[Reverse Standings Thread]

They are likely ending up at 3, but the Giants have been playing better of late, and the Sox rotation is inconsistent at best and bad at worst. They still have a chance at getting #1.

[Can Rodon become a quality mlb starter?]

It could be. However, those are fairly easy to find even on MRI, if they are large tears. There could be small ones though. Most likely it's just some irritation.

This is a problem though as they obviously can't figure out what it is and don't know exactly how to treat it. There is something going on to continually cause the irritation. Rest alone won't solve it.

 

Is this a scenario where PRP could be helpful in the healing process?

[2018 Schedule]

This team may actually finish with a .500 record in April. Among the teams they face in April: 7 games against KC, 3 against Detroit, 3 against TB, and 3 against Oakland. All very beatable teams by this year's standards and certainly next year's (even if Oakland always beats us). I believe the Sox are actually better than KC and Detroit.

 

I believe the Royals will be losing Moustakas, Hosmer, and Cain. It's quite likely the Sox are better than KC simply because KC is dogcrap.

[9/12 Sox at Royals]

The team with 13 hits loses to the team with 4 hits. That's baseball i guess. All in all, this was a well played game. Just got screwed by the one hit in the first. Just too many walks, but by pitchers who don't have a future here. Little more concerned with our hitters not capitalizing.

 

I wouldn't worry too much, that happens from time to time too.

[Petricka to the DL]

Except you are no where close to reality.

 

In 2014, the White Sox were #24 in games pitched in with 453. The leader Cleveland had 573. 2015 had the White Sox dead last (#30) at 414, trailing the leading Colorado who had 584. 2016 the White Sox were #24 again with 481.

 

The irony of course is that once Ventura left in 2017 the Sox current ranking through right now is #14.

 

Both in appearances by individuals and by team rankings, the Sox were super low in bullpen usage.

 

Yeah, there's no noise to really look at here. Jones, Petricka, and Putnam are injury prone relievers. Putnam, as far as I'm aware, has never finished a season healthy, and Jones has missed essentially two full years. Great relievers when healthy, but healthy doesn't seem to last long. Eventually, the injuries will take their toll and those guys will lose their effectiveness as a result.

[Adam Engel]

You trade Jose if you get fair value or slightly below. Don't sell too low. His value will be higher than it ever will be again by the end of this season. Move him to make room for nicky d and Davidson.

 

I never would have guessed that you would make this post.

 

You are probably getting, at best, a top 150 prospect for him right now and maybe a flyer. There is no guaranteed value in that. I know Hahn said he would consider it, but he'd consider a lot of things. The thought of the Sox trading Jose still seems about impossible to me.

[Adam Engel]

Just to stress - "Low walks" did not describe Davidson when he was in the minors. It's genuinely surprising that he's walking so few times right now as that wasn't him before he came up. Hopefully this is a step in his development.

 

Steverson could have suggested he increase his aggressiveness at the plate too.

[Are we allowed to get nervous about Moncada at this point?]

Moncada's build, athletic prowess, talent, and batted ball skills make a BJ Upton comparison seem even more reasonable. People will probably seem disappointed by such a comparison, but BJ Upton was really good for the first 6 years of his career. It wasn't till he went to Atlanta that the wheels fell off.

[2017 MLB Catch-All Thread]

The 2018 schedule should be out next week. I've seen the Mets (it got leaked).

 

The season will be four days longer (starting Thursday, March 29) which means 24 off days instead of 20.

 

The Sox will play the Cubs six games.

 

They'll play the Reds, Brewers, Cardinals, and Pirates- two of which will be 2-game series home and away.

 

As long as the Sox start with like a 10 day, 8 game road trip, that'd be OK.

[Adam Engel]

I'd let Yolmer play 2B and let Moncada play 3B. Davidson can play 3B against some Lefties since Moncada struggles from the right side anyway. Leury at SS and Engel in CF.

 

Baseball is a defensive game and I'm sick of garbage defense up the middle. Leury, Yolmer and Engel gives the Sox premiere defense up the middle.

 

I want Moncada getting as many plate appearances against lefties as possible next year. If he is going to turn into an All-Star or superstar level player, he is going to need to be able to hit lefties competently.

[Cleveland at Our Sox]

LOL. I see we started Pelfrey tonight. I still say Fathom could do as well with a month of practice. Have there been 3 worst pitchers in a rotation in Sox history than Pelfrey, Holland and Shields? I'll put those three against any threesome.

 

Pelfrey - 86 ERA+

Shields - 76 ERA+

Holland - 70 ERA+

 

1998 White Sox

James Baldwin - 86 ERA+

Scott Eyre - 85 ERA+ (17 starts out of 33 appearances)

Jamie Navarro - 72 ERA+

Jason Bere - 71 ERA+

 

I think 1998 was a hair better, but that's about as close as I think you'll find.

[Can Rodon become a quality mlb starter?]

Ugh, don't like that.

 

It's less than ideal, but that could be from him sleeping on it wrong. Stiffness doesn't concern me as much as pain.

