vilehoopster

It should be no surprise that any sort of projection has the White Sox as a below average team, including this ZIPS projection; no surprises there. But I have a couple problems. 1) There seems to be a real problem with the Colson Montgomery projection. The Sox Machine article described it as "laughably pessimistic", and I have to agree. I was listening to a podcast yesterday that was discussing Colson. It said that his defensive metrics were really, really good; his defensive numbers put him among the top 5 or 6 defensive shortstops in baseball. The podcast guys was saying that with little improvement of his offense, and he approaches 30 home runs, his War will be around 5. The guy went further and said that if he can improve his OBP (batting average and walks) and hit over 35 home runs, he could have a War of between 7 & 8. 2) Going on the stated premise that a 2.0 War is average, I have a real hard time accepting a projected War of 1.9 from our catching trio. I just can't believe that those three (baring injury) are going to accumulate numbers that put them below average, especially with what I expect from them offensively. That one also strikes me a "laughably pessimistic".

Why is he odd man out? Why isn't Meidroth the odd man out? That's the entire point of my post. Sosa hit 17 more homers last year, often times clutch homers. Sosa improves every year. I keep saying it, even with his mental lapses, he was a 46th percentile defender, barely below average. It's much more likely Sosa will be a average defender than Meidroth ever hit 15 home runs. I'll go further: I would say it's much more likely Sosa will hit 30 home runs than Meidroth hit 10 next year (wouldn't you posters agree?) Someone brought up Sosa's not taking walks. Come on, that might be of all things last year, the one area Sosa improved in the most, especially the 2nd half of the season. Is there any reason to think he won't take even more walks next year, again he improves every year. Actually, I and the board sort of had this conversation last year before spring training. After the trade with his walk metrics, many people already had Meidroth at the starting 2nd baseman for last year. I would bring up Sosa's five homers in September in 2024 and tell people, "Guys we need his power."

I guess my answer would be that it's not that hard to get 22 home runs from LF. How many teams are getting 22 home runs from 2nd base?

So, since the season has ended, I've been listening to a bunch of Sox podcasts and trying to watch the AFL (Unless a Sox is pitching or batting, BORING). But anyway, I am really surprised how on the podcasts and on this board also, a clear majority of people don't see Sosa as the Sox's starting 2nd baseman next year or going forward into the future. On the AFL thread in FutureSox Board, there's a discussion on whether Antonacci would move up and replace Meidroth at 2nd next year, no real mention of Sosa at 2nd next year. And when I listen to most of the podcasts, they always mention trading Sosa and an infield of Montgomery and Meidroth going into the future. I don't understand this thinking at all; I sort of get it, but not really. On a team STARVED for offense and power, everyone is dismissing or ready to move beyond the player who led the team in hits, RBIs, and home runs last year. What?! Now, again I sort of get it: Sosa is bad on defense, but really, is he that bad?? Not at all. I just googled it. He has a career DWAR of -0.9 in four years, and in 2025 his defense was in the 46th percentile. That's barely below average. Also, on one of the many podcasts I listened to (I've listened to so many that I can't recall which one), and according to AI google, many of his errors were after he was moved to 1st base. Also, the one of the few podcasters who were pro-Sosa, to me, made a great point: he said that with Sosa, he doesn't just make errors, he makes blunders. Sosa's errors are obvious mental mistakes that seem more egregious than just a muffed ground ball and therefore seem worse than they are, when really, it's just another error. Again, statically, Sosa is barely a below average defender. It seems to me that we want/ need Sosa and his power at 2nd base next year. The reality is that it is much more realistic that Sosa work hard and become a solid/ average defensive 2nd baseman than to think that possibly Meidroth or Antonacci will ever hit even 15 home runs in a year. That pro-Sosa podcaster said that it very likely, with Sosa at 2nd and Montgomery at short, that the White Sox will be able to, going forward, get 60 or more home runs a year out of their middle infield. Does anyone else in baseball have that?! Also, one very nice thing about Sosa is that, so far, he always takes a solid step forward every year that he has been with the Sox. I really don't think we want to forget that. Another point: Wasn't bad defense the reason why the Sox moved on from Marcus Semien?

