The Hawk

A whole lot of things have to go right for Madrigal to be ready for opening day. But beyond that, it is way optimistic to think that a singles hitter is going to be an all-star in today's game. He doesn't walk much either so his OBP will be kind of like Anderson's in terms of that. Whatever they hit is the lion's share of their OBP. But Anderson is a legit power guy. I think that Madrigal will eventually grow a bit and develop some gap power but his road to being an all-star is pretty iffy in my estimation. We still haven't seen a great defensive second baseman as yet in him and his throwing arm seems a bit weak. I'm just being realistic about him.

I think that I've said that I didn't want Tony LaRussa for the White Sox manager. I did want Renteria fired though. He just isn't a very good baseball manager in my estimation. But it looks like we are basically stuck with him and he does know his way around a baseball dugout. We'll see if he can handle the job. After all, it isn't rocket science. Its baseball, after all. A Kid's game:)

That's 100% true. And back in the day, there wasn't the body armor of today to keep the elbow and forearms protected. Of course, that wouldn't have prevented Gibson from getting the hitter off of the plate:)

That he has four quality pitches that he can throw for strikes? That he has a motion through basically five seasons in college and in the minor leagues that hasn't broken down his arm? Maybe that he doesn't marry a bimbo who takes a good chunk of his money? Stuff like that?

Do you think that player's who mock their opponent are better examples of doing things right? There are two different views on things. I say that really both views are/were wrong. In the old days, the players pretty much policed themselves and there was a lot less money in the game back then. Nowadays the league itself sets and enforces the rules and the players are basically all millionaires including many who have not even played in the majors at all. There is irony all right. But there is irony on both sides of the issue.

He hasn't pitched in two years. Their minor league stats both were basically .500 pitchers. Stiever is a year younger so his progression is basically behind one year. Argue all that you want to but Stiever is considered a very viable major league prospect while Kopech has missed two years in his development. Do you worry at all about Kopech's injury and personal history? This is all apples and oranges. Stiever played collegiately and was drafted in the 5th round. Kopech was a high school phenom who was rated can't miss very early on. Two different routes to the major league. We will see who makes it. Hopefully both of them will.

Nah. They win some games in MLB but a lot of games are won by guys who throw mid-90's but have other pitches and can control them. That is where guy's like Steiver come into rotations all of the time. Also while every organization has someone in it that get a ball up to 100 mph, that velocity rarely stays long, especially with starting pitchers. Steiver is so interesting for the White Sox and those who are interested in trading for him because he has FOUR good pitches that he can control and throw for strikes. THAT is rare for a 23 year old guy. I think that you underestimate how important hitting a location is for a starting pitchers. A flame thrower like Kopech can find a job as a reliever with no more than two pitches. But a decent major league hitter will absolutely tattoo a 99-100 straight fast ball in a bad location and will do it easily. As you can see, I am a skeptic of Kopech as a can't miss starter in the major league. To me, he hasn't proven anything compared to Steiver, Cease, Huerer, Burdi, and several others that are in the organization right now. He's got a chance to prove himself like they all have and they all will be looked at and regarded.

Where is the hypocrisy? I'm talking about pitchers and the difference between what used to happen regularly with pitchers retaliating versus what happens now. Maybe you are not old enough to have seen guys like Gibson, Bunning, Drysdale, Early Wynn, etc? Or even the guys of the next generation of bad ass pitchers. Hitters that acted out got buzzed and hit. It was automatic. And the guys playing on the same team as the hot-dog didn't take kindly to their teammates that did it because they were going to get hit also as a rule. Now it is totally different as far as what the baseball "rules" are. What set of rules were right and which were wrong, I don't know. Its all how you look at things.

Madrigal will not be a 2021 all star. He won't be ready to play at Opening Day for starters. Also, the kid is limited to being a singles hitter. He reminds me of another little guy who played 2nd base for the Sox, Nellie Fox. His game fit much better in the 50's and 60's than Madrigal's fits today's game. If Darvish passes a strong physical, I'd do that trade. They can back-fill second base very easily. Darvish is a stud when healthy. I'd take my chances with him and someone like Quintana on my pitching staff.

