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I don't think Erik Johnson comes to mind for anyone, let alone immediately.

For anyone who wants to read the article, I posted it today on my site: Here is a the link. Thanks to Soxtalk for allowing the sharing of links: https://www.ecopolibbling.com/post/launch-engel-to-the-rescue 2018: 2020: So yesterday when I was watching the game, and saw Engel raking, I decided I wanted to take a deep dive into the changes Engel has obviously made. I completely disregarded 2019. Why? Great question! I disregarded 2019 because as you can see from the picture below, Engel implemented a large leg kick before his swing. He actually started to make some of the good changes to his hands last year, but he didn't see much benefit because of the leg kick. BUT at the end of 2019, when Engel was recalled, he had kept the changes he made to his hands from 2018, but he ditched the leg kick. This led to a 778 OPS in September of last year: What does that mean? The big change, besides the fact that Engel no longer dips his bat head parallel to the ground as he did in the 3rd still above of 2018, his hand position at contact and after is another change. While these weren't identical pitches, you'll notice Engel's bat is less parallel to the ground at contact than it was in 2018, in addition at the point of contact and after Engel's hands lift towards the sky, as opposed to a the flatter follow through in 2018. This has led to a big change in Engel's launch angle this year: Engel's launch angle is up 6% from last year - to 17.1% - and 3% over his career average. In addition, Engel is has a career low GB rate at 30.4% (11% below his career average). Additionally, he's pulling the ball much more frequently - 54% vs 44% in career - as he has opened his stance a bit and stopped straightening his front leg on impact as much. By eliminating the leg kick and opening his stance, Engel has found a way to make more contact in general (up 3% over last year) a, but especially in the zone (up 10% from his career average to 91%) and that has led to a dramatic decline in Engel's strike out rate which is down to 21% from a career average hovering around 30. This has led to good numbers, as Engel has maximized his skill set to generate power to the pull side. While Engel still isn't crushing the baseball (exit velocity is actually down over last year), nor is he barreling everything up (only 1 barrel this season), the changes he has made is helping him maximize his skill set. While he has had some luck, his xBA is 285, his xSLG is .463 and his wxOBA is .343 which means even if things regress to his contact profile, he's still a better than league average hitter with elite defense. Publishing the full post/version of this on my Blog tomorrow likely if anyone does care to read it.

The abbreviated spring training clearly didn't prepare his body for all the mound visits

There is a massive difference between .500 and winning 100 games, total strawman. Furthermore, I could actually accept .500 if it looked like it was building towards something more. This season has, largely, been an embarrassment so far, and the moderately ok record does not redeem how piss poor they have played for looooong stretches. This is a team that is lucky to even be sniffing .500 right now, and that is unacceptable this far into the rebuild.

Agreed, up 4-1 on Tampa

Ozzie is lucky to be in some good graces with the organization. His last season was something else, a new level ego trip he was on. Completely sabotaged his team. Him, Olney and their instigator Joe Cowley can all fuck off for their bullshit parts they played in that drama they created. Having said all that I don’t mind him doing post game, but it doesn’t exactly add any motivation in watching that show with Chuck now. Meh. Renteria, my Latino brother, still needs to get fucking lost. The Sox are either too incompetent or cheap(probably more this) to replace him before. Sandy was their first choice before Renteria to be Robin’s bench coach and successor. But Alomar didn’t want to disrespect Robin like that, which I don’t blame him. Should have just handed the keys back then. But maybe getting some more experience under Francona’s would serve him well, certainly couldn’t have hurt. He would be my choice 100%. AJ has a great baseball mind. But I don’t think he would come back to be a bench coach, I believe I heard him say he would only come back to be a manager. I would think hard about it, just how would the players like playing for him with his abrasive personality at times. Jirschele is too young for my liking

It’s not a good sign when one of the big free agent signings is saying this

I just got a big time pity BJ so thanks

Maybe throw something other than fastball? God knows other teams wouldn’t do that to the Sox.

Same shit every year no matter who hitting coach is

He’s hit one ball hard all year.

Mazara automatic out

We got Mazara literally to hit homeruns...has yet to hit 1...