1. Vaughn was key in the Brewers eliminating the Cubs. 2. Civale pitched innings as the young starters became tired. 3. Vaughn was important in the Brewers eliminating the Cubs. 4. Most people just wanted to dump or DFA Vaughn anyway. 5. Vaughn was crucial in the Brewers eliminating the Cubs 6. Civale was a veteran guide for the young Sox pitching staff. 7. Vaughn was clutch in the Brewers eliminating the Cubs. 8. The Sox were able to flip Civale for a prospect. 9. Vaughn was instrumental in the Brewers eliminating the Cubs. 10. The Sox only had to pay a small portion of Civale's salary. 11. Vaughn was essential in the Brewers eliminating the Cubs. My two favorite teams: The White Sox and whoever is playing the Cubs.

As long as this thread has returned, I may as well put in my vote. So many good pitcher signings, bringing up talent when it was needed, a 19 win improvement. So I give Getz a B+, and before people make fun of this, the two guys on the Sox FutureSox podcast also gave him a B+ for the season; so I think their opinion give a little validity to my grade. **well, one of the FutureSox guys moved his grade down from a B+ to B because he felt Getz needed to do something about the thinning starting pitching at the end of the season with too many bullpen games.

Wait, so what happened to yesterday's game thread?? Certain posters can be as insulting as they want to be, and REPEATEDLY insult another poster in several posts (three)?? But then someone else comes on and calls out that behavior and then that thread is pulled down? What is that? Come on moderators?? Is "Whitesox2023" (the Getz hater) a moderator. Does he decide that he and other posters ARE allowed to call out and insult positive and pro-Sox and pro-management posters? But if someone questions all the continued negativity and the irony of their insults, then that post is taken down? What about fairness and objectivity in a forum?

I've been trying to stay out of these, but I HAVE to go after this one. I have to. So, I googled the definition of "psychological projection". Here it is, copied and pasted: In psychology, projection is a defense mechanism in which an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or behaviors to others. This is done unconsciously to avoid confronting their own internal conflicts and protect their self-esteem. Wow, just wow. Could there be a more clear example of "projection", especially if you look at his continuing comments to Tray. Tray really?? Trays is the old man yelling at the clouds?? This from a guy, no exaggeration at, who posts, AT LEAST, a hundred times a week on this site complaining about Getz. There you go folks, a clear example of psychological projection to ""protect their self-esteem".

Welp, Perez just told the Sox don't bother considering me for the rotation next year because no way I can make it through a season, or even 50% of a season.

You'd rather see Quero at DH over Benintendi at DH?? Why? Why now? Especially now, Beni is killing the ball right now. With Colson cooling off some, only Teel is close to Benintendi with the bat. And Quero is a much better batter right-handed than left-handed. I'm sorry but this makes no sense to me at all.

Actually, it's very easy to argue with Thor. The guy who wrote the article made it clear that Thor had nothing really to complain about. He wanted a chance back in MLB; the article said only the White Sox would give him one. It was a long-shot chance and both sides knew that. Thor was given his chance and he was terrible. The White Sox paid him for his time and released him. Again, the article makes it clear he wasn't shafted at all. Now to your comment: What does Clevenger have to do with any of Thor's complaint or issue? The Sox continue to employ a whole lot of pitchers who are not Thor. Your point makes no sense at all.

I was fine when Civale was acquired, and he pretty much did what the Sox wanted him to do: Eat innings. And I don't really care that he's gone, unless he's replaced by Clevenger. But what I don't understand is how this happened, that he's gone and the Cubs "claimed" him? When I look for an explanation, all I can find is the Cubs "claim" Civale. Could someone please explain how he was available to be claimed. Did the Sox release him? Did they DFA him? Is there another way a player can be made available to other teams? Did the Cubs reach out to the Sox and say they'd be glad to take over his salary if the Sox made him available? If someone knows, please explain the workings of MLB front offices that this could happens so quickly and so unlooked for. Again, I'm fine with him being gone, but I don't want to see him replaced by Clevenger. If it is Clevenger today, (as a guy who often defends Getz/ Sox management here), pitching Clevenger is an indefensable misreading of the White Sox fan base. NO ONE wants to see Clevenger pitching for the Sox.

What is he, 24 or 25 years old? It's not the 3rd consecutive night game on an NBA west coast road trip.

How can you possibly justify Colson not in the lineup tonight. It is completely indefensible. WTF!! Are we even trying to win?

Who is this starting pitcher? Where did he come from? Is he the best we have to throw out there tonight? I guess the answer is yes.