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I don't think Erik Johnson comes to mind for anyone, let alone immediately.

For anyone who wants to read the article, I posted it today on my site: Here is a the link. Thanks to Soxtalk for allowing the sharing of links: https://www.ecopolibbling.com/post/launch-engel-to-the-rescue 2018: 2020: So yesterday when I was watching the game, and saw Engel raking, I decided I wanted to take a deep dive into the changes Engel has obviously made. I completely disregarded 2019. Why? Great question! I disregarded 2019 because as you can see from the picture below, Engel implemented a large leg kick before his swing. He actually started to make some of the good changes to his hands last year, but he didn't see much benefit because of the leg kick. BUT at the end of 2019, when Engel was recalled, he had kept the changes he made to his hands from 2018, but he ditched the leg kick. This led to a 778 OPS in September of last year: What does that mean? The big change, besides the fact that Engel no longer dips his bat head parallel to the ground as he did in the 3rd still above of 2018, his hand position at contact and after is another change. While these weren't identical pitches, you'll notice Engel's bat is less parallel to the ground at contact than it was in 2018, in addition at the point of contact and after Engel's hands lift towards the sky, as opposed to a the flatter follow through in 2018. This has led to a big change in Engel's launch angle this year: Engel's launch angle is up 6% from last year - to 17.1% - and 3% over his career average. In addition, Engel is has a career low GB rate at 30.4% (11% below his career average). Additionally, he's pulling the ball much more frequently - 54% vs 44% in career - as he has opened his stance a bit and stopped straightening his front leg on impact as much. By eliminating the leg kick and opening his stance, Engel has found a way to make more contact in general (up 3% over last year) a, but especially in the zone (up 10% from his career average to 91%) and that has led to a dramatic decline in Engel's strike out rate which is down to 21% from a career average hovering around 30. This has led to good numbers, as Engel has maximized his skill set to generate power to the pull side. While Engel still isn't crushing the baseball (exit velocity is actually down over last year), nor is he barreling everything up (only 1 barrel this season), the changes he has made is helping him maximize his skill set. While he has had some luck, his xBA is 285, his xSLG is .463 and his wxOBA is .343 which means even if things regress to his contact profile, he's still a better than league average hitter with elite defense. Publishing the full post/version of this on my Blog tomorrow likely if anyone does care to read it.

The abbreviated spring training clearly didn't prepare his body for all the mound visits

There is a massive difference between .500 and winning 100 games, total strawman. Furthermore, I could actually accept .500 if it looked like it was building towards something more. This season has, largely, been an embarrassment so far, and the moderately ok record does not redeem how piss poor they have played for looooong stretches. This is a team that is lucky to even be sniffing .500 right now, and that is unacceptable this far into the rebuild.

Agreed, up 4-1 on Tampa

Ozzie is lucky to be in some good graces with the organization. His last season was something else, a new level ego trip he was on. Completely sabotaged his team. Him, Olney and their instigator Joe Cowley can all fuck off for their bullshit parts they played in that drama they created. Having said all that I don’t mind him doing post game, but it doesn’t exactly add any motivation in watching that show with Chuck now. Meh. Renteria, my Latino brother, still needs to get fucking lost. The Sox are either too incompetent or cheap(probably more this) to replace him before. Sandy was their first choice before Renteria to be Robin’s bench coach and successor. But Alomar didn’t want to disrespect Robin like that, which I don’t blame him. Should have just handed the keys back then. But maybe getting some more experience under Francona’s would serve him well, certainly couldn’t have hurt. He would be my choice 100%. AJ has a great baseball mind. But I don’t think he would come back to be a bench coach, I believe I heard him say he would only come back to be a manager. I would think hard about it, just how would the players like playing for him with his abrasive personality at times. Jirschele is too young for my liking

It’s not a good sign when one of the big free agent signings is saying this

I just got a big time pity BJ so thanks

Maybe throw something other than fastball? God knows other teams wouldn’t do that to the Sox.

Same shit every year no matter who hitting coach is

He’s hit one ball hard all year.

