CaliSoxFanViaSWside

The way I see it it's his time. He's had plenty of experience from his time in Japan. Even with all the rust from not playing much in the last year he came out guns blazing and even got better in AA in Birmingham, a bad place for Sox prospects in the past. Once he switched to RF in Birmingham he racked up 7 assists in RF in only 32 games. That's an absurdly high amount of assists in so few games. You can say any player or prospects has issues because even very good players getting on base 35% percent of the time are still not getting on base 65% of the time. You can focus on the weaknesses to get better, but lets not downplay their strengths and he has plenty of strengths. He's also about 24.5 years old and once you reach your mid 20's you start to lose the feeling of a prospect and get into the "it's now or never time" to show what you got. Plus in order to try and mitigate teams trying to gain the extra year MLB provides Prospects Promotion Incentives (PPI).https://piratesprospects.com/2022/10/breaking-down-the-prospect-promotion-incentive.html "In order for a team to qualify for the PPI program, they must roster a qualifying prospect long enough for the player to accrue a full season of service. Going into the season, a qualifying prospect must still have their rookie status intact with 60 days or less of service and be included on two of the three Top-100 prospect lists from the following publications: ESPN, Baseball America, or MLB Pipeline." These incentives also apply to Arbitration eligible players and, if you recall, Cease got around an extra $2M for finishing 2nd in the Cy Young voting. Colas qualifies having made the Top 100 in both Pipeline and Baseball America which to me is quite an accomplishment given the fact the odds where stacked against him coming in being an older prospect dropped into A ball to start the season when these prospects lists focus more on the younger players, Colson Montgomery for example. Although Montgomery deserves his high ranking it still is just opinion based and he has a much longer way to go to prove those opinions correct. Colas is knocking on the door barely a few months after making the lists despite the Sox slow playing his rise. That decision only led to more doubts among the people who do the rankings and apparently some fans because his time in AAA was so short . So I wouldn't exactly call him a Fringe Top 100 guy. I'd call him a guy who impressed a lot of people but given how the rankings work perhaps they needed to see more. But I really don't know what else he could've done. The main thing is he hit LH and RHP equally well and fielded his position very well. His walk to K ratio wasn't good and he's been working on it in the off season but I'm pretty sure his main goal was to show his skills with the bat and in the field and he did that amazingly well. No one comes to the majors a finished product. There's really no reason to take Colas' defense out of the OF unless you plan on putting Marisnick in RF against lefties and Sheets against RHP until they deem Colas ready. Even if the service time manipulation is transparent Colas won't win a grievance. More than likely wouldn't even file one because he'd lose even if he had a red hot ST and was still sent down. He has built in disadvantages because it took him so long to get to the states in the rankings and among fans.

Mondou

A candid conversation with Tim Anderson . He seems relaxed and doesn't often talk this much. Have at it.

Well everyone is healthy, Eloy and Gio both realized they were carrying too much weight. All the podcasts seem to like the Andrus signing. People are looking forward to seeing Colas play. Grifol is imparting a one step at a time mentality while stressing fundamentals and hard work from the get go. Guys are going off to play in the WBC which should be exciting. I'm pretty stoked which is what spring is for. It may all crash and burn but for now I'm good. I've lived through plenty of disappointing seasons but it hasn't stopped me from being enthusiastic when, for a brief moment, things are looking up. I just try real hard to keep my mind off the incompetency of the FO and owner and focus on the players. It's fun to imagine guys like Eloy and Robert actually having real good years at the same time which has never happened. The top 4 in the rotation seems real solid.We should actually be better against LHP if Benintendi and Colas do well and Moncada and Grandal can't be any worse than they were last year. Defense should be better too ,without 1st basemen or Eloy in the OF as much.

i"m loving this ST. With all the BS surrounding TLR , Covid, the strike, shortened season it seems like its been a long time since we've had a normal uplifting spring, outside of the Clevinger and Hendriks stories.

He's supposed to have a very quick bat. I mean if it was that long you'd think someone could have exploited it especially lefties but his minor league numbers as far as batting average, slugging and OPS were actually better against LHP. A lot less AB's of course which is always the case but it was over 100 and over 400 vs. RHP. Really seems to have a good idea how to hit against both handed pitchers. He just has to be more selective .

This was a very good interview.

