3rd best record in baseball.

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This is the start of Frank's attempt to state that the 2016 Sox that finish in 3rd place in the AL Central are equal to the 2015 Cubs that finished in 3rd place in the NL Central.

Good luck to Frank.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

With a near top 5 payroll without paying the young guys yet...

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Don't put words into my mouth, IMU. I dont need to be associated with your tepid thoughts.

Besides, at this point the Sox would be lucky to finish higher than 4th.

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You're associated with much worse than that.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I doubt that. There isnt a lot worse than you.

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Oh, you...so young, so naive.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

And an old rotation. I wouldn't be so boastful about "where the Cubs are".

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

And Arrieta who likely wont be here after 2017.

IMU is so young, so naive.

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with THE PLAN(TM) the cubs also had just brought in the golden boy theo epstein (architect of YOUR 2004/2007 and maybe even 2013 world champion red sox) who was pretty much coming off of 2 WS titles in a 4 year span, and then that 2013 red sox team ended up having a bunch of his fingerprints on it. plus the cubs went out of their way to let everyone know that tanking it was part of THE PLAN(TM).

therefore, while i'm not 100% innately-against the idea that media coverage of a sox total-rebuild might be portrayed a bit more negatively than that of THE PLAN(TM), i still think there were mitigating factors in the forms of theo and "calling your shot" that factored into the general acceptance-to-exalting of THE PLAN(TM). it's not like the cubs hired theo in secret and then casually mentioned @ 2014 Cubs Convention that it was their plan to be shit for draft picks.

TLDR = i reckon the white sox would have to go out of their way to call a proactive press conference declaring their rebuild with rick hahn wearing a theo mask to end up getting the "favorable coverage" that is evidently so desired

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You continue to embarrass yourself with each passing post.

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Cubs are in the process of emptying the farm for an overrated, wife beating reliever. This Chapman deal gives me hope for actually getting something in return for Robertson. Sale and Quintana are essentially blank checks in this market.

Overrated?
Not.... exactly.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

If these dumb motherfuckers don't move sale n Wuintana tomorrow.. They deserve to draw 12k a game n continue to be mired in mediocrity... They could rebuild their franchise in 2 years and be a powerhouse or choose to be a pretender in the AL central .

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Joe Orr is going to call him Wintana from now on.

If you can get 5 prospects for Sale you do it. I would pay Robertson every dime and get a better player in return.

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Even if you can only get 4, do it. Don't let the high-ceiling 19-year old Rookie League starter keep you from turning Chris Sale (whom would turn into nothing but a compensatory draft pick in three years, with no championships or playoff appearances) into Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara+, or Julio Urias and Jose DeLeon+. This apparent insistence on "actual value" for Chris Sale is ludicrous, because you're not even going to be able to maximize his value, because your roster and farm system sucks. Hell, the draft pick you get for Sale leaving in 2020 probably isn't going to be very valuable, because you suck at drafting anything other than top-10 pitchers.

It seems Texas is the team most interested in Sale. Personally I'm a bigger fan of Boston's prospect load (particularly Benintendi), but I would take a Mazara, Gallo, Profar + package for Sale pretty gladly. Especially if there were a way to pry Benintendi (or Moncada) from Boston in exchange for Quintana in a separate deal.

The Dodgers have nothing I'm particularly interested in that they would be willing to part with.

Eaton is a guy who may have more value than Quintana because of his skillset and contract, Astros would be an intriguing partner for him.

I am losing faith that anything gets done though, which is really a tragedy.

You are just being foolish now. The only way you are getting either of those guys is for Sale.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Quintana + Robertson w the Sox picking up the tab on Robertson's deal would get Benintendi.

I don't see the Sox eating 25 million on Robertson, You gotta move Sale and Quintana before the deadline..Robertson has little value with 2-25 left after this year.

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Good to hear the Sox want no part of Jurickson Profar, that surgically-repaired shoulder is terrifying. Are the Rangers ballsy enough to pass on Chris Sale to hold on to Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara?

Joey Gallo (22, AAA): .246/.381/.557

Andrew Benintendi (22, AA): .285/.348/.478

Gallo is #12, Benintendi #11 in BP's mid-season Top-50 Prospects report.

Robert Murray ‏@RobertMurrayFRS 2m2 minutes ago

White Sox just scratched Todd Frazier from the lineup.
1 retweet 0 likes

The Sox don't have to pick one or the other, they have the bullets to get both.

Frazier and Abreu are the two guys I want the Sox to keep.

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Both gonna be gone then. Kenny and Hahn so value your opinion.

You live in a dream world if you think you are coming away with both of those guys this year.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I'm starting to rethink dealing Quintana at the deadline, as his value may only improve as the season goes on and he potentially creep into the AL CY race.

Let's say the Sox do get Mazara, Gallo, Brinson and a few quality (not T100) minor league arms from Texas for Sale. Right away the Sox OF woes probably become a thing of the past, and at the very least you can feel comfortable that you're making a good faith effort at each OF postion with a trio of Gallo in LF, Eaton in CF and Mazara in RF. That package from Texas probably means Melky Cabrera, who is no longer worthless, gets dealt hopefully for some minor league arms (not T100 either). Robertson as well, for a less substantial package than even Melky but hopefully some salary relief.

So what the Sox are left with going into 2017 is a damn fine OF all under team control for the foreseeable future and an IF of Abreu-Lawrie-Anderson-Frazier. DH and C will still be black holes, but the farm would be looking a lot better than it has in years with a lot of new young arms, a fringe T50 guy in Brinson and what may be a very solid draft class with some *GASP* position player prospects. As far as pitching goes the rotation would be Quintana-Shields-Rodon-Gonzalez-Fulmer, which is pretty mediocre but at least has a proven high level guy in Quintana, a couple decent vets in Gonzalez and Shields and some guys with serious potential. Who fucking knows with the pen.

If the Sox dont like that roster going into 2017 they can still deal Quintana, who's value could easily continue to rise by that time, for an exceptional package in the offseason. Benintendi and Moncada aren't seeing major league time this year and the Red Sox are not going to suddenly rectify their pitching woes between now and December. No need to deal Quintana now if the Sox dont love the package they are getting in return. This is unlike Sale who clearly is falling apart a little bit and has serious attitude problems that create bad press this team really doesn't need but still is considered by most one of the premier arms in the game.

So yea, my idea is dump Sale for the best possible package now and also get rid of Melky and Robertson while they still can. If someone blows thier socks off for someone take that deal too, but there's no rush to go full gut rebuild right this instant. Get a bit more than a 1/3 seasons look at the Sale haul, whatever they get for Melky and Robertson and this past draft class (Collins and Burdi could be very fast risers) and then reevaluate whether to fully rebuild by dumping Eaton and Q in the offseason or whether the new-look Sox have gotten better in the short-term by trading away Sale.