thegringokid

As the article states, most fulltime players averaged 150 games a year so there is that. And cutting the number of starts from an average of 32-33 to 30-31 might reduce the load on SP's? Dunno, just thinking of obvious benefits. But if the cut in games means a cut in regular season revenue then I see that as a non-starter, unless they expand playoffs by one round?? Think that make even less sense doesn't it?

Would it be beneficial, negative for our pitchers/hitters? Thoughts? Link: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12370390...re-was-interest In his first days as Major League Baseball commissioner, Rob Manfred has been open to considering making changes to help make the sport more marketable. . Commissioner Rob Manfred said he'd be willing to consider a shorter, 154-game season if there was enough interest for it. Proving that nothing is off the table, Manfred said Monday that he would entertain shortening the regular season if there was interest in doing so. "I don't think length of season is a topic that can't ever be discussed," Manfred told ESPN.com. "I don't think it would be impossible to go back to 154 [games]." Manfred said discussion of season length is not at the top of his mind, adding that insiders he talks to don't think having a season of 162 games is something that needs to be dealt with anytime soon. Manfred said concerns over the pace of the game are taking the priority. Last week, MLB implemented new rules for the upcoming season that seek to reduce the average time of a game, which clocked in at 3 hours, 2 minutes in 2014. The American League moved from a season of 154 games to 162 games in 1961; the National League followed a year later. "We already have some of our record books which reflect a 154-game season and obviously some of it reflects a 162-game season," Manfred said. "So there's some natural flexibility there. But if anyone suggests to go to something like 110 games, then there's a real problem. That will throw all our numbers out of whack." Last year, fewer than 9 percent of position players played in at least 150 games, the lowest percentage in major league history, according to research by Stats LLC and published Monday by the Wall Street Journal. Any change to the length of the season would have to be collectively bargained with the Major League Baseball Players Association since it affects the working conditions of the players and could change the number of service days, currently 183, in a season.

Here is the schedule, enjoy: Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0209-story.html TV Cubs at Sox, March 20, 3:05 p.m., CSN Royals at Sox, March 21, 3:05 p.m., CSN Sox at Padres, March 23, 3:05 p.m., CSN Rockies at Sox, March 24, 3:05 p.m., CSN Dodgers vs. Sox, March 26, 3:05 p.m., CSN Sox at Cubs, March 27, 3:05 p.m., WGN Athletics at Sox, March 28, 3:05 p.m., CSN Sox at Indians, March 29, 3:05 p.m., CSN Sox vs. Dodgers, March 31, 3:05 p.m., CSN Sox at Diamondbacks, April 2, 2:10 p.m., CSN Online at whitesox.com Dodgers vs. Sox, March 5, 2:05 p.m. Mariners at Sox, March 7, 2:05 p.m. Diamondbacks at Sox, March 9, 3:05 p.m. Rangers at Sox, March 11, 3:05 p.m. Giants at Sox, March 12, 3:05 p.m. Mariners at Sox, March 17, 3:05 p.m. Indians at Sox, March 30, 3:05 p.m. Padres at Sox, April 1, 3:05 p.m. Radio on WSCR-AM 670 Sox vs. Dodgers, March 4, 2:05 p.m. Sox at Athletics, March 8, 3:05 p.m. Angels at Sox, March 15, 3:05 p.m. Cubs at Sox, March 20, 3:05 p.m. Sox at Royals, March 25, 8:05 p.m. Sox at Cubs, March 27, 3:05 p.m. Athletics at Sox, March 28, 3:05 p.m. Sox at Indians, March 29, 3:05 p.m. Sox at Diamondbacks, April 2, 2:10 p.m.

Jeff PassanVerified account ‏@JeffPassan Breaking: Yoan Moncada is a free agent after MLB changes its rules regarding Cuban players. Story with details soon on Yahoo Sports.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/108197788/if...uld-open-wallet It seems rumors are now starting to pop up that Shields was never considered a 9 figure investment and is more likely in the ballpark of what Ubaldo Jiminez, Ervin Santana, or Matt Garza got. Now Anthony Castrovince ponders whether he can be had for something like between 4-50 and 4-55. That would certainly seem more reasonable but even at that price I doubt the Sox pounce.

Shark's agent talks on MLB radio and sidesteps the extension question kinda by saying Shark has earned the right to be courted in FA but they will have those talks with the FO when the time is ripe (They owe JR and RH that much out of courtesy and respect). This should heay up after the ASB. We just have to be patient and hope for the best. Link: https://soundcloud.com/mlbnetworkradio/mark...office-with-jim

Is there a reliable pitching WAR calculator available online? I tried the one on wahoosonfirst.com and it does not come up with a correct number for Sale based on 2014 statistics. I would like to compare the WAR of each of the top 5 rotations cited in this article averaged of the past 2-3 years.

QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ Feb 1, 2015 -> 12:27 PM) I don't think the Sox top 3 was assembled 'quietly' at all. Maybe the writer meant to say that all 3 have become White Sox and have not been in the public eye or subjects of media attention like other pitching rotations. I could guess that would be the case of both Sale and Q (Who have never really demanded or attracted the media spotlight). They just seem to go about their business every 5 days and pitch the best they can. With Shark he does have those 4-5 years of publicity with the Cubs and his distaste for the FO there is well documented and known.

I really hope by mid-year Montas and Danish really put it together and have made excellent progress. Montas has been scouted to have high end reliever upside but I hope he becomes a solid mid-rotation starter (3/4 type). Danish I am not too sure about but he may also have mid-rotation potential.

QUOTE (SoxPride18 @ Feb 1, 2015 -> 10:54 AM) Funny this is tweeted right after Rock says something. Could be the agent just playing hardball with the media. Well, looking at the numbers he supposedly rejected a 5 yr 85M extension offer from the North Siders so anything the FO offers has to be very near to or top 100M. But I would qualify that on his performance at the time where the best scenario would occur which is right after the ASB.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Feb 1, 2015 -> 09:48 AM) Locking up Shark would put our rotation in great shape for the next 5 to 6 years. Assuming it was a 5 year extension, we'd basically have the core of our rotation locked up through 2019/2020. Sale - 2019 Quintana - 2020 Shark - 2020 Rodon - 2020/2021 Say Shark gets $21M a season, we're talking about a total commitment of about $50M for those guys in 2019 and even less every year before then. That's f***ing insanity and a credit to the job Rick Hahn has done locking guys up early and adding cost certainty to the payroll going forward. On top of that, Montas & Danish are probably only a year or two away, with Spencer Adams not far behind them if you believe he's as advanced for his age as his peripherals suggest. Honestly, lock up Shark and this is the best shape our rotation has been in in my entire lifetime as a Sox fan. Playing arm chair GM if folks are worried about the number of years, how about a progressively increasing AAV (4 year max extension) starting at 22M in 2016? The rest of the years could go like this: 2017: 23 M 2018: 24 M 2019: 25 M It works out to a 4 year 94 M extension which is solid by market standards if Shark puts up anything like he did last year with a few more wins and less losses.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 31, 2015 -> 08:53 PM) I'm real close to calling this certain at some point. Real close. Would this mean an extension or a plain free agent contract on friendly terms?

Hi all, 1st time poster. I know Bleacher Report is to be taken with a grain of salt but it does post some credible metrics in the way the rotations were measured (WAR, ERA, K9/BB ratio, innings pitched, etc). I'm excited by the fact that apart from anything else, this front 3 should be able to take us deep into games (I'm talking 6-7 quality innings per start - I.E. we could be among the league leaders in quality starts this year). Couple that with a much improved bullpen (On paper) & you have the ingridients for a quality season. I would add I am basing this on traditional methods of projecting wins. But I would like to know if the sabre-metric gurus here agree? Link: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2347423...ing-2015/page/9 Content: Ranking MLB's Top 10 Rotation Trios Entering 2015 By Karl Buscheck , Featured Columnist Jan. 31, 2015 The Trio •Chris Sale •Jeff Samardzija •Jose Quintana Quietly, the Chicago White Sox have built one of the most imposing trios of starters in the majors. It all starts with Chris Sale, who is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. The lefty has been an All-Star in each of the past three seasons and was particularly impressive in 2014. Sale ripped off a 2.17 ERA and a 10.8 K/9 ratio, as he landed in third place on the AL Cy Young Award ballot. Sale is also one of the most underpaid pitchers in baseball. In the upcoming season, the 25-year-old will make $6 million. As Sale explained, via Scott Merkin of MLB.com, he's much more focused on bringing a World Series title to the South Side than he is on his bank account: "I don't want the payday. I want the celebration." The White Sox have another under-appreciated lefty on the staff in Jose Quintana. The 26-year-old has topped the 200-innings mark in back-to-back seasons and posted a career-low 3.32 ERA in 2014. Jeff Samardzija, who the club added in a offseason trade with the Oakland Athletics, rounds out the White Sox's top three. Like Quintana, Samardzija had his best season yet in 2014. While splitting the year between the Chicago Cubs and the Athletics, Samardzija recorded a 2.99 ERA. The right-hander, who's set to become a free agent at the end of 2015, also racked up more than 200 strikeouts for the second year in a row.