caulfield12

He should get a lot more than Jay’s salary...he’s already earned that much respect in less than one full season. His “leadership” is just as critical as Anderson’s or Abreu’s. Ron Gardenhire pointed out how underrated that part of his game was...how much they didn’t realize they’d miss until it was gone from their clubhouse. Part of that's fluff, but it’s certainly something to take into consideration.

Except the rebuild matters now a lot more than team record to most fans. If it was Matt Skole or Goins or Castillo...at any rate, Benetti had his 15 minutes of fame on Friday and nobody will care at all about Sat/Sun except hardcore Sox fans. And the guy Saturday night was fine, albeit he doesn’t have that warm, rich stereotypical broadcasting voice.

Most of us would be shocked if they spent $300 million, combined, over all the new additions... I would estimate the over/under on FA spending (if there was such a thing) would be right around $125 million or so. There’s simply not enough young/er talent that fits with our current depth chart, outside of pitching...which is where the White Sox have parted with money about as easily as my SS-dependent aunt from Dubuque at Christmas time.

I love how what was looking closer to 4 (projected 38 games from now) is now moved down to 3.0-3.5 by the day. At any rate, we could say he’s only 2.9 by bWAR but that puts him as the 9th best 3B. We might as well say Leury Garcia is at the same level positionally (CF) as Machado or that both guys are well ahead of Abreu. And that means well...absolutely nothing. Context matters. Actual player availability and age also matter, especially with the plethora of extensions signed the last calendar year.

Benetti with the low energy homer call...”once again this one does some damage.” Get Walton back, lol...and hopefully get Eloy back at least to the .260’s by the end of the year and learning how to use that easy power to pull a few more out down the LF line going into 2020.

You want variance, look at Bryce Harper. Or Marcell Ozuna. You can spin it however you want, his average was a 5.4 fWAR over the four seasons prior to this one.

Gennett would go back and forth between 2B and RF/DH depending on the opposing pitcher and how long they wait to bring up Nick Madrigal. But he’s really having quite a down season...it would be like the Schoop deal for Minnesota, where he was clearly playing hurt last year for the Brewers and his value bounced back nicely. This would be the budget type of moves....Gennett, or someone like Dickerson if not Gennett for balance, one or two veteran starters but definitely not Cole or Strasburg. One middling reliever of the Albers/Clippard/Swarzak/Soria tier. No big contracts for Grandal, RF or DH. Maybe one of those pitchers gets $45-60 millionish.

Let’s just hope we have more compelling topics than this one to discuss in November and December...

He’s a little like our own Chone Figgins Lite without the huge impact of piling up 35-50 steals...but a totally different game back then.

When he played with Toronto, he was always known as a glove first guy, but SS and 2B were by far his best positions.

Hopefully Herrera builds off his last outing and can be the fourth reliable bullpen guy next year...would still feel better with one more veteran addition if they’re actually trying to compete.

Or wouldn’t every GM prefer Machado, Anderson and Moncada across the diamond with a stud starter obtained in trade with Madrigal and minor league OF depth as the centerpiece, allowing them to actually compete in 2020 instead of waiting yet another season? Reinsdorf wouldn’t authorize the money for Tanaka or Harper or Machado....he will do it for Gerrit Cole or Anthony Rendon? Well, Rendon signing would be just as dubious according to the last argument. Would you rather have Rendon or Moncada, Madrigal and $225-250 million?

First of all, the White Sox haven’t spent $300 million on anything...unprecedented financial flexibility does little to nothing if you don’t spend it. There are roughly 10-12 players in free agency that (nearly) everyone is looking at, and it’s a second/third tier fest of crap after that. 50% of the premier free agents who were going to be on the market after this season and next season are now long gone in the rash of extensions that were signed. And you’re assuming that Machado doesn’t opt out after five years, which you have no way of knowing. And what are the White Sox going to do at 3B at the end of 2023? You will burned four years of Moncada without being in the wild card hunt unless things drastically change this offseason. And it’s not like Minnesota and Cleveland will fold their franchises. All offseason, there was a constant refrain of the Indians are almost done. Still hasn’t happened.

11 homers now in Washington, middle of the 14th inning, 15-13. Three three comebacks to take the lead by Brew Crew, only to give it right back. Thames with go-ahead 2 run shot. Was tied in bottom of the 9th with bases loaded after Hader blew save but he struck out Turner, Eaton and Rendon consecutively to get to the 10th. Braun and Yelich have both homered twice...and, speaking of relievers, battle of former White Sox Guerra’s now, Javy vs. Junior. Junior just got a hit against Javy, lol.

The problem is envisioning Steverson as the one to unlock it...maybe the assistant or new analytics-driven guys.

But you would agree in basketball, hockey or football that leadership is important?

Only if the White Sox get expected contributions from all their young players...especially from Jimenez on both sides of the ball. In the end, with Abreu faltering, you’re underestimating the value of a Machado to this lineup, especially playing 81 games at GRF. You’re also underestimating his durability, as well as his skills at SS. In the end, if they don’t spend that $300 million elsewhere, or at the very least, $200 million, this team won’t be competitive in 2020. Unfortunately, no flags fly for either attendance or maximized allocation of $/fWAR, or the Rays would win that title every season.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2019&team=0 Or do you go after a free agent/trade candidate for RF, with Robert eventually settling in CF? Considering some on the above list aren’t even CFers, like Kepler, this puts him in the Top 8-10 at one of the most important positions on the field. Other than Ozuna, who might be expected to be “considerably” (2.5+ fWAR) better for that spot? Would you still prefer someone like Corey Dickerson, with Leury as the designated “supersub” with Yolmer likely off the team? Trade him at peak value?

Leadership can’t be quantified by advanced metrics, and therefore it is deemed fuzzy and unimportant.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/visuals/batter-positioning?playerId=650391&teamId=&opponent=&firstBase=0&shift=1&season=2019&attempts=25&batSide=R&gb=1&fb=0 Brewers putting together an insane top of the 9th...

Too big a contract...

How realistic or likely is it that Leury gets a starting/everyday OF spot next year? He’s really had just 1 1/2 good or very good seasons, but it’s seeming more and more likely with each passing week

Low energy...but he’s obviously in his element with baseball and entertainment industry. Still, prefer Walton, overall. Maybe once a month, someone outlandish like that.

A month ago, we would have had the same conversation about Harper being a terrible signing when he was getting booed nightly in Philadelphia. How many of the 3B ahead of Machado were available to the White Sox or other teams last offseason? http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/position/3b/sort/WARBR/order/true If you go by bWAR, Machado is 9th at 2.9, and Josh Donaldson...who would have made little sense for 1-2 non-competitive seasons, would have been the only other option. This idea that Machado is suddenly a terrible contract or that Madrigal will outproduce him is...well, let’s knock off 1 fWAR from his average for the last four years, which was 5.4. Now, we expect Madrigal to realistically roll out 4-5 fWAR seasons based on what exactly? Hitting 15-18 homers per season?

Let’s just see how it plays out...they’re definitely not in “win now” mode (as opposed to developmental) for the rest of the season. Have a feeling they will end up one spot in front of the White Sox.