South Side Hit Men

Perhaps Menechino has been replaced by a hologram of Charlie Lau. In a match race of the unlikeables, it would be a photo finish. The Dodgers are the only team that needs a closer and doesn't give a shit about the salary tax. Too bad Hahn would likely get raped in a deal with them like he did with Kimbrel.

Know I’m in the minority, but despise inter-league. Division: 4 Teams X 15 (2) / 16 (2) Games = 62 Intra-League: 10 Teams X 12 Games = 100 Glad they reduced division games. Think I’m done after this season, at least until there is new ownership.

1906 - The Hitless Wonders 2022 - The Don’t Give A Shit Wonders

No quality GM will come here until Jerry is dead, and the next ownership group is established. Only the desperate would step into this situation, especially if La Russa is here in some capacity.

With the next White Sox win this season, Tony La Russa will clinch an over .500 record as White Sox Manager (678-640 .514) through 2022. Tony La Russa is outside of the Top Ten Managers in White Sox history in winning percentage, because he always has and always will suck ass. White Sox Manager Winning Percentage Leaders: Fielder Jones .592 Clark Griffith .581 Pants Rowand .578 Marty Marion .565 Al Lopez .564 Gene Lamont .551 Paul Richards .529 Bob Lemon .525 Ozzie Guillen .524 Eddie Collins .521 Kid Gleason .519 Jerry Manuel .515 Jeff Torborg .515

Bummer was added to the 40 man roster July 27, 2017 as a 23 year old. Opening Day 2017 through yesterday: White Sox Appearance Leaders: 1. Bummer 213 2. Fry 162 3. Ruiz 160 MLB Appearance Leaders - Pitchers through Age 28: Bummer 12th.

Joe Espada, or Nada.

No, both Lip and you said he always has been injury prone.

Liam is the only member of the White Sox with more appearances between 2017-2021. There are no more than a few dozen MLB pitchers with more appearances over the prior five seasons. Calling his track record between 2017-2021 as “injury prone” or “being ouchy” is a ludicrous take. Nearly every relief pitcher in The MLB would be considered “ouchy and injury prone” if appearing in an average of 60 games a 162 game season is considered below / substantially below expectations for pitcher availability.

I don’t have a database that amalgamates years across minor/Fall and Major league games, but would wager he was in the top 5-10% in relief appearances across “professional baseball” between 2017-2021. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bummer000aar He pitched in 62 games last year, really can’t expect much more than that over a season despite the 17 day IL stint across 162 games. He finished tied for 68th in appearances across The MLB. https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=0&type=0&season=2021&month=0&season1=2021&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2021-01-01&enddate=2021-12-31&sort=6,d&page=2_50 One substantial injury (2020) over five seasons entering 2022 doesn’t constitute a player “injured every season”.

This isn’t remotely true. He has only missed a portion of the owner 60 game lockout season entering this year, since being called up for good as a 24 year old (2018). If anything, he may have been pushed too hard through 2019. Minor / Fall and MLB appearances 2017 58 Games 2018 68 Games 2019 63 Games 2020 9 Games (60 Game Season) 2021 62 Games 2022 20 Games

Lynn has had similar results, albeit in a smaller sample size (ERA 5.30, FIP 4.28). Cease, Kopech and Cueto 0.80 + better than their FIP, with Cease losing 10 of his 41 runs as unearned. The Sox have given up 61 unearned runs entering today. Only the Cubs (70), Giants (64) and Rays (62) have given up more. I guess that’s what happens when you have six DH/1B among 13 hitters on your active roster, plus two catchers.

So, unlike marriages vows which can be broken, it’s until death do we part between Jerry and Sox fans.

Jerry instructed his worthless paid hacks to attack Renteria, knowing full well he already hired Tony in the Spring or Summer. Fully convinced of the Sox won the fucking WS in 2020, they would still have fired Renteria. Tony was toxic to the universe before his DUI, had no chance of remaining with the Angels or being hired anywhere else’s once his DUI arrest was leaked. Orioles are better. They would be 10+ over .500 if they played the imbalanced AL Central schedule, and the Sox ten - games under if they played the AL East schedule.

39 games left on the Stone Pony Express.

Every time I see AJ Pollock in the lineup, it makes me weep for 2023. I rather see Nick Williams or Jake Lamb out there everyday at this point.

Up from 30th in April!

I’d say Mark Buehrle has the best case in terms of long term Sox not in, Dick Allen among the players with short stints. Would say Abreu has a better resume than Konerko if he retired today, despite not starting here until age 27. Think Abreu would be Top 50 All Time at 1B if he escaped Cuba a few years earlier. He still may play a few more years, and will likely still be very productive if the three past years are any indication of what he has left in his heart and body.

