WestEddy

I'd spend the $80M it would take to get Naylor, then buy $80M worth of Rogaine to get the hair back on my head. And my legs, too.

Nashville Is number 2 in the top 5 places I’ve called home during my professional baseball career! @nashvillesounds #Nashville Sounds (AAA) 1. Stadium/Field Nashville today is a whole new ballgame, but back when I played there, that stadium was barely hanging on. Basically one of the worst I’ve seen—old, falling apart, and nowhere near the new stadium they have now. Strangely, the field itself was always in good shape. Grass was green, the dirt perfect, and the mound always right—credit to the grounds crew for keeping that place playable. I have to say, the guitar-shaped scoreboard—iconic, even when the rest of the place looked like it belonged in a salvage yard. I hated to give it a low score, but you gotta be honest: 4/10. 2. Front Office/Coaching Staff Huge, heartfelt appreciation for the Nashville front office. I will never forget how @DougScopel treated me. When my grandmother passed, I was losing it, and Doug just took care of everything—handed me a plane ticket, arranged a ride, sat me down and supported me. To this day, I don’t know who paid for it, but it’s something I’ll always respect. If it was just the front office, give them a 10. But, being fair, the coaching staff brought that down. My second stint, I landed two of the worst coaches I’d ever had—one had zero idea what he was doing, the other tried way too hard to act like he did. But my first time through, the staff was aces! So, splitting the difference, I’ll go with a 6/10. 3. Clubhouse/Locker Room These clubhouses are a story. The old ones—there were two of them—made you feel like you were in a dungeon instead of a ballpark, and rumor had it, one was so bad the city shut it down. BUT…the clubbie, wow. If you needed something, he found a way. The food was always good, and he took care of us—real pro’s pro. Good clubhouse guys make all the difference, and I can’t say enough about ours in Nashville. 6/10. 4. City It’s Nashville! What else do you need to say? This city is top tier—bars, live music on every street corner, the food, the nightlife. Blondes in cowboy boots, and…really nice restaurants. Only regret? I wasn’t single at the time—could have written a much different story for myself in Nash-Vegas! 10/10. 5. Fan Base Props to the Nashville fan base. Even with a falling-apart stadium, they still showed up loud and loyal. Not a ton of minor league towns could fill nasty old stands, but Nashville did it especially on the weekends. 7/10. 6. Living Situation Living in and around Nashville was easy. There were plenty of affordable apartments and houses, either out by the ballpark or just a little ways out of town. Never a struggle to find a good spot, which is half the battle in the minors. 8/10. 7. Team Chemistry Triple-A can be brutal for chemistry—guys grinding, guys bitter, guys just trying to survive until they get the call. But both my seasons in Nashville were huge exceptions. The teams I was on had real camaraderie. Everyone got along and we pulled for each other rather than secretly hoping someone blew it. Two really special groups—love those guys to this day. 9/10. Total: 52/70

Every team in the playoffs has had bullpens s%*# the bed and lose games. If these guys, here, know of a hotbed of pitchers who don't give up runs, they should let their favorite team in on the secret.

Especially since the Cubs probably drop a QO on him.

I agree about getting back into Asia. However, I think Murakami could be a strikeout machine with middling production. I'd rather they establish themselves as revenue producers before adding tons of players who might be jettisoned in the middle of their deals.

I'd sign Josh Naylor. Left-handed power, good hit tool, can steal you a base, and fiery presence. He's also been around long enough to check the veteran box.

I first read that as Vargas. "...because high-profile mistakes make him look better...?"

Last year, Stott and Marsh went a combined 3-24 in the NLDS they lost to the Mets. I can't believe Dombrowski went through a full off-season and a trade deadline and didn't upgrade on the two.

Keppinger and Keuchel

Notes: Hmmm, not sure if Buddy Biancalana or Steve Livesey was his least favorite manager. Josh Pressley and Dan Grummitt were the main two 1B on that 2000 Charleston team.

