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Given the reports of how tepid he is, I’m really thinking the “he wouldn’t be a guy they push me out for” was a part of flus’ thinking. Getting a former head coach in Kliff? That’d be threatening.

Craziest thing with Caleb by far has been his overthrowing guys by 30 yards on deep balls. It would have completely changed offense if he hit a few more of those. But I also just still have a hard time believing that's a long-term thing.

That JSN interview was an immediate red flag right? I think it's going to be pretty hard for fans to actually know who a good OC is. It's clear I gave him way too much credit for Geno's resurgence, which may have been baked in from just years of experience gradually chipping away at his issues. On the same end...is dave canales given too much credit for Tampa? He was from waldron, and their run game was pretty meh. Baker keeps killing it. OTOH, probably not enough credit given to Kliff for giving such a smooth on-ramp to Kyler, actual, tangible experience in getting a rookie qb to perform right away in nfl. Ben Johnson may be given too much credit then for Goff...that offense is talented. OTOH, it looked like s%*# under Anthony Lynn, and he seems to have a fire to crush the other team. It's a shot worth taking. John Fox was bad as a HC, checked out, but he could hire coaches. Boy...bad coaches seem to hire bad coaches, dont they?

It, in retrospect, was very concerning that the 2023 seahawks added JSN and Zach Charbonnet to a group that had an established Geno, DK Metcalf, ROTY running back, and Tyler Lockett and...finished 22nd in scoring. Their complaints were of extreeeemely limited route trees, some of which we've seen for especially DJ.

It’s possible, of course. On the other hand I find it amazing that in the year we find out that darnold, baker, geno, Goff are some of the best QBs in the league … at the same time we are calling busts vs stars the rookie class. Id also add that Caleb is by far the youngest of this current class. If he was Daniel’s he’d be transferring to LSU now. His story isn’t written.

I wish I could believe this. I think we are already walking dead with him. At this point the only thing that matters is caleb digging out of this slump. It really was just a few weeks ago he looked awesome.

I'm inclined to agree. He has been extremely disciplined and the org is in a good spot otherwise. But there were so many awesome coaches available. Hell, there were so many awesome coordinators. I mean go back to the flus hire. It was between him and Dan Quinn. Quinn clearly was superior. Kevin O'Connell was that cycle, one of the best coaches in the league. Mike McDaniel - at least one of the best offensive minds. KOC and McDaniel weren't finalists though. Caldwell went on to coach Bryce Young with Reich and get let go. Leslie Frasier retired or something. And, uh. Eberflus. McCaskey sucks so much. Bulls. Bears. Sox. No hope.

scariest thing to me right now is we keep hearing about all these offensive players stressing that people aren't practicing hard, don't have details ready. DJ's alluded to it, swift, jaylon johnson, we have the receivers saying they need to coach harder... starting to run out of people they could be talking about that aren't Caleb.

Roseman chooses coordinators. Flus should have never had that power after Getsy

weak owners relying on strong agents to outsource staffing the franchise. Jerry Reinsdorf (mark bartelstein) and George McCaskey (trace armstrong)

one thing that is really starting to stink like a fish is this trace armstrong connection. So we do this massive OC search and they settle, once again, on a Trace Armstrong guy? I'd almost ban Poles from hiring from him the next round (or let ben johnson pick his Gm because IDGAF anymore)

It’s so sad because even the cubs are mentioned as a team that has made a great organization for Japanese players. That of course was once the white Sox. We really did used to have things we were the best at, now everyone would settle for just being slightly below average at most things

They had a $200 mill budget, but the restrictions he put on how to spend it means the team wastes on 1b/DH that are available for 4 year deals, and a s%*# ton of bullpen signings. He let's sycophants run things for decades. His employees get charged for felonies for defrauding their own team, not trying to steal secrets of others. The sox can only seem on the right path if you put on blinders to what other teams already have in place. Oh we started hiring from the outside? That's amazing, but 28 other teams do that routinely. It doesn't alone guarantee you can be one of the best teams in baseball by just doing normal s%*#.

