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Everyone last week: Moncada clearly isn't right, take advantage of the off days and sit him against the Pirates and Royals so he can be ready for the Twins series. Ricky: He's fine, I know what I'm doing. Moncada: Misses the Twins series because of said injury.

It's Ranking's Week at FutureSox and we dropped the Just Missed portion of the list today. I wrote up 26 names here: https://www.futuresox.com/2020/09/01/just-missed-prospects-outside-the-midseason-2020-top-30/

I'll never understand people who think the only reason to win the division is playoff seeding. You win the division because its winning the fucking division. You beat the god damn royals. You beat the god damn tigers. You beat the god damn Indians. And most importantly of all, you beat the god damn twins. Why would you need any more reasons for that to matter? Miss me with the "World series or nothing" attitude.

Yea, "Strep Throat". Sure.

Playing guys more tends to make them come back to normal. See Mendick, Danny. McCann's performance, and the team's record compared to his historical performance, could indicate he is being used optimally.

I know a lot of people think Ricky is a bafoon, but what if (now stick with me here) he was trying to generate runs when he had a team full of awful hitters, and now that he has a team full of guys who kill the ball, he let's them play for the big inning. Crazy, right?

Was looking for a post that summarizes who the Sox lose after this 2020 season and showcases what our needs will be in free agency and/or trades. There’s obviously some obstacles and unknowns, like Rule 5 draft, the 40-man roster and offseason decisions. But I figured I’d try to compile that and ask for feedback, corrections and opinion here. So after 2020, here’s who the Sox lose: End of Contracts: C James McCann BP Alex Colome BP Ross Detweiler OF Jarrod Dyson Club Option for 2021: BP Steve Cishek ($6.75 million - not likely picked up) DH Edwin Encarnacion ($12 million - not likely picked up) SP Gio Gonzalez ($7 million - not likely picked up) FLEX Leury Garcia ($3.5 million - guessing not likely) Late Arbitration Year: RF Nomar Mazara (last arbitration yr, not likely) INF Yolmer Sanchez (last arbitration yr, not likely) SP Carlos Rodon (last arbitration yr, not sure here) So what we return for sure in 2021, and what are our needs are the following: Catcher: Yasmani Grandal backed by Zack Collins. Maybe Yermin Mercedes as a third C/DH. Discussion from some Sox fans Are considering to resign McCann, but I find that unlikely. Sexy Zavala is fourth depth catcher in organization. Pending Actions: decide on backup catchers for 2021 and beyond. First Base: Jose Abreu returns as starter. Probably much fewer opportunities for Grandal, since he will be more everyday catcher compared to 2020. Feeling like Andrew Vaughn will be the backup first basemen and alternate at DH also with Abreu. I’m thinking Edwin prohibits them development of Vaughn and only gets one year with Sox. Minor league is Gavin Sheets, who would be a likely trade commodity due to Abreu and Vaughn. Designated Hitter: Sox may take the option on Edwin for another $12 million, but probably not after 2020. DH could be a rotated position between Vaughn, Abreu, Collins, and maybe Eloy (if Sox land a flexible starting RF that can play LF too). Yermin Mercedes is also third catcher and spots well to the DH position. Second base: Cheap position for the Sox and good talent there. No reason to change a thing from Madrigal and Mendick. Seems like Leury Garcia and Yolmer Sanchez may be too expensive an option since there may be cheaper options in the minors (although Yolmer may have a better chance due to 3b). Shortstop: Tim Anderson and a backup, possibly Mendick and maybe a Yolmer, but they may cut Sanchez for a cheaper option there. Anderson and Mendick may be enough. Third Base: Yoan Moncada and a backup, Mendick, and maybe another option like Sanchez, or another farm piece. Outfield: Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert and To Be Determined RF. Mazara has One more arbitration year, but it seems unlikely at this stage that they pursue that with his production. Will need a starting RF in offseason, preferably left handed bat, and at least average to plus defender and athleticism. Sox lose Dyson, but may keep Engle on for another backup season due to arbitration. Leury Garcia is an option, but Sox should pursue a starter here in the offseason, in my opinion. Micker Adolfo, Blake Rutherford, and Luis Gonzalez are the farm OF to consider as depth. Starting Pitchers: Giolito, Keuchel, Cease and Dunning are for sure starters in 2021. Assuming we don’t take the option on a Gio Gonzalez. Rodon is in his last arbitration and he will cost over $5 million per year with no signs of staying healthy. It’s a toss up if the Sox keep him around (I’m thinking they release him). He could be considered for long relief bullpen, but there are probably cheaper, more dependable options there. Reynaldo Lopez is in arbitration 1, and will be on roster. He could compete for that #5 starter next year, but he’s at the end of his leash. Especially, with Kopech possibly getting the promotion to starter sometime next season. Depth at starter in the minors will be Jonathan Stiever, Bernardo Flores Jr. , and Jimmy Lambert with deeper starters in Garrett Crochet and Jared Kelley. Bullpen Pitchers: Losing Colome will be biggest question mark next season on who fills out the closer role. A healthy Aaron Bummer is the likely choice there. Obviously, that leaves a spot open in the set-up role. Returning High performer bullpen pitchers In addition to Bummer will be Matt Foster, Cody Heuer, and Evan Marshall. Sox lose Detweiler and probably Cishek. Bullpen arms that need further work and probably return are Jimmy Cordero, Jace Fry and Zack Burdi. Farm arms with MLB experience that will be considered are Ian Hamilton and Jose Ruiz. Sox farm hands that time may come are Tyler Johnson, or one of the young starters may get a bullpen shot first. Sox definitely have some work in the offseason free agency bolstering their bullpen, especially for a lefty option (right now only Bummer and Fry for 2021). In summary: Key free agency and/or trades for 2021 for starting Right Fielder, bullpen arms, another starting pitcher if the Sox don’t resign Gonzalez or Rodon, and Lopez goes to the bullpen. Movement within the organization should provide depth at all the positions not mentioned. Looking for feedback, Corrections, opinions on anything post-2020 season. Thanks....

