[What to do with the abreu/vaughn/sheets/burger logjam in 2022?]

11 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Steve Stone dissects how good teams like the Astros take advantage of defensive lapses, with comments focused on Eloy and Grandal, including Grandal’s inability to block sliders in the dirt.

He also called out the lack of fundamentals all season, and poor defensive catchers including the backups.

 

I love listening to Stone. The fact that he's seeing this and the Mgr and coaches are not or not doing anything about it is a real shame.

[ALDS Game 3 - HOU @ CWS - 7:07pm CDT]

Sorry to hear about Jocomo Rip

This is Hobbs who I watch the games with. He's Cuban (Havanese) and says we only need to win 11 more games with the next 3 in a row leaving only 8 after that. Piece a cake

[KImbrel meets the Kimbrel kid]

This is a great lil story. The smile on his face when he discovered he was on the telecast is unbeatable. I'd love to see him throw out the first pitch sometime....Kimbrel style

[Who would you dream of the White Sox adding in trade this week, and what would you be willing to give up in exchange?]

Hudson and Hand for Angelina Jolie .. she proved to be a major distraction in the locker room

Escobar

[FS: 2021 Draft Prospect Profiles]

Thanks Y2Jimmy for all the insight and work. I like Kath and or Painter but there are many others to pick from

[FS: 2021 MLB Mock Draft 1.0]

Thanks for this

[I don't see how pitch framing works?]

11 hours ago, Dominikk85 said:

Btw most catching coaches are saying framing is not so much about tricking the ump but about giving the ump a better look. It is not so much that good framers get strikes but that bad framers lose strikes by distracting the ump with too much move glove movement and other stuff.

I think this makes more sense than anything and helps if the pitcher and catcher are on the same page. I also think this will all be a moot point in a yr. or 2 when they bring in the electronic eyes.

[Offseason Moves - Grade em']

I really like both McCann and Collins but getting Grandal was nice. I'm not a big fan of DH only guys but EE was cheap enough and will be great for a yr. The thing with Grandal an EE is it pushes Collins out but I still can't argue signing both players. Collins will have to wait and earn his place and with the 26 man roster he can watch and learn from 2 pros. I like Abreu a bunch but still think they paid him to much but like Orlando said it sends the young guys a nice message. I wasn't real fond of Mazara but there weren't many choices and he didn't cost us much. He may still turn out to be a really good player for us. I somehow knew we'd end up with Keuchel from the start and think he'll be just fine. Gio is a good cheap starter that'll help us a bunch till we get Kope back an then some. I think relief pitchers are about the hardest to predict but Cishek has a pretty good track record and can help us if he stays on track with his past performances. Our everyday lineup looks killer but pitching might be our weak spot and then again we have 3 or 4 pitchers who have great upside and could breakout and be really good. We got some veteran players that should help our young stars a lot. Overall I'd grade the off season a B+ and I'm ready for some playoff baseball in 2020.

[Sox Sign Cishek; 1 yr, $5.25 mil + option (6.75, 750k buyout)]

24 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they decide to give him one last shot if he has a decent ST.  

Ok thanks I wasn't aware we could carry him or a few of the others to spring training before having to do something with them.

[Sox Sign Cishek; 1 yr, $5.25 mil + option (6.75, 750k buyout)]

18 minutes ago, chetkincaid said:

Covey as the long man?

i forgot about him but yea, we seem to have quite a few guys we'll need to make decisions on.

[Sox Sign Cishek; 1 yr, $5.25 mil + option (6.75, 750k buyout)]

5 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

He's out of options.  He is in the pen, or in another org come OD.  

Yes, part of my point. I don't believe he'd pass through waivers being young and a first round pick and not sure if he's worth much if anything in trade. Do we just let him go or give him one last shot, which would mean one less roster spot.

[Jean Shepherd's America - White Sox]

1 hour ago, knightni said:

 

Thanks for this

[Sox Sign Cishek; 1 yr, $5.25 mil + option (6.75, 750k buyout)]

3 hours ago, Greg Hibbard said:

So what is the exact makeup of the pen right now?

Colome

Herrera

Marshall

Bummer

Cishek

Fry

and whoever our long man would be?

Fulmer? Not sure what they'll do with him

[Steve Stone stays in White Sox booth]

Love Stone, I'm very happy he's sticking around and I'd love some more of Walton

[Steve Stone: more bullpen help is coming]

4 hours ago, thxfrthmmrs said:

Could probably send every catcher in the org not named Grandal.