Kansas City got new owners.

Good point, we’d need to replace benintendi’s bat

I do think Sox will benefit from making clear he’s available, and not letting teams like brewers/guardians etc dangle players when we try to play hardball. Let it be clear he’s gonna move and let teams auction. Our leverage to keep him isn’t convincing.

I agree, this would be my hope. If i'm them though - crochet would not be 1a and I think that may hold for market as a whole.

I don't know, I don't believe someone should need to actually BE there at that level, they need to manage the operation which, ideally, should be global.

not even sure it matters other than as a sign of a more robust dept. You were right, it was Francys.

@Y2Jimmy0 do you think hector was right that intl will still build out a director role underneath Keller ?

This is THE big question to me. I’m just not interested in pitching at all. Jose’s de Paula…tough guy to buy in on in this org, but definitely seems like the only kind of talent we’ll get. Really tough market for Sox to build out offensively, extremely important to find some more talent here as well as drafting/intl (even if years away - as trade material sooner)

my working assumption is lopez, sheets out. Lopez should have never been tendered last year.

hmm, brought out more. Was just gonna highlight Tyler O'Neill too, as an opposite approach in that he crushes LHP and we didn't crush anything. But they gave him more than I was expecting.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5893223/2024/11/04/mlb-top-free-agents-juan-soto-contract/ I kinda wonder if the tv contracts will cause more compression in the mid tier than this expects, but wanted to bring out two position players I was wondering if we'd kick tires on a re-birth. Allow me to dislodge my brain and imagine some things - the sox sign some players they hope will improve the ball club and also be eminently tradeable. First thought - The starting staffs of the AL Central are extremely right handed. There's like 3 across 4 teams at the moment. Platoon outfielders are always a decent shot at trading away in july. The best free agents against RHP were: Juan Soto (I'd sign him! great guy), Joc, Adames, Profar, Santander. Is this the year for Joc? They estimate 1 yr 16 mil, I think that's probably right. But one to watch, as I could see him still out there in early March. I would put him signing with the sox at 2%, but his 150 wRC+ vs. RHP is nice, and he walks more vs. LHP. Jurickson Profar - it would be awesome. Can you imagine Benintendi and Profar in Lf and RF? sorry, i'd strike this as they see him getting 3 for $50, which is reasonable but makes no sense for the sox. Teoscar/Santander were getting long term, $20+mill deals. On down the list. Some realistic options Jesse Winker - predicted 2 yrs $17. Winker is a guy this board had advocated for for last 3 years, so I'd put it likely we sign him when he turns 32 in season and declines. But honestly I do wonder. It's hard to express just how much better Winker is as a hitter than anything we had last year. Seems like a guy we could trade to the braves mid season when their outfielders get hurt. Conforto - 1 year, $10 mill. Last year conforto was better vs lefties , but getting an actual RHH may make sense, and if he, years later, is healthy (lol) and shining, this could be a valuable shot. Also gets him out of SF. Kepler - Kepler was bad last year, and his weakness against fastballs may mean he's cooked. But bad kepler last year would have been one of our best players. He actually wasn't very good vs. RHP, but he is a lefty, and again, if he reverts? Predicted at 1 yr 10 mill Verdugo - 1 year $8 mill In many ways I think Verdugo is maybe the most white sox player of all time. Disappointing, plays like an idiot. Hahn would be all over this. And I do think it makes sense, if he recovers a bit, you get a player with LHH against our RHP division (he was awful vs RHP last year, but better than most of our hitters). He's only 28. Anyway, there is a question here of bounce back vs. old production. Conforto / Kepler / Verdugo are your bounce back guys, could have more value. Winker could easily regress and be a stinker too, but when he hits he isn't as jekyll and hyde as the rest. Anyway I'd sign Pete ALonso and stick him in RF so Vaughn can stay at first.

See Detroit, with hinch under Avila vs new GM.