Mazara automatic out

We got Mazara literally to hit homeruns...has yet to hit 1...

The talent is there and I refuse to believe that every one of them has the fundamental flaw of straight up terrible batter IQ...These young hitters can’t be left with this coaching for too much longer

It’s a cruel joke to get stuck with Iassogna for most of the season

Should be fine

For anyone who was interested in the entire piece: https://www.ecopolibbling.com/post/launch-engel-to-the-rescue Thanks for the kind words.

He once stayed at a Holiday Inn Express ?

Agreed. Lots of adversity and have mostly played two of the better teams in the AL.

10 to 1 on the screwed up training schedule.

Preach Dallas. The role players - Medick, Leury, Engle, these are the ones who have been taking professional at bats. The stars right now look like they bought into the hype and think they can just hit first pitch home runs every at bat. How did Ricky go from benching people for not running it out to first to this?

I love Dallas Keuchel. Buying his jersey. This team has lacked THIS type of leadership for awhile.

Good for Keuchel. He knows what winning teams look like.

Amazed by the Keuchel comments. He went off, which is great to see.

Particularly Vaughn. At this point, I’m not averse to letting Collins DH against RHP. I get it, he has no hits and his hit tool is well below average right now, but maybe he gets into a rhythm, takes pitches, works a few walks, gets something different going.

Where are all the people who were touting the offense after the first few series’s? Again, I don’t care how much talent you have, I don’t care how much exit velocity you can generate, if you consistently swing at balls, you will never have a consistent offense. This team will break out of the slump and score in bunches again. But they’ll never be a consistently good offense because the majority of hitters on the team have a poor approach at the plate.

Hope they wore masks

True but a team with Robert, Yo, Abreu, Yaz, and Eloy shouldn't be getting shutdown every night. Especially when you factor inMcCann, Engel, Mendick, and Garcia providing solid offense in spurts. No excuses.

Still would've rather seen Collins hit and subbed in Goins after that but yea injuries suck.

Another day, another pathetic effort with RISP.

White Sox manager had a closed door meeting with his team before the game tonight. There's a old saying in baseball, good teams win games and bad teams hold team meetings.

And readiness for coaching staff to show urgency in their actions

6 game win streak to rapidly heading towards 1-5 in the next 6. Injury depleted but playing like absolute dog shit...

.199 hitter 4-4

Dear god, fire everyone.

All pitching will look good if they can throw sliders that are never in the zone and get easy outs. One of the reasons Mendick is having success is he actually works the count

He's going to flop because of the short season. Encarnacion is a notorious slow starter. Unfortunately for him, it's going to be magnified with a 60 game season.

Scary thing is I’m not sure how they fix this. Awful free agent acquisitions on the offensive side have become the norm, so it’s hard to count on that.

There is not a coaching staff in baseball that has their team less ready to compete on a day to day basis.

Some hard hit balls on the ground, but really nothing hit with authority in the air.

This was the first time all year a Detroit SP left without giving up a run.... DET has only played KC, PIT, and CIN...........

Leury and Mendick have some very slow turns

He will be a free agent still; he just won't get his salary this year.

Adam Eaton played 121 games in RF in 2016 and amassed 6.6 bWAR with a .790 OPS (2.3 defensive WAR). I think you normalized Engel's numbers this year to ~.800 OPS in your article, and even with the improved overall offensive numbers since 2016 I'd easily take this out of RF going forward with his defense. If Engel turns into a 3-4 WAR player (I doubt he will but dreaming about players turning into stars is like 80% of why I'm a baseball fan) that'd be a nice offset to some of the pitching injuries and lack of OF development we've seen in the minors.

Astros are 6-9, Mets are 7-9. Sox 8-8. Astros definitely underperforming the most so far. And a lot of the Sox struggles are due to young players being inconsistent - they're right about where I expect them to be right now.

Ozzie's best attribute as manager was lucking into Politte, Cotts, Hermanson and Contreras having career years at the same time. Edit And Garland

And Fangraphs has us at 78%