tray

LaRussa entered a plea to a lower charge and the States Atty accepted it in lieu of trial. This is done routinely...thousands of times every day througoput our country ....and on charges more serious than a stationary DUI charge. And it does not depend on how much money you pay an attorney or as some think,, involve a bribe to the Judge. Pleading to a lower charge is a necessary part of our judicial system. If you haven't been in a criminal Court perhaps you cannot understand this and why it is necessary. If there were aggravating circumstances the plead would not have been accepted. There may have been mitigating circumstances and certain weaknesses in the State's case that made them accept the plea. But as far as moral turpitude involving the game of baseball I give that award to Keuchel, a guy who was complicit in a cheating scandal involving his own team, a transgression that some consider worse than what Pete Rose did. And the dude remains entirely unapologetic about it.

Wait a minute before whining about T LaR and Eaton. Neither one was here last season when Rick Hahn, the penultimate choice for Executive of the year, and someone who is having his ass kissed by some noteworthy people here, decided that Mazara was the answer in RF.....and stuck with him throughout the entire season. And never forget, TLar wasn't here when Hahn snapped up Edwin Encarcion and stuck with him all season, despite the fact that Vaughn and Collins were sitting in Schaumburg. And if Hahn wasn't going to resign McCann, tell us, wtf didn't he bring up Collins and Vaughn during the season in order to evaluate them at the major league level? Instead he doesn't sign McCann and Collins and Vaughn are going to be relied on in 2021 by a championship level team ? Now if Eaton ends up working out more than Mazara did, Hahn is the Executive of the year in 2021.. for real this time, right?

The loss of McCann may have several ramifications: 1. A substantially increased inning load for Grandal which could impact his performance and durability, 2, Relying on Collins to catch and call multiple games. Watch out for balls getting by the big man who no one will confuse with the more agile Carlton Fisk back there. 3. Creating a possible hole at DH if Vaughn disappoints and turns out being a bust. There were some risks to letting McCann walk .

Hindsight will be 20/20 vision on this one. Let's see how Grandal's durability pans out and how back up catcher(s) perform in the games McCann would have started. Also let's see if Vaughn can fill the DH role in 2021. Personally, I think it may have been possible to extend McCann for 3/30 with an option for a 4th year...before he hit FA. This might prove to be a bad move and one that may not be easy to correct. Excellent catchers are rare commodities in major league baseball.

Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu are the leaders on this team. Keuchel should STFU. Starting pitchers aren't in 80% of the games and they don't stay in for more than 5-6 innings most of the other 20% so everyday players probably don't want them commenting on player performance or motivation. Plus Keuchel knew his Astro teammates were cheating and said nothing. I would trade Keuchel for another no. 3 starter so fast...

I would keep him in case Collins sucks or Grandal gets injured.

But you experiment with Collins ?

Hahn plugging holes while a crater opens up with McCann leaving. Collins is going catch 60 games or so for a championship team? Can Collins take over if/when Grandal gets hurt? Can Grandal maintain his performance level if he is leaned on to catch 120 games next year? Didn't he have back issues last year? Can Yermin be effective defensively ? If so, the Sox should open a spot for Yermin on the 25 man roster as insurance against an injury to Grandal and in case Collins under performs.

Agree on all counts. I really was disappointed with Hahn signing this guy. I feel this move was like putting old retread tires on a new sports car.

"Per capita" based on residents of the City of Chicago ? So the total population in the City is roughly 2.9 Million or thereabouts. A lot of residents in the City may not have the disposable income to attend baseball games regularly. So if another city has a higher average per capita income, that could result in more per capita attendance at baseball games. I'm not sure that means anything. "Fan support" meaning physical attendance at games? I never believed that fan attendance at games was the most accurate indicator of "fan support" because, as is the case in Chicago, certain stadiums are more accessible to a team's fan base or perhaps, there are other attractions that draw in fans. Post Covid the public in general may be reticent to expose themselves to germs on a grand scale by gathering in large public venues. Perhaps sports stadiums will be the exception if that is the case. Or not. I imagine a post-Covid sports bar loaded with people, face to face, cheek to cheek , touching, breathing and sharing germs from sneeze droplets.

I wanted McCann signed earlier when the Sox probably could have gotten him to agree to a 3 year contract. He is going for 4 years with the Mets and he will probably get it. Mets seem to be in on a lot of the top FA. Maybe they will get Bauer or Springer as well.

Keuchel knew they were cheating, including in games he pitched in. IMO, that's not OK.

That's not gonna happen with Abreu . He is still El Capitan and this is a different Sox team then the one Eaton was on. Plus Kenny Williams laid down the law with LaRoach and Sale when Hahn and Ventura lacked the balls to do it, and KW will be watching again to see if Eaton tries to go rogue again or cops an attitude.. Bottom line,,,Eaton will be on a short leash. He barks, he gone.

Eaton doesn''t seems to fit on this team or in this franchise. IMO, an Engel/Leury platoon would have been fine until some more sensible solution could be pursued. Jezus, did they even try for Joc or inquire about a trade for Benintendi or try to get Springer? This has Rick F-ing Hahn written all over it. Just like last off-season, he can't put the finishing pieces in place to take the team to the next level. That is why he was runner up for Executive of the year. He couldn't close that deal either.

