Palka (again)

[soxfan49]

27 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

It's a big deal. OPS and OBP are are the two stats that have the highest correlation with run scoring. Probably the most important in a general sense. In other contexts, like with Moncada, it is BA because he has contact issues and the rest of the tools are there and very loud, so if he gets hits the rest will take care of itself. 

From my POV, as a hitter the importance is:

OPS 

OBP 

Defensive ability by eye test

everything else, unless the guy has contact issues which then brings BA into the equation. For most players, those two stats are the ones I look at first, then I dive into the rest.

Anderson is weird because he's a really good defender and has power/speed but lacking in the On Base department. 

What's a big deal?

You said: "Palka, like Anderson, has an OBP that is too low for my liking"

And then moments later changed it to... "Yeah, I looked into it a little and I think he has something like a .373 OBP over the last month so I think he earned an opportunity to DH in 2019"

[Lillian]

4 hours ago, Dick Allen said:

Once again, don't believe what you see in September.

It may be September, but he is not exactly doing this off of AAAA pitchers, or rookies. His last two homers have come off of Kluber and Carrasco. Moreover, they were not hit on "off" nights, for those outstanding pitchers. The rest of the lineup wasn't doing much against them.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Lillian

[Bob Sacamano]

2 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Out of all of the OFs we are looking at for next year as realistic roster spots, none have done less this year for themselves than Nicky did.  Between the injuries and then a really blah year as a hitter, he is behind the eight ball coming out of 2018.

Doesn't help that he also hits left-handed, same as Palka. I would think Palka and Davidson would have the edge over him.

[pcq]

DP should end up with 30 plus homer's for five months work. The red arrow is pointing up. 

[TaylorStSox]

He kind of reminds me of Chris Carter in that he's an incredibly flawed player with 1 really loud tool. There's no reason to not give him another year of AB's and see where we're at in 2020. 

[Jack Parkman]

8 hours ago, soxfan49 said:

What's a big deal?

You said: "Palka, like Anderson, has an OBP that is too low for my liking"

And then moments later changed it to... "Yeah, I looked into it a little and I think he has something like a .373 OBP over the last month so I think he earned an opportunity to DH in 2019"

Both statements are correct. He's earned an opportunity to see if he can get on base more, but his OBP over the whole season is still too low for my liking. He's improving in the walk department so We'll see where he is in July 2019. We should know more about him as a player at that point. 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

Palk smash is the best thing Benetti says.

[Jose Abreu]

19 hours ago, Lillian said:

It may be September, but he is not exactly doing this off of AAAA pitchers, or rookies. His last two homers have come off of Kluber and Carrasco. Moreover, they were not hit on "off" nights, for those outstanding pitchers. The rest of the lineup wasn't doing much against them.

Not to mention he was great in August too.

[ChiSox59]

Palka is my full time DH (with occasional OF start) against RHP next season, and PH bat of the bench in late innings when a LHP starts.  He's earned it.  Not sure who the other side of the platoon would be though.  Not sure there is room for both him and Davidson due to lack of defensive flexibility, though Davidson would be a good fit for the job if we had more roster spots. 

[GenericUserName]

5 hours ago, ChiSox59 said:

Palka is my full time DH (with occasional OF start) against RHP next season, and PH bat of the bench in late innings when a LHP starts.  He's earned it.  Not sure who the other side of the platoon would be though.  Not sure there is room for both him and Davidson due to lack of defensive flexibility, though Davidson would be a good fit for the job if we had more roster spots. 

What about LaMarre? He hasn't been horrible since we acquired him and his splits against lefties are really solid. 

[southsider2k5]

5 minutes ago, GenericUserName said:

What about LaMarre? He hasn't been horrible since we acquired him and his splits against lefties are really solid. 

He may go into next year as the utility OF.

[beautox]

Is Palka destined to become the next Chris Davis?

age 26 seasons

Davis 

Palka 

 

Palka's second half 

[southsider2k5]

3 hours ago, beautox said:

Is Palka destined to become the next Chris Davis?

age 26 seasons

Davis 

Palka 

 

Palka's second half 

Palka is more willing to use the field.

