WestEddy

That's a nice picture. I'm guessing it means something.......?

Pillar hits rh. Njigba doesn't. Njigba passed through waivers twice, and 8 of the worst record teams passed. Fangraphs doesn't seem to like him. I'm guessing he's a AAAA profile. Personally, I'm wondering how anybody could feign anger over this move. If they wanted Pillar all along, I don't see how opportunity cost enters into it.

I think the speculation is Shewmake over Mendick. Shewmake's a lefty, and he's already on the 40-man. Grossman probably needs a week or so to get back into baseball shape.

He wasn't offered $3 million guaranteed. He was signed on a minor league deal. We'll see what this current deal looks like, but I would guess it's at a discount on that $3 million.

Well, Grossman does kill lefty pitching. Sheets' platoon splits against RHP don't seem to make him valuable at anything.

Grossman is pretty comparable to Sheets with the glove, if not even worse. Fangraphs gave him a lower rating (-12.2) than Sheets (-9.2), and Grossman played more LF than RF.

I agree. I was hoping Touki could thrive as a swingman. I even figured he could take a couple turns in the rotation in case they wanted to tune up Nastrini in AAA for a couple of starts.

The OD bullpen looks like Kopech, Wilson, Leasure, Banks, Garcia, Hill, Brebbia, and Leone/Cousins are vying for the 8th spot. Kopech (3), Wilson (3), Leasure (3), and Banks (1) the only 40-man arms in this group with options right now. Brebbia can't be optioned. Garcia, Hill, and Leone (?) would be in for the long haul, if they make OD as they are out of options. Jake Cousins has one option left.

Taking off the Touki training wheels, I see. The rebuild is ON!!!

I was optimistic about the Pedro hire. I now think he's a demotivating idiot, now. I was disappointed by the Getz hire. But Grifol's the manager, and Getz is the GM. Sorry to be throwing around "mopes". I don't think I'm "overly" optimistic. I think I'm positive about things I should be positive about. I'm not going to rail on about the things I didn't like. I don't follow baseball to get pissed off. I get why everyone's so done with Reinsdorf, and I don't believe I'm sticking up for him. But he's a known entity.

I pretty much leave them alone until I post something innocuous, like in this string, and it infuriates somebody enough to start spouting nonsense. I've been a Sox fan since 1971. Don't worry about me.

Dude, I've been discussing the White Sox online for a good 25 years. If a younger Mark Liptak couldn't break my spirit, I doubt a bunch of low-grade whiners could, either.

There certainly is enough suckitude to discuss. One wouldn't think you would have to make up other, nonsensical BS to whine about. Peter Angelos died today. Please tell us why Jerry Reinsdorf's behind that to make more money.

Don't worry. I'm sure if the Sox are at .500 in July, the mopes will just move the goalposts to keep bitching incoherently. It's the same game on every sports board. Mopes are gonna mope.

When a person decides they're just going to whine about everything, no matter what it is, making sense is one of the first casualties.

I'm not sure what I'm taking too seriously. You seem to be imagining I'm saying things I'm not.

Ho hum. It must be fun to shadow box, you do it so much. 27 games at AA is a full season. As far as I can see, no decision has been announced for Nastrini, right? It wouldn't surprise me if Nastrini starts the year in AAA and Touki takes that first #5 start.

I'll take strawmen for $500, Alex. It's almost like a player's entire career doesn't already exist for people to decide if they're ready or not. Or that the professionals watching him throw his pitches for a solid month, now, can't see if their arsenal is major league ready or not. I'm pretty sure that the people making these decisions aren't just reading the box scores and high fiving each other, even though that's what the glum crowd pretends is the case.

I've never claimed they're better than all the other teams. Just because I'm not constantly whining about every single development, and tying it all back to Jerry Reinsdorf demanding that every player suck so he makes money - doesn't mean I don't acknowledge reality. Are you suggesting that Nastrini forgot how to pitch today? Or that he sucked all along, and he's been lucky up til now? At some point, the glum crowd are going to realize that they sound ridiculous when they pretend that even good things are bad.

Excuse? It is an actual phenomenon that all pitchers experience at the beginning of the season.

Dead-arm period?

Yes, I agree this team will be offensively challenged. I'm surprised how what looked like 11 possible starting pitchers quickly whittled themselves down to about 3.5. I still think they'd win about 68 games with this roster. However, if they end up trading Soroka, Eloy, and Brebbia, that number could crater.

Oh, maybe. I was just saying that if DeJong is still the starting shortstop in September, Monty's progression would have hit a snag.

I get not liking the DeJong/Lopez/Fletcher/Maldonado moves. Those 4 positions are still weak on paper, tho I believe, improved from last year. The rotation does look shaky after Michael Soroka. Fedde and Flexen will be a roller coaster ride until they prove they aren't. For all the complaining, the bullpen is one area where I think Getz has actually put together a solid unit. Three of those guys are coming off of good years, Tim Hill has thrown well in the past, and a recalibration might bring him back. Leasure and Garcia looked great in ST, and Touki is Touki. And if they choose to stick around, Knebel, Leone, Shaw, Barlow and Cousins all look to be various levels of solid as replacements. I agree that runs will be hard to come by. I don't think the bullpen will be a problem. Maybe Grifol's usage, thereof, but not the actual arms.