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Hendricks definitely isn’t, but Hendriks might.

Willingly going into seasons with black holes that are easily fixable is the White Sox way.

If his health allows I think it would be weird for him to not stop by and visit at some point, since he lives there. I assume he built some relationships with some of the players the last two years. Spring training is usually fairly casual, lots of people pass through and visit. Now if he gets a formal role that is different and wrong, but no one is saying that. This is a non event.

Cue Balta telling us why that doesn’t matter for us, but does for Cleveland.

Letting Boegarts go for a draft pick wasn't good. JD Martinez gets you a lottery ticket at the deadline in 2022 wouldn't he? Looks like they have pissed off Devers. Trevor Story looks like a mistake. Verdugo looks mediocre. It isn't a good team, yet they spend cash on Jansen. It's reminding me of the 2009-2015 White Sox way.

This brand of reverse logic is mind-boggling.

Actually 29 other teams didn't hire him. Let's look over the list of managers KCR didn't hire the past few years. Terry Francona, Dusty Baker, Alex Cora, Kevin Cash, A J. Hinch, or Joe Madden. So I'm guessing they aren't the benchmark of great managerial decisions.

If Rick could pull this off, I'd be down.

Except for the younger generation, it absolutely is. It's fascinating to talk to kids about how they consume sports. I had breakfast this week with family and my cousin, who is 7, is a fan of basically every AL East team as they live outside of Boston. His favorite team right now is the Blue Jays because of Vlad and Bo Bichette. He watches the game recaps on YouTube every morning. I've got two cousins on the other side of my family who are 10 and 12 and they root for Golden State, the Mavs, and the Suns because of Steph, Luka and Devin Booker. And I've heard that from multiple parents, that with kids having access to YouTube at an early age, they aren't "trapped" by just having to root for the team in the city they live in. They like watching stars, like they watching fun, entertaining games. And maybe that's the way to do it. Additionally, one of the main reasons why the Cubs and Braves became incredibly popular was their accessibility. People across the country could consume those teams on WGN and TBS. In 2022, you can basically consume everything you want from your phone. As time goes on, teams are going to have to not only produce winners, but players people want to see. A team like the White Sox has relied on fans like us being "born into" Sox fandom and knowing they have their hooks locked in, but I don't think that's going to continue with new generations of fans.

Maybe the Sox could get Joey Wendle from Miami. Him in the strong side of a platoon with Sosa or Romy would be tolerable.

Yeah and anyone who suggested him said “minor league deal” at best.

I'm sure this will be the year punting on 2nd base finally pays off. ?

They literally said exactly that

My apologies.

He was awful last season. And hurt for most of it. Not suggesting we hand him the 2B job, but wouldn’t be a bad guy to bring in and compete for the job if they’re not going to acquire anyone of note.

Really, injecting sanity into the conversation?!

I understand what you're saying but this is much different. Ramos will be in AA. Sosa already destroyed AA. Rodriguez will likely be in Charlotte. Many have been successful and have been matriculating to the high minors. This is much different than it's been in quite some time

Multi team trade: Hendriks for Dane Dunning, Steele Walker, Jeremy Reed, and Nick Madrigal

Regardless holy hell has Atlanta been good at negotiations. Look at how they were able to lock up players vs Nats across the division. Yeesh.

If true, what an awful idea and slap in the face of your new manager.

Pass.

Wendel would be a very good grt

He definitely won’t get the chance the great Nick Williams got.

It’s not guaranteeing anything though. Chances are he wouldn’t make it.

Just looked at the Marlins projected lineup now. More right-handed than our lineup.

It's amazing to me people say give La Stella a shot but want Colas to earn his way onto the team by playing in Charlotte 1st. Old,bad, injured LH non HR hitter come on down. Young LH HR hitter who is way ahead of Sheets in RF defensively nah earn your way here and you can't play too many rookies because we're in the window !

I completely agree there. They need a better 2B option but it feels like they are content. Or are simply waiting for their favourite washed up overpay.

If Grandal is completely cooked and gets DFA'd mid-season, Seby & Carlos Perez is still functional enough to be better than replacement level. I don't think the same is true at 2nd right now.

Don’t worry, I’m sure Hahn is on the phone negotiating an overpay for LaStella as we speak.

I have no doubt if the Sox are contenders they'll trade for a Segura equivalent in July. But then you're giving up prospects, taking on money, and willingly opting into what's likely to be 3 months of replacement level production at 2nd. All of this could be avoided just by giving Segura the Joe Kelly contract. It took (literally) like 5 PA's of watching Sosa swing over sliders for people to want him demoted. Expecting Romy to even be a functional big league hitter is a huge leap of faith. Adding 1 high floor player to the mix would make such a difference, but quality depth & solid but unexciting players to round out rosters has never been something the Sox valued at all.

