WestEddy

Only 25 pitchers threw 180 innings last season. 2 of them were on the Sox staff until the trade deadline. How did that work out? Flexen threw 110 innings last year, Fedde threw 180. Soroka threw 120. I'm not saying any of these guys will compete for a Cy Young. This whole narrative that our entire staff is made up of failures is a bit much.

Of course it is. We all don't have to parrot negative BS until Oct 1, then concede that not every single player, to a man, blew. Tell me about this crazy new stat "blows". Can you post an algorhythm so we can compare players in the game? Or is it all your own subjective, emotional opinion? Does somebody stop "blowing" when enough emotional bro-dudes get aggressive when talking about their love for this player? Is that really a measurable stat? Factual: Erick Fedde worked with new coaches in Korea and stateside, developed new pitches, and has a better approach that could have success against MLB hitters. Factual: Michael Soroka is returning from an injury that other players have returned from. He pitched 120 innings last year (strange how you skipped over that fact), and looked even better in spring training. Not Factual: Everybody blows!!!

Soroka actually threw about 120 innings between AAA and the majors last year alone. You only missed by about 75 innings. Are you implying that no pitcher has ever come back from an injury? That doesn't sound factual. I would say that Soroka is going to be the main pitcher on this staff. Starting opening day doesn't really mean #1. As for Fedde and Flexen, Fedde just won the equivalent of a Cy Young and MVP in a league that is somewhere between AA and AAA in level of talent. He seems to be improved from the pitcher he was in 2022. You do realize that pitchers work with new coaches and get better, right? If you don't, maybe you shouldn't be calling your emotional opinions factual. All you're dealing in is "what if's", too. That's all the projections are. Let me know when you stumble upon some factual information.

I think he means being reflexively negative about everything, even areas that are demonstrably positive. We're all using facts. I find the "everybody on this pitching staff blows" comments to be remarkably light on any factual information, and way heavy on emotion.

Of course not. But I still think about 68 wins. They need a lot to go right, and they're not known for their good luck. I think Soroka looks great, Fedde and Flexen could be solid. Crochet could put up a good half, then do an inning or 2 on 5 days rest when Davis Martin comes back. Nastrini will have some bumps in the road. I like the bullpen, but again, a lot has to go right. I think they did turn RF, SS, 2B and C around from last year. LF, 3B, 1B and DH have a lot of wins to pick up, just based on 4 horrible years by vets in 2023. So there's a lot of room to grow. I understand what you're saying about paying Montgomery enough money. But it's like a black hole, when escape velocity exceeds the speed of light, you're stuck. This off-season sure feels like collusion. And a bigger story is MLB clawing back broadcasting rights, as cable is looking to go the way of long-distance phone companies.

Sure, and another is not being traded. I think a player and his family would like to pick where they're going to live for the next year, and not be separated by a trade in 4 months. If Montgomery's going to end up doing what Snell did, take a 2 year deal with an opt out, I think he might want to be a little more high profile instead of being buried on one of the 5 worst teams in the game. I don't even know who's looking for pitching, at this point. But I think the White Sox would be the absolute last choice, even considering whatever just happened to Kevin Pillar. Players notice that. There was a handful of players who wouldn't take any amount of money to play for the White Sox after the '94 strike. Curt Schilling and Jim Edmonds are two that come to mind quickly.

While I do share your higher opinion about this team's chances, I still don't see why anybody would come here for the same money they can get anywhere else. His future value is pretty much maxed out. He's 30, it's payday.

Today's happy news:

I, too, am excited. I had hope for the catching position, but don't like the Maldonado signing. We'll see just how cooked he is. Maybe Lee's bat catches on, and Stassi is the veteran starter. This is a make or break year for Vaughn. Lopez can't be worse than the Sosa/Andrus production last year. Same with DeJong at short. Anderson was putrid. Moncada's playing for a contract, so maybe he'll stay healthy, and put up the 3-5 bWAR we've always expected. I am very interested in Getz's approach to the pitching staff. The bullpen could be effective with the vets they're counting on for bounce backs. Hoping Crochet uses his 90 innings wisely, and if Nastrini takes his lumps this year, he'll be the better for it going forward.

No, I mean the new deal. Is that not guaranteed?

I would like Monty to play his way out of AA, but I'll allow it.

I want to know what agents, the union and other people around the league were telling him about the constraints Getz is up against, rules, or otherwise. I think Pillar gets $1 million guaranteed, and can make up to another $1 million in incentives.

I hope I don't come off as attacking, but if the Sox are bidding up against the Yankees and world champions, I'm not sure what makes anybody think we would outbid anyone, even with a normal owner. What did Lorenzen even sign for? Why would he come to a last place team, go 1-12, then have to uproot his life in 4 months, not see his family regularly for 3 more months, ..... for what? The same with Montgomery. This is his free agency he's worked 20 years for. Why do we think guys want to be traded in the middle of a season if they can help it?

That's what I was thinking, on both of these, like they were near on a trade, and they'd give him a chance to shop himself around. But the way Pillar looked in that interview, cutting him to resign him a day later to save a million or two doesn't seem outrageous.

I would like to know more about this. From an article on the Sox website: https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/kevin-pillar-re-signs-with-white-sox-after-release

Be careful you don't switch places with your 9 year old self.

I'm led to believe that Nastrini isn't "elite". He walks too many. He had a nice spring. Small sample size, I know. Noah Schultz? Sure. Kid gloves. If they take a pitcher at #5? Yeah, bring him along slowly and deliberately. I think they have a lot of arms like Nastrini, right behind him. I don't think a rough half will ruin him.

You're taking this all way too seriously.

Yes, you're correct, Balta. Nobody in the White Sox organization knows what they're doing. Literally. Like, they bring footballs to batting practice. Then they all lay down and cry because some internet guy doesn't submit his resume and take their jobs away because they're all circus clowns.

No, laughing at the people doing the preemptive complaining serves me, alone. I'm not sure who I'm defending by laughing. Mirth?

They were talking about Nastrini and Mena possibly being ready to be promoted in 2024 last year. If the pitching brain trust of Bannister, Katz and Zaleski think his stuff is ready, why send him to a bandbox in Charlotte to be lit up? But the real answer is that a decision hasn't been made, yet. So everybody is pre-emptively complaining about a move that hasn't happened yet. Typical.

Laughing at the people who complain about everything, even both sides of a decision, isn't "carrying water".

So, let me get this straight. Now everyone is screaming that the Sox should leave Nastrini off the roster to screw him out of a year's service time. And when they bring him up in a week, are all of the same people going to be posting "The White Sox Way!!" and screaming about how it didn't make sense to leave him off the OD roster? 2 funny.

edit

C'mon, Liptak. You got a heart in that chest of yours. And there's a kid in there too. Let him out. And call his parents.