[zisk]

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 2:04 PM, Greg Hibbard said:

also Ortiz' numbers are over 1500 ABs.

  steroids

[zisk]

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 4:39 PM, TaylorStSox said:

He kind of reminds me of Chris Carter in that he's an incredibly flawed player with 1 really loud tool. There's no reason to not give him another year of AB's and see where we're at in 2020. 

   I don't think he is as flawed as you think. In his minor league career he has always walked a lot and hit for a higher average. It wouldn't surprise me

to see his OBP go up quite a bit next year. That being said, his home runs might turn back into doubles as well. Either way he's still a good offensive player.

I totally agree about his flawed defense though. Maybe he should go play 1st base in the winter league.

[Jerksticks]

On 9/20/2018 at 10:59 PM, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Palk smash is the best thing Benetti says.

Absolutely.  It might be good enough for me to ignore every other “cute” word that comes out of his mouth.  It’s a phenomenal 2 words. 

[Lillian]

As his reputation as a "dangerous" hitter grows, he will almost certainly be pitched around, in many situations, with a RHP on the mound. That will afford him more chances to walk, if he can be patient.

[ChiSox59]

On 9/21/2018 at 5:23 PM, GenericUserName said:

What about LaMarre? He hasn't been horrible since we acquired him and his splits against lefties are really solid. 

I'd be super duper surprised if LaMarre is in the organization when the 40 man needs be finalized before Rule 5 draft. 

[southsider2k5]

 

10 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I'd be super duper surprised if LaMarre is in the organization when the 40 man needs be finalized before Rule 5 draft. 

It will be interesting to see how the OF situation plays itself out.

A couple of things that stick in the back of my mind:

Leury Garcia is finishing up his first year as an arb player, and it getting set to hit his second year.  Garcia has never been able to muster playing more than 87 games in a season, primarily due to injuries in the last couple of years.  He got paid just under $1.2 million this year, and may well be into the $2 to $3 million range for next year.  Do they offer him a contract based on his inability to stay healthy and his escalating arb status?

Avi Garcia is finishing his 2nd year as an arb eligible player, having been paid $6.7 million this year to play about half of a season.  Most of his numbers regressed pretty hard core this season, and he may well be looking at a $10 million pay out this year.

While the Sox have the money to pay both of these players, have we gotten to the point where the roster spots might be worth more to the team than anything else?  We already know for a fact that even in a big time year like last year, the offers for Avi were never interesting enough for the White Sox to trade him after a career year.  Now we are coming off of an injury filled year.  I don't think you can even look at him as a possible trade asset anymore.  Leury's best case scenario is as a utility guy, but he can't stay healthy long enough to attract interest.

Looking at 2019, if you leave out the dueling Garicas, that means you are looking to create an opening day OF between Engel, Delmonico, Palka, Tilson, LaMarre, Cordell, and maybe Jose Rondon as a wild card if he really does learn to play the OF respectably over the winter/spring.

Out of that group, I think you pencil in Adam Engel as the leader for CF and the most likely starter in the OF out of that group. 

Palka is almost for sure on the roster somewhere, and in a scenario where Avi Garcia doesn't come back, he is probably the leading candidate for RF.

That leaves the rest of the mess to contend for two OF spots (1 starter in LF, and 1 bench), maybe 3.

In this scenario, I would have to handicap Nicky Delmonico as the leader for LF to start with, and probably Ryan LaMarre as the most likely back up OF because he has hit respectably, plus he can play CF when Engel needs a day off.

This would probably also be helped if Rondon did pick up some OF skills over the winter to become essentially what Leury was supposed to be coming into this year as a jack of all trades utility player who could back up OF and IF.

I think in pretty quick order Charlie Tilson is removed from the 40 man roster, based  a lot on the fact he wasn't even recalled for September.

Then this all becomes really interesting in mid to late April when it is Eloy time and one more OF gets squeezed off of the roster.  That might be when Nicky D goes back to the minors.

That is a pretty long way of saying, I think LaMarre sticks around, but others don't.

