Leaderboard

Title and tags says it all. Got the offer to my email. Here’s the link: https://links.e1.theathletic.com/u/click?_t=1d75fd3a730a463c8648bd84293b832a&_m=821dfd6fd00548d3925e273a8e7cd6b0&_e=PaE1Mm7-a8hABhLTw7isj28AFHvEAQwG0W3f86HNeY2NI3zoSfwKv24kdzFV3_3zt2IaykLJ-UX5UBeoDcVknsvnwpOemwaZsm83QrUC5T-FGs9I_1rAVGAZm06JSz2hsr1dZADgJgoBPlX53lCvDL1MBiPvByYlnmeofSVayx7amiGTCHoaQPBLwySfLiAYCDc0k2uDHn9_gifERp5-vVpjBSyNIQgaz4v1-u2ePPK_wmsqpvjY3SXkG40S4MYOC5vJ0c4f3eXpgu6lL40ss2sEA-qOCmkJoJ2rCYNfDyGFuzRRQ19RAXFkUWK2AWGnJvBByu_kp1RosOY9YIA5M0pawmQD6EGWKMq7Klnk6sAq59U58fJsvH9GAR9f2X6T

the madrigal hate over that comment is absurd

One guy called a 6 year old the leader of their clubhouse. The other guy has a lot of confidence in himself. Why you think those two things are at all equal is truly baffling. One disrespects veteran leaders, the other does not.

Please pull a number and wait until yours appears on the screen behind the counter

From LOTS of previous past experience, the solution to these situations is usually to take a step back and get your priorities straight. I went through five years of criticizing everything Sox/Hahn/JR, it gets quite tiring, and it doesn't change the way the organization operates by one iota, so what's the point? I'll probably go to my grave arguing we would have won a World Series if we had kept Tatis (if we don't get another title in the next 5-6 years), but, in the end, repeating something over and over again doesn't make a point more valid or powerful, it does exactly the opposite. That's where the Tony Robbins-esque overly optimistic or rose-colored glasses posts were rubbing some the wrong way. At any rate, the only way to really learn anything new in life is to listen and observe, so posting less and arguing less will lead to a much longer and more enjoyable life.

June.

This thread is like watching a bunch of kids with sticks torturing a rabid possum that got caught in a window-well. Yes, it'll hiss and flip out every time you poke it. Just let the poor thing be. It's a beautiful Spring day and there's a ballgame on!

Yes, I’m not sure how i got dragged into this, but I really can’t see a valid complaint regarding Board Moderation here. I’ve taken the constructive criticism to heart and changed course. Having survived WSI for years including the night of the long knives, I can say for certain this place is much more accommodating to different view points. Ironically came to agreement over time from the one Mod I had on ignore until that option was disabled. Ragah, if you’re posting on good faith, sometimes letting things go is best for the soul, and ignore is a good option when people go personal. Peace.

Welcome to Soxtalk

Lol huh? Why would you ban me. Didn't realize you were holding yourself back for banning posters who *checks notes* don't post exactly what you'd like. Weird stuff.

If Kopech has that much back door movement to righties on that FB...oh my god.

Speaking of catchers, 40 years ago today, the White Sox announced they had agreed to terms with Carlton Fisk. It took another 9 days for it to be official.

If I read it correctly, you are suggesting linking ticketing systems to a CDC vaccination database that doesn't exist, and somehow relinking to the non existent database any time the ticketholder changes (via stubhub or ticket transfer). If I purchase 4 tickets, how does the database know who is using the other three? How does it even know I'm actually using one of them. And the only way I could imagine linking identities across medical records and ticketing systems would be to require SS #'s, which is a nightmare. And, to complicate things, none of this exists or is in process. Vaccination data is held in thousands of disparate databases, not centralized. Ticket data is in numerous databases. And the person at the gate is lacking medical training. Opening day is three weeks away. It would take years to develop the systems you want. I agree it would be awesome if this could be done. Its totally impossible, and doing something half-assed like requiring people to flash their Covid vax cards to an 18 year old kid at the turnstile would just give a false sense of security. Better to concentrate resources on enforcing distancing and masks in the park itself

Coupled with people overweight (BMI 25-29) or obese (30 +). https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/08/covid-cdc-study-finds-roughly-78percent-of-people-hospitalized-were-overweight-or-obese.html

The vaccination cards are hand written on a piece of cardboard. In many cases people are writing the name and DOB themselves. With my limited photoshop skills I could create hundreds of them per day. And they can be transferred from person to person easily. There simply is no practical way to have people prove vaccination status reliably on entry. It would be pointless theatre designed to act as though it provides safety without having any actual impact.

