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There is still some really good discourse on Soxtalk. It's just a group of 3 or 4 posters that like to have aggressively miserable circle-jerks all the time. I just ignore the posts for the most-part and stay out of game threads.

#1 Cleveland Indians #2 Chicago White Sox #3 Detroit Tigers #4 Minnesota Twins #5 KC Royals Love our position players, don't trust starters nor TLR. Meanwhile Cleveland has starters and mgr. Post now compare later

Upvote away! AAA opening day with Kade McClure taking the hill. Go Sox https://www.mlb.com/prospects/stats/affiliates?teamId=145&date=04/05/2022 https://www.milb.com/scores/chicago-white-sox/2021-09-09

It’s really frustrating that this team looks worse on paper than last year. It’s still a very talented team but I think we all expected the talent level to remain similar, if not improve, then to see it go down a bit.

I'd go ahead and schedule an appointment to get that neck looked at.

I will place any bet that anyone wants to offer that the Cleveland Indians will not win the AL central.

Gotta give him the crown, although it's with no disrespect to Mike Schmidt who had some decent career numbers and accolades, he just wasn't Joe. If you told Joe we need a homer here or we're not winning a World Series, Joe would say "ok... I guess I can do that" and then do exactly that. It's a shame no one asked him for more World Series so us Sox fans only got one. Kind of a waste of the clutch goat's talent. Never forget Aaron Rowand tried to tell everyone that Joe was the best clutch player in the game and it wasn't close. All those stat nerds denied clutch existed until Joe Crede came along.

START THE GOD DAMN REAL GAMES FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I ONLY OPEN EVERY THREAD TO SEE THE SAME CAST OF CHARACTERS DEBATING WHOSE SHIT STINKS LESS.

Any of 28 teams that want him are going to need to trade for him. Otherwise, he's the starting RF for the Orioles.

If it's as reported that his name is popular in trade talks he has to have some value.

I think the primary issue is we need to make a truly meaningful move to strengthen the rotation. Lynn going down and the Tigers adding a savage only makes the need more acute. Adding Cueto is not a meaningful move. It's trying to put lipstick on a pig. Its still a pig and the lipstick doesn't fool anyone. It doesn't transform the pig into a supermodel. Even McGuire isn't going to fap to that. These aren't the moves a "World Series contender" should be making. It's garbage. Why would we waste anything on someone who has to get stretched out for awhile in the minors first? Don't we need to replace Lynn's April and May innings from the getgo so the BP doesn't get exhausted and/or we don't get in a situation where you are conceding games twice a week with DK and ReyLo/VV? And it is a waste of money since it's been obvious for awhile that we are financially tapped out so each dollar is precious. And then I hear "well you guys would be pissed if you saw what it would take to get a good pitcher on the trade market". Well, whose fault is it that the farm is a desolate wasteland where making any kind of big move would be painful? The teams fault for failing to draft or develop properly. They didn't want to take back salary so we could get Meadows and now he's with a rival. They can't develop well so our offers suck for pitching. It's their fault on both fronts. Want to know when the bitching will stop? When either they are a) tearing thru the schedule at a 95-100 win pace with even the current roster or when b) they make meaningful additions by taking on more salary obligations or c) they swindle someone for a really good SP and the cost somehow doesn't hurt at all. In other words don't hold your breath. The bitching will continue and in fact escalate exponentially until everything is smiles, cupcakes, rainbows AND unicorns. This is supposed to be our fucking window.

They didn't replace Rodon and pitching is an issue but I feel much better after the additions of Pollock and McGuire. The offense is ridiculous.

Man, I hope I'm wrong but cueto just doesn't fit the ballpark at all. I think he's going to get absolutely torched. Sox have spent 7.5 million on cueto/Velasquez and 11 million on harrison/leury. It's just an absolutely terrible allocation of 18.5 million dollars.

The last 2 moves have been so minor, yet so desperately needed for this team. Combine that with the Pollock move and Hahn really did a great job buttoning this team up at the end of the Spring.

