even the slightest stretch, so take this with a grain of salt. But I believe the CBA prevents such conditional performance/injury clauses. I know, it flat out sucks that we never got our money's worth with Rodon when we had him under a controllable contract. But I suppose we have to count the good as well, being he's pitching at a Cy Young candidate level so far and he's only costing us 3 mil. That is the ultimate bargain.

Now onto Lynn. I could not agree more, but if we want to be more sure of retaining his services, our chances of him pitching for the Sox next year and perhaps thereafter are greatly improved if Hahn can work out an extension before season's end. I fear once Lynn (and Rodon for that matter) hits the open market, our chances decrease, and likely significantly at that.

cba should be changed.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

cba should be changed.

Good luck, it will never happen. The union will fight to the death on that issue.

 

[idseer]

Good luck, it will never happen. The union will fight to the death on that issue.

didn't say 'would'.