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If Pedro Grifol can get this group of often-injured free-swinging Prima Donnas to play good baseball, he'll deserve to be manager of the year

VAfan

By VAfan,
in Pale Hose Talk

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VAfan

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The White Sox are a hopeless cause UNLESS their core players all change their fundamental ways.

They need to:

1. Stay healthy.  They can't help the Sox win games on the DL.

2. Become disciplined hitters.  Way too many free swingers on this club, who get themselves out rather than build pressure on the pitchers.

3. Minimize the hot-dogging. Gotta win games before you can hot-dog. 

4. Field their positions well. Way too many mental lapses in the field. 

We know who they are: Tim Anderson, Yasmani Grandal, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, Eloy Jiminez.  

The play of these 5 guys is the key to the Sox' season.  All have been injured each of the last two years, vastly underachieved as a hitter, or both. 

Every other hitter is part of a supporting cast, led by Andrew Vaughn. 

Did Jose Abreu move on because of the money, or because he got tired of being the only hitter who actually showed up to play every day and worked on his craft. 

What's more is that these 5 guys should be leading the way for other players to teach them the right way to play baseball, instead of the wrong way, which most of them have exhibited. For example, Oscar Colas. Is he going to learn how to play the game right? 

Of course there is a pitching side to this too.

Can Lucas Giolito get his act together?  Can Aaron Bummer learn to harness his pitches so the manager can have some idea game-to-game what he's going to get out of him?  Can Michael Kopech harness his amazing stuff?  What are we going to get out of Clevinger and Lynn this year? 

It all seems to be on the shoulders of Pedrol Grifol, who is the main bright spot in the Sox' offseason.  

Personally, I'll believe it when I see it.  And if they all bring it, I'll be surprised.  Pleasantly surprised, but surprised. 

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KipWellsFan Grand Master

KipWellsFan

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Hot-dogging? I'm not sure the players on our team are really known for that. Maybe you can make the case with Tim Anderson (I would not), but that really doesn't seem to be a major issue with this team. If anything, a little bit of hot dogging would be a sign that this team has some friggin' life.

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WBWSF Mentor

WBWSF

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34 minutes ago, VAfan said:

The White Sox are a hopeless cause UNLESS their core players all change their fundamental ways.

They need to:

1. Stay healthy.  They can't help the Sox win games on the DL.

2. Become disciplined hitters.  Way too many free swingers on this club, who get themselves out rather than build pressure on the pitchers.

3. Minimize the hot-dogging. Gotta win games before you can hot-dog. 

4. Field their positions well. Way too many mental lapses in the field. 

We know who they are: Tim Anderson, Yasmani Grandal, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, Eloy Jiminez.  

The play of these 5 guys is the key to the Sox' season.  All have been injured each of the last two years, vastly underachieved as a hitter, or both. 

Every other hitter is part of a supporting cast, led by Andrew Vaughn. 

Did Jose Abreu move on because of the money, or because he got tired of being the only hitter who actually showed up to play every day and worked on his craft. 

What's more is that these 5 guys should be leading the way for other players to teach them the right way to play baseball, instead of the wrong way, which most of them have exhibited. For example, Oscar Colas. Is he going to learn how to play the game right? 

Of course there is a pitching side to this too.

Can Lucas Giolito get his act together?  Can Aaron Bummer learn to harness his pitches so the manager can have some idea game-to-game what he's going to get out of him?  Can Michael Kopech harness his amazing stuff?  What are we going to get out of Clevinger and Lynn this year? 

It all seems to be on the shoulders of Pedrol Grifol, who is the main bright spot in the Sox' offseason.  

Personally, I'll believe it when I see it.  And if they all bring it, I'll be surprised.  Pleasantly surprised, but surprised. 

Be prepared to be surprised.

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Dick Allen Grand Master

Dick Allen

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Well, if Jimmy Rollins turns back Father time, if Brett Lawrie becomes what everyone hoped he was several years ago, if Austin Jackson does the same, if Mat Latos turns into the stud he was supposed to be, if.................Oh wait, that's why the Sox started the rebuild. Looks like they are banking on the same s%*# again. I'm beginning to think the rebuild was basically so JR could bank some cash. 

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flavum Grand Master

flavum

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I’m not sure I’d call it hot dogging, but one thing they can start with is the fundamental effort of getting out of the batters box immediately after making contact with the ball. Some singles need to turn into doubles. Some doubles need to turn into a man on third. The lazy jog down to first base needs to addressed this spring. It cannot be tolerated. And no, I’m not saying a guy needs to sprint on a routine grounder to second base. You know an unprofessional effort when you see it.