What is there not to enjoy about the Sox? Two straight playoff appearances for the first time in our lifetimes? Should hopefully be three in a row with this coming season. One of the most talented young teams in all of baseball. Franchise high payroll. Life is good right now even if everything isn’t perfect. I too like many of us here let the team get the best of me at times, but you got to put things into perspective. We could be god damn Pirates or Rockies fans. Once the season starts, I’ll happily stop whining about the subpar offseason and enjoy the great team we have in place and you should do the same. We can always complain about Rick Hahn if his failings to add SP depth actually cost us a playoff spot or a potential bye. Until then relax a little bit and enjoy the ride because aren’t always going to have teams this talented & fun.

1. White Sox 2-5 Who cares?

You just love talking Padres baseball on a Sox message board.

Guardians, Guardians, Guardians, Guardians…just do this a few times a day until Thursday and maybe it’ll stick. Sox, Twins, Tigers, Royals, Guardians

I gave the off-season an F and ripped them to shreds, but let’s be real. Yes the division has improved but I still believe the Sox remain the best team in the AL Central. Chicago Detroit Minnesota Cleveland KC

Are these joke predictions? Serious question.

Detroit Cleveland Chicago Minnesota KC

@chitownsportsfan And I'll add, I'm not bitter... surely, I've let this go... but Konerko being the ALCS MVP was a joke... not that I'm upset. I'm totally over it... right? no I don't have some picture/graphic I saved years ago to explain this absurdity of award given. No I haven't sulked over this laughable result for a 17 years because I loved Konerko and certainly could get over such a lobsided unfair result.

I'll say this too, if it wasn't clear, I don't care what anyone posts. If someone wants to post that joe Crede wasn't the greatest 3rd baseman in MLB history, they can do that. They'll be wrong, and completely ignorant worthy of immense disdain and hatred, but they're free to express that blasphemes opinion

How about the complainers complaining about the non-complainers?

Wouldn't that part indeed make it his fault? lol

VV struck out Madrigal yesterday...basically Zeus defeating Cronus.

God I want some pierogis.

Staying out of the game threads is an absolute must, especially now that we’re one of the dominant teams. I know tone is often hard to convey through written word, but I’m pretty sure the game threads consist of grown men legitimately getting pissed at every little tree in an absolutely splendid, beautiful forest.

You can choose to remove the cause of said misery. You do have a choice in this.

When is McGuire Bobblehand Day?

Nobody knows their actual payroll cap…but they’re nowhere close to hitting the tax. And that Cueto deal isn’t guaranteed…plus its prorated, too. They’re not just giving away money. If Cueto pitches well, he can make some money. If not, he catches on with another team in the middle of May, like the Mets. He just needs to pitch right now.

I’m hoping for a Brubaker type too.

It is. Enjoy sports for what they are, entertainment. Whether they win or lose you life is still there. Stop listening to the talking heads whose livelihood depends on sucking you into believing it really matters.