Don't forget Colas isn't on the 40 yet so Liam can be put on the 60 day IL on opening day if Colas needs to be added then.

SOx still have to add Colas to the 40 so it's likely Liam gets the 60 day DL very close to opening day or whenever they decide to add Colas to the 40 which could come later if they send him down for the extra year.

1:37 - Elvis Andrus re-signs with the White Sox to be the starting 2nd baseman 9:09 - White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn speaks on the signing of Elvis Andrus (video clip) 13:33 - The Andrus signing will help fill the leadership void with Jose Abreu’s departure 18:45 - Elvis Andrus is excited to return to the White Sox for the full season (video clip) 28:20 - What the Elvis move means to the rest of the roster including Leury Garcia & Romy Gonzalez 38:09 - White Sox ace Dylan Cease 1 on 1 interview with Beat Writer Vinnie Duber (pre-recorded) 46:10 - Janice & Vinnie share their appreciation for Dylan Cease’s cat stories 49:45 - White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson talks about Jose Abreu and how it is time to move on (video clip) 51:14 - White Sox have plenty of leaders in their clubhouse even without Jose Abreu 53:19 - Mailbag Monday: Which minor leaguer will have the best Spring Training? 58:06 - Mailbag Monday: What will be the everyday (projected) lineup now that Elvis Andrus has signed? 1:01:22 - Mailbag Monday: Does the Elvis Andrus signing move your grade for the White Sox offseason? BUY WHITE SOX TICKETS HERE: https://gametime.hnyj8s.net/c/3442941...

Despite what you think about Leury vs. Andrus these are the facts. Last year in 1 season Andrus had more fWar than Leury has had in the last 4 seasons combined 3.5 to 2.9. However fluky you think it is , it happened. It might not be likely to happen again but a 2.0 fWar would be the 1st time that's happened at 2nd base for the Sox in a very long time., I think someone said since Iguchi. One player never makes or breaks a team. Ohtani and Trout can't push the Angels into the playoffs. Only a full team playing good baseball together can do that. Good defense, smart baseball and good base running . These are fundamental things that need to be done by all players. These things elevate a mediocre player into a good player. I am not against playing young players. I might be the guy highest on Colas on the whole board. In his case they really need his arm in RF and there's no one else who can give them that . I also believe in his bat. He has a much better chance of succeeding than the overhyped Romy or the not yet ready for prime time Sosa. Nothing suggests Romy is anything special either but I hope they both kill it in ST & AAA and make life hard on the decision makers. Andrus will be gone soon enough and the Sox have more than just Sosa knocking on the door in the infield with Ramos and Rodriguez. Youth will be served eventually on the Sox infield.

Hey I'm just happy you're alive. You've been pretty scarce round these parts lately.

If this season is a bust the Sox will have a lot more to worry about next year than they do this year which is actually very frightening. For now I'm drinking the Grifol Kool-aid about giving the players all the info they need and the more intense prep work and how, as players and a team, the whole process of how you get from point A to point B in small productive steps at a time.

Andrus deserves more leeway to be bad because he'll be steady and gives you veteran smarts and good base running born from experience . Rookies especially Romy are wildly unpredictable and have 0 veteran knowledge. The game is often too fast for them. I don't even know why we talk about Romy as much as we do. What's he ever done ? After Andrus is gone there may be a dogfight for 2nd base that Romy isn't even involved in unless it happens this season.

Right I understand the projection systems but they have Andrus getting more playing time for a reason. Plus the variances in outcome for the Romy and Sosa are much wider than the guy with a track record in MLB. Just saying the young guys without great minor league stats are definitely going to have a greater chance of massive failure than Andrus and you don't need projection systems to know that.

The Odds are heavily favored ? Who is making odds on the White Sox 2nd base candidates MLB performance in 2023 ? Fangraphs uses 7 different projection systems and they have Andrus from 1.0 to 1.9 fWar next year. These same systems say Romy is projected for.1 - .9 fWar and Sosa .3 to 1.6 I'd say the chances are much higher that Andrus gets to 2 fWar since like, ya know, he did it last year in MLB rather than Sosa or Romy (lol) who have never ever been in the majors for any length of time. Common sense should tell you that instead of your own made up musings about the odds regarding the performance of 26 yr old Romy and the not ready yet Sosa.

