Sox@Yanks (today, ongoing)

[kitekrazy]

19 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

To those insisting the Sox need to sign a "real" closer next year I've got two comments about that:

Closers cost money, JR isn't spending any given the uncertain labor situation.

And...

Why get a closer? This team has another 100 loss season written all over it because of a putrid offense. 

Left the most important one out - any quality free agent would not sign here

[wegner]

Eisert and Alexander have alot of losses.

[nrockway]

19 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Well, he’s the most used lefty middle reliever in this year’s bullpen.  Only Alexander has more innings but he’s more of a long man jizz mopper / spot starter.

I've been pretty consistent in saying the lefties are the issue in the bullpen going forward. Maybe it's less of an issue if Hagen turns into a reliever, but that would not be a good thing. Ideally, all of Schultz, Smith, Oppor are left-handed starters in the near future. But they'd have wild stuff out of the bullpen if it didn't work out. Ky Bush, Schweitzer, Shane Murphy are left-handed options likely to debut/come back from injury next season. Who knows if they'll be any good. I think Murphy will be a good 5th starter. 

Ellard, C Boozington, Eisert were the main lefties this year who might be around next year (Alexander is not good and I don't think he'll be in the org next year). The Sox could've signed Chapman, but would paying him $11mil have made a difference? He would've been traded, right? These guys are basically fodder who might show something is my point. Ellard and Eisert are definitely MLB players in some capacity. They're rookies and could improve. I wouldn't hold my breath personally. The Booser trade looks like a fail just straight up.

But again, I'm also like "who cares". I think it's funnier that the David Stearns Mets have an even worse bullpen despite an unlimited budget. Like he would've done an even worse job with this team.

Edited September 24 by nrockway

[Autumn Dreamin]

13 minutes ago, nrockway said:

they're obviously playing better since the likes of Montgomery and Teel were called up, but they're still a bad team. As good as the Tigers, better than the Mets since the ASB (the two teams I care about being better than because it's funny when the mets lose). There's "genuine progress" ya know, the pitching has been top 10 in MLB, but like, losing 3-2 to the Yankees...who cares. 

Losing 3-2 to the Yankees on the road doesn't really mean too much ultimately.

But winning 2-1 against the Yankees on the road, with a W for your rookie all star pitcher, big leverage innings vs. future/former MVPs from your rookie fireballer Taylor and young saves leader Leasure, called by your rookie catcher Teel, who scored on a go ahead 2R bomb from your rookie power hitting shortstop Montgomery, who turned a pair of key DPs with his rookie MIF partner Meidroth...probably would have felt like something kinda meaningful?

So it's the gap between those two outcomes that's annoying, less about the fact that they lost and more about the fact that they could've/should've won but didn't.

Especially when it comes at the hands of a totally unforced wild pitch (a routine walk preserves the lead for another batter at least) and less than full effort from your vet defensive CF sub.

I'd be less annoyed if the Yanks just out-talented them and tied the game with a Jazz HR and then Judge walked it off in extras or whatever. But it's frustrating to play 8.5 innings well enough to make the Yanks have to earn it, and then just...not actually make them earn it.

[nrockway]

7 minutes ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

Losing 3-2 to the Yankees on the road doesn't really mean too much ultimately.

But winning 2-1 against the Yankees on the road, with a W for your rookie all star pitcher, big leverage innings vs. future/former MVPs from your rookie fireballer Taylor and young saves leader Leasure, called by your rookie catcher Teel, who scored on a go ahead 2R bomb from your rookie power hitting shortstop Montgomery, who turned a pair of key DPs with his rookie MIF partner Meidroth...probably would have felt like something kinda meaningful?

So it's the gap between those two outcomes that's annoying, less about the fact that they lost and more about the fact that they could've/should've won but didn't.

Especially when it comes at the hands of a totally unforced wild pitch (a routine walk preserves the lead for another batter at least) and less than full effort from your vet defensive CF sub.

