Chicago White Sox

Need a Nicky blast right about now. Kid is more than due for one.

Disappointed with the talent level of this team. The lack of high school picks and the failures to develop our LatAm signings is painfully obvious when looking at this roster. Maybe a few guys from extended spring training (Curbelo, Destino, Zangari, etc) will join the club in the coming months and make this team more interesting.

QUOTE (JUSTgottaBELIEVE @ Apr 7, 2018 -> 09:11 AM) I’ll never understand the thought process that we have to wait on rebuilding the bullpen until the start of the anticipated contention window. Strong bullpens can take a few years to build. It’s why I strongly endorsed the idea of signing Addison Reed to a 4 year deal at $7MM AAV, even though the rest of the board was strongly opposed to such a signing. Why not start adding pieces now to begin addressing the team’s biggest weakness rather than reaching for 3 or 4 next offseason? Heck, the Sox would probably be 5-1 right now if they had signed Reed. Realistically, I don’t see a need to sign second tier relievers right now. We have a ton of interesting arms in the system that will require shots in the near future. Burdi is about as elite of a relief prospect as they come with three legit plus pitches (health permitting). Vieiria is another guy with an 80 grade fastball & significant upside if he can further develop his curveball. Hamilton & Burr are both high-end relief prospects currently in AA. I could see those last three guys pushing for major league roles this year. Burdi would already be up if it weren’t for his injury. And then you have a bunch of starting pitching prospects who will ultimately have to move to the pen. As good as Fulmer looked in his last start, I still view him as a reliever long-term. I think Stephens will also make the move to the pen at some point in the near future. Other guys remain up for debate. I see plenty of options to fill three or four spots right there. The left side is more of an issue. Bummer looks life he could be a quality second lefty in a pen, but I’d probably want to add an established left-handed veteran to handle the high leverage innings. Fry offers some depth in the event Bummer doesn’t pan, but clearly this is an area of need. Regardless, I’m optimistic we can build a quality bullpen with only two outside additions.

Hopefully Giolito rebounds and shows a little more stuff today.

QUOTE (Charlie Haeger's Knuckles @ Apr 7, 2018 -> 03:53 AM) Sure he's made some loud outs... but he's had some really s***ty at-bats. Staring at a called third strike right down the middle doesn't account for the wOBA. Like most young players he’s a work in progress. Unlike most young players, he hits the ball super hard, draws a ton of walks, & has elite speed. Let’s all give him more than six cold games in April before we hit the panic button.

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?c...mp;ymd=20180407 All night or late afternoon games. No word on who is starting for Kannapolis yet.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 08:59 PM) Leury is our best defensive outfielder. I’d take Engel’s glove over Leury’s without question, although Engel’s arm is pretty weak.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 08:50 PM) Tyler Johnson? He’s in the pen. I think hes fast tracked as a reliever. They used him as a starter last year. Figured they’d stretch him and give him the innings like they have with other relief prospects like Nate Jones, Petricka, etc.

Surprised that neither Solorzano or Johnson is in the Kannapolis rotation (based on their relief appearances tonight). Who else down there would be in the rotation over those two?

Yrizarri & Forbes are both huge long-shots to amount to anything of significance, but at least they are age appropriate and more interesting than most of the positional guys we use to fill out rosters.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 07:50 PM) The Kimbrel fan again stressing this point - I spent what, 4 years, saying the White Sox needed to go young across the board, probably longer. Being able to sign one or two of these big guys and add them into the mix in a very talented franchise...that is why we needed to go young across the board. We've already done that, this offseason will be the time to strike with a big piece or two. Unless something crazy happens, the Sox will most definitely be adding one elite reliever next offseason. It’s a huge area of weakness and one where we could use a stabilizing veteran. The Sox aren’t going to sit on their money forever, not when a ton of their key young pieces are up and ready to contribute.

CL: Kimbrel (FA) SU: Burdi SU: Wilson (FA) MR: Fulmer MR: Bummer MR: Hamilton LR: Stephens

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 07:42 PM) Personally, I think they give it until midseason 2019 to play out...unless they can get some absolute bargains next offseason. There are too many wild cards right now. Jones. Burdi’s health. The law of averages says that at least one if not two of Fulmer, Lopez, Cease and Dunning will wind up down there. Not having to pay an elite closer $15 million (again) would be a huge boost. Hopefully Avilan, Bummer, Cedeno can hold down the fort from the LH side...not particularly interested in overpaying for Andrew Miller one season early. What exactly are we spending all our money on then? You’re against Machado, you’re against elite relievers. Do you want to overpay for a bunch of B free agents or simply go young across the board?

Charlotte getting destroyed by Banda.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 04:40 PM) There is no reason to sign Machado anyway ??

Realistically, what do we think Madrigal’s upside is? Can he become 4 to 5 WAR player? I just think picking top four (when we may not have this opportunity for quite some time) we have to select a guy who could be a potential star & Madrigal seems to be more about floor than ceiling from what I can tell.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 03:27 PM) Extrapolated out over the same amount of at bats as he had last year and that’s 70 walks... which would be a HUGE improvement from 13. Hell I’d take half of that and call it a win. If he can end up with even a 5% BB rate long-term he has a chance to be special player with his mix of power, speed, & defense.

QUOTE (SCCWS @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 03:15 PM) Not yet, but if Moncada continues his struggles, I hope they move him down in the order to see if the leadoff spot is affecting him. Maybe he will bounce back and then midseason move him back to leadoff. What makes you think the leadoff spot is effecting? It’s not like we’re trying to complete this year so I doubt he is pressing and his approach looks basically looks the same as last year to me. The kid simply needs to move through the next stage of development and getting the most at-bats possible is what will help there.

QUOTE (Lip Man 1 @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 02:18 PM) Delmonico and L. Garcia are not outfielders, they are liabilities right now at that position. They are infielders or in Delmonico's case, a DH. How is Leury not an OF? Because he botched one play yesterday?

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 6, 2018 -> 01:16 PM) I'm hoping Anderson stealing more will underscore the value to him of getting on base. Krate needs to come down or BB rate needs to go up. He's just too good on the bases. Maybe it’s already helping. Tim has 3 BB’s in 26 plate appearances this season vs. 13 in 606 last year.

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?c...mp;ymd=20180406 All games start around 6pm CST.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Apr 5, 2018 -> 12:29 PM) I was going to say...the lineup looks sad. Would look a lot better with Donaldson & Jimenez in the 4 & 5 spots and everyone else bumped down.

I never thought I’d see the day Sanchez & Leury were our 5th & 6th hitters.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 5, 2018 -> 08:54 AM) Dunning starts for W-S. Working to find out who it is for Kanny. Crazy they wouldn’t have announced it yet.

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?c...mp;ymd=20180405 All four games start between 5:00 & 6:00pm CST.