nrockway

totally bizarre. "better at the ministry of truth". every sox math segment from here on out will be "2+2=5"

the hypocrisy was blatant from the very beginning. for most of this sport's history, gambling was pretty much the only thing that would actually get you blackballed from the sport. now the commentators cheerfully teach children about parleys and betting lines while grown men sob and scream in the stands because they've just lost their house over a ball game. have to hope that new laws are actually created to reign this in. on the federal level I mean.

I think for baseball's sake and its future longevity, he is a gambler and gets banned for life and the league completely reassesses its vice-peddling policies before something Black Sox esque happens. maybe the Supreme Court realizes it made a mistake with Murphy v NCAA and gambling in its entirety moves back to the reservation. This is the tip of the iceberg, I'm convinced non-NIL college athletes are already throwing games. you're a 19-year-old and all you have to do is miss a three pointer or walk the guy and you win 500 bucks, why wouldn't you? ethics? right now it's the Puigs and Ippeis of the world, next it will be a minor league pitcher with a small signing bonus or an umpire throwing a game. however, I don't think he was actually gambling I think he just paid off his buddy's debt and didn't consider the legal ramifications of it because "hey gambling is legal now!" and it seems reasonable to assume he's not going to tell his lawyers or accountants that he's going to pay a bookie millions of dollars. the conflicting "stories" is what's perhaps most interesting. one thinks this story isn't going away and the truth will eventually come out, but I get the impression that Ohtani was trying to do right by his buddy who essentially wipes his ass for him and did everything for him not relate to baseball.

the best decision I've made in the last month, and continue to make on a daily basis, is not attending a White Sox spring training game.

yowza. love to see it. makes me think Crochet and Kopech's powers combined could actually make for a good pitcher that regularly throws 6 innings and only walks 5 batters. the glass half full fan in me says that the pitching staff is actually in pretty good shape. a lot of talented pitchers who cost nothing and have many years of control left. one hopes that the Feddes and Flexens of the team play at least well enough to be traded for someone under the age of 25. and that the Sox spend that money they've saved on the bullpen in free agency on an actual useful position player like Ha-Seong Kim.

Yeah I don't know what the expectation is for a coach or an executive. I had/have optimism about the Bannister hiring because of the systems he put in place at his previous job (or at least took credit for). Hopefully the Sox can institute developmental systems that allow players to reach their potential. That's a little different than teaching a 27-year-old fifth year veteran how to throw the ball over the plate in a month. Especially when it probably has little to do with pitching mechanics and is almost certainly mental. I echo the other poster's sentiment that a bullpen role is lower pressure and maybe Kopech can develop some confidence and work his way back into the starting rotation. I don't think the team's given up on him.

post 6 more times then leave. let the number of the beast brand your s%*# posts.

C. it's not a D because I think Zavala is better than his ranking.

my gut tells me it's ha seong kim and some nobody prospect.

correct, it was a joke, it's never going to happen.

Bummer. At least he got paid first and it’s the red sux who are stuck with him.

True. Hopefully someone like Kim or Torres or even Alonso and not 3 or 4 35-year-old relievers

2026 seems more realistic since I have to imagine that improvement to the team will come via its young players improving or trading for young players who will hopefully improve. The White Sox could be a good team in 2026 if Lee, Quero, Montgomery, Ramos, Colas, Vaughn actually turn into good baseball players, if 3 or 4 of these young pitchers become starter quality, and if Cease returns 2 to 3 very good players, ideally a middle infielder and a corner outfielder. A lot to ask for but not totally outside the realm of possibility. Maybe we sign Juan Soto tho, I dunno...

Oscar held up his swing on a called strike on the outside corner, the next pitch he swung at a ball that would've gone through the 5-hole.

Kinneapolis? White Socks? this was posted on yahoo.com or a Nigerian sports blog? for what it's worth, Kim was a very boring character on a very good tv show.

I don't think it's a joke but I think the positional adjustment is a little wonky and needs to be contextualized. like yeah, it's harder to replace a shortstop than it is to replace a first baseman's production, but guys accumulate WAR just by playing at "premium" positions even if they're practically useless. WAR for catchers and first baseman should be rethought, catcher WAR is especially absurd depending on if you like Fangraphs' or Baseball-Reference's calculation. I think Fangraphs gives way too much weight to framing, Yasmani Grandal has literally double the WAR by the Fangraphs calculation and looks like a borderline Hall of Famer.

the free-swinging gramps has some pop, displayed adequate range. I'd start him in right field.

I listened to him on the Sox on 35th podcast recently and he seems like a nice guy who works hard. I hope he's actually figured something out, he could potentially be a useful player.

the answer is to build a bunch of 'amenities' that have nothing to do with watching a baseball game but nonetheless inspire baseball-tinged nostalgia. I'd think if the Sox wanted to sell tickets, they'd build an elaborate Wilbur Wood-themed slip-n-slide. It can travel in the direction of his knuckleball. Perhaps a barcade called "TLR's" which features several driving simulators and a batting cage that throws you 3 balls then a meatball pitch that you're supposed to ignore. Yo-Yo's Candy Palace would be a big draw for the youth. in all actuality, they should build a batting cage and a sports complex. where can you actually hit a baseball in the city of Chicago, Lake Zurich?

Can we replace him with Pujols yet

oh, interesting. thanks! there goes trying to track his ABs I guess

Colas is 0-3, 2 K's and a groundout. the two K's were both on 3 pitches and the groundout was on the first pitch, a total of 7 pitches to record 3 outs. I'm still hyped about that infield single but I'd like to see him start hitting the ball actually. Did make a nice play in right field.

the only thing that stuck out to me about the game I watched them broadcast was how many times Stone said "wonderful", Schriffen codifying into SoxLaw his SoxMath replacement, Get2KnowUrSox, and him talking about what a foodie and "dog dad" he is. I don't know if he said "dog dad" but he sounds like the sort of guy who might call a dog a "fur baby". Definite Benetti vibes. I think he could've been a bit more ebullient when Colas beat out that infield hit too but that's just splitting hairs.

I've only listened to one Sox broadcast this spring but I think if nobody told me, I wouldn't be able to tell that they replaced Benetti. These guys have the exact same voice and they talk about the same goofy stuff...I am suuuch a foodie! it's like the shtick of every millennial play-by-play announcer to play the part of awkward nerd. I'm sure he'll be great

Colas can do no wrong in February