17 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Handing the play-off team closer role to an unproven rookie is the cheapest possible move, so it would definitely check out.

who the hell are you even talking about? Hagen Smith is mostly likely the new closer, he's the furthest thing from an "unproven rookie" after last season. He's a proven out getter. Sure, he can regress, but wtf are you arguing?

5 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

who the hell are you even talking about? Hagen Smith is mostly likely the new closer, he's the furthest thing from an "unproven rookie" after last season. He's a proven out getter. Sure, he can regress, but wtf are you arguing?

He has thrown 35 total innings in the majors thus far — 28 in the regular season and 7 in the postseason. He was excellent and I think it’s likely that he will be the closer, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he flops completely in the role due to his walkcitis.

Edited yesterday at 12:01 AM1 day by WhiteSox2023

59 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

who the hell are you even talking about? Hagen Smith is mostly likely the new closer, he's the furthest thing from an "unproven rookie" after last season. He's a proven out getter. Sure, he can regress, but wtf are you arguing?

Proven? Are you serious?

25 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Proven? Are you serious?

He went a solid like month when there wasn’t control issues but then I think walks the bases loaded multiple times in the playoffs. Idk, personally he scares me

Hey baseball, we aren't in the market for a starter, so just ignore us, while we paddle frantically under the surface for a couple FA mid rotation starters.

4 minutes ago, Texsox said:

Hey baseball, we aren't in the market for a starter, so just ignore us, while we paddle frantically under the surface for a couple FA mid rotation starters.

Now you’re getting it! 🤣

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

Proven? Are you serious?

Steamer has him at a 3.67 ERA. He's as "proven" as 90% of relievers, who are up and down year to year. There's zero reason to spend on a closer when you can put that 20 million AAV into the rotation or OF.

1 hour ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Steamer has him at a 3.67 ERA. He's as "proven" as 90% of relievers, who are up and down year to year. There's zero reason to spend on a closer when you can put that 20 million AAV into the rotation or OF.

Dude was terrible in the minors, was decent out of the pen, and then collapsed in the last round, completely unable to find the plate, which is exactly what killed him previously.

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

Dude was terrible in the minors, was decent out of the pen, and then collapsed in the last round, completely unable to find the plate, which is exactly what killed him previously.

Cheer up he was fucking dominant outside some few innings.

Edited yesterday at 05:05 AM1 day by chitownsportsfan

8 hours ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Cheer up he was fucking dominant outside some few innings.

No doubt Hagen was dominant, but I think the Sox bring him along slowly. No need to put unneeded pressure on him or have unrealistic goals for him while he is still developing.

8 hours ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Cheer up he was fucking dominant outside some few innings.

You are calling him "proven". He threw much less than half a season in the bigs, and wasn't "dominant" in the most important ones. It's an absurd premise over 32 fucking innings. It's like calling someone proven for 100 ABs.

Vey few relievers are considered reliable, an organization develops arms and hopefully they pan out. I have no clue what Hagen Smith is and game 4 of the ALDS showed that Grant Taylor is not bulletproof. Grant is far from a finished product. He has the toolbox to be elite but there were bumps along the way this year.

Let's be honest, he didn't face the toughest offenses in the post season.

Trying him as a starter makes sense, then you hope to configure a Treavor McGill along the way.

I don't know how many innings Vasil will pitch or if he is effective next season, the TJ jury is still out. I will make a very unpopular prediction; Castillo wins 7 games in a lock out season. Please don't throw a pie in my face until after end of next year..

18 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

So we’re looking at something like this now to start the season?

1. Free Agent

2. Sean Burke

3. Grant Taylor

4. Davis Martin

5. Castillo / Kay*

Maybe a bullpen like this?

• CL: Free Agent

• SU: Hagen Smith*

• SU: Jordan Hicks

• MR: Free Agent*

• MR: Huscar Brazoban

• MR: Bryan Hudson*

• LR: David Sandlin

• LR: Kay* / Castillo

They really need to bring Newcomb back as part of their bullpen plan if they are only adding one FA starter.

Vasil is your MR FA

2 hours ago, Falstaff said:

I don't know how many innings Vasil will pitch or if he is effective next season, the TJ jury is still out. I will make a very unpopular prediction; Castillo wins 7 games in a lock out season. Please don't throw a pie in my face until after end of next year..

come April (or whenever the late/truncated spring training comes) it will be the 'ole "Castillo is in the best shape of his life" talk track from Getz and company. Guaranteed.

6 hours ago, EloyJenkins said:

come April (or whenever the late/truncated spring training comes) it will be the 'ole "Castillo is in the best shape of his life" talk track from Getz and company. Guaranteed.

Spending time at XYZ famous pitching lab/training academy working on offspeed arsenal and following Freddy Peralta program to regain FB crispness...instead of hanging out in the DR the whole time.

On 11/10/2026 at 5:32 PM, southsider2k5 said:

Handing the play-off team closer role to an unproven rookie is the cheapest possible move, so it would definitely check out.

bruh. everyone wants grant to start. hand the closer role to a guy with 1 arm if it means grant taylor is starting.

4 hours ago, nrockway said:

bruh. everyone wants grant to start. hand the closer role to a guy with 1 arm if it means grant taylor is starting.

Paging Pete Gray…

what is Grants max inning count for 2027? 140 innings? If he is super effective...how do they pace him for the playoffs (this team is making the playoffs next season in this division).

10 minutes ago, EloyJenkins said:

what is Grants max inning count for 2027? 140 innings? If he is super effective...how do they pace him for the playoffs (this team is making the playoffs next season in this division).

Details. Who cares amirite

5 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Details. Who cares amirite

All signs point to a shortened season. He may not even be able to get that many innings if the season is shortened.

7 minutes ago, HoosierSox said:

All signs point to a shortened season. He may not even be able to get that many innings if the season is shortened.

That's honestly fair, though only if he is able to actually go 6 innings at a time.

The big thing that no one is talking about is that he has literally never been able to do it since going pro. Dude made 11 total starts in 2024 and 2025 total, and knocked out a whole 46 innings in those two years. His longest outing since 2022 in college is 4 innings. Dude barely even started in college, and we are just supposed to all shut up an assume that this is a front line starter, because he was decent this year out of hte pen. Yep.

3 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

That's honestly fair, though only if he is able to actually go 6 innings at a time.

The big thing that no one is talking about is that he has literally never been able to do it since going pro. Dude made 11 total starts in 2024 and 2025 total, and knocked out a whole 46 innings in those two years. His longest outing since 2022 in college is 4 innings. Dude barely even started in college, and we are just supposed to all shut up an assume that this is a front line starter, because he was decent this year out of hte pen. Yep.

I’m not sure what the downside risk here is. If he can’t handle the starter work load, move him back to the pen. If he can handle it, well, great. He’s a starter. I guess there’s an increased injury risk, but is 5 innings one day a week that much worse than 5 innings over 4 appearances? IDK

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Timmy U

3 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

I’m not sure what the downside risk here is. If he can’t handle the starter work load, move him back to the pen. If he can handle it, well, great. He’s a starter. I guess there’s an increased injury risk, but is 5 innings one day a week that much worse than 5 innings over 4 appearances? IDK

The downside risk is that you make two things worse with this move and you lose Taylor to injury. He's literally never been an effective starter before.

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

The downside risk is that you make two things worse with this move and you lose Taylor to injury. He's literally never been an effective starter before.

You're playing scared. Stop playing scared.