South Side Hit Men

I appreciate your response. What I tried to do was clarify the expectations or terminology we are using. I agree with a lot of what you write here, but in terms of player availability, I lean more toward production and a reasonable overall playing time expectation than counting trips to an IL, sometimes used just to give a player an extended break for an injury that could take 4-6 days to recover. I also consider a younger player ahead of his peer group (in the majors at ages 23-24) need additional time to adjust to playing in the league with limited/no experience, and less development time than players promoted 1-2 years later. It's why I commended the slow easing in of Vaughn, and Tony's management of him, in 2021 after no 2020 minor league season. When it comes to players like Robert, Eloy, Madrigal, or others who are absent for half or more games each season over 3-5 seasons, I don't think there is a debate that these players are in fact injury prone and have trouble staying on the field for more than half a season. When it comes to Bummer or Anderson, who have been both productive and available more than nearly all of their peer age group over several seasons, I side with they played as expected. Tim Anderson averaged 5 of 6 games played, nearly all starts, during his several year career. Being off one game per week and playing the other five is what I expect out of a starting batter. For catchers it would be four of six games, or 95-100 games at catcher per year (not counting DH/1B appearances) for a solid starting catcher. I also think a player who wants to play every single game like Abreu would benefit from being off at least once every other week. He has played very banged up at times, and also mired in slumps because he doesn't ever want to sit. While that work ethic is admirable, the team and his overall production would likely benefit from 2-3 games off per month of scheduled rest / work load management, to allow him to be fresh and more productive during his appearances.

Sounds like "elite" "120 game a year" catcher Yasmani Grandal, less $68M in payroll. Outperformed White Sox Cesar Hernandez without playing a game, Madrigal has a good chance at finishing with a better WAR than Harrison (and lightyears ahead of Leury) before season end, with over $10M in savings. He's not the savior by any means, but he wasn't my 3rd overall pick, he wasn't given away by me for absolute garbage which will linger for three years with the Kimbrel extension and trade for Polock, and he is better than any of Hahn's garbage acquisitions the past three seasons.

Injury prone seems to be the latest buzzword here at Soxtalk this week. Lou Gehrig was after his ALS diagnosis.

AJ Pollock needs 11 more plate appearances to vest another $1M from the 2023 White Sox. He needs to be DFA'd to stop the 2023 bleeding. I don't care if they have to find someone on Lower Wacker Drive, a senior citizen bocce ball court in Elmwood Park, or must activate Darryl Boston as his replacement, but he needs to be gone this weekend before La Russa costs the team another $1M-$3M in 2023 payroll before Game 162.

Is there anyone on the Sox, with perhaps the possible exception of Jose Abreu, you don't consider "injury prone"? Tim Anderson is 63rd across The MLB in games played since the start of the 2016 season, and he was promoted over two months in on June 10th at age 23. Same with Bummer, far and away the Sox pitcher appearance leader and 13th among his piers, 28 year old pitchers. Tim Anderson has played in 83% of White Sox games played since being called up as a young 23 year old player. There are 17 players across all of MLB in his peer group (under 30) who have appeared in more games during this period (OD 2016 through today).

Thinking this song: I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered I don’t have a friend who feels at ease I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered Or driven to its knees Oh, but it’s all right, it’s all right For lived so well so long Still, when I think of the road We’re traveling on I wonder what went wrong I can’t help it, I wonder what’s gone wrong

Of the core, Moncada gets the most grief here, but Eloy is the one major disaster, and he should have been traded to Miami who was interested along with Yermin for SP. White Sox Positional Rankings by fWAR Across MLB by Position (2019-2022): 4th Relief Pitchers 8th Starting Pitchers 7th Shortstop 11th First Baseman 11th Center Field 12th Third Baseman 14th Catcher 27th Left Field (Hi Mom!) 28th Right Field 29th Second Baseman

I try to take the long view, and to me the primary mistake was allowing the Front Office to continue after 2015 or 2016. The primary failure is not this or that player or even Tony, but the abject failure to take the opportunity to take a modern baseball approach at rebuilding the organization from top to bottom several years ago.. The key failure to date has been the inability to draft, develop and play 12-15 solid younger pre-arb / arb 1 players around the core half dozen acquired through the tanking trades and a couple of veterans. If Ricky or Tony had the core, an additional core of internally acquired and developed players, and a few top FAs at their disposal, this would have been a legitimate World Series contender. The Sox wouldn't have had to rely on mid 30s guys in declining health and performance to carry the load.

Shelley Duncan head of analytics. Menechino implementing Hahn’s vision. No clue on evaluating trade / free agent talent. No clue on developing players. No clue on defensive positioning. This club is still near or at 30th in The MLB at “modernization”.

“Hey Tony, put your teeth back in.” “Mr. La Russa, step out of the vehicle, and put your hands behind your back.” “Hey Tony, you pooped your pants again.”

Nobody wants to be Jerry Reinsdorf’s slave. Beisbol de los Medias Blancas Ome de la conexion Cubana RIP 2014-2022

Fuck off, Stone Pony.

Why pay Madrigal the league minimum, when you can spend $11M on Leury and Big Energy, over $20M on Kimbrel before flipping him to spend over $20M and counting on Pollock? Hahn’s roster construction and payroll management is certainly the Eighth Wonder of the World.

How are they winning without a $95M 7th-9th inning bullpen? Hendriks $54M Graveman $24M Kelly $17M

Yes, but what about Rodon’s regressing health and performance? If only Sox Fans had Pink on the White Sox beat, Hahn may have been asked tough questions for the first time in ten years. What do we get instead of Pink? That’s scumbag liar at the Score fluffing Rick over bourbon.

Had Season tickets at the old (weekend 27 games 1985) and new ballpark (Full Season 2006-2007), and every home playoff game in 1983 and 2005. Been to many other games in the 1970s/1980s/2000s/2010s without a formal package. Went to over a dozen games in 2019 while they were "tanking". Really enjoyed going to the park and seeing the core develop. Would have gone to at least 20 of the 30 games in 2020 if the park was open, plus the playoffs. I also attended 2020 Spring Training before it was cancelled. Was so excited for White Sox baseball with Ricky's Boys and the exciting core. Decided not to go to a future Sox game when they hired Tony. I expanded the boycott this year to as long as Jerry owns the team between the lockout and his policies against minor league players, and a dozen other longer standing issues. I did not vote in the poll, since the thread starter stated it was for 2022 ST holders, but my boycott will extend into year number three in 2023.

White Sox training staff. Trigger warning for non Caddyshack fans You'll get Kasper and Beckham and like it.

Beyond a Jerry departure, or a major health episode or death for Tony, I see both returning at least for 2023. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Jerry extended Tony to avoid a lame duck 2023 season, like Hahn did with Ricky.

Aaron Bummer (216) has played in more games than Luis Robert (211). Eloy Jimenez (281) is remarkably ahead of both.

Tony La Russa's teams will always find another way. So wish Benetti would leave for the final five weeks, with Hawk filling in to relay what Sox fans are feeling and to annoy and torment Steve Stone over his remaining 37 games.

Tony La Russa still needs one win before year end to end the season with an over .500 record with the White Sox over his ten years. White Sox: 4 GB for AL Central lead (Add 1/2 game since they currently lose the tiebreaker vs. Cleveland) 5 GB for AL #3 Wild Card (Currently ahead of Seattle 2-1 for head to head tiebreaker) Lance Lynn deserved bone-in ribeye tonight, was served chop steak by his teammates after he left after six strong innings.

Eddie Gaedel is more valuable than a one armed hitter.