7 minutes ago, SoCalChiSox said:

JR isn't going to eat all the money for nothing. 

If you're gonna throw away a quarter anyway, might as well put it in a slot machine.

It's one thing to trade him away for like half the salary because you are still saving 7.5m that way, but they aren't cutting him for nothing.

Dude is a replacement level LF with minimal power who can't play defense.  He is worth nothing.  He's the guy who signs for a million or two when everything falls through. 

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

I went back and looked it up. -0.2 fWAR in 3 seasons for basically $43 million, including that 0.2 last season, even while playing about 400 games in those 3 seasons.

$43 million for a below replacement player.

Sounds like a great justification for walking papers to me.

JR:

We basically have to pencil him in left. I feel like if he just DH’d he would be fine though. Unfortunately for him, we have 2 young catchers to get at bats for.

I think if he struggles first few months, they could pull the plug.

1 minute ago, Bob Sacamano said:

We basically have to pencil him in left. I feel like if he just DH’d he would be fine though. Unfortunately for him, we have 2 young catchers to get at bats for.

I think if he struggles first few months, they could pull the plug.

Venable said he’s gonna play more DH.  I don’t think the Sox are gonna use the catcher at DH much.

4 minutes ago, fathom said:

Venable said he’s gonna play more DH.  I don’t think the Sox are gonna use the catcher at DH much.

I hate the idea of making Quero a backup. I’d rather trade him while he still has some prospect/young player with 6 years of control shine for another area of need.

Edited December 29, 2025Dec 29 by Bob Sacamano

6 minutes ago, fathom said:

Venable said he’s gonna play more DH.  I don’t think the Sox are gonna use the catcher at DH much.

Then we better sign a corner OF or bring back Tauchman.

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Then we better sign a corner OF or bring back Tauchman.

Anyone but Tauchman - he can't play in the field either. Watching him in the field or just run in general in September was like watching one of those commercials of dogs locked in cages with no food.

32 minutes ago, SoCalChiSox said:

JR isn't going to eat all the money for nothing. 

If you're gonna throw away a quarter anyway, might as well put it in a slot machine.

It's one thing to trade him away for like half the salary because you are still saving 7.5m that way, but they aren't cutting him for nothing.

They’ve DFAed guys during the last year of their contract, Danks and Keuchel come to mind. They also DFAed Leury with 2 years left I believe. But given how much Benintendi is making by White Sox standards, I highly doubt they will DFA him at any point next season.

4 minutes ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Anyone but Tauchman - he can't play in the field either. Watching him in the field or just run in general in September was like watching one of those commercials of dogs locked in cages with no food.

Thank god someone else said it. He can’t play OF or run for that matter.

Edited December 29, 2025Dec 29 by Bob Sacamano

17 minutes ago, fathom said:

Venable said he’s gonna play more DH.  I don’t think the Sox are gonna use the catcher at DH much.

So then Quero has to get moved then, right?

The one play I remember vividly about Benintendi happened when he was playing LF for KC against us. We had a man on second, base hit to left, runner going, obvious play at the plate, and he made what I then thought was the worst throw I have ever seen by a left fielder. Shortly after that KC sent him to Yanks, and then Sox signed him to a 5-year deal.

10 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Then we better sign a corner OF or bring back Tauchman.

Give Sosa some reps in the OF in spring training

9 minutes ago, wegner said:

Give Sosa some reps in the OF in spring training

For real.  Run him out there for six weeks and see what happens.  If he is Carlton Fisk out there, reevaluate before opening day.

17 minutes ago, wegner said:

Give Sosa some reps in the OF in spring training

And others.  I’m surprised that more don’t get started with that in the minors.  Isn’t that the idea behind drafting multiple middle infielders… they should be athletic enough to play other positions. 

