caulfield12

Maybe Vaughn would be better up taking Par 3 golf with wide fairways...even his worm burners would eventually get to the greens.

Luis Robert 41.7 EV, lol

https://www.baseball-reference.com/tools/split_stats_lg.cgi?full=1&params=bases|RISP|ML|2025|bat|AB| Pitt, Colorado, White Sox, and amazingly Baltimore Orioles are 30th (BA with RISP) Texas, Baltimore and the Royals lower OPS numbers with RISP than the White Sox

Well, at least Cubs' fans in Chicago get to watch runners driven in this year. Elko another 100+ MPH ev ball. Meidroth is fine if he can range between 725-775 OPS.

He would have to be hitting 850+ AND/OR the Sox trade Lee/Thaiss to really force that issue. Unfortunately you can't "Matrix" Thaiss' game minus the botched catch) into Lee's RH body lol.

Well this is the problem with non star level prospects. Right now, you're looking at Vargas Meidroth Quero sticking and Sosa/Baldwin losing out. The problem is neither Vaughn nor Rojas are part of the future plan...so more than 2/3rds of the entire lineup (including 4-5 OF spots) after Elko goes down is basically irrelevant to the future, except (maybe) trading Robert eventually. And Quero is basically playing only 2 out of 3 games.

Rojas is hardly going to play third...his best near GG caliber position. Blocks Sosa at second and Meidroth is SS for now. Ofc we continue to trot Vaughn out there every single game. Think he's sat just once recently. Probably something dumb like wanting to let Rojas play against his former team.

Rojas is really blocking Sosa and Baldwin...who definitely should be playing everyday and working on his defense as well in CHLT. Capra just pointlessly replaced Baldwin. And then you have the Benintendi Tauchman Slater Taylor veteran outfield of playing time pointlessness as well. SIGH. Adrian Houser might lower that average age lol.

Doesn't make any sense to hit Palacios fifth and Elko last if you're trying to get a good look at him...and (yet again) they aren't going to be able to decide on Sosa for another year lol. Finally, Capra on the roster does what?

Batters CWS B HR RBI SB AVG OPS MeidrothSS R 1 4 5 .284 .728 ThaissC L 1 8 1 .211 .674 Vargas, M3B R 6 21 1 .245 .749 Robert Jr.CF R 5 17 17 .184 .591 PalaciosRF L 1 4 0 .195 .563 VaughnDH R 5 18 0 .184 .530 SlaterLF R 1 1 0 .250 .750 Rojas, J2B L 0 2 1 .171 .427 Elko1B R 2 4 0 .190 .703

Rojas is the one now blocking playing time on the infield for both Sosa and Baldwin.

Getz has never really considered Elko or basically any of the Birmingham hitters like Jacob Gonzalez or Veras or Galanie part of the long term plan (in various comments over the last year). Elko forced their hand eventually...but they don't really seem to actually believe in him. That was all about expertise with LHP and never paying up for it through free agency. If Vaughn was still perceived as the long term answer at 1B when that draft occurred...God help them.

Once you get past Ramos...the next options are Jeral Perez and Bonemer. Still too early to determine if he can continue to push up to an 800 ops or not.

Divisional Power Rankings (according to mlb.com rankings 5/18) 1. NL West Dodgers 1, Padres 4, SFG 8, DBacks 13, Rockies 30 2. AL Central Tigers 2, Twins 9, Cleveland 11, KC 15, White Sox 29 3. AL East Mets 3, Phillies 6, Brewers 17, Washington 24, Miami 27 4. AL West Seattle 10, Texas 14, Houston 16, A's 19, LAA 25 5. NL Central Cubs 7, Cards 12, Cincy 20, Brewers 21, Pirates 28 6. AL East NY Yankees 5, Boston 18, Toronto 22, TB 23, Baltimore 26

29. White Sox (previously: 29) There aren’t many players more important to the short-and-long-term health of the White Sox than Miguel Vargas, who came over from the Dodgers in the Michael Kopech trade last year. He struggled mightily last year, but he’s starting to come around, including hitting two homers at Wrigley Field on Friday. He is ready to move on from his 2024 struggles: “I don’t remember anything about last year,” Vargas jokingly told reporters. “Sorry.” MLB.com power rankings

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/article/mlb-insider-reveals-los-angeles-013000499.html Padres attempted to trade for Ohtani with LAA before pivoting to Juan Soto...Merrill part of proposed package