Coming in at number 3 in my list of favorite homes in my professional playing career @ChasRiverDogs #Charleston Riverdogs (A Ball) 1. Stadium/Field I’ll say it straight: I love this stadium! It’s right there by the Ashley River, which means humid, sticky summer days and the kind of bugs that bite through your socks. As a pitcher, that field was great, the wind off the river made it almost impossible to hit a home run there, so you really had to crush the ball to even sniff the warning track. The stadium was still considered new when I played, and it’s only gotten better since. Grounds crew never missed—field was always pristine. If it didn’t get so damn hot—that sticky, soupy Carolina swamp heat—it’d be a perfect 10. Still, near perfect. 9/10. 2. Front Office / Coaching Staff The front office—just the best. Even years later I still have a great relationship with those folks, which honestly tells you everything. They cared about us, did everything they could to help, really made us feel like pros even when we were just baby ballplayers. If this score was just for the front office, it’d be a 10. But coaching has to be factored in, and that brings it down a little. I had some of my all-time favorite coaches here (shout out John Duffy, Charlie Montoya, Jamie Nelson the hitting coach), but also one of my least favorite managers in all of baseball. 6/10. 3. Clubhouse/Locker Room Single A ball is all PB&J sandwiches and cold cuts, and the clubhouse at Charleston was no different. For the level, it was solid. Had the basics you needed and not much more. Only small gripe was the clubbie—could’ve kept things a little cleaner. Some days it smelled like underwear died in the vents. 6/10. 4. City Easy: Charleston is one of my favorite places in the world. No question. I lived here in the offseason, even dated a local girl for seven years, so I got to know the city inside and out. Speaking of women, Charleston was the place where you got your wife. So many player ended up marrying women the met while playing in Charleston. The food is stellar, there’s history around every corner, the people are as real as it gets. That city, to this day, holds a special place in my heart. 10/10. 5. Fan Base People here truly loved their RiverDogs. Sure, Monday and Tuesday games were sometimes ghost towns (like, 800–1,100 in the seats), but come Thursday through Sunday, it felt like all of Charleston turned out for us—5,000+ fans on a summer night, loud, fun, and into it. The fans made you feel like the game mattered, and they’d talk to you around town, too. 7/10. 6. Living Situation Not going to sugarcoat it: living conditions for Single A players in the early 2000s was rough. My first year, I was one of seven crammed into a rental—got ripped off on rent by a shifty first baseman on my share of the rent. My second stint I managed my own $800/month spot but it was in a tough part of town.Shady like I had ladies of the night knocking on my door. Charleston is a wonderful place to live, just not if you’re living on $1,100 a month scrapping by. 3/10. 7. Team Chemistry Single A is the last stop where “we’re all in this together” actually means something, though even here you start to feel that “dog eat dog” vibe (pun intended for the Riverdogs). There’s camaraderie but, make no mistake—everyone wants to be the guy moving up. Still, some of the best friendships I made were formed there. 6/10. Total: 47/70 #SouthCarolina #Lowcountry

Charleston RiverDogs at #3

it's all handshake agreements right now. Nothing can be binding until he's 16.

But it's all fluid. Nothing is guaranteed. If in 3 years, the kid comes to realize he's a men among boys and will be in the pros in 3 years, he might ask for more money. If the kid can't see his toes on his 16th birthday and hasn't even played catch in 18 months, the Sox might pull out.

We are. I don't see a single post expressing consternation that somebody gave this team an F. There's a small bunch of "the amount of B's given is simply amazing". Again, nobody is being criticized for giving an F. That is a fact. People who gave Fs are being criticized for criticizing those who gave Bs. Big difference.

Obviously. I'm not saying that this is my Championship parade. I believe they made enough progress in 2025 to be satisfied Chris Getz and friends are moving forward towards a goal. Yes, the payrolls are insanely low and belie some deep trouble in the organization from a finance standpoint. I get not wanting to eat stupid money, overpay, or free agents keeping their distance. But it sounds like picking up a reasonable closing/flipping candidate for $15M, then paying a starting pitcher, OF and 1B $15M each to win some games is completely out of their range right now.

