2026 Spring Training Thread

[caulfield12]

45 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

KW was ripped apart for Barry/Berry, he was ripped apart for the Durham/Adkins trade, and I believe even his comments on Nestor Molina after the Sergio Santos trade.  I can understand an executive not knowing all the details on a throw-in, but it’s a very bad look to not the handedness of the centerpiece of a trade you just made and a guy who will be one of 26 players on your OD roster.  Like every single person on here knew Acuna was RH just from casual rosterbating.  It’s a bit more important when you are actually in charge of building a major league roster.

They really tried to hype Molina/Venezuelan connections for awhile like they did with Norge Vera before he too was exposed.

Think it was Paddy and KW tag teaming.

Jon Adkins had a ridiculously high ERA in AAA at that point despite the supposed 98-100 mph fb, at a time when that really meant something special in terms of arm talent.

Of course, they also hyped Felix Diaz and Lorenzo Barcelo the same way.

 

Also, what's the chain of command now?

Who does this pro scouting work now (head of a diminishing dept) or perhaps they did background as well on him in 2017 before he originally signed with Atlanta.

Was that info lost with the departures of Paddy Hahn KW Haber?

Carlos Rodriguez Gene Watson Josh Barfield...should have an electronic paper trail starting with one of those three dept. heads before it went to the research/analytics side???

What about Keller and his Mets' tenure before coming over?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

38 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

Fair. But addendum to my “final” take, Getz compounded the concern by making a joke out of it. That was a poor response. I guess that’s a defense mechanism without thinking it through. But if he wanted to put people at ease, he should’ve been more serious and reassuring that the potential issue is over. Fans want to know if this guy is on top of things. Of none of that matters to him, then he’s going to be fine. But the suspicion will linger. Put it to bed Chris.

I don't think there's snything he could have said that people still wouldnt rip apart. 

Sorry I mixed him up with Baldwin in my head and it stuck. Then you get Getz has early signs of dementia jokes which upsets people in an aging society seeing our loves ones slip away mentally. 

Or I dont know why I  said it doesnt sound good either or God forbid he admitted he thought he was a switch hitter . What one thing could he say besides look I got a shitload of players from other organizations in my head and I just got $20M I had to spend fast before JR told me I couldnt. I've barely gotten any sleep the past week. Im drinking 8 cups of coffee a day. Ive been a bit hyper about about Acuna's versatility and mistakening kept applying that versatility to his handedness as well as his fielding. 

Then you get Chris cracking under strain of White Sox GM job.

[caulfield12]

35 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

claude bot or caufield...

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/team/front-office

Holden/Salinger Bot lol

You have Silverio (intl-DR), Jin Wong (KC contracts guy), Dan Fabian has been there forever in analytics.

Director of Minor League Scouting but no Director of Pro/Advanced Scouting listed.  Should be Keller here as the point person with his Mets'/scouting background.

"It will be interesting to see what further moves are on the horizon with Keller now at the helm. Nightengale reports the well-respected scout will be “one of GM Chris Getz’s top confidants,” so he will likely have some input on the staff moving forward."

https://www.soxon35th.com/white-sox-hire-david-keller-to-run-international-scouting-department/

 

Keller then joined the Miami Marlins and was eventually named Director of Pro Scouting. After three “long and interesting years,” Keller was fired for the first time in his life—but less than a year later, he was back with the Mets as a pro scout, the position he holds currently. 

Based on a tweet from MLB insider Jon Heyman, it appears Keller was hired back by the Mets in 2017. He is currently listed as a “Special Assignment Scout” on New York’s staff directory.

Edited 19 hours ago by caulfield12

[Chick Mercedes]

18 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I don't think there's snything he could have said that people still wouldnt rip apart. 

Sorry I mixed him up with Baldwin in my head and it stuck. Then you get Getz has early signs of dementia jokes which upsets people in an aging society seeing our loves ones slip away mentally. 