If Sosa can get his K rate below 20% and BB rate to 5% (as both were in the minors), he will be a very good professional hitter.  Can’t have a lineup of just pretty-boy hitting; spice things up with a few guys who will take their hacks.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Antonacci/Meidroth got some reps out there too. Everyone in the org mentions Antonacci when talking about the org’s future. Even David Keller. I think they are going to find a space for him.

9 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if Antonacci/Meidroth got some reps out there too. Everyone in the org mentions Antonacci when talking about the org’s future. Even David Keller. I think they are going to find a space for him.

And now is the time for a guy like him to take up the OF, not when he hits the majors.  If you KNOW there are guys in front of him, let him learn a new defensive position in the least stressful position possible, the minors.

18 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

And now is the time for a guy like him to take up the OF, not when he hits the majors.  If you KNOW there are guys in front of him, let him learn a new defensive position in the least stressful position possible, the minors.

Not sure Meidroth is ahead of Antonacci in the org’s eyes. Will be interesting.

6 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

Not sure Meidroth is ahead of Antonacci in the org’s eyes. Will be interesting.

He also screams utility to super-utility guy to me.

1 hour ago, GreenSox said:

And others.  I’m surprised that more don’t get started with that in the minors.  Isn’t that the idea behind drafting multiple middle infielders… they should be athletic enough to play other positions. 

If Sosa can get his K rate below 20% and BB rate to 5% (as both were in the minors), he will be a very good professional hitter.  Can’t have a lineup of just pretty-boy hitting; spice things up with a few guys who will take their hacks.

What in the world is pretty boy hitting?

1 hour ago, Timmy U said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if Antonacci/Meidroth got some reps out there too. Everyone in the org mentions Antonacci when talking about the org’s future. Even David Keller. I think they are going to find a space for him.

I believe Baseball America mentioned in their top 10 write-up that the org will try to get Antonacci some run out in LF at some point.

1 hour ago, Timmy U said:

Not sure Meidroth is ahead of Antonacci in the org’s eyes. Will be interesting.

Honestly, I get the vibe the org is super high on Meidroth.  Every interview I have heard recently from various members of our front office lists him as part of the core alongside Colson, Teel, & Quero, which I have found interesting.  I like him a lot more than most people here as he has two elite traits that I think will lead him to above average offensive production, but I totally get why people are less high on him due to the lack of power.  I also like Antonacci a ton and could easily see him stealing the 2B job from Chase eventually.  It’s a good problem to have and one that can help solve itself with more positional versatility.

23 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

I believe Baseball America mentioned in their top 10 write-up that the org will try to get Antonacci some run out in LF at some point.

Bonemer should also start getting OF reps in the minors. 

7 minutes ago, ChiSoxFanMike said:

Bonemer should also start getting OF reps in the minors. 

Probably should.  LF may be his eventual long-term home with how packed the infield situation is.

4 hours ago, oldsox said:

The one play I remember vividly about Benintendi happened when he was playing LF for KC against us. We had a man on second, base hit to left, runner going, obvious play at the plate, and he made what I then thought was the worst throw I have ever seen by a left fielder. Shortly after that KC sent him to Yanks, and then Sox signed him to a 5-year deal.

He has such a noodle arm for a MLB corner guy. Him and Juan Pierre are the worst I've seen on the South Side but at least Juan had some range even as a 30 something.

1 hour ago, Timmy U said:

Not sure Meidroth is ahead of Antonacci in the org’s eyes. Will be interesting.

Antonacci is just where Meidroth was a year ago. Those guys have run such similar numbers throughout their amateur career. One guy is just left handed.

Antonacci has walked a bit more, but no way that continues with the guy running an ISO under .100. That's me being generous too since Meidroth just ran a .067 ISO for the year. 

If he doesn't add some power, he'll be dealing with the same challenges Meidroth deals with. No one wants to walk a guy who can't do damage, but neither guy punishes pitchers who challenge them and/or make mistakes. Meidroth is at least a ++ defender, while Antonacci can't really stick anywhere but 2B consistently on the infield (IMO).