Positives: In terms of guys you can acquire 2 days before the season starts & for relatively free money? I'll take it. He's got a rested arm - since 2017 he's topped out at 147ip. He barely threw in 2018, 2019, 2020 before pitching 22 games last year. If you want to be positive you're getting a former Ace/All-Star who, if healthy, can probably give you $7-10mm production as a #5. In a perfect world he's worth every cent of the deal. He's not a guy who walks people. Stays out of trouble in that sense. no free passes. should be a guy who can slot right in and fit in with this team and bring experience. His fastball and changeup are still relatively strong, particularly his fastball. Negatives: He's not the guy he used to be. His FIP has been over 4-5 since 2018. He hasn't been healthy in half a decade. He ranks near the bottom quadrant in CSW, xwOBA, etc. His slider is absolute trash. He threw it 22% of the time in 2021. His CSW on slider was almost dead last out of all pitchers ... like ... it's TRASH. hang a slider on the southside during the summer and the people in LF bleachers will be shagging opposing homers all day. The chances of him lasting more than 100ip are minimal. At least with Keuchel we know we can get 160ip of this type of ball. He absolutely does not fill the absolutely pressing need of a TOR type of arm for playoffs. Overall: Based on timing + sudden need after Lynn? B-. Based on the whole off-season? D-. I'd say maybe Katz can fix that slider or sees something ... but like ... he was cueto's pitching coach in SF already in 2020 and that was among Cueto's worst year ever. He shouldn't be throwing that slider, but unfortunately then what does he throw? The Sox don't have the farm system to compete on top arms that are needed. aka, playoff impact arms. I don't care how you look at Kimbrel, but he had the pedigree to be an imposing playoff arm (i mean, the dodgers, the best team in baseball said why not? and slotted him right in as closer). You also lost Crochet. You lost Rodon. So far we've replaced with Vince + Cueto + Graveman + Kelly. Doesn't add up. Off-season is when you could address the need via the pocketbook. Now you're going to be forced to overpay in season for guys like Castillo bidding against other teams with your already thin farm system. Absolute disaster. There's no chance Cueto is an impact arm to where he makes a playoff roster. The sox had the perfect setup with cheaper contracts during Covid/their open window to sign impactful guys and didn't do it. They had the opportunity this offseason with more clarity on season tickets, covid clarity, etc. and still didn't spend. It will ultimately come back to haunt them when in game 3 or 4 of an ALDS or ALCS you have a tired Kopech going and questionable arms coming in after to replace him. Welcome to the SS Johnny. Be better than Ervin Santana and Mat Latos please.

Not sure I agree with this. Seeing as though Cueto can’t help until at least early May, we still need someone to cover a rotation spot thru April. Don’t expect anyone exciting, but someone to help in meantime is still needed.

Cueto's deal is prorated based on how long much he pitches for the Sox ie, none of it is guaranteed.

4 pages in and people still not understanding how a minor league deal works and bitching about $4.2 million which aren't guaranteed. SMH

I was told they had offers out for two pitchers on minor league deals. I was not told the names.

It’s one of those things where if your evaluation period is the last week it looks reasonable but if you zoom out months it looks terrible

This move literally cost the Sox nothing. Plus, it only improves their negotiating stand w/ teams looking to trade a veteran (Montas) by telling them we have have bodies on standby if a trade can't be made.

The money will continue to be spent…. on old mediocre players

Hey! That’s McGuire’s job.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/johnny-cueto-456501?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb Cueto had his best heater since 2016 last year.

I know this is more in the weeds than a lot of people want to go, but it is absolutely insane a team this good was willing to go into the season with Jimmy Lambert, Emilo Vargas, & Kade McClure as the top pitching depth in the organization. It would have been impossible to do worse if they targeted teams with 40 man crunches to get an extra starter or 2. Pilkington was the best upper minors SP prospect in the system by a mile and trading him away for a mediocre 2B stop gap 2B never made any sense.

Man, you could see this lack of pitching depth coming a mile away. Bet they wish they at least tried with Rodon now. This is why I was against Pilkington for Hernandez at the deadline. Team has no pitching depth and is too cheap to sign real free agents, so either they go young or they go very old. Right now, they have no young pitchers to turn to. This move has a real Ervin Santana vibe to it.

lol

Cueto is a better option than Keuchel and VV guys.

He doesn't need to finish the season. He needs to start it. Lynn will will be back in June.

Jack, I for one welcome all points of view and find a nice balance between you and Vafan and jerksticks. I also think you should be allowed to post whatever absurd overly negative Tarik Skubal might win the Cy young while giolito is DFA'ed mid-season nonsense you want. That said, I really wish you'd enjoy the team and squad more for your own health. It's rare for this organization to be this talented and fun and I'm afraid you're just wasting this fun and enjoyable time by being miserable and waiting for some collapse. I worry you'll look back and regret not enjoying this. Fanhood really isn't worthy of being miserable. If you can't enjoy the good teams you'll just be miserable 24/7 too.

What's not funny is you spamming this board with nearly 17,000 posts of the same irrational bullshit, hijacking thread after thread in the process.