That was a pretty good post. You imply a lot of things in it. Maybe you're right and maybe you're wrong. I do disagree, however, about your assessment of LaRussa as a baseball manager. He does know how to manage a baseball team. You do not win 3 World Series and seven pennants without knowing your game very well. I don't like the guy as a person. I didn't want him to be the Sox manager but as a manager, he is a better candidate than Renteria. As for a media attack being ordered by Jerry, I pretty much doubt that. When Renteria go hired the media already thought that the guy was a weak minded manager and not what the White Sox needed.

I like Darvish a lot. Who would you think it would take to get him?

We will see what happens. One thing for sure. This is going to be an interesting situation for this team.

Well, that is great question. In the old days, I'd say that the guys on his team who may end up getting plunked as a result of his antics. However, with the sissification of modern baseball, that probably isn't the problem now as it might have been a few years ago. This White Sox team is a fun loving group for sure but I do not see them acting out and showing up other players. Do you? I don't see Anderson as being an asshole for the little acting out that he does. Don't think that in this day and age with a lot of the showboats in baseball that he is anykind of problem guy. Personally, I never like players showing other players up and if someone plunked me or one of my guys, the guy who did it was going to get hit himself. I do know enough about baseball, though, if a guy ends up getting hit because his teammate talks shit or goes after a player on another team, the pitcher who does this shit on my team is going to be challenged by me for doing it. That does happen.

We will have to agree to disagree on that then.

That is fine by me if he does get another baseball job. I think that all in all, Renteria is a good over-all baseball man and has some excellent strengths. I just do not think he is a very good baseball manager, especially the way he sets his line-ups up and how he sets up and uses his pitching staff. But, as a bench coach, I think he is excellent. He knows the game, obviously, and has shown himself to be good in keeping the team hustling and focused on their jobs and that says a lot to me about how valuable he is to a team. He could find another manager job I think but I don't think he is the best guy to manage the present White Sox team. Do you?

Maybe you are right. I don't know. I do think that the Sox will not spend all of that money for him. I just do not see it in the cards nor do I think that he is the right guy that they will focus their attention on. We will see.

Yeah. I am talking about the price that he'd command along with the negative impact in the locker room. I'm more than happy with the guys that the Sox committed to that are in their locker room.

I didn't say that at all. I said that LaRussa has proven that he can manage a team to a championship and has done it many times.

Swagger is one thing. Having an edge is one thing. But how does this same guy react when someone makes an error behind him? What happens when his shit is bad for awhile? I'm just saying that this guy isn't a Verlander to my mind. I just wouldn't spen that much money on a guy who has that kind of a mouth and demeanor.

I'd say that they are totally different things. IF Renteria was considered a top manager, he wouldn't have been fired and when he was fired, another team would have snapped him up I'd say. Kopech was blessed by the "gods" with a million dollar arm which is the sole reason for whatever value that he has. So far, he hasn't shown squat to those who look at things beyond a million dollar arm.

I'm sorry. What or rather who is "all baseball wisdom"? Stiever is 23 years old. Steiver has much more minor league experience than Kopech. Many clubs apparently have approached the White Sox in their interest in the guy. He throws hard and has other "stuff" that he can control. AND...... he hasn't spent a shit load of his bonus money, married and divorced a bimbo, blown out his arm requiring TJ surgery, and refused to pitch for the White Sox in the 2020 play-off season. Do you think that Kopech has made a good impression thus far in his professional career?

You do not know that. What Kopech has done in his short career has certainly sent warning signals across the baseball world ever since he got drafted. The mental aspect of the game and how it affects a player's career and the decisions that Kopech has made in his short baseball life were bad ones. I am not saying that he is a bust but there are warning signs around this guy.

I know that. Neither will Burhrle in all likelihood. ITs okay with me since I do not feel that either of them were HOF guys. Almost, but not quite and it will maybe take the veteran's committee to take the steroids era into consideration before voting. I'd be 100% all right with the veteran's committee locking out the Bonds, SoSo, Clemens, McGuire jerks and allowing two terrific players like Mark and Paulie into the shrine because they did things the right way.

Explain yourself. The question is Steiver's value and potential as a major league starting pitcher versus Cease and Kopech. What do you think major league talent evaluators think of when they looks at the three of them? All three of these guys throw very hard. What else do you think that these baseball experts take a look at?

They would be absolutely crazy to get rid of Eloy. This guy is the best hitting prospect the Sox have ever had. At least since Frank Thomas. Such easy power to all fields along with the ability to hit for average and with two strikes on him. And with his opportunity to learn the art of hitting from Jose Abreu, it is absolutely a joy to behold.