This was a move to win in 2021 and a bridge to get to 2022 and beyond. So, it's OK probably, maybe.. I like the move provided that Lynn doesn't partake in Chicago pizza and beef sandwiches and blow up any more.

Which makes one wonder why Hahn continues to promise "multiple championships."

The trade reconfirms that the Sox are in a win now mode ....as in win in 2021. That strategy requires a myopic view of our talent pool that we are not used to having.

What top prospects have they traded in all honesty? Tatis Jr,? I would rather stand pat in terms of trades at the Winter meetings. Add a FA starter, sign FA James McCann, sign Oscar Colas, get to Spring Training, and evaluate the talent we have.

I doubt Mark Buehrle would have cheated like Keuchel did. That was a pretty outrageous cheating scheme that others paid a price for while Keuchel walked away from it unscathed.

Yes he was signed as a FA..so what? As far as me personally "getting over it" I am assuming you mean that the Astro's cheating (and Keuchel's participation in it) should be forgotten. I will not forget it and I certainly won't forgive Keuchel after hearing him try to downplay it so many times. As far as Plesac, I was just giving an example of a young pitcher I would trade in a heartbeat for Keuchel. Yes, Zach partied with friends in Chicago when the Indians were in town, but I would get over that whereas I can't get over what Keuchel and the Asrros did that easily.

Actually Keuchel said the same thing about McCann , and McCann was one of the main proponents to get Keuchel signed by the White Sox. "When Dallas Keuchel threw an 85 mph sinker into the glove of James McCann on July 25, it was the first time they had recorded an official pitch and catch to one another in more than 11 years. The last time they had played in a game that mattered, it was one of the most memorable nights in University of Arkansas baseball history. Keuchel, the Razorbacks' No. 1 starter, came out of the bullpen to pitch four scoreless innings as Arkansas rallied to defeat Virginia 4-3 in 12 innings at the 2009 College World Series. In Keuchel's debut for the White Sox, he threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings. The two runs charged to him came after he was taken out of the game with runners on base. He earned the win in Chicago's 10-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. He allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings in another win Friday against the Kansas City Royals. McCann hit a home run during the game against the Twins. He has homered twice in 17 plate appearances entering Tuesday's game, and he was hitting .333. "James is still the same old guy," Keuchel said after last week's win over the Twins. "Sometimes he'll lull you to sleep with kind of the lack of emotion, but he's kind of like me where the deep down emotion is what carries him to be a great player." McCann was an advocate for the White Sox signing Keuchel during the offseason, which they did for three years and $55.5 million. "I spoke highly of him," McCann said of his conversations with Chicago's coaches and front office. "Obviously his career accolades don't need me to speak highly of him. I was excited when we signed him. "Just getting back on the field with him in the spring and being able to catch him in games, it's a lot of fun. I have memories that go back 10-plus years, so just getting to talk about stuff like that, but also to talk through our big-league careers together about what he's learned and what I've learned ... it's been pretty special." https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/aug/05/mccann-keuchel-reliving-ua-days/ Keuchel was part of the Astros cheating scandal so I have to admit that he is not someone I look at with the same respect that I did for Mark Buehrle. Frankly, if the Sox could package him up with a prospect or two and trade him for a young stud starter (like Zach Plesac) I wouldn't mind it.

I listened to the Score podcast. Kasper explained the move by claiming that he always wanted to call a World Series game...on the radio. So OK, let's try to unpack that more than they did during the asskissing podcast interview. So he is suggesting that the White Sox have a better shot at getting in the World Series than the Cubs? OK, probably right, but is that a personality trait that is commendable? You get out when its tough...you lack loyalty ....even to the extent that you then join what many in town consider a fierce rival? And well, he always wanted to announce radio more than TV....What? Has he ever said that in the past 16 years? No other team would offer him a radio gig? Then Kasper goes into his wise old sage mode (he is in his 50's I believe) stating that at this point in his life he has done so much that he desn't need the thrills of the younger announcers, but instead suggesting that he now wants to pursue some higher cerebral experience in the radio booth. Please. This is the game of baseball, not Hare Krishna. So after spending the entire interview explaining why the decision was all about him, he never said one word, about Cub or White Sox fans, and how each fan base would react to this. He seemed to be self-absorbed. That's fine for people making career choices or having a mid-life crisis, but this is a guy that was the voice of the Cubs for 16 years leaving and turning up on the other side of town with with what appears to be a bulsh1t story. I don't know, this thing is just too strange.

If the plan is to have Collins assume the roles that McCann played that will be a significant downgrade in several areas. Maybe the Sox really are considering Yadi as a back-up.

This move also covered over negative take some had on the LaRussa hire.

Kasper recommended Benetti for the job and thinks highly of him. The two working together though might be a bit too nerdy for some South siders. This move is not as momentous as Harry moving from the Sox to the Cubs . However, it does seem to be having an impact on the perception that Chicagoans have concerning the direction that each team is now heading. Perhaps past will be prologue for those of us who may recall how the Sox suffered from switching over to Sportsvision and losing Harry to the Cubs.