1.1 WAR in 480 career games. He's an atrocious career hitter vs RHP and doesn't play very good infield defense, in my opinion. I would have liked to see the Sox sign an upgrade over him (Profar) to give themselves insurance in-case Leury & Mendick aren't suitable depth.

A few pertinent points from the Athletic article regarding I haven't seen mentioned (some or all of this may also be on the White Sox website): Tickets are sold in pods (1-6 seat pods White Sox vs. 1-4 seat pods Cubs), which has been discussed. What hasn't is the fact that at least initially, tickets resold must be in the same capacity. If you purchase a pod ticket for 4 seats, it is good for up to four people, but you cannot split it and say use two and sell the other two. Whoever shows up to the park with the ticket can bring in up to the designated total of guests on that ticket, and that is the only use allowed. Masks not meeting the clubs requirements (see further on the website) will not be allowed, the team will provide fans without a compliant masks with a disposable mask. There will be no tailgating allowed in White Sox parking lots. Food will be offered in individually wrapped options. There will be no $1 Hot Dog Wednesdays, at least at the start of the season.

Wouldn’t Engel be a better late inning OF sub?

Yeah, that's even MORE annoying looking through posts and attempting to figure out what's going on. Plus, you have the "train wreck" factor of human curiosity that usually wins out. I can't imagine ever blocking a poster, simply because it's easier to ignore whatever someone writes than to go out of your way to NOT see anything, which actually makes their "absence" more noticeable than if you just "read around them."

There’s days when that helps

I think they may need to expand storage just to host all the posts you’ve made explaining why you’re not an ass hole. This been going on for months now

Do a flip

That’s not how I recall what went down. Tony wanted this, Hawk accommodated to start, but pushed a change in May when it wasn’t working out. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-06-22-8602140807-story.html

Believe it's your phone. Lookin good (1080p) on the TV at work.

Ahh the days when there were clear choices in Sox message boards. We went from the "parents aren't home and we're in charge" upstart to the largest independent single team baseball fan site. Along the way some truly great content was created and is continuing to be created. Sometimes by assholes, sometimes by others. Lol I was always the old guy, now I'm actually an old guy.

At least 3 weeks.

Mmmm...beer

nice recovery by Lynn...strange he was mad at the ump as he wasn’t squeezed

If there's a place where people probably shouldn't throw their anti-whatever hissy fits, its at a ballpark or stadium where security is literally standing right there.

You're just fucking stupid, perhaps the most illogical, misinformed, idiot who has ever posted here*. Oops I'm sorry. See I can apologize so it's all cool. *you're clearly not, but using this as an example. Now anyone reading this had to endure one poster calling another poster fucking stupid. I'm not being an asshole to them, but it does affect people even if it's not directed at them. They become emotional as well. Either they agree with you which prompts them to join your attack, or they disagree with you and attack you. They don't stay on the sidelines when someone is being an asshole. Even if it is in response to someone who was an asshole to them. Basically we don't want asshole posts on the board.

This is the big one in my opinion. I'd say it's nearly improbable that Moncada, Madrigal, and Jimenez stay off the IL this year just based on previous seasons. It's nice having a super utility sub who hopefully doesn't have to have 400 at bats this season.

I didn't realize you could ignore someone. That's a nice feature and I suspect my Soxtalk time will be filled with much less idiocy.

This was perfection. God bless you.

You don't have to go back too far on my posting history to see those types. You don't have to go back too far to see the sacchariney-sweet types who can't handle any sort of "negativity." [Shrugs] LOL, yeah, there's a fair amount of those over here who don't like any sort of critique of any of the FOs in town... That said, I don't know if this org even SHOULD pursue a QB, given the awesome job they've done hereto fore in the four QB decisions they've made. But if it's Watson v. Wilson, I think it will more likely be the latter rather than the former. When the dust settles, I don't think this team will land either, in all honesty. I think it'll be in the Foles, Alex Smith, Sam Darnold, Ryan Fitzpartick level of QB.