I'd be less annoyed if the Yanks just out-talented them and tied the game with a Jazz HR and then Judge walked it off in extras or whatever. But it's frustrating to play 8.5 innings well enough to make the Yanks have to earn it, and then just...not actually make them earn it.

I didn't watch the last several innings, but I look at the box score and say "who cares". I've now posted that 4 times because I genuinely don't give a s%*# if they win or lose these games. Tanner McDougal throwing a perfect 4 innings with 6 Ks seems like a much more important statistic in terms of building a winning team. Schweitzer being hard hit several times is...unfortunate. 

This evening, I am more disappointed that the Cubs lost. 

Edited September 24 by nrockway

[nrockway]

39 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

To those insisting the Sox need to sign a "real" closer next year I've got two comments about that:

Closers cost money, JR isn't spending any given the uncertain labor situation.

And...

Why get a closer? This team has another 100 loss season written all over it because of a putrid offense. 

Grant Taylor is a real closer who costs $750k. Spending $40mil AAV spread across several bullpen pieces is simply not a good idea, it's how you get an 81-81 team. Maybe the 2022 Sox spending was more like $36mil on those guys.

Spend the same amount on one hitter.

[southsider2k5]

I am just impressed that this many people watched AND cared enough to rant about it.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

9 minutes ago, nrockway said:

Grant Taylor is a real closer who costs $750k. Spending $40mil AAV spread across several bullpen pieces is simply not a good idea, it's how you get an 81-81 team. Maybe the 2022 Sox spending was more like $36mil on those guys.

Spend the same amount on one hitter.

We talking about the same grant taylor with a 5.05 ERA this season and an extensive injury history?

Edited September 24 by JUSTgottaBELIEVE

[Stinky Stanky]

1 hour ago, fathom said:

Need to be able to miss bats

Soft contact works too. 

[Lip Man 1]

35 minutes ago, kitekrazy said:

Left the most important one out - any quality free agent would not sign here

Very true. Can't argue with it. 

[Stinky Stanky]

5 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

We talking about the same grant taylor with a 5.05 ERA this season and an extensive injury history?

Growing pains. Coach him up. The arm is there. 

[WhiteSox2023]

12 minutes ago, nrockway said:

Grant Taylor is a real closer who costs $750k. Spending $40mil AAV spread across several bullpen pieces is simply not a good idea, it's how you get an 81-81 team. Maybe the 2022 Sox spending was more like $36mil on those guys.

Spend the same amount on one hitter.

It hasn’t gone so well for Taylor in the bullpen which may be the reason they decide to convert him back to starter.

[Lip Man 1]

20 minutes ago, nrockway said:

I didn't watch the last several innings, but I look at the box score and say "who cares". I've now posted that 4 times because I genuinely don't give a s%*# if they win or lose these games. Tanner McDougal throwing a perfect 4 innings with 6 Ks seems like a much more important statistic in terms of building a winning team. Schweitzer being hard hit several times is...unfortunate. 

This evening, I am more disappointed that the Cubs lost. 

I'm not...f' them. 

[Lip Man 1]

2 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

It hasn’t gone so well for Taylor in the bullpen which may be the reason they decide to convert him back to starter.

Taylor has already told the Sun-Times he wants to start.

[Lip Man 1]

FYI, Beni is now hurt:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2025/09/23/andrew-benintendi-season-over-injury-white-sox

[WhiteSox2023]

2 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

FYI, Beni is now hurt:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2025/09/23/andrew-benintendi-season-over-injury-white-sox

Damn, that will make it harder to trade him this offseason…

🤣

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

9 minutes ago, Stinky Stanky said:

Growing pains. Coach him up. The arm is there. 

Maybe but talking about him like he’s a proven, reliable mlb closer is ridiculous 

[nrockway]

9 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

I'm not...f' them. 