Or I dont know why I  said it doesnt sound good either or God forbid he admitted he thought he was a switch hitter . What one thing could he say besides look I got a shitload of players from other organizations in my head and I just got $20M I had to spend fast before JR told me I couldnt. I've barely gotten any sleep the past week. Im drinking 8 cups of coffee a day. Ive been a bit hyper about about Acuna's versatility and mistakening kept applying that versatility to his handedness as well as his fielding. 

Then you get Chris cracking under strain of White Sox GM job.

I can’t take the attitude that it’s hard. ‘It would be hard for any of us’. None of us are tasked with doing a million dollar job doing the task. It’s hard. Earn the money. I don’t even think it’s that hard to have a basic description of all the players in your system, in your head. Many of us on a fan level already know the top 30 on that level.

Edited 19 hours ago by Chick Mercedes

[caulfield12]

2 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

I can’t take the attitude that it’s hard. It would be hard for any of us. None of us are tasked with doing a million dollar job doing the task. It’s hard. Earn the money. I don’t even think it’s that hard to have a basic description of all the players in your system, in your head. Many of us on a fan level already know the top 30 on that level.

The White Sox have a noted habit of grabbing every Top 100 MiLB that has struggled/failed at least once or twice.

SoxTalk could probably track and database all those players.  It's a pretty limited list of names and 50% repeat from year to year. 20-25% are not realistic trade/acquisition targets for the Sox, the Top 15-20 guys.

Acuna was most recently #66 on the list before losing eligibility.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

38 minutes ago, GreenSox said:

You just don't trade a young player with upside for a mediocre salary dump, even with proviso that 90% of the time, the young player with upside won't make it.  Hahn was better about which prospects to trade later in his career; of course he had other weaknesses as well.

This Getz situation to me is just another example of his naivete.  He doesn't really know Acuna.  He kind of knows what the Mets front office told him about Acuna. Switch hitting is a skill, and he was just talking of the top o his head about a player he doesn't really know.  I think that applies to most of the out of options, aging prospects, org guys he acquires, which is the largest demographic of his acquisitions.   Reminds me of Lance White: "Why would he lie, Jim?"  (Rockford Files).

I can't really say much to you if you still viewed Robert tbat way. He was an albatross because $20M  was likely viewed as 25% of the total player payroll. That is not Getz fault except that he originally decided to renew a $20M option to see if that upside would show up. 2 straight years he wasnt worth the money. His upside was fleeting and lost amidst injuries and under performance.  Time was running out to get anything for him. It seemed to be get that $20M and a couple players back or your player payroll is stuck at $80M. 

No Dominquez, No Hays , No Hicks and Sandlin , No Acuna and Pauley.

[Chick Mercedes]

8 hours 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.

He thought Acuna was a switch hitter. Everyone has to make their peace with that, or don’t. But lets start with the truth.

[Chick Mercedes]

1 hour ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I don't think there's snything he could have said that people still wouldnt rip apart. 

Sorry I mixed him up with Baldwin in my head and it stuck. Then you get Getz has early signs of dementia jokes which upsets people in an aging society seeing our loves ones slip away mentally. 

Or I dont know why I  said it doesnt sound good either or God forbid he admitted he thought he was a switch hitter . What one thing could he say besides look I got a shitload of players from other organizations in my head and I just got $20M I had to spend fast before JR told me I couldnt. I've barely gotten any sleep the past week. Im drinking 8 cups of coffee a day. Ive been a bit hyper about about Acuna's versatility and mistakening kept applying that versatility to his handedness as well as his fielding. 

Then you get Chris cracking under strain of White Sox GM job.

As Lt. Daniel Kaffee said, “I want the TRUTH!”

[caulfield12]

52 minutes ago, Chick Mercedes said:

As Lt. Daniel Kaffee said, “I want the TRUTH!”

Getz ordered the Code Red. 

"You're g-damned right I ordered it."

