caulfield12

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

Ofc TB already backtracked off that commitment/schedule and they might still end up in Orlando. New Comiskey is basically a copy of KC minus the fountains. Same upper decks.

Colson 0/2 walk Clevinger got blasted 8.53 era Teel 780 ops

this has been a constant issue for 10-15 years now

only 43 Cubs' base runners so far this weekend

Clevinger start...7.00 era so far Second time they've recently faced Davis Daniel

Vaughn finally benched one game...Sosa Thaiss Vaughn Capra four hitters at 683 or higher Batters CWS B HR RBI SB AVG OPS MeidrothSS R 1 4 5 .286 .726 Vargas, M3B R 5 20 1 .237 .715 PalaciosDH L 1 4 0 .200 .577 Robert Jr.CF R 5 17 17 .176 .573 Rojas, J2B L 0 2 1 .182 .452 QueroC S 0 9 0 .278 .683 Elko1B R 2 4 0 .176 .751 BaldwinLF S 3 16 2 .220 .596 Taylor, MRF R 2 8 6 .205 .627

Reinsdorf hasn't committed to even $300-500 million...so far, not even one penny. And that's Tampa Bay's estimates for ownership's share. Chicago will require at least double that to get anything off the ground politically.

https://www.mlb.com/news/twins-win-13th-consecutive-game-scoreless-innings-record Twins have quietly won 13 consecutive games...

If he's just an average closer. If he somehow manages to be elite...let's say Top 3-5 in the game, that still provides a whole lot of value to a contender.

Back to legislative action in Springfield. Good luck with that. "The team said it will not request state funding for the stadium itself but has lobbied for legislative support to secure infrastructure certainty around the broader mixed-use district."

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/adrian-houser/12718/stats?position=P "JuST" 32 and averaged about 1.4 fWAR per season before collapsing last year. A better Flexen? McKendry Shuster Clevinger Dunn Nastrini Iriarte Wikelman O.White C.Rodriguez Schweitzer all somehow worse options... Gilbert will be on the shelf for at least a month or two btw. Martin Perez until at least July. Adisyn Coffey or Dan Altavilla next men up in the bullpen merry-go-round.