The talent is there and I refuse to believe that every one of them has the fundamental flaw of straight up terrible batter IQ...These young hitters can’t be left with this coaching for too much longer

It’s a cruel joke to get stuck with Iassogna for most of the season

Should be fine

For anyone who was interested in the entire piece: https://www.ecopolibbling.com/post/launch-engel-to-the-rescue Thanks for the kind words.

He once stayed at a Holiday Inn Express ?

Agreed. Lots of adversity and have mostly played two of the better teams in the AL.

10 to 1 on the screwed up training schedule.

Preach Dallas. The role players - Medick, Leury, Engle, these are the ones who have been taking professional at bats. The stars right now look like they bought into the hype and think they can just hit first pitch home runs every at bat. How did Ricky go from benching people for not running it out to first to this?

I love Dallas Keuchel. Buying his jersey. This team has lacked THIS type of leadership for awhile.

Particularly Vaughn. At this point, I’m not averse to letting Collins DH against RHP. I get it, he has no hits and his hit tool is well below average right now, but maybe he gets into a rhythm, takes pitches, works a few walks, gets something different going.

Another day, another pathetic effort with RISP.

White Sox manager had a closed door meeting with his team before the game tonight. There's a old saying in baseball, good teams win games and bad teams hold team meetings.

And readiness for coaching staff to show urgency in their actions

6 game win streak to rapidly heading towards 1-5 in the next 6. Injury depleted but playing like absolute dog shit...

Scary thing is I’m not sure how they fix this. Awful free agent acquisitions on the offensive side have become the norm, so it’s hard to count on that.

Some hard hit balls on the ground, but really nothing hit with authority in the air.

Eloy breaks the 0-22!

This offense is unwatchable

With how his legs look, he isn’t attempting more than 5 steals all season.

Eloy continues to hit ground ball after ground ball

You can lose your job to injury just sayin.

Yeah, I think Engel's issue is he gets a ton of value from his glove and Robert plays the more valuable position in CF. Engel loses a little playing right, as he still doesn't have big power and his arm is good but not great for RF. He's still a + on the bases too, but his batted ball profile still isn't great and he has a history of falling into bad habits. I hope he has figured it out because he really is a great athlete, but he's always been kind of robotic as a hitter.

If anything that's a good sign. These numbers are going to normalize. No team hits .091 over a season, even if it's an abbreviated one.

Well, that's definitely another reason NOT to be discouraged. That we very easily could have beaten Bieber and been at least 9-7 despite hitting 2-3 standard deviations worse than the average MLB team with RISP. Has to correct itself eventually. More than 1/9th of the season encapsulated in those horrific numbers.

Putrid. Have they done one hit and run during that stretch? It seems like so many first pitch swings they don't even strategize.

Good stuff. This is the kind of content I like to read here, along with the FutureSox breakdowns. I think Engel is a 3+ WAR player if he's a league average-hitting CF

DFA- ing Flores would have been much worse in my opinion. He has actually had success in the upper minors, and he is a LHP that is close to contributing. I don't understand why anyone would advocate cutting him instead.

The Tigers went .500 against a scuffling Reds team and the Royals, then swept the abysmal Pirates. They might be the best of the worst teams but this is absolutely still a bad baseball team, and even if we are the worst of the best teams we should be able to win this series.

Yep, that's been the message from political leadership across the board since late may or late june, depending on the state. Reopen indoor activities and then yell at people for going out.

AJ would be a disaster in a coaching role of any kind. His future is in a booth somewhere. He does that really well. I am just saying that I could pair him with Jason and see what happens.

Alomar sounds good, and Pierzynski seems like a Sox hire. I'd get behind it but it could easily be a disaster.

If and when the White Sox make a change, I would at least like them to interview multiple candidates and strongly consider someone outside the organization. Please no more ex-White Sox players. JR will get attached and he won't be able to fire them no matter how badly they perform. But it doesn't seem to me that the White Sox thinking about any major changes soon.

Ozzie's best attribute as manager was lucking into Politte, Cotts, Hermanson and Contreras having career years at the same time. Edit And Garland

Im sick of Ozzie thinking he is relevant. You quit on the team, go away.