caulfield12

Brewers with a 3 game lead in the WC with seven left to play, reminiscent of 2008 Sox after Quentin went down. Still wouldn’t be surprised by another play-in game, except for the fact the Cubs don’t play well on the road this year. Mets were almost 1/2 gb of Cubs but lost to Cincy.

That’s not even counting Candelario and Paredes, along with Vogelbach. The former has struggled, but he had a solid rookie year.

Well, that’s understandable with Rizzo getting older and Contreras the other core piece...it’s pretty obvious catchers eventually break down, so they might move him to the outfield to preserve his bat. The problem is that Almora, Happ, Schwarber, Russell and Soler never progressed to the levels expected. On paper, they have a pretty decent rotation...and a very shaky bullpen from the RH side with Kimbrel, Strop and Edwards, Jr., all going backwards this season, and only Wick really stepping up.

They will have plenty of candidates. Ricketts will promise to fix what’s broken often and loudly. Inside the organization itself, there are 2-3 candidates. It just depends on how much more Ricketts is willing to spend. They’re going to need at least one starting pitcher (to replace Hamels) and another solid RH reliever at the very least. Russell will be dumped on someone...probably a tanking team like the Royals or Tigers.

That’s not really the case because the Cards and Brewers have their weaknesses and FA losses coming up. Cubs have no choice but to be all-in at least one last time with the new network asking for $4-6 extra per month to all cable subscribers...

Generally people who struggle to use technology like Hawk, Stone and Cooper are not exactly going to be the strongest proponents of modern analytics. You’re either with the future or you’re going to eventually be displaced, well...at least in most walks of society. PS: I’m nowhere close to Benetti in terms of obscure references, and my target market certainly isn’t the next generation of White Sox fans.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2019-09-21/padres-fire-manager-andy-green

If we’re not going to take players from the Indians and Twins, might as well be the Cubs...

Those same individuals on social media are definitely more attuned to analytics... Leading to the unavoidable conflicts over “who fixed Lucas Giolito” and Matt Lisle’s place in the game. Cooper is going to make his stand with the Luddites and 2005 Sox baseball, come hell or high water. (Cooper would do a nice job filling in for Kevin Costner on Yellowstone, attitude-wise. A relic of a bygone era still holding on for as long as he can in the face of a rapidly-evolving baseball universe.)

With the new tv network, they can’t afford to start tearing apart the roster until after next season. Schwarber is certainly expendable (and getting more expensive for what is essentially a slightly above average DH), but they’ll keep Contreras, Bryant, Baez, Rizzo together as the core for one more shot at it. The big changes will be managerial and front office-wise.

Probably has something to do with our most glaring need happening to be power and RF...and watching the way Ozuna has been playing recently, giving him $75 million wouldn’t turn out well, either.

https://www.mlb.com/news/don-cooper-discouraged-by-social-media-negativity Don Cooper loves his job. But there is one particular aspect of the overall position the outspoken White Sox pitching coach quite frankly doesn’t really like, as he relayed to MLB.com prior to Friday’s series opener in Detroit. “Listen, I’ll be honest, the worst part of my job -- and I think I have the best job in the world -- is to deal with negative people and taking people to the negative side,” Cooper said. “Kicking us when we are down. It’s easy to do in a rebuild. But I’ll remember everybody who is doing it. “The worst thing in the world that’s come along as far as I’m concerned is Twitter and a lot of social media [stuff] that gives voice to people who shouldn’t really have a voice, that don’t know what the hell the hitting coach’s job, the manager’s job, the pitching coach’s job, they have no clue what this job is. “I don’t like that part of it. People are drinking beers, they get their beer muscles and they are not afraid to talk or act bigger. I don’t ever hear anything to my face at the field ever.”

Only Italians on the Twins, right? Seems they have more than their share of Hispanic talent. Since Baldelli was hired in November to replace Hall of Fame player and Twin Cities native Paul Molitor, it’s been a busy offseason, admittedly the busiest of his baseball life. He’s been focused on not only building a coaching staff that possesses the data-driven vision he shares with the front office that hired him, but also building a rapport with a new roster of players so that once spring training hits its next gear, everyone is one the same page. “With the way he presents himself and the way he communicates with the players, it always seems like he was going to be a (manager) in waiting,” said former Rays first baseman C.J. Cron, who played with the Rays last season. “He’s young for a (manager). He’s what, 37? that’s super young, but he deserved it. I think he’s super smart both baseball-wise and analytic-wise and I think he does a good job combining the two and he will be able to communicate that with players on that front. I think this was meant for him for sure.” https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2019/02/14/for-rookie-manager-rocco-baldelli-communication-is-the-key-to-success/ Shocking, someone coming out of the Rays’ network succeeding. Even Dave Martinez righted the ship in Washington this year after most thought he was on his way out.

Yet somehow we've lost LaRussa, Leyland and Francona from within the organization. Not sure exactly what the Sox culture is, beyond JR loyalism/cronyism.

Would MUCH rather invest that money in a manager than Yolmer, Herrera, Nova, Jay, Castillo, etc. Look what it has done for Indians or Twins. Or Cardinals improving their defense from 30th to 1st since the changeover late last year.

Sandy Alomar, Vizquel, Jirschele and McEwing are the four most obvious.

Can you honestly say you think Renteria is a championship-level manager? How many post-season appearances does Joe have?

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2019-chicago-white-sox-instructional-league-roster/ Not listed on Sox instructional league roster.

assuming that he would be shown the door if the Cubs miss the postseason or go out after WC or play-in game. Too old? Too much of the Ozzie post~2005 self-importance syndrome? Keep in mind...pretty sure his jersey still might be selling better than anyone on the Sox but Jimenez. Also...would make for a much more interesting rivalry with the Cubs' Network and Girardi likely coming in. Maddon would definitely be motivated to prove St. Theo wrong...but he also could decide to hang 'em up. Finally...more local Beverage Depot advertising tied to Joe.

$450~500 million making all those commitments (w/Grandal)... that includes roughly $300 million for Moncada and Giolito extensions. $450 is probably way too low with just those two FA pitchers and Grandal, let alone Puig and bullpen help.

Ozuna looks shaky as hell in LF... let alone having the arm for RF. Maybe we need to hire some Cardinals' coaches so we can replicate their run from worst to first in defense over one full year. Having a new has certainly helped.

Ross is coming back from late 70's/early 80s'?

Runs well. Never will make the wrong "fundamentally-incorrect" plays on defense. Will improve the rest of the defense, especially Anderson's performance next year after Madrigal is paired with him. Like a manager on the field. Work ethic/role model. He knows how to adjust his offensive approach situationally, especially advancing baserunners/making contact. Always has a chip on his shoulder from being underestimated, never takes anything for granted or given.

Other than Cole and Rendon, there's NOBODY. And neither are going to be on the Sox radar, for well-discussed reasons.

Which still doesn’t solve our power numbers problem from DH and RF...not having a potent bat like that in the lineup. But apparently Machado’s HoF career trajectory has been derailed.