Because it is very easy to keep track of how many games a bullpen blew the game. Whether you want to use conventional means like blown saves, or (preferably) you lean more towards analytics and look at WPA+ and WPA-, shutdowns and meltdowns, WAR, FIP, etc, you can tell how good or bad your bullpen was and how much work is necessary. I also don't believe that a bad bullpen leads to overextending starters. A bad bullpen leads to position players pitching and different relievers being called up from the minors with little to no effect whatsoever on the starting pitchers.

 

The White Sox are absolutely a team that will extend starters when it feels that it can't trust the pen. This is a Don Cooper trait. What I do disagree with is the idea that we can't tell if the problem lies with the pen or starters. I think that is super easy to figure out.

Isn't that what just about every free agent says when signing with a new team? Bottom line, money talks. If the White Sox offer Reed as much or more than the rest of the league there's a great chance he signs. This isn't a Carlos Beltran situation trying to grab a ring before hanging it up. In that type of situation I could see it being about more than the money.

So you don't accept David Robertson's reasoning for signing with the Sox and you don't accept Hahn saying the Sox will not be spending on big free agents. Well, go ahead and keep thinking the Sox have a chance at signing Reed. Just don't complain when Reed signs with a contender.

Good point. Times are changing. I feel like that Jose Abreu record deal will be shattered next offseason.

Yeah, same here. I'm not really a fan of JR myself but I can't ignore the big money he spent on a prospect. That right there tells me he will spend on free agents to fill the gaps when the time comes.

Because it is very easy to keep track of how many games a bullpen blew the game. Whether you want to use conventional means like blown saves, or (preferably) you lean more towards analytics and look at WPA+ and WPA-, shutdowns and meltdowns, WAR, FIP, etc, you can tell how good or bad your bullpen was and how much work is necessary. I also don't believe that a bad bullpen leads to overextending starters. A bad bullpen leads to position players pitching and different relievers being called up from the minors with little to no effect whatsoever on the starting pitchers.

The Sox will be running out 3 or 4 very young starters in their rotation. Sox will try to push these guys to get that extra inning or two if the bullpen is a hot mess as expected. I'm not sure that's a good thing with these arms in the rotation being as young as they are.

So you don't accept David Robertson's reasoning for signing with the Sox and you don't accept Hahn saying the Sox will not be spending on big free agents. Well, go ahead and keep thinking the Sox have a chance at signing Reed. Just don't complain when Reed signs with a contender.

I don't classify guys like Reed, Swarzak, McGee, etc. as "big" signings. And watch when they do sign a vet this offseason. I bet they are quoted saying similar things as DRob in 2014 "I really like the moves that this organization is making" "I think this team is very close to competing and want to be a part of it" etc etc

I don't classify guys like Reed, Swarzak, McGee, etc. as "big" signings. And watch when they do sign a vet this offseason. I bet they are quoted saying similar things as DRob in 2014 "I really like the moves that this organization is making" "I think this team is very close to competing and want to be a part of it" etc etc

 

I am feeling fairly confidence that the types of players we sign for our bullpen this year won't be the kind of players that get an interview surrounding their signings.

But how will one judge whether a team is "close" to competing if they only win 70 games, largely because the bullpen is awful? A bad bullpen also lends itself to overextending the starters in an effort to compensate. I'm not sure that's a good thing for the rebuild either.

 

The same way you know the bullpen is garbage right now.

I don't classify guys like Reed, Swarzak, McGee, etc. as "big" signings. And watch when they do sign a vet this offseason. I bet they are quoted saying similar things as DRob in 2014 "I really like the moves that this organization is making" "I think this team is very close to competing and want to be a part of it" etc etc

Oh, I'll take that bet. No FA is going to sign this winter with the rebuilding White Sox and say those things. You're at least one year too soon on that.