It wouldn’t be weird not stopping by to visit. For all intents and purposes, this manager was a huge failure. And for all intents and purposes, would have been fired from any other team that didn’t have a weirdo owner. Do most failed and fired managers “stop by and visit” the old squad in spring training? Granted, he still ostensibly is still a part of the organization because again, Jerry Reinsdorf is a weird and dysfunctional sports franchise owner. But it certainly wouldn’t be weird for him not to be there. Not ever. I think we all would go on with our lives never asking why Tony LaRussa never stopped by and visited.

Sheesh, would have loved to see that on the Sox

So because the Royals didn't act like the Sox an internally promote their own guy, there is something wrong. Makes total sense.

The White Sox need good players, not crap. LaStella is crap.

No way any White Sox can get back to what they were or what any of us hoped they were. But LaStella at age 34 is a prime candidate to snap back to his 2019 level. And his bad defense is just a statistical anomaly. Can’t be real. It’s only real if it’s bad and he’s a White Sox.

In just 26 attempts in the field last year, La Stella was -4 OAA. That… is unplayable

We have Leury as a back up and this guy is putting up similar numbers to Leury as ss2K posted ^..so no thanks. Try to aim higher than that.

So even discarding the Cuban signings such as Chapelli, Mena, Vera and company, seeing these lists, it seems the Sox are actually building a Latin American operation which might be finally starting to pay off. Bryan Ramos is a top 3 player on the top lists. Lenyn Sosa got a call up, and is getting some hype as a potential starter, Carlos Perez also got a call up, and is currently sitting 3rd in the catcher depth chart with a potentially toasted Yas Grandal in front of him. Jose Rodriguez is getting the same kind of level of thought as Sosa. The hype train seems to be starting on Ryan Burrowes. Erick Hernandez didn't have a great year at 16, but is thought of a potential breakout and high ceiling player. Guys like Luis Meises, Darrio Barrero, and Wil Veras and getting talk as players with a loud tool who could break out with some other advancements.

The podcast said he could actually skip Kanny and go straight to Winston.

Boston would eat half the contract to get a gigantic return. Seeing what pitchers are getting paid in this off season, Chris Sale under $20 million and on a short term deal has a ton of value. If there are multiple teams interested, that is only going to increase the bidding.

I don’t understand why we are gobbling this rumor up as true.

Jerry's favorite pastime is trolling the fanbases of his teams. He has a great deal of contempt for the fans.

Maybe some of the Reinsdorf water carriers should notice his way doesn’t work.

Maybe some of the angry/ hateful fans should stay away from this team...forever. Go root for the Cubs.

Fucking awful. This POS needs to be locked up in the retirement home already. Keep him away from this team for fucks sake.

Everytime you think that this team was playing a step behind last year, you read something else and learn they were also playing with two hands tied behind their back. In a history full of questionable moves, the TLR hire continues to justify itself as the worst of the White Sox JR era, second to only to driving MJ off in the worst of either of his franchises.

I don’t think some people realize how big of a deal it is getting rid of Menechino and replacing him with three hitting coaches who want to establish a modern approach. We saw the impact in small samples last year after players were sent down to AAA and got to work with Chris Johnson. For example, Gavin Sheets’ wRC+ against RHP went from 83 prior to his demotion to 122 once he had a chance to work with Chris. His improvement was supported by a much more pull heavy approach and harder contact, which resulted in a much improved HR/FB rate and 50% gain in ISO. Just from the eye test you could see he looked more dangerous at the plate. I don’t expect this new trio to be miracle workers, but when the predecessor was completely incompetent and actively making our hitters worse, it’s not hard to expect massive gains from our core hitters next year.

Correct. Which is what a team like the Sox has to do. You can’t count on mediocre drafting, poor player development, and consensus FA evaluation to win you a championship.

It's fascinating what it takes to get fired from the White Sox. Larry Himes builds a 94 win team with the lowest payroll in baseball, gets canned. OK, he's known to be miserable and JR doesn't like him, but fired? Really? Gene Lamont was a pretty good manager. Coming off 2 consecutive division titles, the only White Sox manager ever to do this, his GM guts his team and makes him rely on washed up guys like Sabo and Kruk and Dibble and Stieb. He gets canned quickly. Renteria does what he is supposed to do, gets the rebuild into the playoffs, but only has 2 starters. They obviously lose, everyone would have lost, he's canned. RH, LaRussa, the list is long, of White Sox employees maybe not even mediocre at their jobs with basically lifetime security. It is probably the biggest problem with the organization. Everyone plays favorites, but JR takes it way too far.