The criminal owner and the overrated GM who everyone on this board wanted to replace Ken/Hahn, with an unlimited budget, not making the playoffs is objectively funny. We talk about our "bad pitching staff" but look at the fuckin Mets. They just set a record for pitchers used in a season and 90% of them are useless. They could've had any player they wanted. They have access to players who would never even think about either Chicago team. Juan Soto wouldn't have signed with the Cubs for any amount of money. 

And they might be in the exact same position as our White Sox come October.

[nrockway]

16 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

It hasn’t gone so well for Taylor in the bullpen which may be the reason they decide to convert him back to starter.

It's gone fine for him tbh. He hasn't given up a run since August. .425 babip is obviously absurd. The ERA isn't important, he's been lights out, he's basically Mason Miller with fewer home runs against (zero). 

[nrockway]

24 minutes ago, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

We talking about the same grant taylor with a 5.05 ERA this season and an extensive injury history?

yes we are. just like crochet, huh. you should actually watch the guy pitch. 

Edited September 24 by nrockway

[WhiteSox2023]

45 minutes ago, nrockway said:

The criminal owner and the overrated GM who everyone on this board wanted to replace Ken/Hahn, with an unlimited budget, not making the playoffs is objectively funny. We talk about our "bad pitching staff" but look at the fuckin Mets. They just set a record for pitchers used in a season and 90% of them are useless. They could've had any player they wanted. They have access to players who would never even think about either Chicago team. Juan Soto wouldn't have signed with the Cubs for any amount of money. 

And they might be in the exact same position as our White Sox come October.

An 81+ win season is not the exact same position as a third straight 100+ loss season.  And there is zero proof that Getz could have as much success as the Mets this season with the very same resources.  So far, all Getz has shown is that he’s more successful at racking up loss records than building teams with .500+ records.  The Mets successes or failures don’t make a damn bit of difference to the utter failure that Getz has been thus far.

Edited September 24 by WhiteSox2023

[nrockway]

34 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

An 81+ win season is not the exact same position as a third straight 100+ loss season.  And there is zero proof that Getz could have as much success as the Mets this season with the very same resources.  So far, all Getz has shown is that he’s more successful at racking up loss records than building teams with .500+ records.  The Mets successes or failures don’t make a damn bit of difference to the utter failure that Getz has been thus far.

The pitching staff seems like something that could be compared regardless of resources. Mets are DFAing a pitcher they spent Benintendi money on ($10 mil more AAV though). Their owner will pay it. Mets let Vasil go to Rule 5. Mets have used at least 46 pitchers this year but are spending $60mil+ on relievers. Edwin Diaz is good, everyone knows he's good. David Peterson has collapsed, 6 ERA since the break. Senga, Diaz, McLean, Clay Holmes are their only good pitchers. The first 3 guys were acquired by the previous front office, 2 of them make big money. Holmes was a pretty good signing. All of their trades are busts.

I can't imagine what the Mets would be doing without the 800 million dollar man Soto, Lindor, Alonso. The only good acquisition Stearns has made is arguably Clay Holmes who is basically Davis Martin being paid 12 times more. Their top prospect (who Stearns drafted, to his credit) OPSd .580 at AAA. The other 3 in MLB top 100 are from the previous regime. The Brewers are better since he left. 

I really can't imagine what the dude would've done with the dumpster fire Getz inherited. He could've hired Bannister or Venable or Fuller but didn't. He took a team that won 101 games and turned it into an ~83 win team despite being gifted Juan Soto. 

[caulfield12]

2 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

It hasn’t gone so well for Taylor in the bullpen which may be the reason they decide to convert him back to starter.

It has the last 2-3 weeks.

Most of his runs surrendered in a handful of blow-ups.

