Discussion Thread: Monopoly Money

James fears if he talks to himself about fake rumor news any longer, his sanity will not last. He calls upon his friends to walk him through the most recent massive shift/non-shift in White Sox discussion, where they now might maybe consider possibly spending insane dollars on a free agent frontline starter if suits them right...maybe.

James: This Heyman article on the topic is nearly impossible to pin down. The Sox want a big-time right-handed starter to slide between Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, but stand no real chance in winning bidding for Max Scherzer and others like him. He follows up with suggesting the Sox make a trade with the Reds, but unless the Reds are just going to trade Mat Latos for, I donno, a pile of $60 million, I don’t know what they can offer.

Then Dan Hayes begins his piece with this:

“The White Sox have never eclipsed $70 million on a contract and while the team’s history suggests not, it doesn’t mean a big deal isn’t out there.

The only requirement for it to happen: perfection.”

Uhhh…..so, no then? You can see why he wrote it. Hahn basically gives them that they’ll sign a big free agency deal, if it’s not one of those shortsighted boondoggles, which is kind of what they all are, soooo...

Collin: I know they won’t win a bidding war anyway so it’s moot, but I have a hard time believing Hahn would be willing to so much as offer a huge deal to someone like Scherzer or Shields. I don’t know. I think this is more posturing than anything. Maybe making sure the Tigers/Yankees/whomever spends as much money as possible on these guys? I don’t know if that kind of stuff actually happens, but I like to believe it’s all just games.

James: By all indications, Hahn is one posturin’ SOB. This is all a waste of time. A ruse concocted by a Michigan grad. I’m very glad we’re all here.

Collin: I don’t doubt they’re going to sign a free agent SP. I wouldn’t even be surprised to see them sign someone like Ervin Santana. But one of the BIG THREE? Nah.

James: I don’t like just lazily ascribing home run rates and park reputations to everyone, but I think Erv might tease 40 HR allowed playing in this park.

Collin: I wasn’t necessarily saying the White Sox should sign Ervin, just that I expect the White Sox to make a run at one of the second-tier guys.

On a side note, I know it’s been mentioned on Twitter by probably fans of every organization, but I like the idea of bringing in Kris Medlen on a small, incentive-laden deal. Not saying you bring him in to for sure be a member of your rotation. But taking a flier couldn’t hurt, assuming he doesn’t get a better deal elsewhere. He’s coming off two TJs and the reputation for pitchers after TWO of those aren’t good, but … I dunno, low-risk move that I’d be a fan of.

Chase Headley is said to have a $65 million offer on the table from an unspecified team. James, would you pay $65 million to Chase?

James: Nah. It’s dampened my enthusiasm. Dampened it real good. He’s not really a stud. Unquestionably solid, likely to provide value throughout the deal, but is he a huge needle-moving upgrade. Would rather pitch money at Melky for that rate and trust this pile of middling infield prospects to make up the gaps.

I’m fine with Medlen, I’m not fine with “Ok, we signed Medlen, that’s one of our rotation slots filled.” I expect nothing. He didn’t get non-tendered for no reason.

Collin: I agree. And if we’re simply saying “which could you tolerate more?” I could much easier tolerate another season of Conor at 3B than I could another season of Dayan in LF. Ideally, you upgrade both positions this offseason, but that might not be possible. And I would expect Rick Hahn to agree, especially if he’s still holding out hope that Matt Davidson will eventually take over for Gillaspie.

James: Maybe Matt Davidson ate a really old can of beans right before the season started and never recovered.

I mean he needed to show progress from huge contact problems, instead he took a step back, along with every other area of his game, and it came suspiciously after he left the PCL. I am not enthused.

Collin: I often think about how awesome it would be if the White Sox hit on Davidson. I guess there’s still time, but the prognosis isn’t promising. It’s just kind of crazy to think about the

White Sox’s young core of Eaton, Sale, Quintana, Abreu (OK he’s not young but you know what I mean), and if you were able to add Davidson to that group, the Sox would be in even better shape. Argh.

James: Davidson is younger than I remembered. I’ll give him that.

Collin: Is Houston still shopping Dexter Fowler? I’d like Dexter Fowler on the White Sox, please. What can the White Sox give Houston for Dexter Fowler?

James: Assurance that it will make the Astros worse? I can’t figure out why they want to get rid of him. He’s 28, and just had a big year for them.

Collin: Apparently Houston and Toronto were talking about a deal for him before the Blue Jays dealt for Saunders, so….?

James: I saw that too, and believe you, but I think it’s dumb. They’re often dumb. What’s with them?

Collin: I’m not saying it’s smart! Just that if they’re shopping him, I want the White Sox to trade for him and not have to give up any of their top prospects. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!

James: What happened to just selling players straight-up? It was good enough for BABE RUTH.

Collin: Seriously, though, what about Davidson for Fowler? Is that too much/little? You’d essentially be turning Addison Reed into Dexter Fowler and I’m a fan of that. Guess it would depend on how much Houston likes/dislikes him.

James: Nice, so who’s the other player the White Sox are sending...who will be the centerpiece of the deal?

Collin: CAN’T YOU JUST LET ME LIVE IN MY DREAMS, JAMES?

OK unrelated, but it surprised me to look at MLB.com’s Top 20 White Sox prospects and see the guy they got from Oakland for Adam Dunn check in at No. 11. Figured they were just getting a throw-away org. filler for Dunn. I mean, maybe he is, but that surprised me nonetheless.

James: Yeah, those trades were backwards. They got a likely high-leverage bullpen arm for the dying whispers of Dunn, and absolute crud for De Aza, who likely will start for Baltimore next season.

I don’t usually like to dump on trade ideas, but one of those guys had an above-average MLB season, and the other threw serious doubt whether he’ll ever get to play a full MLB season.

Collin: Michael Saunders just got traded for J.A. freakin’ Happ.

James: I thought that was a bad trade! I will die on this hill.

Collin: I like to live in a dream world where the White Sox are on the good end of bad trades, OK?!

Are we going to title this post “James and Collin Talk About Nothing”?

Hey! People on Twitter are arguing about if the White Sox will trade Chris Sale again. Can the offseason be over already?

James: If Barstool Sports told me the weather would be nice on my Jamaican honeymoon, I’d pack exclusively winterwear.

I think we’d title it “James and Collin talk about nothing until Nick logs in at a random hour and writes a thesis.”

Collin: Matt’s here!

Matt: Going back to the Heyman article: I dislike Jon Heyman and that article illustrates a big part of why. He says nothing, makes weird assumptions and presents them as news. I suppose he’s got quotas and deadlines but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

James: I wonder if he’s in the same position as us. He hears stuff, not much of it is substantive, but it’s his time of year and there needs to be an update on the stove.

Does anyone thinks its weird that Brandon Moss is just inevitbably being traded to Cleveland? Like, is no one in on the bidding?

Matt: He’s intended to be their Nick Swisher upgrade, yes?

James: You mean the plus-bat corner outfielder who promptly can’t play the outfield anymore upon arrival and then stops hitting?

Matt: They’ve got a type.

James: Moss doesn’t seem that bro-y.