caulfield12

Deliberately tanking has really hurt attendance in a number of markets, especially the smaller/mid-sized ones. There’s no argument about that. As Greg knows, the Royals got four and one half years of excitement out of what amounts to30 years of tanking...and are close to back to being in the same position they were in 15 years ago. Maybe that’s part of the fear, and the prism from which he sees the Sox...and it’s a perfectly legitimate one due to our front offices’ paltry record with free agent signings. A White Sox team that we have to hope will up the payrolls back to the $150-160 million range simply has no other way to compete with Boston, NYY, Houston and now Minnesota. And no team can successfully BUILD simply through free agency. There has to be that young, cost-controlled core OR unlimited financial resources. That said, if Colome is traded for another Tilson/Cordell type...instead of at least Avi Garcia/Top 75ish milb potential...and the bullpen continues to be erratic at best in 2020, Greg will be at least partially right.

Sliding glove aka oven mitt?

At least sporting goods stores are now selling Sox jerseys again, this year it’s Jimenez. And the wild card talk can be thrown out. Last couple of years at the I-88 outlet mall, Abreu was being outsold by Maddon...and in the Quad Cities, the White Sox are definitely behind the Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers, Twins and maybe even the Royals.

The Padres’ actually lasered in on Tatis because he was playing against their team in AZ in extended spring and more of their scouts were in attendance...ironically, his breakout game that started to really put him on the map with the Keith Laws of the world was against the White Sox right after he’d been traded.

Filibuster？

The only question is whether you want to pay both Yolmer and Leury at the same time...with Anderson and Robert in 2020, Leury obviously becomes less of a necessity. Most of us would pick Leury for the next two years...but that might change yet again by season’s end.

The biggest argument for Robert now is what exactly is our core after 2023? While 2021-23 (barring amazing pitching investments in FA, 2020 is still a learning how to win/development year) is a short/er window compared to the originally hoped for 4-5 years...it’s probably more realistic for the typically mid-market Sox. If they start breaking out extensions for McCann, Moncada and Robert, then the LONGer term contention window is at least realistic. But then look at the Cubs and Indians...just three years removed from their World Series season and barely hanging on. Lots of good arguments, such as Reinsdorf’s advanced age. So, emulate the Padres...who have brought up six and counting Top 100 milb prospects in one year, doing this all in the face of perhaps the most dominantly-positioned organization in baseball, the Dodgers. Light up the fanbase. Break the internet. Clap back on doubters, etc. Really crank up the pressure on Epstein/Maddon/Ricketts as the Cubs are simultaneously going to start demanding $80 more per year from baseball and non-baseball fans alike in Chicagoland from cable and satellite providers. To conclude, the main reason for me to push Madrigal and Robert and Vaughn...there’s simply way too much volatility going forward with almost the entire future rotation with one TJS in their histories, and knowing a revision cuts the odds of successful return down to the 60-65% range. Let’s just call this the Mets’ “2014-15 pitching dynasty” argument.

Collins, Rutherford, Dunning and Rodon could just as easily be out of baseball five years from now... and Kopech is a complete wild card whether he can figure out a happy medium in pitching vs. throwing max velocity as he starts his comeback.

Here’s the article...https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-cubs-tv-network-cost-20190521-story.html Let’s say $6.50 per subscriber, that would amount to $78 extra per year on their bill for non-baseball fans. Especially if they don’t make the playoffs this year and still try to foist $7-9 extra on monthly charges, look out...

The crazy thing is that Moncada is 19th on the OPS list for 26 and under players....and that #21-30 group might easily be the equal of #1-5. So much young talent in the game.

Considering Boston as a “crouching tiger, hidden dragon”...it’s difficult to argue the two divisions as close, especially with CLE trending downwards and the Blue Jays with a slew of young players on the offensive side. Only the Orioles are terrible. If the starting rotation for the Indians was pitching (and healthier) like 2016-18, sure...a puncher’s chance they could get on a roll, but Jose Ramirez falling off the map has really dinged that offense.

It also largely depends on whether Bryant, Baez and Contreras stay with the Cubs long-term. Keeping all three in the fold seems impossible, even for the Ricketts. So, if you add Robert and Madrigal living up to their billing, definitely the case. But the pitching...is still more about potential/projection than reality at this point.

Yep, it all depends on winning right now. Cleveland is already considering a teardown, where Bauer would be first out the door...and Minnesota has to prove they’re willing to pony up in order to retain some of their key free agents. Like the Sox, they also have a ton of youngsters like Berrios (already seems committed to FA), Rosario, Buxton, Polanco, Kepler, that are deserving of extensions, but it’s going to take an almost unprecedented opening of the wallet for a franchise that still is revenue-challenged to pull it off. From my observations, the White Sox fanbase is almost equally excited to what Minnesotans are giving their runaway first place team in support. Not a shocker, but a bit of a surprise. I think losing all those playoff series and then the inconsistent results the last 2-3 years have kept their fans from buying in 100% until they actually prove they can win against the big boys or even the Rays in the postseason. http://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance

The other thing is that Giolito’s from a very wealthy family. The reality is that he’s probably already set for life...or close to it. Whether he extends depends entirely how comfortable he is with the Sox and how much he credits them for his turnaround, relationship with Cooper/coaches, etc. Obviously the Sox were extremely patient with Lucas in 2019 and gave him every opportunity, that should definitely count for something. A pitcher already have one TJS in his background would lend one to believe they’re not going beyond four years with pitchers with such a profile...five has seemingly been the third rail they won’t touch. The Danks contract going south still stings, despite the likely insurance write offs. At any rate... Priorities: 1) Moncada 2) McCann (an extension takes pressure of having to pursue Grandal off table...becoming more and more apparent they can’t rely too much on Collins being a catcher who gets the majority of starts.) 3) Giolito (still need another 8-10 starts like previously, some will argue all the way through mid season 2020) 4) Robert

Moncada (and Robert, too) are certainly going to be looking at huge paydays in order to sign extensions cutting into their free agency years with all that money in the bank for their families already. This is where Hahn will earn his money (or not). Anderson has turned out to be another solid extension...Jimenez, although he might not appear to be the biggest bargain in the world by fwar/bwar until or unless his defense can be close to average.

Plus they had already inherited Altuve...a future MVP. Springer pick, too？

22nd ranked team at ASB according to averaging of all 30 theathletic.com beat writers.

The weird part is why Hahn still gave in on the trade after pushback from Paddy and Tatis, Jr. The biggest thing with kids at ages 14-17 is projection. They were warned by Tatis’ father that he was still not done growing...maybe they assumed that meant he would lose speed instead of gaining it and have to be moved off of SS to another position. Of course, one could argue that his light power at the time would only increase with more height/bigger frame and adding muscle...which is usually the case when still physically maturing kids hit stateside. He’s now one of the arguably 3-5 fastest base runners in MLB at 6’3 1/2” and got his 13th steal on what amounted to a pitchout to Buster Posey last night. He has now also scored twice from third on short pop ups to 2B...the most recent infielder was so rattled that the throw wasn’t even close. Not to mention scoring all the way from second on an out recorded at 1B and the LUIS Robert highlight of scoring from SECOND on a deep outfield flyout. He also had to at the very least have possessed above average arm strength, because he has made 360 degree throws from SS to first in the last week at 93.7 and 94.0, the two hardest of any SS in MLB this year. In fact, if you want to pick on one of his bad habits, it’s now waiting a beat or two long like Shawon Dunston used to do in order to make the out at first more dramatic/highlight reel-worthy. So you had a still-growing SS who already flashed the three most important qualities of a quality up the middle player...speed, throwing arm and raw fielding ability. To trade that player at age 17 before you discover what you really have, knowing his bloodlines, and knowing one of the most knowledgeable GMs about Latin American talent is already insisting on that specific player...well, it should have sent up alarm bells up and down every level of the organization that they were in the process of being outscouted on their own player and that Paddy’s original scouting assessment on Tatis was being overrun by the immediacy of trying to compete in 2016 with half a roster and a foundering manager.

But you left out the biggest part for Houston, Luhnow and their push for analytics vs. traditional scouting metrics. Secondly, their new manager was Stanford-educated and was also quick about embracing the analytics field after his first managerial failure.

https://sports.yahoo.com/knicks-durant-irving-zion-free-agency-232212617.html At least we’re not Knicks’ fans...the last year been PRETTY tough. They lost out on or traded Porzingis, Zion, Kyrie and Durant...two to a neighboring franchise, the equivalent of Tatis and Machado ending up with the Cubs.

Yeah, Julio or Jose Take Me on a Sea Cruz John I Am Not a Kruk Jim Home Sweet Thome Sammy Say it ain’t Sosa Roberto Remember the Alomar Harold Growing Baines LaMarr Where does it Hoyt Bobby Bad To The Bonilla Octavio Shh Dotel Jermaine Live And Let Dye

Yep, unless you can argue that subtracting Bauer, Kluber and/or Carrasco still gets you to this same place in the standings...especially considering how much time Clevinger was out.

We would be much better off with Holland than Herrera...another scouting failure. He’s actually not as old as you’d think, either. Some Hahn spin on Alonso..."His conversations with young players in terms of focus, in terms of work ethic, in terms of fighting through at-bats, in terms of being ready each and every day has been great," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "I'm sure if you ask around to some of the younger guys if Yonder had an impact on them, they'd be giving you firsthand views on that, but I've got zero complaints in terms of the character and the class with which he carried himself and his work ethic."

If you told the Cubs and Epstein today they could pick two or even three of Walker/Rutherford/Adolfo/Basabe/Gonzalez for Quintana...I sincerely doubt they make that move. And 100% not for 2/4 when you remove Walker from the mix. They simply have to exploit their current window through 2021, and everything else is secondary, even if they end up like the SF Giants.

If Jimenez, Robert and Moncada each hit their respective peaks or ceilings, they COULD still be okay...but pitching and defense normally win championships unless you have a super-team like Boston, NYY or Houston. That also requires Madrigal, McCann and Anderson to be consistent 3+fWAR contributors and staying healthy, obviously. Or believing we’re going to have a 2004-05 run of perfect roster moves on the pitching front.