not Steve Cishek is that internet guy

Keep in mind he's in Chicago so he has much less of an idea where that went.

#1 No baseball player owes any fan ANYTHING to do with their health or private lives. #2, if #1 was confusing, read it again.

Why doesn't he just fucking say he had COVID? FFS, not sure why but that's bothering me.

Very interesting break down.

I think some people (myself included) expected things to go poorly with Colome because the advanced stats really haven’t looked good for him for a while now. There was/is a lot of “luck” involved. But a lot like TA and his BABIP, sometimes you just have to shrug your shoulders and be happy with the results rather than question why. Perfect example of advanced stats not always telling the whole story.

This is a guy who confidently has stated he will never sign a multi year contract (or get shot in the dick with a paintball gun from 10 feet away). I think absolutely you take him up on a one year deal next year and he is clearly paying attention to us plus might like the chance of sticking it to Cleveland. With our still young core group of backend (potential front end) starters growing into their innings he’d be a great fucking pick up.

Not to get too deep with it up but personally I've been through alot in 2020 and the Sox are proving life is joyous as well as tragic. Prolly more than a few in a similar boat. 2005 vibes.

Lets pull a Miggy and throw him in RF.

The decision to not rest Yoan last week against inferior completion has hurt this lineup a lot. 0-8 with hardly any contact by the 3B this series.

The Twins defense took this one tonight

someone needs a little TT.

He doesn't know any better than us in this scenario. He's watching it from Chicago. Plus it looked like that was looong gone

Our guys never seem to realize when a pitcher is struggling with command and feeling the pressure, it's a great lineup, but it could be outstanding with just a bit more situational awareness.

Hey that's not offensive or racist at all.

Yea that makes no sense. I’m not an expert but strep is treated with antibiotics, so you stop being contagious rather quickly. Not sure why he had to stay home for 2 weeks for strep lol

I have no idea anymore. I heard the Sox were confident on Cespedes but Colas just seems destined to be here.

