Good for James

Wow.  Like 4/$32-35M.  Would be shocked to see higher AAV than that on a 4 year deal.  

Good for him.  The dude bounced back from a non-tender with the Tigers and an MiLB contract with the White Sox.  It just goes to show you that you can't always rush to pronounce players as DOA.

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Good for him.  The dude bounced back from a non-tender with the Tigers and an MiLB contract with the White Sox.  It just goes to show you that you can't always rush to pronounce players as DOA.

It wasn't a minor league deal, but point remains.  

2 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

It wasn't a minor league deal, but point remains.  

You are correct.  For some reason I got it in my head it was an MiLB with invite to ST.

Good for James.

Very happy for James.  Go get your money, you earned it.

McCann earned this contract. Good for him. Gonna miss the luxury of having him and Grandal.

Happy to see him go to a non-rival, if he does indeed go to the Mets. Surprised to see him possibly signing a deal before Realmuto. Wonder who will sign JT, if not the Mets.

Get paid James. Comes off as a hard working, well respected man. Sorry it couldn’t be from us. 

3 minutes ago, ShoeLessRob said:

Get paid James. Comes off as a hard working, well respected man. Sorry it couldn’t be from us. 

Could of/should of been with us.

24 minutes ago, ShoeLessRob said:

Get paid James. Comes off as a hard working, well respected man. Sorry it couldn’t be from us. 

Exactly. It’s not worth gambling an injury or a bad year. Make your money, you earned it the last 2 seasons, the White Sox need to move on and get a back up for Grandal. Maybe it’s Collins, maybe it’s someone else. 

if I am Hahn, I am asking my scouts who is the best framer, thrower and game caller of the back up type free agents, and that combo is who I am going after. Framer and thrower might be more important as I think LaRussa likes to call pitches unless they have a HOFer baseball person, someone who is legit, like Fisk, behind the plate.

 

Edited December 3, 20205 yr by Dick Allen

The under utilization of McCann was one of my major knocks on Renteria, among many. So many times he could have been used as pinch hitter, and should have got more starts at DH. His loss definitely diminishes the teams on multiple levels. Going to miss him more than most, that is for sure.

Just now, Vulture said:

The under utilization of McCann was one of my major knocks on Renteria, among many. So many times he could have been used as pinch hitter, and should have got more starts at DH. His loss definitely diminishes the teams on multiple levels. Going to miss him more than most, that is for sure.

Call it a hunch, but I think Renteria learned in 2019 about over exposing McCann, and his numbers were protected a lot more this year than they were last year when James crashed at the end of the season.  I wouldn't be shocked if the next team to sign him finds out the same thing.

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

Call it a hunch, but I think Renteria learned in 2019 about over exposing McCann, and his numbers were protected a lot more this year than they were last year when James crashed at the end of the season.  I wouldn't be shocked if the next team to sign him finds out the same thing.

I think other than not using him vs, Berrios I believe, I think he is the one McCann kills and Ricky had him riding pine a couple of times, he used him masterfully. This is a guy a lot of Soxtalk were irate the Sox signed in the first place thinking he was no Kevan Smith. And I agree, I think over exposure may hurt his numbers a bit. But he has earned a shot at a regular job. Hope for him it goes well he seems like a good guy. 

12 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Call it a hunch, but I think Renteria learned in 2019 about over exposing McCann, and his numbers were protected a lot more this year than they were last year when James crashed at the end of the season.  I wouldn't be shocked if the next team to sign him finds out the same thing.

Still would have been better than Encarnacion or pinch hitting Zack Collins. I think there was a long ways between his utilization and over exposure. For example, McCann rode the bench against I think it was Berrios when he had four home runs and something like a .400 BA. No way putting him in the lineup would have been over exposure in that case. A hot bat is a hot bat. Put the hot bat in the lineup when the alternative is garbage.

Edited December 3, 20205 yr by Vulture

5 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

I think other than not using him vs, Berrios I believe, I think he is the one McCann kills and Ricky had him riding pine a couple of times, he used him masterfully. This is a guy a lot of Soxtalk were irate the Sox signed in the first place thinking he was no Kevan Smith. And I agree, I think over exposure may hurt his numbers a bit. But he has earned a shot at a regular job. Hope for him it goes well he seems like a good guy. 

I see that he's a free agent too. Wouldn't mind him back as a backup.

In fairness to Ricky I’m pretty sure his bosses were forcing him to play Encarnación longer than he wanted to

6 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

I think other than not using him vs, Berrios I believe, I think he is the one McCann kills and Ricky had him riding pine a couple of times, he used him masterfully. This is a guy a lot of Soxtalk were irate the Sox signed in the first place thinking he was no Kevan Smith. And I agree, I think over exposure may hurt his numbers a bit. But he has earned a shot at a regular job. Hope for him it goes well he seems like a good guy. 

Agreed. People were worked up into a frenzy with Reinsdorf sending his yapping dogs the entire season (Stone/Ozzie) barking to set up his new hire. Renteria utilized McCann well.

In terms of McCann, I am much more comfortable with Katz here, both in terms of supporting Giolitto and also developing game plans, and carrying the load McCann supplied on that end.

16 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Call it a hunch, but I think Renteria learned in 2019 about over exposing McCann, and his numbers were protected a lot more this year than they were last year when James crashed at the end of the season.  I wouldn't be shocked if the next team to sign him finds out the same thing.

As much as I love what he did with us, this is exactly what I think is going to happen.

18 minutes ago, ShoeLessRob said:

Get paid James. Comes off as a hard working, well respected man. Sorry it couldn’t be from us. 

Exactly. It’s not worth gambling an injury or a bad year. Make your money, you earned it the last 2 seasons, the White Sox need to move on and get a back up for Grandal. Maybe it’s Collins, maybe it’s someone else. 
 

 

4 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Agreed. People were worked up into a frenzy with Reinsdorf sending his yapping dogs the entire season (Stone/Ozzie) barking to set up his new hire. Renteria utilized McCann well.

In terms of McCann, I am much more comfortable with Katz here, both in terms of supporting Giolitto and also developing game plans, and carrying the load McCann supplied on that end.

The other thing with people freaking out McCann won’t be there for Giolito, there is a simple solution. Have Giolito call the game and have him give Grandal the signs. Problem solved.

Sorry, but just the fact that Renteria pinch hit Collins in a key situation in game 2 of the playoffs when he could look down the bench and see an actual professional hitter in McCann, who never even entered the game, along with the Berrios benching in a key game against divisional rival fighting for first place, alone proves that Renteria's use of McCann was anything but masterful.

McCann out WARed Grandal in half the playing time. No way an extra 30-40 at bats would have been anything but beneficial. That alone could have been the difference between first place, not to mention all of Renteria's other boneheaded moves.

Edited December 3, 20205 yr by Vulture

10 minutes ago, Rowand44 said:

As much as I love what he did with us, this is exactly what I think is going to happen.

Probably, but that will still be an improvement over the catching situation for at least half the league.

1 minute ago, Dick Allen said:

The other thing with people freaking out McCann won’t be there for Giolito, there is a simple solution. Have Giolito call the game and have him give Grandal the signs. Problem solved.

Time will tell if Lucas will want to work with Grandal, or start working in Spring Training with the presumptive number 2 and work with them through the season.

Hopefully the Sox can pick up a solid defensive number 2 catcher, who can work with young pitchers. Don't care if they bat .150 like Perez in Cleveland, defense and game management far more important from a catcher, the bat is just an added bonus.