I share a similar answer to those social media Blue Jays GM and I get called all sorts of names. I hope that they read Mark’s answer here regarding Jose Ramirez.
The Kimbrel trade is a sunk cost. Madrigal and Heuer aren’t coming back. If Kimbrel wouldn’t get $15m in free agency then exercising that option would just be compounding that mistake.
“….the Royals can get into the hunt for 2022……the AL Central looks like it’ll be more competitive. Chicago will still be good, the Tigers are ramping up to contend, Cleveland and Minnesota could or should be better.”
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Exactomongo!
When posters here were making fun of the AL Central this past season, I wrote that it would be the best division in MLB in 2-3 years. Still stand by that.
Think the Twins are terribly overrated, as is their FO. It’s coming clear that the only reason they won for a few seasons was that 3 ALC teams were in total rebuilds, and the Indians were starting to rebuild on the fly.
IMO, the White Sox are a poorly-constructed, typical one-dimensional Kenny Williams team – bunch of big guys that mash. Little defense, don’t play smart or opportunistic baseball. Larussa is trying to teach them how to win, and is being condemned for it. The question about Castellanos going there is just piling on – the team needs balance…and a real team leader that plays solid all-around ball would be nice.
However, I believe the Tigers future looks great for years – AJ Hinch is going to have a positive influence on those youngsters, and he’s started teaching them how to win (unlike the Sox, the Tigers have veteran leaders / role models in place…with more to come). The Guardians and Royals FO’s have done it before. I have total faith in Francona, but little in Matheny ( this is the team that Mike Schildt would be a perfect fit with).
The Tigers, Guardians and Royals all look to be superior teams in the next few years. The White Sox will be sort of what the Jays were in the ALE this year – mashers, but a buck short. As for the Twins……their fans waited a long time through a rebuild, and like Phillie fans they got some buzz at times, but being a realistic sustainable contender is unrealistic unless they get a FO person like Dombrowsky in there with a quality manager such as Girardi.
Until injuries hit their rotation in the 2nd half, the White Sox had one of baseball’s best rotation ERA’s. Some guys in the bullpen struggled, particularly Kimbrel, but the talent is there to be among baseball’s best BP’s. Luis Robert has won a GG, Moncada plays plus defense, and TA has hit over .300 each of the last three years. They’d have a second guy who could easily do that if they hadn’t stupidly traded Madrigal. I’ll agree that they need to stop strutting around and get to work, but they’re not one-dimensional (which even then, they were only 19th in HR’s).
As for TLR teaching them to win, it seems the Sox were better with the fundamentals under Renteria. It feels like it was this year that they forgot how to field and move runners over.
Until Kimbrel went to the south side, he was the best closer in MLB.
Your point?
Have you ever heard the phrase: “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish”? Fits for all sports – from team sports to Tennis, Boxing, and others.
Teams that are strong fundamentally and play their sport smartly are the ones that win the marathon…….and they make in-season adjustments to those teams players that don’t.
That Florida Rays idea is not too bad combining both fan bases for one team. The Orlando part I don’t know but Mark says Miami fans won’t be happy paying for a stadium that’s no longer being used, BUT it’s not being used NOW! Lol Fan base average is 12,000- 13,000 one of the worse in mlb)
I’m eager to see what Rodon does. I doubt anyone offers him 3 or more guaranteed years, certainly not at a high AAV. But I do think he can get two at above the QO rate, so does he go for that and the financial security or bet on himself and try to score a huge payday after next year?
I wonder why they haven’t written an article called “How the Braves built their NL Champion team” like they did for the Astros?
To be fair, it might come tomorrow or Tuesday am. There was some time between Astro’s last game, etc.
It’s coming, don’t worry… stay frosty
I share a similar answer to those social media Blue Jays GM and I get called all sorts of names. I hope that they read Mark’s answer here regarding Jose Ramirez.
The Kimbrel trade is a sunk cost. Madrigal and Heuer aren’t coming back. If Kimbrel wouldn’t get $15m in free agency then exercising that option would just be compounding that mistake.
