South Side Hit Men

Hahn was hired after the 2012 season. The 2020 season was 60 games, with the Sox down to two viable starting pitchers through the first 62 games. If they did play the remaining 100 games and didn't finish below 10 games under the rest of the way (45-55), they would have been fortunate. They also would have played a normal schedule, so no feasting on the pathetic Central division teams which went 0-7 in the pathetic 16 team playoff farce. We have seen enough from his previous eight years as GM to know Hahn is completely out of his element.

If the White Sox say goodbye to Abreu and keep Rick Hahn, they deserve zero fan support.

Grades factoring salary, age, and expectations. Offense, defense, IQ and baserunning and injuries factored. Player Pool: Hitters (30 + Games) Grade Player Age (bWAR / Salary Games Played) A Jose Abreu 35 (4.2 $19.7M 157) - Another solid season for Pito. Absolutely disgraceful if Jerry jettisons Abreu and keeps Rick Hahn). A Elvis Andrus 33 (1.7 $4.7M 43) - Small sample size caveats aside, did everything you could expect. Played for his next deal, hopefully it's elsewhere. B+ Seby Zavala 28 (1.0 $0.7M 61) - Improved defensively, hits well for a low cost platoon catcher. Nice improvement year over year. B Luis Robert 24 (2.1 $9.5M 98) - Dropped off on defensively again. Hurt, though Hahn/Tony playing him was criminally stupid and short sighted. B Eloy Jimenez 25 (1.7 $7.3M 84) - Absolutely raked the second half primarily DHing .948. Hopefully gained maturity to accept that role. B- Danny Mendick (0.5 $0.7M 31) - Small sample size, but played well in his reserve role until his season ending injury. Solid reserve player. B- Josh Harrison 34 (1.6 $5.5M 119) - Another Hahn stopgap at 2B. Stayed healthy, provided steady defense. Did his job, Sox should aim higher. C+ Reese McGuire 27 (0.0 $0.7M 53) - Solid defensive catcher. Can't hit at the ML level, but cromulent for 60 games / late inning substitution. Good luck! C+ Andrew Vaughn 24 (-0.3 $0.7M 134) - Underwater bWAR more a reflection of the absurd Hahn/Tony created situation of playing him in RF/LF. C Romy Gonzalez 25 (-0.4 $0.7M 32) - Likely a reserve at best, needs more development. Worth keeping. C Tim Anderson 29 (1.3 $9.5M 79) -Took a step backwards defensively, still can hit. Baby mana drama a distraction. Better future fit in the OF. C Jake Burger 26 (-0.1 $0.7M 51) - Can hit, would be valuable if he could play 3B or 2B at an acceptable level. Hope the Sox can salvage him. C- Gavin Sheets 26 (-0.4 $0.7M 124) - See Vaughn regarding RF play. Two years older, platoon only DH with low ceiling. Should be in AAA. D+ Adam Engel 30 (0.1 $2.0M 119) - Dropped off in health and performance. Thanks for the memories. D AJ Pollock 34 (0.6 $14.5M 138) - Stayed healthy, Sox may have been better off if he didn't. Costly appearances added $3M more to his 2023 tab. 4th OF at best. D- Leury Garcia 31 (-1.0 $5.5M 97) - A worthy bench player, Tony responsible for contract length and everyday starting lineup. Was injured, should rebound. D- Yasmani Grandal 33 (-1.5 $18.3M 99) - Was injured, but actually played the expected 99 games. Not elite. Expensive old catchers are a bad idea. F+ Yoan Moncada 27 (1.0 $13,8M 119) - Defense the primary positive, Desastre Personal at the plate. Gets a + solely because not sure regarding injuries. Pitchers to follow in a separate post.

Seemed more like shifting the blame, Hahn's primary competency in life. Did the same with the manager he extended before firing him 60 games later. The ridiculous bullpen Game 3 was both Hahn's idea and fault, since he only provided Ricky two starting pitchers. Hahn did the same thing right after Tony left, with Joe Kelly gave up two runs on September 2. "Never let a crises go to waste".

You need to factor the restricted attendance until June 25 last season due to the city/state gate caps. 8,207 were allowed to attend OD 2021. The Sox had a higher season ticket base in 2022, and expected an increase in unrestricted attendance. That failed to materialize, primarily due to the poor performance of the team. The discretionary season ticket base (fans, not sponsors) will most certainly decrease year over year, the only question is how much, and can the FO hire a solid manager to stop the bleeding before deposits are due. The fact that Rick Hahn apparently is returning is not giving fans a lot of hope.

