2026 Spring Training Thread

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

1 hour ago, Harry Chappas said:

Somehow he had to have been told he was a switch hitter.  Would he really make an assumption that he was.

It is an odd mistake to make multiple times.  Not knowing he was a switch hitter would have been an honest mistake as opposed to thinking he was a switch hitter when he is not. 

It's Getz so not surprising.  

I would expect a GM had watched a little film, at least, of a primary acquisition. Thats the odd thing for me. Sounds like ive watched acuna more than getzy!

That said, he's wasnt acquired for his bat and he wouldnt be any better of a bad hitter if he switch hit. In fact, probably easier to improve one side than both! 

[WestEddy]

35 minutes ago, bmags said:

Has anyone here hit off a trajekt? Seems fun

I have been to a batting cage that had a video of a pitcher winding up and throwing, then the ball sailed out at you. That has to be 25 years ago, so maybe it was a pre-cursor?

[bmags]

7 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

I have been to a batting cage that had a video of a pitcher winding up and throwing, then the ball sailed out at you. That has to be 25 years ago, so maybe it was a pre-cursor?

That’s like every batting cage in Japan. Wish more had them here.

[WestEddy]

11 minutes ago, Harry Chappas said:

How does not knowing the skillset of a player you traded for have no bearing?  He literally did not know the player he traded for and admitted so on 4 separate occasions. 

Do you really believe that he doesn't know Acuña's skillset? This is the kind of thing that has me branded as a Getz-lover. No, I'm not going to pretend that Getz is a supremely stupid person who wanders the office, making trades for people he doesn't even know the abilities of. It's insulting to expect people to play along with that. 

The guy had an extended brain fart, or he actually didn't know. If it's the latter, then no, it obviously doesn't have any bearing. He knew Acuña's name, that leads me to believe that he literally did know the player he traded for. 

[Autumn Dreamin]

I guess it's fun(?) to imagine Getz being shocked to find out Acuna is right handed, but I'm pretty sure he just misspoke. Four times is embarrassing, but also not that many in the context of how much he's talked to the media. Only so many ways staff and coaches can phrase the same "excited to see what he does" spiel to a bunch of different outlets, so if a mistake slips in once then I can see it being replicated on autopilot.

But if someone had stopped him after one of the occurrences and said "Acuna is a switch hitter?", I think his response would have been more "wait did I say that?" and less "yes, absolutely!"

His interviews include several instances of providing detail on Acuna's work in VWL and their plans for him that make it very obvious he didn't just find out who they acquired. The amount of energy being spent on this is a bit silly to me.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

7 minutes ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

I guess it's fun(?) to imagine Getz being shocked to find out Acuna is right handed, but I'm pretty sure he just misspoke. Four times is embarrassing, but also not that many in the context of how much he's talked to the media. Only so many ways staff and coaches can phrase the same "excited to see what he does" spiel to a bunch of different outlets, so if a mistake slips in once then I can see it being replicated on autopilot.

But if someone had stopped him after one of the occurrences and said "Acuna is a switch hitter?", I think his response would have been more "wait did I say that?" and less "yes, absolutely!"

His interviews include several instances of providing detail on Acuna's work in VWL and their plans for him that make it very obvious he didn't just find out who they acquired. The amount of energy being spent on this is a bit silly to me.

Guy, he clearly didnt misspeak. He believed it, thats why he said it so effortlessly repeatedly. Being a switch hitter is a unique quality. Its not like he called a righty a lefty or something. Switch hitting is a unique attribute.

Jeeze, it's not a huge deal imo but the people trying to claim he knew the truth in spite of reality are just odd.

Edited 20 hours ago by Look at Ray Ray Run

[WhiteSox2023]

9 minutes ago, Autumn Dreamin said:

I guess it's fun(?) to imagine Getz being shocked to find out Acuna is right handed, but I'm pretty sure he just misspoke. Four times is embarrassing, but also not that many in the context of how much he's talked to the media. Only so many ways staff and coaches can phrase the same "excited to see what he does" spiel to a bunch of different outlets, so if a mistake slips in once then I can see it being replicated on autopilot.

But if someone had stopped him after one of the occurrences and said "Acuna is a switch hitter?", I think his response would have been more "wait did I say that?" and less "yes, absolutely!"

His interviews include several instances of providing detail on Acuna's work in VWL and their plans for him that make it very obvious he didn't just find out who they acquired. The amount of energy being spent on this is a bit silly to me.

C’mon…

If I call my nephew by the wrong name, that could be misspeaking.

If I call my nephew by the wrong name four times in a row, that’s because I don’t know it or can’t remember it.

[Dick Allen]

19 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Do you really believe that he doesn't know Acuña's skillset? This is the kind of thing that has me branded as a Getz-lover. No, I'm not going to pretend that Getz is a supremely stupid person who wanders the office, making trades for people he doesn't even know the abilities of. It's insulting to expect people to play along with that. 

