The Kids Can Play

However at some point the Sox hitters also need to also understand what stats the opposing pitchers are looking at when they play the Sox and how they pitch to them: 0-Swing% - 30th Swing % - 30th Zone % - # of pitches in the zone - total pitches - 29th, which means least strikes thrown to them. Ball % - # of pitches thrown to hitters outside zone - 30th - which means most balls thrown to them outside the zone. F-Strike % - 29th - swinging at first pitches. This has been going on for years on all Sox teams. It's only going to change when we get a new front office that employs people from the outside, that came from a club where they teach these aspects in the minors, to teach how to be more patient and get better counts, which in turn will lead to more walks or better counts to hit the ball for productive power.

Getting prospects at the trade deadline of course won't be of any help in 2023 or even 2024. Most yearly big trades at the deadline are to get rid of a upcoming FA and sell him off as a rental player to get some good young prospects for the future. With the shitty Sox farm system the Sox don't need immediate help. What the Sox need are future prospects that can help down the road. Right now we need those young prospects to improve our horrible bottom end farm system. The only decent potential talent for the Sox is between High A Winston-Salem and Low A Kannapolis. Both the AA Barons and AAA Charlotte are abominations. If we lose Giolito and let Lynn go after season for the 1 million buyout, then our starting staff will be left with only Cease, Kopech and a questionable Clevenger. Now if the Sox AA & AAA pitching was solid, we could look forward to bringing up some of those arms. Sadly though, that will absolutely not be happening. Here are the pitching stats from both the AA Barons and AAA Knights: AA Barons in the Southern league. Pitching: ERA 5.36 - last, Whip 1.57 - last, BA against .253 - last. Btw, the Barons team hitting is also terrible: Barons Hitting: BA .219 - last, OBP .313 - last, SLG .352 - last, OPS .665 - last. AAA Charlotte Pitching in the International league: ERA - 6.10 - last, Whip 1.66 - last, BA against .272 - 2nd to last. The Charlotte hitting is just ok and middle of the pack to lower end. Here is my key point; I believe Giolito will be worth a lot at the deadline and this would be a great time to get several good prospects for him and build back up some quality in the minors. As we see every year, there will be several desperate teams wanting to go all in for the WS run and teams that have the depth to be able to give up some good young prospects. In addition to Gio, I also think Graveman, Kelly, Middleton and Lopez could get the Sox some additional prospects. Again even if they are only lower end prospects, but with huge potential. To hang on to Giolito would be a huge mistake. Letting him leave via FA in 2024 and getting nothing back in return would be plain stupid. Of course the Sox FO would be be capable of that. You can further argue hanging on to Gio will give the Sox a shot at the central division. Realistically though, that is still going to be a long shot. Plus even if somehow the Sox played amazing second half baseball and won the Central, it's a pretty sure bet, the Sox would be one and done. We do not have team good enough to get past either the Rays, Rangers, Orioles in the AL, let alone the Braves Dodgers, Marlins and Giants in the WS championship series...even if by a miracle we got that far. Putting our emotions and fandom bias to the side and looking strictly at the neutral sportsbook odds, here our the Sox odds to win in 2023: AL Central title - (+1200) AL Division title - (+8000) World Series - (15,000) You're absolutely right though, with less talent with some of these players gone, the Sox will sink faster and have a horrible finish. Yet I truly believe that would be worth it in the long run. Then hopefully there is a stronger chance of Hahn getting fired and we at least pick higher in the June draft on every round.

Amazing how Tim wasn't complaining about being so misunderstood, when he won a batting title in 2019 and was runner up in 2020.

That was the point Grifol was stressing, is how much of the field he can cover so gracefully and make it look so effortless. You're right though and Grifol said it himself as well, that he sometimes can be guilty of taking it for granted, just like fans take his CF play for granted. There is no doubt he is spectacular to watch play CF. Robert already won a gold glove a few years ago and I am hoping he is in a solid position to win his second gold glove.

I agree and the Sox do have one and his name is Billy Russo. He is the designated translator for Robert or any other Spanish speaking player that can't speak Spanish or has limited English speaking ability. I would sure hope Russo told Robert everything he said. I also read that Robert is trying to learn English, because he wants to be able to interact more with his teammates before and after the games.

Yes, we have a bad manager because the bad GM hired a rookie manager from a losing organization. Consequently the losing rookie manager has a difficult time wining because his losing GM boss put handed him a terrible offensive lineup around the few good hitters the manager has.

There is no doubt is he way behind Robert and I wasn't suggesting he was close behind Robert in turning it around. However we have to hope in time, Jake figures it out, because his strength and bat speed are elite.

I give tons of credit to Robert Jr. for working hard to improve on his plate discipline. Many of us in here were crushing him not too long ago on his horrible 0-Swing % and poor plate discipline. He has now clearly improved that weakness and is just crushing the baseball. He also looks to be having more fun now and more engaged. which many of us questioned his intensity and desire to win. My hat is off to Robert Jr for making the necessary adjustments and lifting his game to the what many early on thought he could achieve in greatness.

In my Sox lifetime which goes back awhile, I am not sure I ever witnessed a player like Robert before, who crushes the ball. as hard as he does. I'm thinking maybe Frank Thomas, but nobody else even close. Btw, Grifol gave Robert a very long and glowing speech in the post game show of how amazing Robert truly is. He didn't just talk about his hitting, which obviously he highlighted, but also stressed how Robert is probably one of the best centerfielders in baseball. Grifol could not emphasize enough, what Robert does in center is not easy, but he makes it look so easy. Heaven forbid, over the next few years if we could ever surround Robert with great on base hitters, both in front and back of him, how much more phenomenal his numbers could be.