Unless they can get something close to $15M worth in trade, I totally agree. That trade sucked from the second they did it and only got worse.
the White Sox were so happy that they fleeced the Cubs for Quintana that they decided to repay the favor some.
How many more seasons do the Angels have to go without making the playoffs before Mike Trout finally requests a trade?
LOL
People write that every year here.
“….the Royals can get into the hunt for 2022……the AL Central looks like it’ll be more competitive. Chicago will still be good, the Tigers are ramping up to contend, Cleveland and Minnesota could or should be better.”
–
Exactomongo!
When posters here were making fun of the AL Central this past season, I wrote that it would be the best division in MLB in 2-3 years. Still stand by that.
Think the Twins are terribly overrated, as is their FO. It’s coming clear that the only reason they won for a few seasons was that 3 ALC teams were in total rebuilds, and the Indians were starting to rebuild on the fly.
IMO, the White Sox are a poorly-constructed, typical one-dimensional Kenny Williams team – bunch of big guys that mash. Little defense, don’t play smart or opportunistic baseball. Larussa is trying to teach them how to win, and is being condemned for it. The question about Castellanos going there is just piling on – the team needs balance…and a real team leader that plays solid all-around ball would be nice.
However, I believe the Tigers future looks great for years – AJ Hinch is going to have a positive influence on those youngsters, and he’s started teaching them how to win (unlike the Sox, the Tigers have veteran leaders / role models in place…with more to come). The Guardians and Royals FO’s have done it before. I have total faith in Francona, but little in Matheny ( this is the team that Mike Schildt would be a perfect fit with).
The Tigers, Guardians and Royals all look to be superior teams in the next few years. The White Sox will be sort of what the Jays were in the ALE this year – mashers, but a buck short. As for the Twins……their fans waited a long time through a rebuild, and like Phillie fans they got some buzz at times, but being a realistic sustainable contender is unrealistic unless they get a FO person like Dombrowsky in there with a quality manager such as Girardi.
“A real team leader who plays solid all-around ball would be nice.” Dude, Tim Anderson’s right there.
Until injuries hit their rotation in the 2nd half, the White Sox had one of baseball’s best rotation ERA’s. Some guys in the bullpen struggled, particularly Kimbrel, but the talent is there to be among baseball’s best BP’s. Luis Robert has won a GG, Moncada plays plus defense, and TA has hit over .300 each of the last three years. They’d have a second guy who could easily do that if they hadn’t stupidly traded Madrigal. I’ll agree that they need to stop strutting around and get to work, but they’re not one-dimensional (which even then, they were only 19th in HR’s).
As for TLR teaching them to win, it seems the Sox were better with the fundamentals under Renteria. It feels like it was this year that they forgot how to field and move runners over.
Until Kimbrel went to the south side, he was the best closer in MLB.
Your point?
Have you ever heard the phrase: “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish”? Fits for all sports – from team sports to Tennis, Boxing, and others.
Teams that are strong fundamentally and play their sport smartly are the ones that win the marathon…….and they make in-season adjustments to those teams players that don’t.
That Florida Rays idea is not too bad combining both fan bases for one team. The Orlando part I don’t know but Mark says Miami fans won’t be happy paying for a stadium that’s no longer being used, BUT it’s not being used NOW! Lol Fan base average is 12,000- 13,000 one of the worse in mlb)
I agree. Make it the Miami Rays and Montreal Marlins. Change the names if you have to but I kind of love Montreal Marlins.
Why all the interest in returning to Montreal? They couldn’t give away tickets before the Expos left. That’s a hockey town, not a baseball town.
He picked the Astros because they have home field advantage and are the better team on paper. How’d that work for the Dodgers?
They didn’t have home field advantage, they were a wildcard team.
I’m eager to see what Rodon does. I doubt anyone offers him 3 or more guaranteed years, certainly not at a high AAV. But I do think he can get two at above the QO rate, so does he go for that and the financial security or bet on himself and try to score a huge payday after next year?
woah woah woah. Moreno is a nice prospect, but no way in heck his 2021 buoyed his value to the point where he’s even half of a package for Alcantara.