[9/3 Games]

Still think D-Rob alone was worth a Top 100 prospect, Frazier netting 2 top 12-15 org. prospects, and Kahnle nets a small package as well...Combine that and the return is better than Rutherford...Yanks had much more talented prospects to offer as well

 

If those had all been true, then that's what would have happened. It's quite apparent Hahn was out for best value available throughout the entire process and he got the package he did.

 

Besides, a top 100 prospect could be the 95th best prospect in the game. I would say that the value of the 90th and 95th prospect is probably similar to that of a top 40 prospect, which is why Rutherford is at the moment.

[Adam Engel]

Trading Melky created an opening in left that Leury slid over from center to fill. But with the emergence of Delmonico, doesn't Leury then slide right back over to center, given that his overall game is better than Engel's? Leury is no slouch defensively, but I think he proved this year that he has a MLB-caliber bat, and therefore I think he's the better option to start next year in center over Engel, at least at this point.

Leury Garcia can theoretically play 6 positions. Make him Zobrist.

[Gonzalez to Rangers]

63-65 4.22 ERA with the White Sox. I hope the Sox young guys are better than that.

 

If Giolito puts up 15 WAR over 5 seasons for the White Sox, I will be perfectly happy.

[i am drunk 2017]

Are you Rick Hahn?

Yes, but I will never tell you my twitter name.

[i am drunk 2017]

Soxtalk.com is my "i am drunk in 2017" thread

[2018 MLB Draft]

KLaw recently said Singer has huge reliever risk

 

Can't wait to trade him for Moncada and Kopech

[Eloy Jimenez]

I believe you mean "the bessss"

[Reverse Standings Thread]

If I am not mistaken, standings are based on winning %, not just team wins. Soo....yes, I will continue to count both, as both as needed to determine standings, and thus draft order.

 

You can not win fewer games. You can always lose more. That's what he's saying. That's why it's important.

 

Pay attention to that all you want to, but it will be the last thing you think of when checking whether the Phillies, Giants, and Reds won or lost.

[Who is the 2018 Closer]

Reed has had some success and isn't going to come in cheap, and there isn't a lot of sense getting in a bidding war for a closer for a team that will be .500 at best.

 

If you Fulmer back there and let him get back to his former delivery now that he will have a smaller workload and receives the corresponding uptick in velocity you may have a real piece there that has value. Best case scenario you get your closer for the future or are able to flip him in a Giles type deal to reinforce the rebuild. Worst case he flames out and you get a revolving door back there with Petricka, Goldberg, Jones, and some FA. At least you will know with some degree of likelihood if Fulmer has any role in the future of this franchise.

 

Bring in Jordan Walden and Drew Storen to compete in the closer wheel of death and hope a couple of the guys build enough value to net some prospects next summer.

 

I don't doubt that Fulmer could be an effective reliever, but thrusting a guy who has struggled with his stuff as much as Fulmer has directly into the pressure cooker that is the closer role, even on a bad team, is asking for trouble.

[Gonzalez to Rangers]

I thought Gio's was just a late season reward/look. If we have he and Rodon for sure in the rotation next year and if Lopez is in the rotation, for their sake I hope they speed up the rebuild. I don't care what anybody says. Pitchers failing at any point of their careers is not necessarily healthy.

 

It would be silly to "accelerate" the rebuild as you say, which I assume you are implying as bringing in multiple free agents, when the guys in the rotation haven't proven anything. Giolito appears to be a guy who is going to be maddeningly inconsistent for at least the first part of his career, and that may never change. He has absolutely wicked stuff, but his command is very, very off right now, and every player in the major leagues will be able to hit a fastball at 95 MPH if it's up and over the plate, every player can hit a hanging curve, every player can hit a hanging slider, and every player can hit an elevated changeup.

 

Let these guys work and get better next season, and then maybe in 2019 you start looking for reinforcements on the free agent and trade markets.

[Yurchak v. Schnurbusch]

May have missed it, was there a reason Yurchak transferred?

[Who is the 2018 Closer]

My bet is whoever they have closing will be at least decent at it. No worse than Robertson.

 

I don't think you quite realize how good of a closer David Robertson really was. Maybe not among the league's best, but you'd be hard-pressed to name 12 better in the game right now.

 

Signing free agent Addison Reed makes a lot of sense to me. He's young(29 years old) and he sure is better than anybody the team has in the bullpen now.

 

Addison Reed will almost certainly sign a multi-year deal in excess of $12 mill per year. This is not a proposition I like.

 

Carson Fulmer

 

I like signing Addison Reed more than this.

[Gonzalez to Rangers]

Statistically, he looks like a F hitter. Can't get close to .700 OPS at any minor league level.

Maybe the scouts see something.

Didn't expect much though.

 

As a 21 year old catcher, Carlos Santana was hitting .223/.318/.370 for the A-ball Dodgers, likely as a part time player.

 

Your ending thought makes it seem like you are OK with the return, but your prior statements seem like you are questioning it. The Sox are getting a talented player who was a 2nd round pick in 2014 for - hold your britches - ONE MONTH of MIGUEL GONZALEZ. There is nothing to get excited about here, there is nothing to get upset about here.

 

Like, seriously, there is no way the Sox could ever make you happy. The fact that they traded Gonzalez for anything made me happy.