https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/tim-anderson-intent-on-improving-after-difficult-first-half-of-season

Blah Blah Blah!

It is blah, blah, blah but I will say I like what I read from Anderson.

He admits... "I have been going through a lot"

I also am encouraged that he says his body is finally feeling better and normal

Lets see if 2nd half shows that.

My goal now for this team is not to win the division, that is not happening. I would like to see .....

*A winning 2nd half.

*improved play from Anderson, Vaughn, colas

*as much as many of us are done with him I want to see a healthy moncada and see what he does

*i want to see Kopech take the next step

*i want to see Santos become our closer and see what he does

*i would like to see who gets traded and what we get.

*most importantly, I want to see how the FO sets up the roster and team towards 2024

I hate this team and organization but there is talent here. Can they bring that talent out in these guys...     

Edited July 14, 20232 yr by 2Deep

Bat him ninth until he proves it.

5 minutes ago, MikeKreevich said:

Bat him ninth until he proves it.

Yes please. And bat Robert 2nd.

Hopefully he can have a good second half to rebuild his value for the offseason. 

That Grand Slam in Oakland that was reversed on appeal could have been a game changer.

Hopefully he will have a similar moment over the next week to get confidence and back on track. A bucket load of singles and doubles would work as well.

 I appreciate the man's humility at a tough time for him. Let's give him a chance to return to form. He was a great player, never forget that.

Yeah, unless they think he really needs to go due to his attitude or how he is in the clubhouse (things us as fans wouldn't know), you gotta keep him for next year and hope he bounces back for a payday and to flip him at the deadline.

2 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yeah, unless they think he really needs to go due to his attitude or how he is in the clubhouse (things us as fans wouldn't know), you gotta keep him for next year and hope he bounces back for a payday and to flip him at the deadline.

If he doesn't bounce back until next year, he won't be worth much at the trade deadline, because most of the time guys with 2 months of control aren't worth all that much at the trade deadline. $4 million for the last 2 months of this year and $10 million for the first 4 months of next year, $14 million ish total cost if he is movable, $18.5 million if he continues to struggle - that's a lot to "maybe be able to get a tiny bit at the trade deadline in 2024". 

7 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

If he doesn't bounce back until next year, he won't be worth much at the trade deadline, because most of the time guys with 2 months of control aren't worth all that much at the trade deadline. $4 million for the last 2 months of this year and $10 million for the first 4 months of next year, $14 million ish total cost if he is movable, $18.5 million if he continues to struggle - that's a lot to "maybe be able to get a tiny bit at the trade deadline in 2024". 

I know the argument for moving him now but there's literally nothing in free agency at the position. And we don't really know if they are going to tear it down. Knowing them, they will try to be competitive next year with whoever is left here/whatever they can get on cheap 1-2 year deals. 

Edited July 14, 20232 yr by Bob Sacamano

1 minute ago, Bob Sacamano said:

I know the argument for moving him now but there's literally nothing in free agency at the position. And we don't really know if they are going to tear it down. Knowing them, they will try to be competitive next year with whoever is left here/whatever they can get on cheap 1-2 year deals. 

If you want to say that they're holding him to try to be competitive, that's fine, but that's a different justification - "Hold him so we can trade him for something of value" doesn't really work any more. 

If we're trying to be competitive, there's a different discussion to be had, and in that one we have to consider his price - if they only have $30 million to spend (and frankly, that could be stretching it depending on what they do at the deadline, spending $30 million is a small budget cut), and they need 3 starting pitchers, and they need to replace 2 guys in the bullpen, and that's just treading water with a 4th place team so they could also use money to strengthen their lineup - that $14 million for 2024 would be something they would be in dire need of. And...although he's been slowed this year...they have a potential replacement that they could rush into place at SS next year. Neither option looks good, but its difficult for me to say that they would be better off with Anderson at SS and a $4 million starter than they would be with Montgomery rushed up to play SS and either 2 $9 million pitcher or 1 $18 million pitcher (and you'll note, that's Lynn's option price).

10 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

If you want to say that they're holding him to try to be competitive, that's fine, but that's a different justification - "Hold him so we can trade him for something of value" doesn't really work any more. 