But interesting that he said to work on his defense, McCann is a great defensive catcher just a poor framer.

Agreed, especially Collins. What I like most about McCann is his game calling skills an management.

[Would you extend Nick Madrigal? For how much?]

I don't think I'd extend Madrigal just yet but would have little worry if we did extend him. I think he's going to be a very good player and like everything about him, but I'd wait a yr. just to be sure and I don't believe it would cost us much more to do so. I'd be much more interested in extending Moncada before he gets really expensive. I believe Madrigal would get a contract similar to Anderson's.

[Pitching is the key to the Sox' chances in 2020. The lineup is stacked.]

I agree Pitching and Defense are what we need. The lineup sure looks exciting

[Update: Pomeranz to Padres]

I like him a lot out of the pen and believe he can start a few games for us as well

[Would you trade for Mookie Betts, and what would you trade]

No I wouldn't trade anyone for Betts, I'd wait till next yr an sign him if I really wanted him. I might reconsider at the trade deadline if we looked like we would win the division but still wouldn't give up much to get him.

[What about Collins?]

It seems to me they had time play him the last month or so of the season but didn't. It doesn't seem the Sox are very high on him behind the plate. I really like his bat and had high hopes for him but if we sign Grandal he won't get much time catching and I'd hate to see him DH'ing all the time, I'd rather trade him. I honestly think his offense will be every bit as good as Grandal's an only get better. Maybe the 3 catcher thing will work out because I'd hate to lose him but if trading him gives us someone we really need an like then....

I'm not big on Grandal because I still have hope for Collins. I'm also not a scout so

[Rick Hahn's Resume as GM]

2 minutes ago, NWINFan said:

Most Major League GMS don't get seven straight losing seasons to prove themselves. However, I think this franchise has problems that go beyond Hahn, and I don't know much better some other GM would have done.  Real decisive action should have been taken in the 2011-2012 off season and it didn't happen. The team is still paying for it.

Having said all of this, I think we all know the franchise is at a real important phase. Hahn's reputation is on the line, even though I wonder how much his hands are tied. There were be no Cole or Stasberg. 

Very much agree and how I see it

[Rick Hahn's Resume as GM]

7 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Also, what kind of decisions is KW still making?  Is he actually interfering that much with the day to day stuff?

Good question..I think he is

[Rick Hahn's Resume as GM]

55 minutes ago, bmags said:

This sentiment is wild to me. He’s responsible for the people under him and he’s been GM for 7 years! 

Is he or is it KW and Reinsdorf? or perhaps all 3 are to blame but seeing as Hahn is the low man of the 3 it's hard for me to point a finger at him alone. I do believe it takes a team to make decisions

[Rick Hahn's Resume as GM]

I'm not really sure how to evaluate him. He does really well with contracts but his trades and FA signings are pretty bad which would lead me to believe the people under him advising him. Our evaluations of players are bad and I guess overall that's Hahn's or KW's job to see we have the best avail. I think his overall plans have been sound, just the players he signed have failed.

[Predict the Market: FA Contracts]

27 minutes ago, raBBit said:

These are good points and I largely agree. That said, it really depends on how the Sox treat Kopech. Hahn has made some hints that they'll keep Kopech down. So I can see a scenario where the Sox sign one of the guys you mentioned and then another average starting pitching that could end up in the pen. Say they keep Kopech down and run out something like this.

1 Giolito

2 Keuchel

3 Cease

4 McHugh/Gibson

5 Lopez

Then end, of May Kopech comes in. Then Rodon and maybe Dunning/Steiver come into play June/July. I dont think Lopez should have a rotation and I dont think they should hold Kopech back but with the injuries and options the different ways they can deploy Kopech there is some serious flexibility that has to be a consideration with Cease/Kopech/Dunning/Stiever and even Giolito to an extent will have innings concerns come August/September.

I like the way you're thinking and think this is how the Sox are looking. Keuchel is about what I expect. I also really like Pomeranz as a swing man, really liked what he did for the Brewers out of the pen last yr. I believe Hahn and co. think we already have our aces in Gio, Kopech an Cease and won't be looking at the big name pitchers. I'm pretty much done with Lopez and would love to trade him (if he has any value) but I think we still need him this yr. Not sure about Rodon, is this his last yr. before FA? Can or would we extend him?