caulfield12

https://www.mlb.com/news/white-sox-prepare-for-second-half-of-mlb-season

Have to admire Giolito blocking out all the noise...well, now it's all out there publicly plus constant trade rumors.

Not exactly showcasing Grandal's pitch blocking. Also not giving much of a chance. Slider is dead.

Almost 6-0. Just hacking away.

Covid Personal life issues/relationship issues Hair choice issues Comedy Central here.

Please skip Lynn's start lol. Half joking. Well there's your #1 starter for 2024.

Kopech isn't going to be pulled quickly...has to wear it.

Make that 7 in 75.

Only six GS in 74 career chances.

Whatever the politically correct way to say scalped is in 2023...Hahn's Last Stand might be preferable?

Lovely start to this one...

He had the highest overall average in the AL for a THREE year period at one point....

Trying to hit that ball halfway to Augusta National...

How many of those bottom five guys were expected to be so good? Murphy a top 2-3 catcher in the game? Ozuna after all his personal issues? Rosario was an afterthought before their WS postseason. Arcia was dumped by the Brewers. The Braves are just smarter. Trades for Soto Hader Clevinger Nola devastated the Padres' system. Still, Bogaerts' contract length and wrist issue has to be the single biggest franchise concern moving forward.

Who is everyone clamoring to replace Vaughn with exactly? Burger? Sheets? Remillard? The Yerminator? Please tell me not Eloy to first again? How long until his arm/elbow gets extended into an oncoming runner and he's out for the season? And let's not get started on his lack of throwing ability. Coming in on bunts makes Burger look like Brooks Robinson.

1.5-2 fWAR players are fine in and of themselves. But they're absolutely players you have to produce internally in order to avoid a payroll crunch. Benintendi also is going to be quite difficult to move because his ceiling seems to be pretty limited. He has been on quite a hot streak the last 4-6 weeks and he's still below pave for a 2 fWAR. Not Pollock disastrous...but what about 2025-27? Especially considering he will be on a rebuilding team, compared to his Yankees' time last year helping to reboot his career after 2-3 consecutive down seasons off that 5.1 peak. And his defense has just been okay...albeit looking MUCH better in comparison to previous position holders lol. If he was making $8-12 million per season on a 2-3 year deal....or if Vaughn wasn't picked on the Top 5 like Madrigal, they wouldn't be getting so much attention.

They're going to argue it will save money on travel expenses getting him closer to Atlanta...but not so close (Birmingham) that he actually has to take a bus with all of his back issues.

Mackowiak...at least he's from Oak Lawn. Why not Hahn or Boyer?

They will turn around and say those nine figure contracts are internal…not external FA’s. Except only two names come to mind, Robert and Cease. If they’re claiming either Benintendi or Vaughn as some type of win or difference maker…well, maybe in the AL Central way but not the real world of MLB.

“Fans are fed up. A Sun-Times online poll in June asking who is the prime culprit in the Sox’ fourth-place (in the worst division) state assigned blame this way: chairman Jerry Reinsdorf (51%), vice president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn (29%), the players (17%) and first-year manager Pedro Grifol (3%).” That’s just laughable that KW and Hahn would be tied…if Williams has that much control more than a decade later, why even bother? We all know about TLR not being the top managerial choice for Hahn…but enough already. The train has left the tracks.

Damaso Marte was a trade...along with Cotts.

Basically he couldn't even make it on the second worst team in baseball that had even more pitching injuries... "Mayers had been operating as a bulk reliever behind an opener during his last three appearances, but he drew his second start of the year Saturday. The role switch didn't change things for the right-hander, who has now given up 16 earned runs over his past three outings while posting more walks (five) than strikeouts (three) during that stretch. The Royals are dealing with numerous injuries to their pitching staff, which has allowed Mayers to carve out a role recently, but if he continues to struggle, Kansas City may have to look for help in the minors. Mayers was removed from the Royals' 40-man roster last month after putting up a 6.15 ERA in six games (two starts) this season. He'll head to Triple-A Charlotte for now but could eventually get a shot with the White Sox in the rotation or bullpen." https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/mike-mayers-player Charlotte ticket sales department must be simply elated....

26. Chicago White Sox (38-54) The White Sox should be one of the biggest trade deadline sellers amid their disastrous season. Expect names like Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, Reynaldo Lopez, and Keynan Middleton to be on the move. The one major bright spot has been star outfielder Luis Robert, who leads the American League with 26 homers.

See Reds Rays Guardians Brewers Marlins DBacks ... even the Braves, at least compared to Mets and Phillies. It's an easy cop out to say Hahn simply hasn't had the resources...they had the 7th highest payroll in the majors entering 2022. Only team really spending their way into contention recently was Rangers with Semien Seager deGrom (bust).

"Third-Round Pick and Contract Signing With the third-round selection, the Astros offered Peña a signing bonus of $576,000 to entice him to turn pro rather than return for his senior year at the University of Maine." Not exactly a hotbed of Latin American talent, stereotypically. He happened to far outproduce Carlos Correa these last two years by any measure. Sox, meanwhile, haven't even had a really good SECOND round draft pick since 1970.