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.

Now, I am Mr. Over-Optimistic on this board, and get grief for it now and then, but even I have to say that the idea Sox can win 81 games this year is rather silly. I think winning 70 games is realistically out of reach. I would say that making 63, my preseason prediction and goal, is slightly, slightly less likely than 50/ 50. If they can stay hot for a couple more weeks, than winning 63 becomes probable and maybe they can even reach 65 or so wins. Would winning 24 or more games over last year, an over 50% increase in wins, would that be enough for Lipman to consider that the White Sox have moved things forward "quite a bit"? Probably not.

I think the overall opinion on win totals, when people were predicting as the season was about to start, was that just by random chance, it was all but impossible for the White Sox not to win five or six more games, just because so many things went wrong to reach the 41 win total; and that the odds were strong that the Sox had to improve, at least, a few games, even if the personal on team wasn't any better.

Even with Meidroth and Vargas out, this is not, at all, a bad lineup. Especially when you compare it to some of the Sunday lineups from earlier in the year. And especially compared to the absolute garbage Sunday lineups Grifol and TLR would put out. I think we'll see a good job from Burke today. I feel good about this game. I'd really like to get it going into Seattle next. We get today and even one in Seattle, it's a GREAT west coast road trip. Keeps the momentum moving forward.

Thanks for bringing this up. In my post that Kyyle is talking about, this is my opening few lines: "First of all, you who have been making these statements know who you are,and it's time to admit that you were wrong. Statement 1) This year's Sox are not any better or are not significantly/ noticeably better than last year's Sox. I don't think I need to even put for reasons for this; it is now clearly obvious. Statement 2) Getz should never have signed Slater and Tauchman." So, in my original post, Kyyle also use the words that I "demanded apologies". Does any reasonable person see or hear in my intro to that post that I was "demanding apologies"? What is going on there? Well really, you can understand it if you try. It's pretty common tactic of people who are unable to intelligently counter your points, that they will instead change or manipulate your words and then use that manipulation of what was said to now complain or argue against your point. It's really ironic that this past post has been brought up. Because now, 45 or 60 days later, my two points 1) that the Sox are significantly better and 2) getting Tauchman and Stater were good moves by Getz; both those points are even more evident now than when I originally posted this thread.

So when do wins matter? Do the Sox have to be Wild Card contenders for wins to matter. Or is that not good enough? Do wins only matter when the Sox are one of the top five or so teams in baseball and then serious World Series contenders? Will that be the only time wins matter? Is that what you're saying that Sox fans have to wait for? That the Sox will just keep trading off assets for lottery pieces until they are a legit World Series contender? Well, how will they ever become a Wild Card or World Series contender if they keep trading away every decent trading chip? When fans buy tickets, this year, right now if the Sox win, it matters. When we all tune in to watch the game. If the Sox win, it matters; it matters this year. Plus I don't understand your point that kids developing matters but wins don't. I don't understand why they are exclusive. Can't the kids develop as the team continues to win and develops a winning attitude, and expectation of winning. Isn't expecting positive results and winning, isn't that super important to "the development of the kids"? I just listened to a podcast and the guys speculated that maybe the reason that Vaughn is hitting so well is that he has escaped the malaise of the White Sox under achievement, that he's at a place that expects results and a place where they're (here it is again) "winning".

Again, I would argue that Benintendi is their best bat, certainly one of their best bats. It seems that the people who are most worried about his contract and/ or just want him gone are posters whose number one agenda on this board is to bad mouth and complain about management and Getz. You know, people like you.

A lot of well-argued counter points in that statement. You're right; I have been put in my place. Believe me this is exactly the type of replies I expected to get. The only argument that can be made against what I've said is the "wins this year don't matter" thing. So, poster will resort to this type of thing.

Houser has been the Sox best pitcher this year. I don't think anyone can reasonably argue with that. But also, I don't think anyone can reasonably argue against Vasil has been their 2nd best pitcher this year. I'm not talking about potential, but plain results and consistency for this year. I am ecstatic about Shane Smith and how he appears that he is going to be an outstanding starter for the Sox for years to come, but right now, Vasil has out performed him so far this year. I'm pretty excited about Mike Vasil going forward with the White Sox also.

I have thought this since before the all-star break when the White Sox were already playing better: I don't think the Sox should just completely dismantle what they have right now. Especially, especially for a bunch of lottery picks. And lottery picks is an apt metaphor for what they would get back. The odds are low that they would get anything of value back, so why make trades just to make trades? I understand that Robert and Houser have to go; it get that completely. Trade both of them while their value is high; I get it. But as far as I'm concerned that's it; don't trade anyone else. Don't trade Tauchman. He is clearly the best RF they have had in what?? 8 or 9 years? All the people who say we should trade him, what are the Sox going to get back?? Be honest, a minor leaguer who has what? A 1-in-5 chance of every playing in the majors, at best? Probably more like a 1-in-10 chance. Keep him this year and keep him next year. He really helps the team win; he's important to this young improving team. . Keep Sosa. Again: he's the best 2nd baseman the Sox have had in, again, 8 or 9 years, at least. Yes, he makes bad decisions, but he hits. He hits. The Sox don't win 2 out of 3 games in this series and some other series since the break is Sosa isn't on the team. Keep him, the return won't be worth it. He's young too. He's going to improve just like all the others. Somehow, everyone seems to forget that about him. Keep Benintendi. I would argue that he is the Sox's best bat. He is important to this team and a vital cog in the lineup. His defense isn't anywhere near as bad as all the people on here complain that it is. We kinda saw a good example of that tonight. Plus everybody talks about how expensive he is? What? 17 million is not that expensive at all. And Jerry and the Sox management can afford 17 million. My God, if you eat Ramen noodles everyday for lunch and dinner, you can afford to go to Olive Garden once a month. He's not too expensive with what the Sox are paying everyone else. Keep him and let's keep this momentum going on through September and on into 2026. A know a lot, A LOT, of people argue on here that wins this year don't matter. Wins next year don't matter. I will never, never understand that thinking. When the White Sox win, it matters. I and a whole lot of people are happy. We're happy with the 9 -3 win over Philly and every time the Sox win. When they lose, we are decidedly not happy. Keep winning this year. That's why we should keep Tauchman; keep him for now instead of trading him for a chance, probably a slim chance, that the Sox might be better in the future. Keep Benintendi for the same reason. I have had more fun watching the White Sox this past month, even before the all-star break, then I have at any time in the last five years. Why would anyone willing want it to stop? I don't get it.

If Perez is okay and can go and be decent, that is a big step toward us Sox fans never having to see Clevenger or Thor this season. So . . . let's go Martin!! With that said, I would be very intrigued and in favor of the Sox resigning Fedde. Has anyone heard anything about him lately? What his status is?