The Sox have had five legitimate HOF batters who played seven plus years with the Sox. These players raised the standards of elected players. Appling and Thomas are the only two who spent nearly all or all of their careers with the White Sox. (Player JAWS vs. Avg Position) Luke Appling SS (61.2 vs. 55.4) Eddie Collins 2B (94.3 vs. 57.1) George Davis SS (64.7 vs. 55.4) Carlton Fisk C (53.0 vs. 44.2) Frank Thomas DH/1B (59.6 vs. 53.8) The five additional hitters are Veterans Committee picks (Aparicio the exception) who lower HOF performance standards at their respective positions. Luis Aparicio SS (44.3 vs. 55.4) Harold Baines RF (30.1 vs. 56.7) Nellie Fox 2B (43.3 vs. 57.1) Minnie Minoso LF (46.8 vs. 56.4) Ray Schalk C (29.5 vs. 44.2) The White Sox have three HOF pitchers for seven plus seasons, but none were above the average Starter JAWS score of 56.8. Red Faber (48.7) Ted Lyons (54.0) Ed Walsh (54.3) Here are the best JAWS scores (24+) for White Sox outside (7 plus seasons) of the HOF: SP: Buehrle (47.4); Cicotte (48.4); John (47.5). 1B: Abreu (29.1); Konerko (24.8). 2B: Durham (29.9). 3B: Ventura (47.4); Dykes (28.1). CF: Lemon (46.4); Mostil (24.4). RF: Ordonez (35.4).

Yep. The White Sox would have a lot more home runs if their approach wasn’t the “small ball” La Russa / Menechino approach.

I agree they likely won’t continue for long at $200M, just stating I don’t believe they are operating at a loss by doing so even at current attendance levels, just at a smaller profit margin than they would like. Forbes estimates and the Atlanta baseball team’s publicly reported results are the best public figures available, more reliable than owners / MLB statements of “biblical losses/poor investments”. I don’t see a big fire sale next year, but I don’t see any big signings either. They have $86M committed in 2024, and $18M in 2025 ($15M Robert plus $3M Eloy buyout). A new manager may help light a fire under the existing core in 2023. Main fear is Tony is allowed to linger in FO for years and meddle with significant input, since he can work out of Arizona and continue in that role as long as Jerry owns the team. I don’t believe he’ll be physically able to continue managing beyond next year.

I just think he was good in his Assistant GM role, assisting Kenny and negotiating contracts. It just seems observing the pst ten years he doesn’t have the makeup or skill set to lead a large organization, or build the organization in areas they have been lacking for decades (player development, analytics, the domestic draft and scouting beyond Marco). I don’t chalk it up to a lack of courage as much as it’s just a role for which he is not a good fit based on his strengths and weaknesses. It goes beyond Jerry or Tony.

Sounds like we have an agreement in terms of the fan base. They are just not expanding interest like they did last season. Most casual fans are becoming apathetic toward a team which was really likable in 2019-2020. Still believe they are making money hand over fist despite the lower 2022 attendance, due to the enormous national TV contract increase and the money they make via their own cable network. We will learn more next Spring with the Forbes numbers for 2022, the first normal Sox season in several years (no COVID restrictions or tanking).

I’d peg 80-85% of Sox ticket buyers as either corporate / business / sponsor ticket sales, or diehards who will buy no matter what. The typical fan is not as critical of the organization as most of Soxtalk. I’d peg say perhaps a few to several hundred fans who stated they would boycott because of TLR to have actually followed through these past two years. I think they will continue to lose working class fans who don’t have cable access (or cut the cord) and the solid number of people who don’t have a credit card and thus can’t walk up to the box office and buy a ticket. It’s truly bizarre to not accept cash to enter or buy from vendors at this point. Also short sided not to offer an over the air game once a week, perhaps a dual broadcast or Spanish language broadcast. If MLB owners took the long view, they could grow, not contract, fan interest in the sport.

Yep. Hahn was given everything one reasonably ask for beyond TLR. He was given a second chance to rebuild and the several years of patience to let it play out. Was given a legitimate payroll to compete this season, same as Kenny had for several years post WS (2006-2011) and Schueler had in the mid 1990s (1993-1996). Will likely get 1-2 more years to let it play out, though poor attendance will likely limit his payroll flexibility. I don’t see Hahn at risk this off-season, and Tony will return if he wants to. They will chalk it up to injuries and a few “bad apples”, probably sacrifice Menechino even though Frank is instructing players consistent what his GM/Manager have said publicly is their preferred philosophy / approach.