CaliSoxFanViaSWside

Hoping and praying for the best possible outcome. Be strong Danny .

I'm not concerned with Shields since he is a sunk cost gone after this year but they could've passed on Miguel Gonzales and the numerous relief guys they signed and put in the minors for the most part and attempted to sign some of the available relief pitchers and starting pitchers with better track records and guys like Moustakas and Logan Morrison for very cheap and for the short term benefit of making the Sox competitive and attractive to free agents without messing too much with the longer term potential. If you are still not competitive enough by the trade deadline you have better pieces to move.

I agree. You have to see it through. However when opportunities present themselves such as the bargain basement prices for FA's this off season things can be adjusted on the fly. The Sox could have been a better team this year with minimal spending and without upsetting the timeline for success since many of those I mentioned earlier signed for 1 or 2 years, The only thing that would have been affected is giving some iffy position players the chance to show they are more than what they have already shown or some guys like Miguel Gonzales , Robbie Ross and Chris Volstad and some other relief pitchers chances to catch on with other teams.

And last time I checked the Sox hitters were worst in baseball at hitting with RISP. That was before the 11 run game but still have to be way way down there.

I know they will have the money but the question remains will the free agents we want and need take it ? I remain skeptical if the Sox patience with sacrificing winning for development of sketchy talent doen't reap some dividends.

You know the answer to that. You look at age , defense and offense in minor leagues and in the show. So what if you lose a DH ( Davidson) there are tons of those available . If Delmonico cant play better D he is also a DH. Engel is also getting to the age where results matter. I want these guys to become stars too but odds are they won't and won't even be starters for many, if any, major league teams. You scout them , you know their age and history and you come to a conclusion. It isn't hard and you play the odds. Just saying the way I suggested is just an alternative reality. No way of knowing how this all plays out. But if it plays out the way I'm hoping it doesn't ,with the Sox not signing any major FA's, I will be disappointed and look to the 2017-18 offseason and 2018 season as the main culprits. If the Sox can still win a Championship without big name free agents then I will be extremely impressed and will have worried about all this for nothing .

Shields actually is well liked and pretty funny and also good with the young pitchers. Dane Dunning credited Shields with adjusying the grip on his curve ball. You can be of value other places besides on the field. He will be gone soon enough.

Good luck Fark . Get well soon. Hope it's not anything life threatening.

Just baseball being baseball. I like saltiness. I see a little of Rickey Henderson in Anderson. Let him get under Verlander's skin . Verlander has to find his motivation somewhere since the Sox bats were dormant. Besides some of what Verlander said was right . He had the last laugh picking Anderson off. Veteran smarts outwitted young players aggressiveness. Live and learn. Baseball being baseball.

I totally understand what this year is about but I can't say I'm 100% in line with it. Other teams on the rebound like the Phils and Braves were a little more proactive in improving their teams. The Braves picking up Preston Tucker from the Astros is paying early dividends. I really like what the Twins did this off season. They got starters and relievers most of whom I thought would be good fits for the Sox and got most of them at bargain prices. They took advantage of the down market to nab Logan Morrison. They got Ordorizzi, Lance Lynn, Rodney , Duke and Reed. They signed Michael Pineda even though he will miss this year . They spent around $52M for all that and with the Reed and Pineda deals both being 2 years and Ordorizzi signed through next year also. Reed was easily available for the Sox because he only wanted to be on teams in the Midwest. It is no secret I advocated signing Moustaskas and thought JD Martinez would also be beneficial. I advocated more moves with the hopes of being fairly competitive this year in order for key free agents to consider the Sox an up and coming team. It's much harder to convince them of that if the Sox approach 100 losses. The Sox could have made some hard decisions on the Davidson and Engel types on the roster rather than give them another year to develop. I know many of you think that money will determine where free agents sign but it is also about winning. It's hard to pass up big bucks and winning teams like the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox. Those teams are doing all they can to avoid luxury taxes and be viable players for the upcoming free agents. They are our competition for all those guys everyone seems to think the Sox have a shot at. Apparently the Sox tried to trade for Yelich and made a late run at Logan Morrison and we all remember the idiotic idea of trading for Machado in the hopes of resigning him. The Sox payroll is the lowest its been since 2004 and next year the commitments are very low so in theory the Sox will have plenty of money available or free agents. The Sox could have made moves this off season cheaply to either be more competitive and have a small shot to make the playoffs or have better pieces to sell off. I guess my main point is would it have been so bad to make earlier decisions on guys like Davidson, Engel, Delmonico and try to be more competitive ? Chances are those types will not develop into long term starters or even very tradable pieces any more so than guys they could have signed in the off season. The only thing the Sox did this off season was save more money and delay the inevitable decisions on players who most likely will not succeed. Most of those guys are flawed either defensively or offensively . I want the Sox to be a more attractive destination for free agents but I am losing hope that if the Sox put a lot of eggs into the free agent market and end up without a couple of big name players they are screwed and I will blame it on too much losing.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Apr 17, 2018 -> 12:02 PM) I'd like to see Leury in CF full time. Engel just kind of sucks. Keep him around as the 4th OF if need be, but he shouldn't be getting everyday at bats. Any update on Cordell injury from yesterday? I've supported Engel in the past but also thought Leury should be the opening day starter in CF even suggested he was just as good as Engel out there which drew the wrath of many.

