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Grifol, Sox out to prove doubters wrong in 2024 (Merkin Optimism Series)


caulfield12

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33 minutes ago, LittleHurtCG said:

Never should have fired Ricky Renteria. 

Hahn was a loyal employee and a yes man for a long long time. He should have been fired before the Sale trade was ever made, but good on him for getting a nice fat paycheck for another 7 years. Good for him, terrible for Sox fans. 

I still don't understand the logic how Renteria deserved to get fired, but Grifol is fine. It's not like Pedro is breaking the bank for an MLB on field employee. According to Nightengale, there's a decent shot he doesn't make $1 million a year. That's almost player minimum.

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  • 2 weeks later...

White Sox: Are they rebuilding?
Ah, yes. It’s the question that's been hovering around the South Siders since early last August: rebuild or retool? This is a rebuild, and a necessary one after the previous rebuild ended in two total playoff wins and the 2023 debacle. But it’s not a rebuild in the sense of tearing the organization all the way down. General manager Chris Getz is looking for a certain style of play -- better defense, faster paced and with dynamic contributors who can play across the diamond. He’s building depth and building an overall winning culture, not even giving up '24 if many, many factors work in the team’s favor within the AL Central. -- Scott Merkin

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/spring-training-2024-storylines

Edited by caulfield12
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What dynamic contributors that can play across the diamond have been added, exactly?

It’s kind of amusing that the two players who most fit that billing, Moncada (affixed to 3B) and Tim Anderson are on their way out or already gone…seemingly.   We’ve already traded our 3B who lacked some of those qualities (despite outsprinting the majority of position players on the roster).


Amed Rosario would sort of fit…but not with his inconsistent/erratic defense up the middle and his age/timeline.

HaSeong Kim is the pending free agent who most represents that type of contributor, but still lacks overwhelming speed.  Age/timeline again.

Jazz Chisholm?

We keep adding players, but none are dynamic nor are they under 25-26ish.

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1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

White Sox: Are they rebuilding?
Ah, yes. It’s the question that's been hovering around the South Siders since early last August: rebuild or retool? This is a rebuild, and a necessary one after the previous rebuild ended in two total playoff wins and the 2023 debacle. But it’s not a rebuild in the sense of tearing the organization all the way down. General manager Chris Getz is looking for a certain style of play -- better defense, faster paced and with dynamic contributors who can play across the diamond. He’s building depth and building an overall winning culture, not even giving up '24 if many, many factors work in the team’s favor within the AL Central. -- Scott Merkin

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/spring-training-2024-storylines

3 teams have a 0% chance at the playoffs per BP. The White Sox are one of them. Merkin has enough Kool Aide in his systemd to say he's not giving up on 24.  I know mlb.com team beat guy is an ass kiss job, but he should be embarrassed by that one.

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On 2/2/2024 at 11:49 AM, Dick Allen said:

I still don't understand the logic how Renteria deserved to get fired, but Grifol is fine. It's not like Pedro is breaking the bank for an MLB on field employee. According to Nightengale, there's a decent shot he doesn't make $1 million a year. That's almost player minimum.

He doesn’t deserve the a minor league salary.

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2 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

He doesn’t deserve the a minor league salary.

of course not, but if anyone is buying anything that comes out of his mouth after the difference of what he said it would be and reality last year, needs help. You are too gullible for your own good.

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On 2/2/2024 at 12:17 AM, greg775 said:

I"ve seen this year after year with the Royals except for that 2-3 year window where they were great. The Royals talk a great game in spring training then by mid May are 15 out and done. Or early May. That's the upcoming fate of our Sox. We stink Who is our SS this year, Lopez? LOL.

His name is Long Dong deJong, or something like that. 

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On 2/2/2024 at 12:49 PM, Dick Allen said:

I still don't understand the logic how Renteria deserved to get fired, but Grifol is fine. It's not like Pedro is breaking the bank for an MLB on field employee. According to Nightengale, there's a decent shot he doesn't make $1 million a year. That's almost player minimum.

I think at the time, many would have agreed that Renteria needed to go. Who they replaced him with was the problem. I'd rather they kept Ricky.

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8 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

What dynamic contributors that can play across the diamond have been added, exactly?

It’s kind of amusing that the two players who most fit that billing, Moncada (affixed to 3B) and Tim Anderson are on their way out or already gone…seemingly.   We’ve already traded our 3B who lacked some of those qualities (despite outsprinting the majority of position players on the roster).


Amed Rosario would sort of fit…but not with his inconsistent/erratic defense up the middle and his age/timeline.

HaSeong Kim is the pending free agent who most represents that type of contributor, but still lacks overwhelming speed.  Age/timeline again.

Jazz Chisholm?

We keep adding players, but none are dynamic nor are they under 25-26ish.

Scott Merlin is a sycophantic orifice. Gertz can't figure out what he is doing. Just acquiring 4A guys and see if they stick around. Maybe next year he will have a plan. 

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42 minutes ago, pcq said:

Scott Merlin is a sycophantic orifice. Gertz can't figure out what he is doing. Just acquiring 4A guys and see if they stick around. Maybe next year he will have a plan. 

Oh he has a plan.  It's just not one he is going to say out loud.  He is clearing deadweight and payroll while filling in with minimalist players, while hoping to maximize a young talent pool.

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On 2/12/2024 at 2:53 PM, ScootsMcGoots said:

I think at the time, many would have agreed that Renteria needed to go. Who they replaced him with was the problem. I'd rather they kept Ricky.