Vaccinations have some public health workarounds, that's why some orgs can require employees/schools require proof of vaccinations.

Wouldn't this be a HIPA violation too?

People are burning masks in protest and otherwise throwing fits about wearing a little paper or cloth over their mouth. Asking proof of vaccination will only cause more confrontations. No, I wouldn't want to be one to demand such proof. Don't need the grief from some jerk.

I don't think Tampa fans were like "oh yea Brady is coming here" when we all found out that he really was going to be a free agent. Weird stuff happens sometimes and you have to be ready.

I am just in the mindset that the possibility of two top 5 QBs trying to force their way out in one offseason is incredible, it is franchise altering, and I'm glad the Bears appear to be taking it as seriously as they are. As was the case when I died on the Mookie Betts hill, when incredible players become available, go get them. But it was important to distinguish best players in game vs just good to very good. And somehow, two incredible players are pushing to become available. It is why I'm getting so annoyed by Bears fan discourse that is so negative in pushing back because "it's never going to happen". It is in incredibly unlikely that franchise QBs move! It is another step in that that the Bears would be the ones that get them. So yes, the most likely outcome is that neither get traded, or get traded to a different team, but there is a much higher likelihood than there was in November that the bears could acquire a top 5 QB via trade. It is all about process right now. Two QBs are trying to move, the teams are reluctant to move them, and the bears need to do everything they can to make the move happen. But everything after that "you still have to build an oline!" "you still need to build the team around them" blah blah, yeah sometimes! Sometimes it works where the QB is added to an assembled team! Sometimes! But it is really hard to time, so just go get good players in football.

To be honest, I think now might not be a bad time to temporarily not allow infants, especially since they probably can't wear a mask. I'm not seeing the reward vs. risk benefit.

I know not the best team, or even among them, but that 2003 team should have done some damage. That team was crazy talented.

Bullpen arms are all over the place but obviously a lot to like about the Sox. I like the scenario that we have Rodon or whoever the 5 pitching and it's not going well. Say it's a 3-3 game with bases loaded and 1 out and we need to get out of a jam, La Russa can bring in Bummer or Crochet and still have the other one later.

Once again, post starts with numerous things I have never said and ignored what I am actually saying. You constantly say you will never engage with me again... and then respond to me again soon after (still ignoring the core of my posts, of course). Round and round. Maybe if certain people didn't cherry pick many posts, misquote me and throw around strawmen I might be a little less coarse. Something to think about. When people are civil with me, I'm civil with them. If you think I'm being an asshole to you then perhaps reassess your own responses to me. I don't respond well to having words constantly put in my mouth, as most anyone doesn't. Maybe don't start a post out with "OMIGOD," engage in a redundant and repetitive rant and then wonder why I call you childish. I say it all the time: you can put me on ignore. You don't. You constantly claim I'm not worth arguing with yet always return. Only thing I can assume is you like the attention.

OHMIGOD...your responses to everyone are "you are too stupid to follow my arguments" or "you are ignoring my obvious brilliance" or "your opinions are idiotic based on logic and reason". Then we get the insults about us being "childish" or "ridiculous". It's fine to have alternate opinions but your method of expressing them is SO condescending. I didn't start off by saying "you are too stupid to argue with"....I ended up there after dozens of assaults by you. I promised I wouldn't say that again and I won't. I just choose to not engage with you because honestly...you will bring nothing to the discussion. I have heard countless of your opinions as you comment on every posting and I never think " OH...a Ragah posting!!!! I can't wait to read what he thinks."