QUOTE (BigHurt3515 @ Apr 16, 2018 -> 10:00 PM) Not like we have a ton of options on the bench (besides Garcia for Engel). Unless you mean the order order or odor ?

Hey Ricky just keep sticking to the same lineup. It's working like a charm.

QUOTE (Footlongcomiskeydog @ Apr 14, 2018 -> 02:59 PM) This Albies kid looks like he is going to be a special player. He is only 21 and already looks light years ahead of Moncada. Would have to go back in the wayback machine to see how many around here believed Albies could be as good as he has been. The way I remember it is Acuna was the one everyone liked and most were down on Albies because of his lack of power. Both Acuna and Albies were constantly mentioned when talking about trading Quintana maybe even before that .

If any starting pitchers go down wouldn't mind the Sox giving Dickey a try. He actually had a 2 War last year and a decent ERA (NL) and 190 innings. Sox have had a decent history with knuckleballers. Has he officially retired ?

QUOTE (insiderinfo @ Apr 13, 2018 -> 10:55 AM) Do they still call him that? Tony what do you think? Is it because he bought someone named juana a condo? I thought it was because of a large snake called an anaconda but you may be onto something . Nice to have insider info always.

QUOTE (soxfan49 @ Apr 13, 2018 -> 08:50 AM) Arenado does, and he'll be a UFA in 2020. That's who I really want but I don't see the Sox winning that sweepstakes or very many other top tier free agents sweepstakes no matter how low the payroll . I'd take Rendon though. I actually see the Sox going after a top line starting pitcher. The starters still will be very young and working out the kinks still in 2020 if they can remain healthy and advance as most of us expect.

I wonder if Brian Dozier has the arm for 3rd base. Probably not.

Shouldn't this be pinned ?

QUOTE (glangon @ Apr 13, 2018 -> 04:28 AM) Called it, acting smug now. I might 've called it before you. Trouble is I think I said it when he was sent down in the temporary Sox forum. Something like his spring ERA was 0 and he would be one of the 1st called up when someone inevitably implodes.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 10, 2018 -> 09:59 AM) Looking at the rebuild as of noon April 10, 2018, I will go on record as saying the thing I am least scared of in the future is the White Sox bullpen. I never understood this stance by you. Maybe it's because you think because the Sox have had good fortune picking up guys like Thornton, Addison Reed, Swarzak Kahnle Jenks etc plus the plethora of solid young arms in the system and the Sox success at developing arms but it takes some really elite bullpen arms to win a WS these days. While I have generally positive attitudes regarding individual players I have my worries that the whole rebuild just won't come to the outcome it is supposed to. I don't really care too much about long term success as stated by Hahn but another WS win is all I can realistically hope for. Just that one year where injuries are scarce . some peak performances and some luck thrown in for good measure. Just knowing the Sox miserable history makes me generally pessimistic that it's all going to come together like its meant to.

Turns out the entire Tigers series was in jeopardy ... of sucking .

Whenever I read about curve balls I often wonder if the best curve ballers throw them at different speed with varying degrees of break on on them. I know the best do that but it's not something you read about very often. You do hear Hawk bring it up occasionally. So I am asking did Floyd or does Gio threw/throw different versions of the curve ?

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Apr 7, 2018 -> 11:47 AM) lol, how does one "over react" when the players in question had over 800 combined PA last year and were over -2 fWAR combined. I'm not over reacting to this year I'm reacting to bad players that have sucked for a long time on the south side. I get it. However in a year the Sox aren't going to compete guys like Engel and Davidson need to get every chance to improve. Avi did,Yolmer and Leury showing signs they will. I know Engel is older and has no pedigree like Moncada who you constantly defend but I'd expect more from a guy who supposedly played the game like you. Give him some credit at least he had a good AB. I just think you biases show up too much in game threads.

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Apr 7, 2018 -> 11:45 AM) time to pull the plug on engel as the everyday CF. Ok why ? You over reacted a few games ago on Davidson too.