Chisoxfn

I would say that about a lot of the potential guys Sox are looking at. They do not need to trade for a bat. Just roll with this crew unless price is not one of the guys currently on the squad and or you are making a move to land a cost controlled ace.

I remember the two year (or something like that) streak where their fifth started never got a win. Those were on teams that won a lot of games and could never find a fifth starter that was even slightly below average. Jerry Manuel years.

It really would be amazing if Sheets, Burger and Vaughn all were above average - pair that with the other guys and damn - we talking mid 90s tribe type of stuff. And yes - way way way to soon to say any of those things…but something about sheets and burger - they just look like monsters and Vaughn is legit and its great to see him starting to adjust against righties.

Gavin and Burger both look the part.

This - I figure he'll get quite a bit of opportunities behind the plate and at 1B. If you are only a bat with no ability to play in the field - you really have to RAKE to stick.

One other item - but hopefully Yermin is playing a ton in the field and figuring out a way to diversify his game a bit. Even the ability to play 1st decently / be emergency catcher would help increase his odds in the long run.

I looked him up a few minuets ago - he's in AAA and in general has been hitting pretty well in the minors. I presume he's going to get a chance at some point in the next year.

This - he finally started to have better at bats. The worse part of Yermin's slump - he was just getting himself out, like really really bad. League adjusted and he just didn't adjust back - but I don't think it is a physical / tools issue - it just took him too long to get himself back. He's got to go down to AAA and just really work on those things and he'll get another shot.

Burger is going to get some at bats with the Yermin move. Hopefully Yermin takes this well - gets to work on some of the parts of the game that has gotten taken advantage of at the big league level and can make it back up and stick this next time. He clearly can hit and I don't think his hot streak was a total fluke - but he won't with the level of at bats he was having for the past month plus. I do thank him for the April.

The most important part at this point though is - being healthy at the right time. If things work out, this team could have an August/September in full force - which would be massive heading into October. But you are right - in general - Championship teams need some luck on their side, especially in baseball. I've always said Basketball is the sport with the highest outcome where the best team actually wins.

The interesting thing with Bryant - I would legitimately make a run at signing him in the off-season. He's just a really good player, very versatile, and whomever gets him, presuming the contract is in the 5ish year variety - shouldn't be too worried about a massive drop off in the contract (that said - I'm sure I'm wrong and years will go crazy). He also is a perfect fit in the lineup - although I do recognize playing him in the OF is not maximizing the ultimate value of Bryant, given how good of a 3B he is. And if you are the White Sox - I'm spending my money on bats (if it is lt coin) and staying st on pitching/constantly looking at finding young pitching (cost-controlled and less likely to be a giant albatross on the books when they get hurt). From a depth rotational perspective - keep things more short-term.

So I'll make my stance pretty clear - If we are trading for a 2B or a bat - I'd prefer going for a one and done guy who you can get on the cheap (every deadline there is a random guy dealt who you go, wow that was cheap). Burger for a guy, even with 1 year of extra control - unless it is a bonafide stud, just doesn't excite me. When the club gets to October - the reality is - the big question will be - will the rotation be healthy and pitching well. Right now - my concern is how the rotation will handle the 2nd half of the year, given the increased workload across the board (not just a Sox issue - but I'd say with the Sox it is magnified with a guy like rodon and we have seperate innings limits with Kopech/Crochet) - but in general, given the COVID shortened year, guys are going to be putting in a lot of extra work, etc. So if I'm using chips - I'm looking at fact that the rotation is set to lose 2 key pieces and yes, you can plug Kopech into one of those spots - but what rotational DEPTH is huge and critical, so if I'm dealing real prospects, it is for a cost controlled pitcher, not for a 2B or random outfielder who will help us for a handful of weeks, but eventually get replaced when other guys come back. If I am the Yankees or Dodgers - maybe I do that because I can - but White Sox can't do it - it just isn't a smart play in the long run for managing this franchise and quite frankly, I don't suspect it makes a difference come post-season. The only way my stance changes - is if the Sox are in a huge slump and thus post-season is in doubt, but until than...nope.