Logical fallacies are objective, not subjective. And your comment about Hendriks is ridiculous and shows you are engaging in them yourself as I have been outspoken about how much I like Hendriks and that the bullpen is the one thing I not concerned about this year. If you really think I'm rooting for the Sox to lose then frankly you don't know shit about me and have learned nothing. Because you obviously aren't paying enough attention and to solidify my example you are going to just disappear instead of own it because you have to make some bullshit up just to make yourself right. If the Sox prove my assertions wrong I will be happy to admit I was wrong. THAT is what I am rooting for. You don't even actually have a grasp on my opinions because you are jumping to conclusions on them and not actually knowing them because you just lazily want to claim ALL my arguments are negative rather than actually absorb them individually. So you sound like another person whose feathers I have ruffled enough to the point of (as per the usual for people who bash me) mischaracterizing my posts or grasping straws and then disappearing. Of course arguing with someone isn't going to be "worth it" if you don't even know what the person's actual stance is because you assume it. I also never said I was smart. It doesn't take that much intelligence to simply point out something that is incorrect. But no one ever wants to admit they could be incorrect about anything. Heaven forbid. You're "ending the conversation" because you are wrong and you know it. Otherwise you wouldn't make up bullshit about me "rooting for blown saves."

Having a lefty hitting catcher that can walk 100 times a year and hit 25 homers would be one of the most valuable assets in baseball....he wouldn't even have to be a good defensive catcher...just average. Its hard to get an exact feel on what the White Sox think of Collins. In 2018 they had a young, offensive catcher Omar Narvaez and signed Wellington Castillo...many thought they signed Castillo to help with the Manny Machado signing as they were friends. Zack was only 23...he played 74 games that year all at catcher and was the all-star selection for the Southern League. At the end of 2018...the young and interesting Narvaez (he put up a 2 WAR for Sox in 97 games at catcher at 26) was traded for Colome...which seemed to hint the White Sox thought they had a BETTER offense first catcher in the system. That off-season they signed a two year contract with a journeyman catcher, James McCann. In 2019 JM exploded out of the gate and was the all-star catcher, so he caught 106 games and they still had Wellington under contract so he still caught 50 games. Collins, 24, came up and caught 10 games in the pros and caught 50 games in AAA...also he played 21 games at first base for the first time...was that because they lost faith in him as a catcher...or wanted to add to his diversity as a player? In 2020 they signed Grandal...was that because they lost faith in Collins as a catcher or that they thought the team was near ready to compete, Grandal was affordable and a top 3 catcher in the league and 25 year old Collins wasn't ready to manage a staff of young pitchers? Why didn't they trade James McCann?? It's possible that teams saw McCann's second half slide in 2019 and just figured 2019 first half was an illusion and didn't offer anything for him. Why didn't they trade Collins...at that point he had just put up a .950 OPS as a young lefty catcher in AAA. Then 2020 with two great starting catchers they had Collins everyday in Schaumburg catching simulated games with the Sox top young pitchers....everyday for months. Doing nothing but catching under watchful eyes. So now it's 2021 and the Sox made no attempt to resign JM...so they must have a plan for back up catcher. I have written this before but I think this has been the Sox plan all along...it's just JM accidently being great and COVID screwed up the time line. Grandal catches 110 games and Collins catches 50 and backs up at 1b and backs up DH. He's only 26 and catching is a hard art to learn. As Grandal gets older they cut his number of games caught and increase Collins games caught. I've heard Catching is one of the hardest positions to learn...the White Sox have been grooming Collins to be everyday starter for the rest of the window. If you are looking for a comp...Ted Simmons (switch hitting but similar) was a high OBP, 20 homer per year, mediocre defensive catcher that had a 5 year stretch starting at 26 where he put up 25 WAR. Of course if they give the back up catcher job to Lucroy it will tell us 100% that they have no belief that Collins can catch....but what does "Can't catch" even mean? Narvaez was forced to catch 90 games because WC got caught with PEDS and he had seven errors, allowed 12 passed balls, and only threw out 24 percent of runners...and STILL put up near 2 WAR...good hitting catchers are valuable and good hitting lefty catchers more so.

It is not an insignificant fact that Theo bowed out after 2020. He definitely didn't want to wear that

I've addressed those issues. But simply making a snide remark is not productive and it's not my problem if people are irritated because I take people to task. If you don't then there's really no point in arguing in the first place.

He is invaluable on a contender. He's the only reason they can carry other guys on the roster that aren't as flexible. He can play 7 positions in theory, passably, and is I'd assume the primary backup at 3B, SS, 2B and CF depending on how the roster shakes out. @Chicago White Sox that would be a fair critique if he was a regular, but as a backup I can't b**** about his bat at all. Most teams would kill to have a guy that can carry a 90 OPS+ overall and play 7 positions as a backup passably.