[caulfield12]

29 minutes ago, nrockway said:

The pitching staff seems like something that could be compared regardless of resources. Mets are DFAing a pitcher they spent Benintendi money on ($10 mil more AAV though). Their owner will pay it. Mets let Vasil go to Rule 5. Mets have used at least 46 pitchers this year but are spending $60mil+ on relievers. Edwin Diaz is good, everyone knows he's good. David Peterson has collapsed, 6 ERA since the break. Senga, Diaz, McLean, Clay Holmes are their only good pitchers. The first 3 guys were acquired by the previous front office, 2 of them make big money. Holmes was a pretty good signing. All of their trades are busts.

I can't imagine what the Mets would be doing without the 800 million dollar man Soto, Lindor, Alonso. The only good acquisition Stearns has made is arguably Clay Holmes who is basically Davis Martin being paid 12 times more. Their top prospect (who Stearns drafted, to his credit) OPSd .580 at AAA. The other 3 in MLB top 100 are from the previous regime. The Brewers are better since he left. 

I really can't imagine what the dude would've done with the dumpster fire Getz inherited. He could've hired Bannister or Venable or Fuller but didn't. He took a team that won 101 games and turned it into an ~83 win team despite being gifted Juan Soto. 

The Dodgers spent $111 million on Treinen Scott Yates alone.

Are just 1 1/2 games up on SD in the final week and headed for low 90s in wins when they were supposed to be the best team in baseball history.

Michael Conforto?

If the Mets sneak in and beat the Dodgers in the NLDS, all will be forgiven.

[nrockway]

2 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

The Dodgers spent $111 million on Treinen Scott Yates alone.

Are just 1 1/2 games up on SD in the final week and headed for low 90s in wins when they were supposed to be the best team in baseball history.

Michael Conforto?

If the Mets sneak in and beat the Dodgers in the NLDS, all will be forgiven.

They're both kinda embarrassing, right. The Dodgers have had a bunch of injuries and spent silly free agent money on injury prone players, but seemed to nurse them along to be healthy by the postseason. That seemed to be by design. I'm not sure the same thing could be said about the Mets. Shohei, the all time best baseball player, has finally pitched his first quality start as a Dodger and went 6 innings scoreless. Snell is healthy. Glasnow will pitch. But yeah, they wasted a bunch of money on 'good' free agents because they don't evaluate talent very well...they signed players to big contracts that the most braindead baseball fan would know is a good player. Only a handful of organizations are able to do that. Like the New York Mets, they have an unlimited budget relative to most teams in MLB. It's the worst part about professional baseball. Add in the Yankees and Red Sox too. These mistakes would hamstring most teams. This disparity isn't an issue in NBA or NFL. 

I'd argue the Phillies and maybe the Cubs, Blue Jays, Padres, Braves spend 'biggish' money in an intelligent way. Phillies have actually built a consistently good team via free agency. I'd hope the Sox could spend money and be like the Phillies or Padres and evaluate talent like the Brewers or Guardians. They certainly tried in 2017-2022 but neither component made the cut. It'll be a decade later now, but the opportunity is there. There will never be the opportunity to be the New York Yankees even with a new owner.

LAD, NYM, NYY, BOS seem like poorly run organizations to me. They're just lucky there's no financial parity in MLB. Boston's EPL analogue, Liverpool, spends a ton of money on transfers and rarely develops their own players. Euro football is even worse than MLB. Some teams can throw infinite s%*# at the wall and see what sticks. Look how Green Bay and Kansas City perform relative to the New York teams in football. Oklahoma and Indiana built the best teams in basketball. New York and California still have built-in advantages, particularly in baseball, where the best foreigners come from Asia and the Caribbean and foreign-born players are the bedrock of the league.

If the Mets beat the Dodgers, thrilling, any team can win a 3 or 5 or 7 game series in baseball any time. Our 2024 Sox, worst team of all time, won a series 3-1 against the 92 win Guardians, a series against 89 win Braves, ended the season winning a series against the red hot Tigers. I would be genuinely surprised if the Mets do that though.