[ChiSox59]

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

If you leave out the dueling Garicas, that means you are looking to create an opening day OF between Engel, Delmonico, Palka, Tilson, LaMarre, Cordell, and maybe Jose Rondon as a wild card if he really does learn to play the OF respectably over the winter/spring.

Out of that group, I think you pencil in Adam Engel as the leader for CF and the most likely starter in the OF out of that group. 

Palka is almost for sure on the roster somewhere, and in a scenario where Avi Garcia doesn't come back, he is probably the leading candidate for RF.

That leaves the rest of the mess to contend for two OF spots (1 starter in LF, and 1 bench), maybe 3.

In this scenario, I would have to handicap Nicky Delmonico as the leader for LF to start with, and probably Ryan LaMarre as the most likely back up OF because he has hit respectably, plus he can play CF when Engel needs a day off.

This would probably also be helped if Rondon did pick up some OF skills over the winter to become essentially what Leury was supposed to be coming into this year as a jack of all trades utility player who could back up OF and IF.

I think in pretty quick order Charlie Tilson is removed from the 40 man roster, based  a lot on the fact he wasn't even recalled for September.

Then this all becomes really interesting in mid to late April when it is Eloy time and one more OF gets squeezed off of the roster.  That might be when Nicky D goes back to the minors.

That is a pretty long way of saying, I think LaMarre sticks around, but others don't.

Did I miss the Sox plan to have Rondon learn the OF news?  If so, I dig it.  Sox need to be more willing to try guys it other positions.  That's how you make logjams works, and find nice values.  

I'd roll like this to start the year:

LF - Delmonico

CF - Engel (i'd play Leury a decent amount too)

RF - FA

DH - Palka / Davidson (Davidson plays some 3B and 1B as well)

BN: Smith, Leury, Yolmer, Davidson

DFA: LaMarre

Non-tender: Avi

Option: Cordell and Rondon

Trade for a bag of balls: Castillo

Option Delmonico whenever it is that Eloy comes up.  Eloy plugs RF, FA moves to LF.  

I'd love to sign AJ Pollock and put him in CF, just don't see it happening.  

 

[southsider2k5]

Yep,

 

[ChiSox59]

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

Yep,

 

Nice, I like it.  I've been a bit tuned out the last couple weeks. 

Good teams find a way to make log jams work.  The Yankees and Cubs are recent examples. Sox have been very reluctant to move guys around.  I hope that changes as spots on the roster become harder to come by.  

[bmags]

20 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Nice, I like it.  I've been a bit tuned out the last couple weeks. 

Good teams find a way to make log jams work.  The Yankees and Cubs are recent examples. Sox have been very reluctant to move guys around.  I hope that changes as spots on the roster become harder to come by.  

They've been reluctant with 'core' guys, with fringe guys they've been quick to expand versatility. Unfortunately they were all bad defenders. Rondon is first that may be actually expanding good skill set.

[ChiSox59]

22 minutes ago, bmags said:

They've been reluctant with 'core' guys, with fringe guys they've been quick to expand versatility. Unfortunately they were all bad defenders. Rondon is first that may be actually expanding good skill set.

Like? Delmonico and Leury are really the only guys on the current roster I can think of they've moved around.  And that is because Delmonico was literally awful at 3B, a position he has yet to appear at in the big leagues.  I don't really consider moving a guy like Yolmer, a middle infielder by trade, around the infield all that flexible.  

Cordell was an infielder by trade.  No appearances in the IF.  Palka is supposedly able to play 1B.  Haven't done it.  Haven't tried guys like Yolmer or Davidson in the OF.  I get not moving around guys like Anderson and Moncada, but even going back to previous seasons, I can't think of the Sox tinkering around with fringy guys playing new positions much at all.  

We must just have different definitions of "quick to expand versatility".  

[bmags]

You are right, we don't think of it the same.

Davidson gets run at 3b and 1b, Delmonico gets corners and 1b. Leury played all over and they appear to be grooming Rondon for it. Sanchez has an average arm and that likely prevented the OF play they alluded to. Anderson/Moncada are the prime OF/IF candidates and they have resisted, but there's no reason to put Engel at 3b just for versatility, having all our OFers play across OF consistently and IFers the same is good enough.

Cordell is not an IF by trade.