If we're trying to be competitive, there's a different discussion to be had, and in that one we have to consider his price - if they only have $30 million to spend (and frankly, that could be stretching it depending on what they do at the deadline, spending $30 million is a small budget cut), and they need 3 starting pitchers, and they need to replace 2 guys in the bullpen, and that's just treading water with a 4th place team so they could also use money to strengthen their lineup - that $14 million for 2024 would be something they would be in dire need of. And...although he's been slowed this year...they have a potential replacement that they could rush into place at SS next year. Neither option looks good, but its difficult for me to say that they would be better off with Anderson at SS and a $4 million starter than they would be with Montgomery rushed up to play SS and either 2 $9 million pitcher or 1 $18 million pitcher (and you'll note, that's Lynn's option price).

May be more of the same like this year where they want to be competitive, but then need to sell what they have to if things are horrible again (probably will be if they take this path). Still need to field a team and a trade is going to bring back nothing right now for him anyway. 

Edited July 14, 20232 yr by Bob Sacamano

38 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yeah, unless they think he really needs to go due to his attitude or how he is in the clubhouse (things us as fans wouldn't know), you gotta keep him for next year and hope he bounces back for a payday and to flip him at the deadline.

Maybe the Dodgers give us a nice prospect haul for a package of him and Giolito? 

29 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

If he doesn't bounce back until next year, he won't be worth much at the trade deadline, because most of the time guys with 2 months of control aren't worth all that much at the trade deadline. $4 million for the last 2 months of this year and $10 million for the first 4 months of next year, $14 million ish total cost if he is movable, $18.5 million if he continues to struggle - that's a lot to "maybe be able to get a tiny bit at the trade deadline in 2024". 

I agree totally on your premise, so I assume you are saying it makes sense to trade TA now at the 2023 deadline as opposed to waiting and hope he bounces back in 2024?

6 minutes ago, The Kids Can Play said:

I agree totally on your premise, so I assume you are saying it makes sense to trade TA now at the 2023 deadline as opposed to waiting and hope he bounces back in 2024?

It certainly makes sense - I suppose the White Sox could know something about their budget or about Anderson that could change this calculus, but on paper here's the argument.

If he's movable for a very minor return right now, the team saves $4 million this year and $14.5 million next year. Regardless of what they think their path forward is, that money is more valuable to the White Sox than either what they would get at the 2024 trade deadline if they Anderson him then or what they would get from Anderson next year. 

7 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

It certainly makes sense - I suppose the White Sox could know something about their budget or about Anderson that could change this calculus, but on paper here's the argument.

If he's movable for a very minor return right now, the team saves $4 million this year and $14.5 million next year. Regardless of what they think their path forward is, that money is more valuable to the White Sox than either what they would get at the 2024 trade deadline if they Anderson him then or what they would get from Anderson next year. 

I agree with you. I think there is a team who will feel they can turn TA around just like recently when the Rays fixed Diekman. Let's face it, TA had four straight seasons hitting over .300 before 2023. With all the chaos and dysfunction with the Sox, I am sure a quality org like the Dodgers or Rays can assume they can fix TA because they know how Fcuked up the Sox are. The good teams know they have the better coaching, players and winning culture for TA to turn him around. 

Yet if you role the dice assuming TA turns it around in 2024 and then he sucks again, then at the 2024 deadline, there will be few buyers, or buyers only willing to trade crap away...because now the verdict on TA will be...he is really mentally screwed up and it's more than just mechanics we need to fix. 

Merkin is certainly good for a puff piece.  

2 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

That Grand Slam in Oakland that was reversed on appeal could have been a game changer.

Hopefully he will have a similar moment over the next week to get confidence and back on track. A bucket load of singles and doubles would work as well.

He’s looked better to me since about that game. I don’t know how it plays out statistically but it seems like he’s hitting the ball harder and off the ground more often. Baby steps in the right direction, I’ll take it.  

Edited July 14, 20232 yr by nrockway

7 hours ago, The Kids Can Play said:

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/tim-anderson-intent-on-improving-after-difficult-first-half-of-season

Blah Blah Blah!