He is age 24. This is only his second season playing more than 55 professional games. He will continue to improve in terms of handling a full season, growing stronger as he approaches his likely peak age 26-28 seasons. He is still way ahead of most of his age 24 peers (21st overall in HR for age 24 players). His WAR takes a beating because he is not a competent outfielder, though that’s on the Sox, not him. Hahn cares more about what fans and others say about him than he does in performing his job, learning about his industry, and hiring quality competent people to fill in the gaps in his resume such as talent evaluation. Ted Phillps and the McCaskey family admit to having little to no football qualifications. Jerry and Rick act as though they have qualifications that they do not in fact possess outside of merely incompetently existing in their respective roles all these decades. Capable at business and negotiations? Yes, no doubt, top businesspeople IMO. Smart people, articulate? Yes, unquestioned. Competent baseball executives in terms of producing a quality and consistent on field product? No, also unquestioned, though I don’t believe that is their actual top priority. It’s merely a stated priority to sell tickets and maintain fan interest. If Hahn doesn’t want to be laughed at by his peers and fans, he could start by not acting like a four year old and stop throwing tv remote controls, and punching file cabinets, or being obsessed about others think about him. This is not how an executive should act or behave, it how a child acts and behaves. Become a competent baseball executive, the criticism will cease.

Would rank passing on Rodon QO and [picking up Kimbrel's option equal or worse. Too clever by half. No positive WAR starting RF for fourth straight season.

11 Games behind Cleveland (12 with the tie-breaker) is the takeaway from 2022.

Hahn still looking for his second 82 + win season. Perhaps over the next ten seasons.

Well at least Manny Banuelos earned a win today for the Pirates. Buenos Dias, Senor.

If MVP Jose is not worthy, they should only have four plus Jackie: Luke Appling Frank Thomas Ted Lyons Minnie Minoso No - Aparicio, Baines, Buehrle, Fisk, Fox, Konerko, Pierce.

The White Sox were 81-76 this season when Jose Abreu started. The White Sox are likely 0-5 in games he sat. Be careful what you wish for.

Just noting who he played very hard for. A new manager can revert him back on track.

Wish Billy Hamilton was playing 1B for the Twins today. He would have scored on that double.

Joe Crede and Vance Law are my two favorite White Sox third baseman. I was a Robin Ventura fan until this moment. I was a Nolan Ryan fan since before Robin was in grade school. Went to Milwaukee to see his 300th win. Reap the whirlwind, son.

Wonder if they knew he was hurt before the ballgame.

Yoan busted his ass his first two seasons under Ricky, the second clearly impacted by COVID.

Well, people here want Abreu gone, so reap the whirlwind.

Jose, Yasmani and Eloy heading to the bullpen for an inning each if they keep this up.

Len Kasper stated Jose requested the day off, and to sit next to the manager.

Would say this starts with Jerry. COVID provided cover for deep cuts to scouting, Only increased analytics to a MLB low 5 (from 3 or 4) as a personal favor to Tony's friend's son. Was called out by minor leaguers for the MLB not even bare minimum league mandated housing. Jerry's favorite maneuver is to avoid paying international spending by trading player buyouts, a double win in terms of saving crumbs.

I don't have cable, so don't watch regularly but have seen clips of him the past few days and agree with your assessment. I believe Ozzie knows he will not be considered, and is saying what he is to stay relevant in his current career / TV role, perhaps announce interest in returning to managing for another organization (believe that ship has also sailed), and remain relevant in the public eye.

I'd bring back Ricky Renteria before I'd bring back Ozzie Guillen (or Robin Ventura). That said, I prefer they go external.

Additional criteria for consideration: White Sox American League MVPs: (2) Frank Thomas (1994, 1993); (1) Jose Abreu (2020), Dick Allen (1972), Nellie Fox (1959). White Sox Career Rank: 5th All Time RBI (863) & Extra Base Hits (562). White Sox fWAR Leaders (Position Players and Pitchers) by Decade: 2020s Jose Abreu 9.5 & Dylan Cease 8.5 2010s Jose Abreu 18.2 & Chris Sale 27.1 2000s Jose Valentin 17.3 & Mark Buehrle 35.9 1990s Frank Thomas 53.8 & Jack McDowell 23.0 1980s Carlton Fisk 23.1 & Britt Burns 19.2 1970s Bill Melton 16.7 & Wilbur Wood 33.3 1960s Pete Ward 20.7 & Gary Peters 26.6 1950s Minnie Minoso 37.4 & Billy Pierce 43.6 1940s Luke Appling 41.1 & Thornton Lee 16.9 1930s Luke Appling 31.6 & Ted Lyons 26.6 1920s Eddie Collins 35.2 & Red Faber 36.3 1910s Eddie Collins 29.4 & Eddie Cicotte 33.8 1900s Fielder Jones 32.3 & Ed Walsh 25.5 With a few more solid seasons, Jose would join Luke Appling and Eddie Collins as the only two decade fWAR leaders for the White Sox. Sidebar - The answer is zero to the question "How many Soxtalk posters would guess Jose Valentin is the 2000s White Sox hitting fWAR leader? (0.5 over Konerko).