So when do with think about playing McCann more considering how much better he has been than Grandal? He should at least be DHing more.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN YOUR FIRST PLACE CHICAGO WHITE SOX!!!

One of the underrated aspects of how exciting the Sox are right now is that free agents will likely have more of a reason to come here.

They have yet to lay down a sac bunt, as some have predicted for years.

Dunning throws strikes and has plus control, something I feel is huge in helping a pitcher stick in a starting rotation. I think fans will be really glad we held onto Dunning instead of dealing him.

What is this hole you speak of? Did you miss the arrival of Nomar "Mr Clutch" Mazara offensively and defensively in the 9th yesterday?

Grandal is locked until 2023 as well and if the team is winning Abreu would probably sign for 2 million bucks as a bench piece. There has not been a home grown group this polished and all locked up since the 90s. Outside of RF they don't have a true hole or gap until 2024, and even up to 2025 they still will only need a SS and catcher. It's why Hahn deserves all the praise once this starts working

I may be wrong on the exact percentage, but I believe analytics show you need to be successful at about 75-80% rate to make stealing worthwhile. More importantly is going first to third, scoring from second on a single, scoring from first on a double and beating double plays by hustling. So far I would say we have done that pretty well. When the offense is clicking, it isn't worth the out or as some point out the injury risk.

EE is a one year deal, so flyer. And please, you of all people do not talk about revisionism. You rewrite history like the British Empire in an opium den. Pomeranz just returned from the IL. And still a shit contract. Machado's good. Didn't mention him cause I was talking about bad contracts. Sox are still neck-and-neck the best offense despite not having Machado. And their best bat may be in Schamburg. Maybe if you were a Royals fan like you were during their WS run you'd be extolling Mendick's surge, the development of Foster, Heuer, Bummer, Burdi, and Marshall (while coming up with some weird nickname for them), saying that Madrigal and Robert are the future of defense, lauding the Sox for the best catching tandem in baseball, saying Jose Abreu is an MVP giving the Sox control of the Cuban isle while working in something about the 1959 Cuban revolution and tying it the 1960 White Sox re-acquiring Minnie Minoso (and giving up a lot of talent in the process, comparing it to the Tatis and Samardzija trades), mock the Cubs for getting fleeced in the Quintana trade, and forget Eaton's existence upon this earth and say that Giolito/Dunning were born out of a primordial ooze. Then you'd mention the recent drafts, saying how only injuries and a once-a-century plague are preventing a top farm system. Also, you'd ask why the Sox didn't sign Puig to go along with their Cuban core to fill out RF.

Also there is the chance that, like Matt Cooper, one year Dunning walks in throwing 95 mph and suddenly becomes a game changing pitcher.

After we sign Tatis #3, please.

Great, now link me to the health experts saying he has post covid fatigue, since you are deferring to them

I don't think people appreciate how good he has been for us because it can sometimes be a roller coaster while he is in there. Does anybody know our record when entering the 9th inning with a lead since the beginning of the 2019 season? I'm fairly sure we have only lost 1 game out of about 70-75 chances.

White Sox are 22-9 on days where they play one baseball game.

Twins fan hot take: LMAO

Today's game is a game we've been losing to the Twins for the past 20 years. I feel the tide turning.

Sign him, want him talking with our guys

I assume you have some inside info here. I'd put Moncada + Kopech in a similar category as Vaughn + Kopech, and that got Chris Sale, not a 34 year old with 1 year left on his deal.

I hope he's been shagging fly balls in RF in Schaumburg.

God damn it. And we didn't go out and get any bullpen help?

I know we all hate him, and he is the worst, but Mazara has had some really good strong ABs in the last couple of days. Still hasn't hit anything hard, but its a start.

Best run differential in the AL at +45. Second best in Baseball to Dodgers. Future is so bright...

eyyyyy. eyyyyyyyyyy.