C'mon now who is he blocking ? Romy, the guy who had one good season a couple of years ago in the minors but has been hyped up this spring ? Great if he's so good let him prove it in the minors. Sosa ? Again let him prove it in the minors. He only just turned 23 . He raked in Birmingham and has a history of being slow to adjust to the next level. He got almost as many PA in Charlotte as in did in Birmingham but his OPS was over.100 less in Charlotte. Anyone else is below Romy and Sosa in the pecking order. It's one year for heavens sake and $3M. It's not like the Sox are going to stand in the way of some superstar minor leaguer who needs to come up right away just so Andrus can play every single game of the season. We should have a good idea of how good this team is by the All STar break. If they suck, great, bring up the few young guys that might need to see MLB pitching and start the adjustment process. He went 11 for 11 in stolen bases last year and seems like a guy who knows how to take advantage of the new pickoff rules in the right situations. He's a heady guy and has a lot to offer.

If there is a White Sox player who can best verbalize the feelings inside the White Sox clubhouse, it's Lance Lynn. Chuck Garfien sits down with the veteran leader at spring training to discuss many hot-button topics: computers projecting the White Sox to have a losing record this year, how they need to come together as a team, the Guardians mocking the White Sox after they won the AL Central, what he'd say to White Sox fans who are skeptical about them having a comeback season and much more.

This podcast addresses some concerns many of us have a bout some of the comeback candidates like LG, Eloy and Robert and some good points are made in an optimistic manner about how the Grifol era is sending an information available and a bit more intense message about how to prepare and get from point A to point B as a player and a team. Nick Murawski has his own podcast, Locked on White Sox, but I like him better when he's paired with Pat Hester ( who is dryly humorous without laughing at his own jokes) ,in the Good Guys Talk back podcasts. Have a listen.

I'm sure they will give it a few more weeks to put him on the 60 day list since they have until opening day. I'm not going to predict if the Sox have any more moves up their sleeves but it seems unlikely unless the league makes a decision on Clevinger in the near future and even then it'll just be Davis Martin taking his place. Maybe then the Sox will see who's left among the starting pitcher FA. Bundy , Archer, Anibal Sanchez whoever is willing to sign a MILB deal maybe.

Which is why I made that long post about hoping the Sox had a real expert top trainer who knows all the things I talked about in that post. You need quite an education to plan a health strategy for every player. They are all different sizes , shapes, different injury history's and ages and need a program specifically designed for them as individuals.

If you listened to any of the Giolito remarks in the youtube posts I made in this thread you'll see he said in retrospect he didnt do the right thing last year which is why he lost the weight he gained. Pitchers have to be athletic too to field their position . Plus repeating your mechanics with 35 extra lbs. isn't exactly the easiest thing to do either plus throw in a bout with Covid last year. Sometimes thinking you need to be stronger and bigger isn't the right answer. Being smart and over thinking things can be just as detrimental as being stupid.

I think Liam ends up on the 60 day. Despite the reports he still has cancer and has to undergo Chemo. That is not easy to come back from even if he beats the cancer. He'll need to regain his strength and go through a rehab assignment. I think putting Liam on the 60 day is an easy call. He can't be rushed back if and when he beats the disease.

C : Grandal ,Zavala IF : Anderson , Andrus Moncada, Vaughn, Garcia 26th man was the hardest to pick but I'll go with Sheets although he doesn't provide much except a LH bat and backup1st base/OF which he should never play. Maybe Hamilton as a specialty PR and defensive replacement or Romy as an extra utility guy equal to or ahead of Leury but that contract might be the 1st option. Spring training may provide more answers to that last spot or Colas being held down to gain an extra year. OF : Benintendi, Jimenez, Robert, Colas, Marisnick P: Bummer , Cease, Giolito, Graveman, Kelly , Kopech, Lambert, Lopez, Lynn , Ruiz , Diekman, Clevinger/Martin , Foster

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/if-everybody-wants-elvis-andrus-why-isnt-anybody-calling/ Fangraphs article from January. What that article doesn't mention and is what Elvis said since the end of 2022 but what Feagan posted seems either significant or Andrus just trying to get a better payday. The article said Elvis needed to evolve defensively which he is clearly is willing to do so the writer clearly missed this from Fegan: At the end of 2022, Elvis Andrus said two things: He was willing to come back and play 2B, and had found something in his swing that had been missing since fracturing his elbow in 2018.