[WhiteSox2023]

“Even GMs make mistakes: Getz says White Sox 'still love' Acuña ... even if he can't switch-hit“

[caulfield12]

3 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

“Even GMs make mistakes: Getz says White Sox 'still love' Acuña ... even if he can't switch-hit“

Interesting they put this out there through the team-friendly Merkin in an attempt to move on...with all the speculation surrounding Acuna's impending camp arrival.

 

"On the other hand, it would be polite to call this a bad look for Getz. An MLB general manager is supposed to have deep knowledge of not just every player on their team, but also every player in the minor-league organization. If a no-name outfielder suddenly hits a homer over the batter's eye in Low-A or a teenage pitcher reaches 100 mph in the Dominican complex, the GM is supposed to know about it

That applies to players outside the organization, too. A move such as the Robert trade should be coming after hours of legwork evaluating every interested team's minor-league system for under-appreciated talents. Getz acquiring Acuña is a bet that a guy who was Baseball America's No. 66 prospect in 2024 can still be an impact talent, despite slashing .248/.299/.341 in 233 MLB plate appearances, and you don't make those calls unless your staff has pored through reams of data and scouting reports."

 

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/white-sox-gm-admits-he-erroneously-thought-trade-acquisition-luisangel-acuna-is-a-switch-hitter-014243904.html

 

Edited 13 hours ago by caulfield12

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

12 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Taking advantage of this time to make new and better board friends other than Cali?

I can honestly at least admit I was looking forward to see what the attempted spin would be on 'ole Switcheroo Gate.

 

That said, Ray Ray is one of the most well-informed posters SoxTalk posters over these last twenty years or so.  Maybe not the easiest personality for some to deal with, but caring what others think or about hurt feelings has never been his style or concern. Which is kind of refreshing in its honesty.

Mostly known for calling others ”pal.”

But not brah/bruh.

I don't know about that well-informed part! but agree there's no reason to block people... or report people, or complain about what people post. 

If I don't want to read someone/something, I won't. If I don't want to participate here, I simply don't. We're all adults for the most part. If you're getting up in your feelings defending our lord and savior He Getz Us, you might want to reconsider your priorities. 

In pretty funny news, Scott Boras taking credit for Luis' turnaround in the 2nd half:

 

 

https://x.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/2021356000952103287?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^2021356000952103287|twgr^a74e4c1ce4bf5f087549d92a820f6f48c00f8ea1|twcon^s1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Frisingapple.com%2Fny-mets-luis-robert-scott-boras-hype-sound-excuses

https://x.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/20213560009521032ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^2021356000952103287|twgr^a74e4c1ce4bf5f087549d92a820f6f48c00f8ea1|twcon^s1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Frisingapple.com%2Fny-mets-luis-robert-scott-boras-hype-sound-excuses

[caulfield12]

Ouch.

Boras has already (quickly) forgotten 2020-2021, Rodon not getting the QO while Kimbrel did after 2021, and all the crappy/last chance clients he tried to dump on the White Sox over the years.

We’ll probably have to deal with his 1-1 and second round guy as well in the upcoming draft.

 

And Francisco Lindor’s the real heart of that Mets’ team, not Soto.

Edited 12 hours ago by caulfield12

[Baron]

If you had to have an agent Scott Boras would be it. The guy is the master of spin. 

[35thstreetswarm]

20 hours ago, WestEddy said:

"incite?"

[caulfield12]

27 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

"incite?"

Incite riots / protests

Insight n.

Maybe it was Bruce that confused Getzie with another senior moment?

Edited 11 hours ago by caulfield12

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

10 hours ago, Chick Mercedes said:

I can’t take the attitude that it’s hard. ‘It would be hard for any of us’. None of us are tasked with doing a million dollar job doing the task. It’s hard. Earn the money. I don’t even think it’s that hard to have a basic description of all the players in your system, in your head. Many of us on a fan level already know the top 30 on that level.

I was mostly addressing that you didnt like him brushing off the incidents with humor. 