It is this situation where I get on our 6 year old kids that I coach that - 1 - don't slide unless you need to (cause at this age - it is super fun). My exception is if they want to slide into home, be my guest (cause no catchers are crowding the plate these days) - and NEVER EVER SLIDE INTO 1st and ALWAYS SLIDE Feet 1st (not head first). That said - I was really worried he was seriously injured, so this could end up as a blessing in disguise as he'll get some R&R for his lower body while the hand recovers a bit. And for those that worry about his power - I just won't. He's got a .400 OBP, plays plus defense, is fast, and has strength. He's got so much talent that he's still feeilng his way to this point - but he's going to put up an MVP year or two in his career - which is really cool to think, because if Robert comes back and has no LT health implications from his injury - I truly believe the same in him. On the Burger front - I get it, "where would he play" - but I just wouldn't worry about it. White Sox should not be in the market of trading guys who have a decent shot of being a solid to above average big league hitter (and COST CONTROLLED). They just shouldn't - because they don't have the financial wherewithall to do it. And for Gallo - please. I don't think Gallo puts them over the top - reality is - this team with a healthy lineup is absolutely fine, the real question is whether the rotation is still together and firing come the postseason (or will Rodon have tired out / injuries have occurred). If I were to trade chips - I'd be the contrarian who would be going after a cost controlled arm to join the group, knowing the pending risks on the Rodon/Lynn front...although I tend to believe Sox keep one of those guys for another few years.

Reminder - the year the Sox last won the series, I think the only move they made was Geoff Blum (maybe I'm forgetting something).

I will self admit that i never appreciated Jose Valentin for what he was. He always frustrated me - than I look back on his stats and wonder what was I thinking. But Sweaty Freddy was one of those guys that early in his Sox career - his starts were can't miss, late in his Sox career - if I knew Freddy was on the mound, I'd make plans cause the starts would take FOREVER and usually were relatively ugly (but boy I give him credit for how long he grinded out his career despite having far diminished stuff from his prime).

Would love for him to turn into a Jared Walsh type. Their minor league careers aren't similar - but he's still been a better player in MLB than he was in MILB. Sheets certainly has a frame - so no reason he couldn't hit for power. Odds are it doesn't work, but hey, you never know and he certainly has the right skills/tools.

LOL - That is a good point too. Cause my parents wouldn't have bought one at the age I was at. When I was moved off - it was still at the point where most of the kids didn't even have catcher's gloves (even though kids were pitching). Its funny - cause my 6 year old plays Pony and they already have catcher's glove despite the fact that it is machine pitch and catcher is still set pretty far off the plate due to some kids having bats fly out of there hands, etc still at this age. Although this summer he is doing some tourneys with Pony (against other cities) and some of these teams have catchers that are already catching everything out of the machine (which is pretty impressive for 5-6 year olds). But I won't have that problem - my son is lefty and he never ever ever wants to play catcher (which is a good call - it is such a brutal position).

So I was moved off of catcher at a very young age - because as a lefty - my throw is impacted when a righty is in a box. For a right handed catcher - the same holds true when a lefty is in the box (ie. it is more difficult). The problem is - majority of MLB hitters are righty (or at least were back in the day - not sure how the trend has shifted) and thus - left handed catchers just didn't exist because a righty has a leg up at throwing guys out a 2B. The one question I have is - with stolen bases going the way of the dodo bird - does that mean you might see more left handed catchers emerge? My guess is still no - because base stealing is still pretty prolific at the college and little league levels.

Absolutely.

Marshall has solid stuff and I want to see him get back to what he was last year. Hoping it isn't a serious injury and some time on the DL and maybe a rehab assignment is just what the dr ordered.

I hope his injury isn’t bad.

I don't know why I had forgotten this - but you are right - it was a total stunner. I remember exactly where I was for that and oddly enough I also remember where I was when I heard Magic was retiring (because growing up a Bulls fan in socal - I had many debates with Laker fans at the time re: who was better (and at that point still in MJ's career - MJ wasn't the clear cut winner).

lol

Good call on tonya Harding. That was huge. I also might be biased - but that first dream team was something else (might be because I was a kid at that time - but man was that sweet). Not too 3 - but still that first time seeing all those superstars on one team destroying the rest of the world…yeah that was something else.

I would have Jenner down on my list - just not a big deal to me - but I would put Jordan retiring in his prime to go play baseball very high on my list. Magic is very much #1 for me. The Oakland A's / San Francisco world series with the earthquake is also up there.