Dodgers still owe him $13.4 million, including his $4 million buyout for 2026. That would make him the third "most expensive" player on the White Sox after Benintendi and Robert. And he's at last a big "name" to many, especially Dodgers' fans the last decade....would his presence on the White Sox draw more than Tim Elko Friends and Family? Would he be more entertaining to watch strike out at even a faster clip than Taylor/Tauchman/Slater? Or would it simply conjure up more unresolved AJ Pollock feels, lol? In parts of 10 seasons with the Dodgers, Taylor hit .250/.330/.431 with a 107 wRC+, 108 home runs, 14 doubles, and 81 stolen bases. He started over 100 games in left field, center field, shortstop, and second base, and also started 50 games at third base during his time in Los Angeles. So the Sox already have Baldwin, Maton, Tristan Gray, Andre Lipcius, L.Sosa, Capra, Amaya...we could definitely use even MORE utility guys.

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/breaking-news/article/phillies-closer-jose-alvarado-suspended-80-games-after-failing-performance-enhancing-drug-test-154944518.html Now, if only the White Sox had a closer to offer them...but alas, don't think they will accept Booser. That said, maybe they could get something fairly decent for a 33 year old reliever. At least better than what the White Sox gave up to acquire him. Doug Mansolino's son Tony named the new interim manager of the ORIOLES... Doug joined the Chicago White Sox organization from 1988 to 1996, where he had various posts including Director of Instruction (1988-1990), minor league defensive coordinator (1991), first base coach for the major league team from 1992 to 1995, and third base coach starting on June 2nd in 1995 and also in 1996.

This is the crux of the argument... How good could anyone do, realistically, under JR...in this specific situation? Let's assume of the sake of argument that no long-term contracts (over 2 years) are allowed, and no spending over $5 million per season on "new" players aka FA's. Rockies LF (Beck/Veen), CF (Doyle), RF (Moniak/Veen), 3B (McMahon slightly over Vargas, you could argue either one, it's close to a dead heat), Tovar far and away over anyone the White Sox have at SS (he recently came back from injury, so doesn't have the counting numbers yet), 2B should be Meidroth/Sosa, 1B both teams are pretty much equally terrible, no clear winner, C White Sox Thaiss/Quero over Stallings/Goodman and DH (Hunter Goodman, he's also a catcher but more of a DH) Colorado is arguably the offense of the WORST team in MLB history by the end of this year, breaking the 2024 White Sox record...but they have an advantage at all three outfield positions, 3B let's be charitable and call it a draw, SS clearly Tovar (cornerstone of their team), 2B Meidroth/Sosa, 1B draw, C goes to White Sox and DH to Hunter Goodman. That's 5 to Colorado, 2 to the White Sox and 2 draws/NC.

"ESPN and Major League Baseball have not returned to the negotiating table since the network opted out of its current deal in February, according to John Ourand of Puck. While ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro has consistently expressed a desire to resume talks, there has been little if any indication of reciprocal interest by MLB. According to Ourand, Pitaro recently told reporters his assumption is that MLB is “out there testing the market, which is their right to do.” Upon announcing ESPN’s opt-out in February, Manfred said he hoped to have “at least two potential options” to replace ESPN “over the next few weeks.” In the three months since, signs of progress have been scarce." https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2025/05/mlb-espn-rights-update-peter-schrager-show-indiana-fever-streaming-service/

And what happens when they don't pay up $500-600 million for Kyle Tucker at the end of the season? Their rotation is still thin...Steele won't be back until mid season next year and their closing situation is far from a sure thing with Hodge now. Beating up on the White Sox is one thing. The Cubs looked they were starstruck by the Dodgers that first series in Tokyo. And the Cardinals are right on their heels now. And Carson Kelly won't be the best or second best hitting catchers in baseball months from now.

They're approaching the 2005 Astros' record at a similar point in their schedule. Only a couple of teams have ever made it back from this point to postseason success in the history of the game.

If these prospects can still make it through High A and then Birmingham...then there's something to get excited about. Even then, there's almost nothing guaranteed, especially with the recent and long-term White Sox history. Zavala and Wolkow have miles and miles to go, for instance (latest Merkin puff piece, about George's confidence even in the face of hitting for example .100 over a season). And Bonemer has a group of prospect writers already speculating on him moving to 3B/1B/DH/corner OF, but we'll just have to wait and see. If you keep drafting kids who have the athleticism to play major league SS, then they can be reallocated all over the diamond, and pretty seamlessly at that.

The problem is that's still 2 years away, lol...so four consecutive years of 100+ losses, in all likelihood. Then JR won't supplement going into the 2026-27 offseason due to the high probability of a strike/labor impasse.

Taylor 1.3, -0.5, -0.3 fWAR the last three years Still owed $13-14 million by the Dodgers for the remainder of his contract