caulfield12

Burger Time/Tron

That was only five years ago, too. Of course the Dodgers' roster is also an embarrassment of riches. Will Smith today is one of the best catchers...they dealt the blocked Keibert Ruiz and still have Cartaya.

Probably because JR KW and Grifol threads are getting boring. Hahn-washing continues to the point where full apathy sets in or you're stuck arguing about the journeymen of all journeymen. We already kicked Leury and Alberto out and still have approximately half the roster left to go.

And you can surely afford to do that when you have the Astros' line up from 2014-2022. Not going to argue about White Sox collecting more DHs who can't put up 800 or even 700 OPS numbers... we have Sheets there now too.

If he changed his name from Seby to Zeby he might get his average back up to .175 at least.

DeLaCruz cycle already in six innings. First cycle since I think Gary Redus a Bedtime Story in 1985. (Yet another former Sox outfielder. Was actually Eric Davis and Frank Robinson since 1941.) 11-7 Reds baseball is the NCAA Tournament everyday lol.

Someone the other day said it was worth his partnerships with two starters to have him out there with a .000 BAA, but they were apparently Hahn-washed to tolerate something not even equating to mediocrity. Unless we're going to continue to define that concept (further) downwards.

Especially missing are waves of starting pitchers, catchers...still no RF or 2B unless Colas pans out.

Mired.In.Mediocrity

While eminently mockable, there is something to a “Cardinal Way” or “Dodgers Way” approach, something the White Sox don’t have, and haven’t for 60 or 70 years Something we just pointed out earlier in the thread. In fact, Sox are going in the opposite direction, cutting affilitates/coaches/staffing and just baseball ops in general. They also never came close to ramping up to the 15-25 or 30 staff mark others have dedicated to analytics and modernized approaches to the game.

Braves at Cincy the series of the weekend. Reds 9-7 Top 6. Sellout.

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2017/11/23/theo-epstein-brookline-field-goal-contests-horror-game-6-boston-sports-memories Looking back on Theo Epstein’s rise as a GM, it’s obvious that he at least had that fundamental understanding of team sports and competition…despite his physical limitations. It’s where his drive about winning and organizational culture basically came from. And if there’s ONE thing the White Sox have consistently lacked, it’s a unifying set of rules and principles for the entire organization like the Braves, Astros, Rays, Dodgers and Cardinals. A major reason for this is the Sox major league rosters were always sewn together haphazardly with baling wire from 10-15 different teams…the minor leaguers failed to advance as a wave or unit, year after year building upon previous successes and growing to trust their teammates for 3-5 years together before hitting the big leagues. They never could rely on teammates and coaches…just themselves. Hence, all the current trust issues prevalent across the entire organization.

Twins, mostly. Almost 100% as a reliever. I was actually at that game. After the shoulder/labrum problems…he never seemed to have the dominant stuff they claimed when he ascended to #1 status level.

If that strategy was actually effective Trout and Ohtani would actually have a series of playoff wins to add to their resumes.

Yes, it was put out there a couple of weeks ago and is now being regurgitated due to the lack of timeliness that’s becoming more and more readily apparent with Fegan off the daily beat. Team is in suspended animation…still too close to completely give up on but fatally flawed simultaneously.

Theo Epstein’s lack of athletic history is often mentioned as well. That said, being a sports agent is relevant…it led to Sale, Q and Eaton extensions, and rebuild trades. As well as Anderson and Robert (partially KW and Paddy and Abreu). Those five players being willing to sign “team friendly” deals at those places and times in life are the reason Hahn still has his job, ostensibly. But all the other extensions and drafts and FA moves have pretty much added up to nothing at this point in time…negligible trade value or fWAR/replacement value or however you want to categorize or characterize it. And the Hahn negotiating legend has disappeared with the second wave in guys like Giolito, Cease and Kopech who haven’t been nearly as easy to negotiate with for a number of reasons. Whether Hahn was lucky before or is unlucky now, it all points towards being one of the most challenging spots to rebuild from in White Sox history…the only franchises who might have bigger obstacles being the Royals and Rockies across the entire sport.

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/how-will-white-sox-approach-2023-trade-deadline The last half of the article is classic Hahn bullshit…taking the middle course of only trading Gio Grandal Middleton and maybe Lynn since all could be or are in their last years with the Sox. Even that would be a little shocking since there’s zero depth to replace two holes in the rotation, let alone three with Clevinger. Then your other two starters can never give you much more than 5+. That’s just never going to work without the best bullpen in the history of the game and best team defense and running game to take advantage of the new style of play like the Orioles or Guardians or Rays. The only thing the Sox actually possess is the most expensive bullpen in history…but certainly not the most effective.

Leave it to the White Sox to have two #1 groups in the past two decades to make the least major league imprint. That’s not easy to do at all. It’s a big part of the reason they have come to rely on so many Tier B/C free agents, unfortunately…not even having the ability to sustain the contention window with replacement level players.

Also had a Top farm system in 1999-2001. The best of all those guys were Buehrle, Garland, Crede and Rowand…but almost all of the pitchers busted, guys like Ginter, Barcelo, Stumm, Wright, Baldwin, Biddle and Myette. Parque and Snyder fell apart. Borchard and Rauch became synonymous with bust. Reed and Morse and Olivo the core of the Garcia deal that became the heart of the rotation with Contreras. Fogg and Wells had decent careers. But the main reason for the 2005 title was trades (Cotts Pods and Everett yet another), FA and waiver pickups (Jenks) and all those KW buy low specials that hit one after another…undoubtedly more those 3 seasons than Hahn in an entire decade.

I don't recall saying he was the best ever...but I don't think many can make the case he's not one of the 5-10 most impactful players in baseball again this year. BTW, procure connotes eventual ownership of something with a theoretical value...but I guess someone will argue the Sox are better off with Benintendi because there's less attendant risk involved.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/diamond-sports-files-motion-cut-184910890.html

They gave Benintendi a lot more money and more years despite a cumulative 3.1 fWAR of production for 2 1/2 seasons from 2019-2021. Melky Cabrera, Mazara, Pollock, Eaton second time around...we almost always misread previous track records.

No more than Jared Kelenic will save the Mariners... I have noticed the Tatis criticisms have quieted down with him almost back to his previous form...especially after such a long layoff and playing GG level defense at a completely new position.

https://sports.yahoo.com/rays-bench-star-wander-franco-for-at-least-2-games-for-not-being-the-best-teammate-205229398.html

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/hern-ndez-shohei-ohtani-wont-120054097.html