On SoxMachine, some commenters are suggesting adding somebody like Kyle Lodise to Benintendi to get another team to take lots of White Sox money and take on his contract. While I'm the one usually firing back at those expressing dismay at wild trade scenarios, what in the actual f***?!?!?

Nobody's complaining about people giving Fs. The Sox certainly deserve an F, and those who have chosen to explain why do have a point. There are people complaining about those of us who gave Bs. A few of us have explained our criteria, and that should be it. I had expectations, they were exceeded. I'm happy. I want more, now.

I don't understand this comment. Betting on 12 year olds is what the entire league does, and we've all be screaming for the White Sox to do so that they could be players at the top of the market when these kids come of age. Yes, the concept is ludicrous, but I don't see how criticism gets lobbed at the Sox' front office over this practice.

Next season, Ramirez is going to pass 300 HRs and 300 SBs. I'm going to guess there's less than 5 of those guys in MLB's history. Checked. There's actually 8. Player (HR/SB) Barry Bonds (762/514) Alex Rodriguez (696/329) Willie Mays (660/339) Andre Dawson (438/314) Carlos Beltran (435/312) Bobby Bonds (332/461) Reggie Sanders (305/304) Steve Finley (304/320)

As our own Jarold Rosado and Tyler Jacobs showed later on in the game. Rosado bookended a ground rule double with walks, committed an error to score a run, then gave up the granny. Carson Jacobs entered in relief, then gave up a double and two walks before getting out unscathed. Tyler Davis gave up a single, homer and a single before striking out the rest of the side in the 9th.

And there is no joy in Mudville. Goodbye, Yankees.

Continuing my list of favorite home stays during my 16 season professional career. @DurhamBulls Coming in at number 4 on my list of favorite home stays during my career: The Durham Bulls Stadium/Field (8/10 — AAA Standards) Playing in Durham, North Carolina was a true experience. The ballpark is classic—a real gem in the minor leagues. Hitting the bull out in left field and getting a steak for it is one of those quirks you don’t forget. The blue monster in right and all that classic brick gave the place real character, even though those bricks could bake you alive on a hot day. Still, it’s one of the most beautiful parks I got to play in. Front Office / Coaching Staff (9/10) Can’t say enough about the professionalism and class from the front office here. They mostly kept their distance but when we did interact, they were accommodating and just easy to deal with. The coaching staff—guys like Charlie Montoyo, Gary Gaetti, Xavier Hernandez, Joe Coleman, and Bill Evers—most of those guys I would’ve run through a brick wall for. There was one rough year, but overall, I was lucky to play for those coaches. Clubhouse / Locker Room (3/10) This was the real downside. The clubhouse was small, cramped, and always felt dirty. It needed a scrub badly, most days. To make it worse, our clubbie was always angling for tips. Want something extra? Be ready to cough up a little more cash. It turned what should’ve been a sanctuary into something that just felt transactional. The City (5/10) Durham itself didn’t do much for me. It had the basics, but nothing to really get excited about. You could always find a decent meal and run your errands, but if you’re looking for a city to explore, this wasn’t the place (of course, that’s coming from someone in and out between road trips). Fan Base (6/10) The fans showed up, there’s no doubt about it. Thursday through Sunday, the place was lively, and weekdays were pretty good too—sometimes it felt like we outdrew the big league club, with 14-15,000 per game. Only catch? Most weren’t there amped up for us—they were out for a wholesome night, or college kids just there for cheap beer and a good time. Living Situation (5/10) Being up and down from AAA all year, I spent a lot of time in extended stay hotels. Everyone in AAA gets to know the “suite life,” and trust me, it gets old fast. Not exactly the most comfortable way to live day in, day out. Team Chemistry (5/10) This one could be hit-or-miss. There were good guys in the room, but the reality is nobody wants to be stuck in AAA, and there were plenty of guys willing to throw you under the bus if it meant a shot at getting called up. Not the most fun situation, but that’s the nature of the beast. Final Score: 41/70 Durham ranks high for that ballpark and the guys running the show, but it loses big points for the off-field experience. For anyone who loves the nostalgia and quirks of minor league baseball, though, #Durham is worth a watch

#4 favorite - Durham Bulls