Edited by flavum
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Quin Grand Master

Quin

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43 minutes ago, KipWellsFan said:

Hot-dogging? I'm not sure the players on our team are really known for that. Maybe you can make the case with Tim Anderson (I would not), but that really doesn't seem to be a major issue with this team. If anything, a little bit of hot dogging would be a sign that this team has some friggin' life.

I take these vibes over last year's dugout:

 

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MiddleCoastBias Veteran

MiddleCoastBias

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50 minutes ago, flavum said:

I’m not sure I’d call it hot dogging, but one thing they can start with is the fundamental effort of getting out of the batters box immediately after making contact with the ball. Some singles need to turn into doubles. Some doubles need to turn into a man on third. The lazy jog down to first base needs to addressed this spring. It cannot be tolerated. And no, I’m not saying a guy needs to sprint on a routine grounder to second base. You know an unprofessional effort when you see it.

This is so frustrating to watch. I get that Grandal is dealing with whatever injuries, but there are times he grounds into a double-play and he's barely in frame when the second out is recorded.

I'm cynically expecting him to get thrown out at first by a RFer this year. 

And he's definitely not the only culprit (but is the biggest offender).

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35thstreetswarm Grand Master

35thstreetswarm

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, VAfan said:

The White Sox are a hopeless cause UNLESS their core players all change their fundamental ways.

They need to:

1. Stay healthy.  They can't help the Sox win games on the DL.

2. Become disciplined hitters.  Way too many free swingers on this club, who get themselves out rather than build pressure on the pitchers.

3. Minimize the hot-dogging. Gotta win games before you can hot-dog. 

4. Field their positions well. Way too many mental lapses in the field. 

We know who they are: Tim Anderson, Yasmani Grandal, Yoan Moncada, Luis Robert, Eloy Jiminez.  

The play of these 5 guys is the key to the Sox' season.  All have been injured each of the last two years, vastly underachieved as a hitter, or both. 

Every other hitter is part of a supporting cast, led by Andrew Vaughn. 

Did Jose Abreu move on because of the money, or because he got tired of being the only hitter who actually showed up to play every day and worked on his craft. 

What's more is that these 5 guys should be leading the way for other players to teach them the right way to play baseball, instead of the wrong way, which most of them have exhibited. For example, Oscar Colas. Is he going to learn how to play the game right? 

Of course there is a pitching side to this too.

Can Lucas Giolito get his act together?  Can Aaron Bummer learn to harness his pitches so the manager can have some idea game-to-game what he's going to get out of him?  Can Michael Kopech harness his amazing stuff?  What are we going to get out of Clevinger and Lynn this year? 

It all seems to be on the shoulders of Pedrol Grifol, who is the main bright spot in the Sox' offseason.  

Personally, I'll believe it when I see it.  And if they all bring it, I'll be surprised.  Pleasantly surprised, but surprised. 

I'd settle for #1.  I think if these core players are on the field for 150 games a lot of the "will to win" and "110% effort" and "grinder" and "lunch pail guy" issues will abate for those fans who spend time diagnosing and thinking about them.

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Balta1701 Grand Master

Balta1701

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49 minutes ago, Quin said:

White Sox had the 7th lowest K% in the league last year.

They had the second highest swing rate in baseball last year next to Detroit and the second highest swing rate on pitches out of the strike zone, again to Detroit. Regardless of everything else here, “free swingers” is an apt description.

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Balta1701 Grand Master

Balta1701

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9 minutes ago, The Grinder said:

Since we had so many under performing players last yr, does MLB still have Comeback Player of the Year? Or did that go out with pet rocks? :) 

The only guy for the White Sox I could legitimately see having a shot at that would be Grandal, if he had a 2021-like year again. Spent time on the IL and was terrible otherwise. 

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LittleHurtCG Collaborator

LittleHurtCG

Posted
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21 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

They had the second highest swing rate in baseball last year next to Detroit and the second highest swing rate on pitches out of the strike zone, again to Detroit. Regardless of everything else here, “free swingers” is an apt description.

"free swingers" is 100% an apt description of the team last year. Anyone who says otherwise disn't watch this team play last year and probably thinks baseball is played on Excel spreadsheets. 

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