The guy had an extended brain fart, or he actually didn't know. If it's the latter, then no, it obviously doesn't have any bearing. He knew Acuña's name, that leads me to believe that he literally did know the player he traded for. 

Chris Getz....he knows their names.  a ringing endorsement. I don't think this is that big of a deal because the trade afterall was a salary dump first and foremost,  but to think he didn't think this guy was a switch hitter is fooling yourself.

[WestEddy]

12 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Guy, he clearly didnt misspeak. He believed it, thats why he said it so effortlessly repeatedly. Being a switch hitter is a unique quality. Its not like he called a righty a lefty or something. Switch hitting is a unique attribute.

Jeeze, it's not a huge deal imo but the people trying to claim he knew the truth in spite of reality are just odd.

Misgendering Autumn. That's a new one. Do you not know the difference between a man and a woman?

[WhiteSox2023]

3 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

Chris Getz....he knows their names.  a ringing endorsement. I don't think this is that big of a deal because the trade afterall was a salary dump first and foremost,  but to think he didn't think this guy was a switch hitter is fooling yourself.

Yep, this just further cements to me that the return for Robert (outside of Pauley) was well-known for some time and it was more of a take it or leave it type offer from the Mets.  Getz didn’t have to research much regarding the main piece since Acuna is simply what the Mets were willing to give up, hence the errors.

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

7 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

Chris Getz....he knows their names.  a ringing endorsement. I don't think this is that big of a deal because the trade afterall was a salary dump first and foremost,  but to think he didn't think this guy was a switch hitter is fooling yourself.

Edited 20 hours ago by Look at Ray Ray Run

[WhiteSox2023]

9 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Misgendering Autumn. That's a new one. Do you not know the difference between a man and a woman?

In modern terminology, “guy” can refer to women as well.  Regardless, how is everyone supposed to know that Autumn is a female?  She isn’t exactly stating this fact in all of her posts, even if she ever stated it in the past.  Perhaps Ray Ray missed the post in which she stated this?  Regardless, not trying to be sexist but I think most would assume that the majority of posters on this site are males.

Edited 19 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[SoxBlanco]

23 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Guy, he clearly didnt misspeak. He believed it, thats why he said it so effortlessly repeatedly. Being a switch hitter is a unique quality. Its not like he called a righty a lefty or something. Switch hitting is a unique attribute.

Jeeze, it's not a huge deal imo but the people trying to claim he knew the truth in spite of reality are just odd.

Yep. This pretty much sums up how I feel. 

Did he misspeak? No chance

Is it embarrassing? Yes

Should a GM know this detail? Absolutely 

Does it really matter? No

Would the trade have been made even if he knew he wasn’t a switch hitter? 100%

[Chick Mercedes]

5 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/white-sox-gm-chris-getz-switch-hitter-acuna.html

The jokes seem to write themselves don't they? 

Are we sure Getz was talking baseball?

[Chick Mercedes]

39 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Do you really believe that he doesn't know Acuña's skillset? This is the kind of thing that has me branded as a Getz-lover. No, I'm not going to pretend that Getz is a supremely stupid person who wanders the office, making trades for people he doesn't even know the abilities of. It's insulting to expect people to play along with that. 

The guy had an extended brain fart, or he actually didn't know. If it's the latter, then no, it obviously doesn't have any bearing. He knew Acuña's name, that leads me to believe that he literally did know the player he traded for. 

I get his position as a GM may or may not include scouting, if that’s how he wants to do his job (without scouting). But I wish he was grinding like that. Be that as it may, someone told Getz Acuna was a switch hitter. And that is the guy that might have to be taken out for a ride to the woods with the fellas

[southsider2k5]

27 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

In modern terminology, “guy” can refer to women as well.  Regardless, how is everyone supposed to know that Autumn is a female?  She isn’t exactly stating this fact in all of her posts, even if she ever stated it in the past.  Perhaps Ray Ray missed the post in which she stated this?  Regardless, not trying to be sexist but I think most would assume that the majority of posters on this site are males.

I expect Ray to do more research into Soxtalk posters than I do Getz into the players he aquires.

[southsider2k5]

13 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

I get his position as a GM may or may not include scouting, if that’s how he wants to do his job (without scouting). But I wish he was grinding like that. Be that as it may, someone told Getz Acuna was a switch hitter. And that is the guy that might have to be taken out for a ride to the woods with the fellas

No he is not going to do the ground work here.  He isn't doing the scouting or the analytics work here.  He is, however, expected to gather the results of said groundwork and study it and know it before making a deal.  Just because he didn't DO the actual gruntwork here, doesn't mean he wouldn't be studying the results of said work.

[WestEddy]

Jim Margalus assembles his day three notes:

White Sox spring notes: Chris Getz confirms Luisangel Acuña's right-handedness after introducing doubt himself - Sox Machine

Chris Getz knows Acuña bats righty
Thorpe, delayed
Spring broadcast schedule

[WestEddy]

SoxMachine interview with Keith Law.