 I asked if you know  what he could say to own up to whatever happened and still not get ripped apart and prolong the memory of whatever happenened ? Do you think it was something he should be fired for ? 

What do you propose ?

[Lip Man 1]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/chicago-white-sox-chris-getz-luisangel-acuna/

[WestEddy]

Nightengale article on strategies for the ABS system. 

MLB ABS system, 'robot umpires' and new rules are a whole new ballgame

 

[WestEddy]

"Concentrating on catching" doesn't mean "...And nothing else!!"

 

#WhiteSox manager Will Venable was asked about splitting at bats for Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero:

“We do view Teel as an everyday guy. But at the catching position we know that doesn’t mean you’re actually in there every day. It’s a demanding role. And Edgar is a guy that we like…

— Noah Phalen (@Noahp245) February 13, 2026

For those without Twitter

Quote

#WhiteSox manager Will Venable was asked about splitting at bats for Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero:

“We do view Teel as an everyday guy. But at the catching position we know that doesn’t mean you’re actually in there every day. It’s a demanding role. And Edgar is a guy that we like the bat against lefties, so there’s DH opportunities for him. He’s going to be able to catch too so there should be plenty of at bats for those guys”

 

Edited 7 hours ago by WestEddy

[Squirmin' for Yermin]

14 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

"Concentrating on catching" doesn't mean "...And nothing else!!"

 

For those without Twitter

 

I wish we could trade Quero for equal value - prospect wise.

[Chick Mercedes]

2 hours ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I was mostly addressing that you didnt like him brushing off the incidents with humor. 

 I asked if you know  what he could say to own up to whatever happened and still not get ripped apart and prolong the memory of whatever happenened ? Do you think it was something he should be fired for ? 

What do you propose ?

I think he’s gotta cop to it if the Sox are struggling. The perception of incompetence will fester. If they win, nobody cares. But it’s in his file now for reference in case something else weird happens. He should cop to it and provide a real explanation and allow fans to relate to him on a human level at least tha would be likeable, which leans into his best qualities 

[tray]

12 hours ago, Chick Mercedes said:

He thought Acuna was a switch hitter. Everyone has to make their peace with that, or don’t. But lets start with the truth.

I saw that interview with Kap where Getz referred to little tuna's 4 HR game.

Did he even watch that You Tube highlight ? Three of the four HR show Acuna batting RH against RH pitching....not what a switch hitter would do. 

This was an unforced error that can be attributed to some negligence on Getz part.  Beyond that, it is also possible, even likely as WhiteSox 2023 alluded to, that Getz was desperate to unload Robert's m20 Mil. and get anything whatsoever in return, especially a player that might play Center.  So no matter if Acuna  was RH, LH or Ass handed...Getz  just wanted to get the deal done. He never really targeted Acuna as a trade target from the outset, as far as I can recall. 

Edited 6 hours ago by tray

[stinky]

On 2/11/2026 at 6:47 PM, WestEddy said:

CHGO - Sean Anderson day 2 Podcast. Talks about the Spring Training hats. Spends way too much time talking about PECOTA's projected playing time. These kids talk way too fast. Slow down, fer Chrissake!! 

 

Here is me talking about PECOTA projections again. Venable on MLB Network:

We do view Teel as an everyday guy. But at the catching position we know that doesn’t mean you’re actually in there every day. It’s a demanding role. And Edgar is a guy that we like the bat against lefties, so there’s DH opportunities for him. He’s going to be able to catch too so there should be plenty of at bats for those guys.

 

Them saying Teel is an everyday guy means he is going to get WAY more than 490 PAs. Their goal in 2026 might be to show off Edgar Quero; the hitter and have teams get tantalized about him being their everyday catcher.https://x.com/MLBNetwork/status/2022365479218647391?s=2

[Bob Sacamano]

That doesn’t sound like they’re going to use them in the way we are all hoping (both in the lineup at C/DH on a near every day basis).