I totally agree. However when you think about, Robert also struggled for awhile with pitches outside the zone and made the correct adjustments to lay off pitches outside the zone. Hopefully Burger can learn the same thing.

That's a 4-1 Robert Jr and Benintendi Sox win! Both go 5-8 with 4 RBI's and 2 HR's from Robert Remaining Sox lineup was 2-21. Pitching was razor sharp after Banks, who wasn't too bad.

It's a one of the all-time classics!

Great analysis and points. This is why Hahn has to go sooner than later. Ideally the Sox could be great team with the right modern day approach, even having an idiot owner. Jerry simply needs to decide once and for all, to go to the outside to find some young smart modern day thinking GM, that understands modern baseball analytical data. There are plenty of successful clubs like the Rays, Dodgers and Braves, etc to steal one of these Executives. Jerry then needs to make this new executive the President of Baseball Operations. The fact is, no great GM that fits this profile, is ever going to come to this dysfunctional organization for a lateral move. Then once Jerry finds this executive, he needs to let him have full control to completely clean house from top to bottom. The new top executive needs to be able to revamp the entire scouting and analytics depts, as well as all new coaches and coaching philosophies. Theoretically this is what should happen. Of course this is a pipedream and we all know while Jerry is still alive and in charge, this will probably never happen.

The reason they are 30th in OBP at .292 is simply because of their horrible plate discipline! 0-Swing % - 30th Walks - 30th Pitches taken per at bat - 30th 3-0 counts seen - 30th 2-0 counts seen - 30th The Sox are a severely flawed roster that has a terrible baseball IQ, when it comes factors to a successful hitting approach to get on base.

You're exactly right about solo homers. That is why the OBP% is so important. The Sox are last in walks and other ways to get on base. The are last in OBP at .292. Braves - HR's - 1st, OBP - 1st, Runs - 3rd - W-L - 2nd Rays - HR's - 3rd, OBP - 3rd, Runs - 2nd - W-L - 1st

Of course the White Sox do not have a plan. Whatever plan they have is worthless. To have a plan, means the FO knew exactly the type of players to scout, draft and develop or trade for, and sign as a free agents...for their specific blueprint on what constitutes a winning playoff roster. Once these good teams have those players on the roster, they have a manager and coaching staff that make sure the plan is implemented correctly and consistently. Here are three teams that have a strong plan relative to what they think win games, relative to the Sox lack of a plan: Rays - 53-27 best record in ML. HR's 122 - 3rd, - OBP - .339 - 3rd Braves - 49-27 - 2nd best record in ML - HR's 138 - 1st, - OBP - .340 - Tied for 1st Rangers - 47-29 - 3rd best record in ML - HR's 101 8th, - OPP - .340 - Tied for 1st White Sox - 33-45 - 25th best record in ML - HR's - 16th, - OBP - .292 - 30th We can add all other types of metrics, but the bottom line is, the better teams have a detailed plan in how they structure their roster. The crap teams like the Sox have no plan. If the crap teams like the Sox actually have a so called plan...then that plan is seriously flawed and obsolete.

Hahn has as much authority as Antonetti or others throughout the league. It has always been reported and led to believe, when Hahn was promoted to VP/GM, he was assured by Jerry, he would be in charge without a lot of inference from Kenny or Jerry. Don't kid yourself, other than Jerry forcing LaRussa down his throat, the vast majority of decisions have been on the genius of Hahn himself. Maybe for some huge free agent signing or trade he must confer with Kenny and Jerry, but the final decision is with Hahn. To be fair though on GM authority, there probably isn't any GM in baseball who doesn't have to go to someone above them for big decisions. For example in the Dodgers organization, the Executive VP & GM is Brandon Gomes. He reports to Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations. I'm sure Gomes has a lot of flexibility and authority on his own, but in any major FA signing or huge trade, I am pretty sure Gomes has to run it across Friedman. I'm sure it's also the same with the Rays, with Peter Bendix SR VP & GM reporting to Erik Neander, Pres of Baseball Operations. My point is, in other successful clubs there is a better collective "Brain Trust" above and below in their front office, than what exist in the White Sox front office. As far as Jerry being pleased or not with Hahn, I think he is not pleased. However Jerry's MO has always been loyalty at all cost to to a detriment casualty. Jerry probably knows it's bad, but he is too ignorant and stubborn to do anything about it. As long as you suck up to Jerry, you usually have a long career, even if you are horrible at your job and produce consistent losing results.

Elvis was stupid and took too big of a lead in that situation.

Yes you're right on those issues, but there are constant times when we have men on first and third and we don't run when we should. For example, in the 8th inning last night down 3-1, we had Robert on 3rd and Frazier on first pinch running for Vaughn. I get there was two outs, but my god, Frazier could jog to second with the threat of Robert on third. Of course I know it it didn't mater in hindsight, because Mr. Groundball expert Gavin Sheets grounded out to end the inning. The correct baseball move was to send Frazier and have men on 2nd and third. Now a base hit ties the game, as opposed to a base hit with first and third and all we score is one run and stuck with first and second or first and third, still needing another hit. I'm sorry but regardless of whether Grifol has a lack of talent to put on the field, he still sucks as a manager.

Thanks!

No you're right, the Cleveland organization from top to bottom is just the classic blueprint for how to build and maintain a consistent winning team. Amazingly they do it every year with a bottom end payroll in a small market.

I would agree with you and say a team last in OBP usually is usually a losing W-L team. I would also add that a team like the Sox that is also LAST in: Walks Pitches taken per AB 0 Swing % Highest groundball % Never won a World Series title, let alone be a winning team.