My main takeaways are Law's opinion that while White Sox fans think Sox prospect development is horrible, they've actually been developing prospects, he gives Colson and Bonemer as examples. 

He also kind of puts the lack of innovation on the in-fighting between Hahn, who wanted to update the system, and KW, who was way too involved in the day-to-day stuff, and resisted the call to modernize. 

Podcast: Keith Law talks 2026 White Sox prospects, Roch Cholowsky - Sox Machine

Quote

• [Intro] The show starts with Keith Law and Jim Margalus revisiting their conversation last year about Colson Montgomery. How things have changed, how some things haven't changed, and what it means heading into the 2026 season. 
• [6:51] Law's thoughts about Braden Montgomery and what area of his game needs the most improvement. 
• [9:14] The White Sox recent high school picks are showing promise. With Caleb Bonemer, have they figured out how to help teenagers develop? If so, what does that mean for 2025 first-rounder Billy Carlson? 
• [15:52] After an impressive Arizona Fall League, is Hagen Smith back? 
• [17:40] Why Law needs to see more extension from Noah Schultz, even though that might be a tough ask. 
• [23:01] An overall view of the farm system and how Chris Getz's hiring people from outside the organization is helping, but it might be too late for prospects like Jacob Gonzalez. 
• [28:42] Law's thoughts about Roch Cholowsky and why he's the top prospect entering the spring. 
• [35:31] Questions from Sox Machine subscribers about the impact of ABS and if Law acknowledges an analysis blind spot that he's working on? 
• [45:56] The annual book recommendation. 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by WestEddy

[WestEddy]

43 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I expect Ray to do more research into Soxtalk posters than I do Getz into the players he aquires.

With the close attention RubRub pays to me and my posting, it's not that much of a reach to know there's only two women who post here regularly. 

[WhiteSox2023]

15 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

With the close attention RubRub pays to me and my posting, it's not that much of a reach to know there's only two women who post here regularly. 

Perhaps the other female posters were scared away by you calling another poster “RubRub”?

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, Chick Mercedes said:

I get his position as a GM may or may not include scouting, if that’s how he wants to do his job (without scouting). But I wish he was grinding like that. Be that as it may, someone told Getz Acuna was a switch hitter. And that is the guy that might have to be taken out for a ride to the woods with the fellas

Throwing Barfield under the bus?

Carlos Rodriguez?

Most likely Keller, the new Intl. scouting executive who came over from the Mets...?

 

On the day when Getz won the offseason Yahoo Sports Al Central off season with a B+, Hahn and Have  have to be enjoying his comeuppance just a little bit.

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/al-central-offseason-grades-did-the-tigers-and-guardians-get-better-can-the-royals-and-white-sox-surprise-211451083.html

"That said, let’s not celebrate this winter of wheeling and dealing too much. This team still projects to be one of the worst in baseball, and no team playing in Chicago should have a payroll that ranks 28th in the sport, no matter where the club is in its competitive window. Still, for the first time in a while, there are things to look forward to with this team, and this offseason featured a more cogent and intentional roster-building strategy. The squad on the South Side is noticeably more compelling because of it."

Edited 18 hours ago by caulfield12

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

28 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

With the close attention RubRub pays to me and my posting, it's not that much of a reach to know there's only two women who post here regularly. 

Trying to avoid your posts at sox talk would be like trying to ignore the trees in a forest. Even if you aren't paying close attention, theyre impossible to miss because theyre everywhere.

[wegner]

19 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Throwing Barfield under the bus?

Carlos Rodriguez?

Most likely Keller, the new Intl. scouting executive who came over from the Mets...?

 

On the day when Getz won the offseason Yahoo Sports Al Central off season with a B+, Hahn and Have  have to be enjoying his comeuppance just a little bit.

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/al-central-offseason-grades-did-the-tigers-and-guardians-get-better-can-the-royals-and-white-sox-surprise-211451083.html

"That said, let’s not celebrate this winter of wheeling and dealing too much. This team still projects to be one of the worst in baseball, and no team playing in Chicago should have a payroll that ranks 28th in the sport, no matter where the club is in its competitive window. Still, for the first time in a while, there are things to look forward to with this team, and this offseason featured a more cogent and intentional roster-building strategy. The squad on the South Side is noticeably more compelling because of it."

Your 2026 Chicago White Sox....now with a more cogent and intentional roster-building strategy

Ok, that should be worth a month or two of CHSN

[WestEddy]

5 minutes ago, Look at Ray Ray Run said:

Trying to avoid your posts at sox talk would be like trying to ignore the trees in a forest. Even if you aren't paying close attention, theyre impossible to miss because theyre everywhere.

Hover your cursor over Liberace's face, and in the bottom right corner of the box that pops, click "Ignore". That ought to solve all your problems.