buckweaver

La Stella, Moustakas available now for minimum...both released. Do either of these make any sense?

I like the optimism and share it most days. One point of clarification on the '83 team. Some would argue the spark that brought the turnaround was a 1-for-1 trade of second basemen... Tony Bernazard to Seattle for Julio Cruz after the Sox were 28-32 at the 60 game mark. Not sure a 1-for-1 is out there for us this year, but one never knows.

The team I'm doing the comparison to is the Tony La Russa-managed 1983 "Winnin' Ugly" team. That team was five games under .500 for April and May (20-25), then went 79-38 for 99 total wins and the AL West title. After 52 games played, that '83 team was 25-27, the same record the 2022 version has now. Perhaps Rick Hahn makes a swap for someone like Julio Cruz, who provided a needed spark that year. I hope so.

Indeed! And thank you. This place is littered with AH's who want nothing more than to gnash their teeth about the team that's supposed to bring them enjoyment and act as if they know the ins and outs of running a major league baseball franchise. Let's have a little fun and lighten the eff up.

Anyone who regularly peruses Soxtalk realizes the vaunted Bronx Bombers just managed one run across 18 innings of a double-header loss in the House That Ruth Built to the worst team in baseball. I'm sure their fans are calling for the firing of Dillon Lawson by tonight at the latest and that Aaron Boone is certainly on the hot seat if his team doesn't take care of the Orioles and Rays in the coming days.

I still think Jose will hit. The weather has mostly been atrocious and he is a slow starter. But I'm a little concerned about his 1b defense. He just doesn't seem as adroit as in years past. I have no data to back that up...just my eye test. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Among the best White Sox teams in my lifetime (first to make the playoffs) was the Tony La Russa-managed 1983 "Winnin' Ugly" team. That team was five games under .500 for April and May (20-25), then went 79-38 for 99 total wins and the AL West title. If replay was in effect then, the Sox would have had 100 wins...a Carlton Fisk homer called a double (I think against the Orioles, but I could be mistaken) would have been overturned, and the Sox would have won that game (famous for Tony pulling 3b out and tossing it during a heated argument) that went into the books as an extra-inning loss. Our team hasn't been much fun to watch the past two weeks...but I'm hopeful and cautiously optimistic. Baseball is a streaky sport.

The two choices offered in this poll represent what I hate most about Soxtalk. I check in here because this site generally has Sox information first. But the negativity and incivility make what's supposed to be a fun part of life too often just caustic and mean-spirited. It's really a shame.

I think that's too simplistic. Every player on an affiliated minor league team is a terrific baseball player who's been the best of the best in high school and/or college. They deserve a livable full-time wage, decent living conditions and good nutrition. Also remember that many of these guys are very young...some kind of life coaching/mentoring would be money so very well spent. I don't argue with the owners thoughts about reducing the number of minor league teams...from a pure financial perspective, if only one of four makes it the the majors, it makes sense to reduce the total numbers. But I do argue with the poor overall treatment of minor league players re. pay and conditions. To say poor treatment is incentive to move through faster isn't grounded in reality. I've long wished the MLBPA would take in affiliated minor league players, but they aren't able to take care of even the lowest paid major leaguers, so I don't see it happening. There has been some discussion of a minor league players union. I hope it happens.

Since it took so long for them to come to the table, why not agree to a set, scheduled 10-month negotiation period (with a mediator kicking in at, say, the 6-month mark) and playing the 2022 season under the old agreement, with the new negotiated agreement beginning on 1/1/2023? Knowing nothing about how this works...any chance for such an agreement happening?

I like this post, Tex. A couple points on this whole issue that I haven't seen yet. 1. Where are all the former star players lining up to be part of MLB ownership groups? Derek Jeter is the only one I can think of. But if being an owner was such a wonderful financial boon, I'd guess some of these other very rich men would want part of that action. 2. I believe the players would have a lot more people on their side if they advocated for their minor league brethren (I understand they are not currently part of the union, but that could be changed...no one is taking up that mantel) and/or made a push for a significantly higher MLB player minimum salary (last year's was $570,500; make it $2 million to guarantee those guys who make it to the show actually have significant earnings). Overall, I agree more with the players this time around. Like all of us, I hope it settles without disruption to the season.

God, I love Tennessee. Go Vols!

If we trade Vaughn one-up, I'd like Whit Merrifield, please.

I'd like us to sign Marcus, then two of his siblings. Put all three in the lineup and get on base. Then hear Jason or Steve say, "The sacks are packed with Semiens."

Devil's advocate. In the spirit of this thread, I'd say 2b. Here's why. I think a top-tier 2b (Merrifield/Semien/Story) with a platoon of Sheets/Engel/Vaughn in RF will give better production than Conforto/Castellanos and Leury/Hernandez/etc. Just my two cents.