I think RR was a smart proven likeable baseball guy. He should never have gotten axed for bad managing in the playoffs. RR big picture was a solid manager. I think Oz has a chance to be interim this year when Pedro is the fall guy for another bad season. Nothing to lose making Oz interim after say a 10-30 start.

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14 hours ago, greg775 said:

I think RR was a smart proven likeable baseball guy. He should never have gotten axed for bad managing in the playoffs. RR big picture was a solid manager. I think Oz has a chance to be interim this year when Pedro is the fall guy for another bad season. Nothing to lose making Oz interim after say a 10-30 start.

I honestly think Ozzie would be great for guys like Moncada and Eloy. He would give them the kick in the ass they need.

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4 minutes ago, ScootsMcGoots said:

I honestly think Ozzie would be great for guys like Moncada and Eloy. He would give them the kick in the ass they need.

Ozzie would either be great for them, or make them worse. He was great for a lot of guys when he managed, but he killed Damaso Marte. Moncada and Eloy, who knows? 

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1 minute ago, Dick Allen said:

Ozzie would either be great for them, or make them worse. He was great for a lot of guys when he managed, but he killed Damaso Marte. Moncada and Eloy, who knows? 

Exactly. But what do they have to lose lol. If anything, it will provide entertainment. At the very least. Hahn and Kenny are gone, so there's some bias that's gone. Although obv Jerry has history with him and likely the final say in who's manager...

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On 2/12/2024 at 4:44 AM, caulfield12 said:

White Sox: Are they rebuilding?
Ah, yes. It’s the question that's been hovering around the South Siders since early last August: rebuild or retool? This is a rebuild, and a necessary one after the previous rebuild ended in two total playoff wins and the 2023 debacle. But it’s not a rebuild in the sense of tearing the organization all the way down. General manager Chris Getz is looking for a certain style of play -- better defense, faster paced and with dynamic contributors who can play across the diamond. He’s building depth and building an overall winning culture, not even giving up '24 if many, many factors work in the team’s favor within the AL Central. -- Scott Merkin

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/spring-training-2024-storylines

That is an absolutely amazing quote. It wouldn't surprise me if half of it was written by an AI prompt. Even for Merkin, that is a word salad of nothing.

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1 hour ago, ScootsMcGoots said:

I honestly think Ozzie would be great for guys like Moncada and Eloy. He would give them the kick in the ass they need.

Ozzie had a pretty decent record with young pitchers (Garland, Danks, Floyd), how much of that was Cooper who knows but they did a good job together.

Ozzie's performance with guys in the lineup...was less positive. You had guys like Anderson, Viciedo who were completely buried because Ozzie immediately declared them to be platoon players or just said he wasn't playing them, he needed his vetz like Juan Pierre and Rob bleeping Mackowiak in the lineup whenever possible. Carlos Quentin was benched to start the 2008 season because small guys like Jerry Owens were more valuable. The Mark Kotsay experience was on Ozzie. Ozzie would love the roster Getz put together this year, full of short guys who don't produce much but who have da experience and da TWTW. Eloy is a guy he'd probably be looking to bench or get rid of, because that's not how you play baseball, you have to bunt and Eloy can't bunt.

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33 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Ozzie had a pretty decent record with young pitchers (Garland, Danks, Floyd), how much of that was Cooper who knows but they did a good job together.

Ozzie's performance with guys in the lineup...was less positive. You had guys like Anderson, Viciedo who were completely buried because Ozzie immediately declared them to be platoon players or just said he wasn't playing them, he needed his vetz like Juan Pierre and Rob bleeping Mackowiak in the lineup whenever possible. Carlos Quentin was benched to start the 2008 season because small guys like Jerry Owens were more valuable. The Mark Kotsay experience was on Ozzie. Ozzie would love the roster Getz put together this year, full of short guys who don't produce much but who have da experience and da TWTW. Eloy is a guy he'd probably be looking to bench or get rid of, because that's not how you play baseball, you have to bunt and Eloy can't bunt.

The dumb thing about having awful managers and teams since Ozzie left is the Ozzie revisionism. Ozzie was part and parcel of the #grinder #TWTW bullshit that infected the franchise after 2005 and remains to this day.

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25 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

The dumb thing about having awful managers and teams since Ozzie left is the Ozzie revisionism. Ozzie was part and parcel of the #grinder #TWTW bullshit that infected the franchise after 2005 and remains to this day.

For now, I am half joking about Grifol benching Montgomery if he's called up late in the year because DeJong and Lopez have got to get their at bats. It might still happen, some guys got that treatment last year.

I have zero doubt that if Montgomery were called up in August for any reason other than an injury while Ozzie is the manager, he's playing 2, maybe 3 times a week. DeJong has earned it.

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21 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

The dumb thing about having awful managers and teams since Ozzie left is the Ozzie revisionism. Ozzie was part and parcel of the #grinder #TWTW bullshit that infected the franchise after 2005 and remains to this day.

Ozzie really hung Dunn out to dry, just to show up KW, then quit on the team in 2011. I didn't mind Ozzie as a manager, but really wasn't a fan of the clown show. Maybe he'd get along better with Getz, but there are so many other manager candidates....

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2 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Ozzie really hung Dunn out to dry, just to show up KW, then quit on the team in 2011. I didn't mind Ozzie as a manager, but really wasn't a fan of the clown show. Maybe he'd get along better with Getz, but there are so many other manager candidates....

Ozzie was the man, until he wasn't. It's best for everybody to keep the past in the past. We already tried with RV and TLR.

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