May 28, 20169 yr Wow is our minor leagues atrociously horrible. Unreal how bad they are on all levels. Anderson is the the only guy doing anything. Hate to be a downer but i have to laugh when Levine had us getting Cargo or Bruce. For what? We have no trade chips for any top available talent. Disappointing is a understatement. Embarrassing might be more appropriate. Just sayin
May 28, 20169 yr It's pretty freaking awful. The gap between Anderson and Adams or Fulmer is gigantic. Fulmer might be having one of the worst years in the minors for a top 100 prospect. Edited May 28, 20169 yr by fathom
May 28, 20169 yr Then you look at the next set of guys like May and Trey M., you struggle imagining them being more than spare parts on a major league roster, the 24th/25th men. Unless you're a big fan of guys like Tyler Danish, Guerrero, Thompson, Jordan Stephens, it's quite difficult to be enthusiastic. Engel also took a step back after his great AFL. Hawkins? Let's see when his K rate is below 25-30% Or when he can stay healthy for 2-3 consecutive months. All the hype about Micker Adolfo and Keon Barnum's "power" bats? That kind of went out the window... Meanwhile, watching guys like Thompson and Semien contribute elsewhere in positions the Sox could use some help at is more than a bit frustrating. Edited May 28, 20169 yr by caulfield12
May 28, 20169 yr After this season, I would not be surprised if we rank just ahead of the Angels in many publications' rankings. This organization is such a train wreck in the minor leagues and has been for a good while. Nothing has been done to substantively address the core issues. As an aside, I am flummoxed how Kenny Williams has a job. Ignoring the piss-poor performance of his major league teams, he has done a terrible job in minor leagues and it was during his tenure that the Wilder scandal occurred. This organization has no accountability. Every year the blame is put on the players, and we try to get new players. Instead, put the blame where it squarely deserves to be placed, on Rick Hahn, Kenny Williams, Buddy Bell, etc. Another aside (and pardon the fuming rambles), but I hate that I am a proponent for letting Hahn go. I think he is incredibly smart, and I think a lot of his struggles are due to KW being his boss. Hahn does not have the autonomy to be an actual GM, imo. He always has to answer to, and run things by, KW, who is the single biggest reason for the White Sox's failures over the past 15 years. But I think this organization needs to be rebuilt from the top to the bottom, and that means Hahn, too. I just hope by the time I have a child, there is something to be positive about with the White Sox that my child will become a fan. Edited May 28, 20169 yr by maggsmaggs
May 28, 20169 yr bad every time I hear Buddy Bell talk about player development I become more convinced he is a Royals plant with a mission to destroy the Sox from the ground up. His development strategy seems to be "Let them do what they always have done, and if they fail, well, they weren't going to make it anyways."
May 28, 20169 yr QUOTE (daggins @ May 28, 2016 -> 09:31 AM) bad every time I hear Buddy Bell talk about player development I become more convinced he is a Royals plant with a mission to destroy the Sox from the ground up. His development strategy seems to be "Let them do what they always have done, and if they fail, well, they weren't going to make it anyways." What's funny is I'm pretty sure he basically said that in his interview with raBBit. Bell is a real problem IMO and I'm shocked they've kept him this long. Also, I thought when Steverson was brought in we were going to develop a systematic approach to hitting. Unfortunately outside of a handful of guys, the approach still seems to be swing away.
May 28, 20169 yr There are a lot of guys having good years. Not all good prospects are drafted in top 3 rounds. Caveaat, of course, is that I only look at stats, which isn't real scouting. Sox still punt too many draft picks with relief pitchers, etc. Certainly some hitters in Charlotte worthy of trying out on the southside.
May 28, 20169 yr QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 28, 2016 -> 08:25 AM) After this season, I would not be surprised if we rank just ahead of the Angels in many publications' rankings. This organization is such a train wreck in the minor leagues and has been for a good while. Nothing has been done to substantively address the core issues. As an aside, I am flummoxed how Kenny Williams has a job. Ignoring the piss-poor performance of his major league teams, he has done a terrible job in minor leagues and it was during his tenure that the Wilder scandal occurred. This organization has no accountability. Every year the blame is put on the players, and we try to get new players. Instead, put the blame where it squarely deserves to be placed, on Rick Hahn, Kenny Williams, Buddy Bell, etc. Another aside (and pardon the fuming rambles), but I hate that I am a proponent for letting Hahn go. I think he is incredibly smart, and I think a lot of his struggles are due to KW being his boss. Hahn does not have the autonomy to be an actual GM, imo. He always has to answer to, and run things by, KW, who is the single biggest reason for the White Sox's failures over the past 15 years. But I think this organization needs to be rebuilt from the top to the bottom, and that means Hahn, too. I just hope by the time I have a child, there is something to be positive about with the White Sox that my child will become a fan. Correct.
May 28, 20169 yr QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 28, 2016 -> 09:25 AM) After this season, I would not be surprised if we rank just ahead of the Angels in many publications' rankings. I would agree with you, but the White Sox do have three picks in the top 50 this year. In theory, the farm should get a nice jolt in a couple of weeks. I know what you're saying though; the suspects far outweigh the prospects. My fingers are crossed that this year's draft bears some fruit because this organization needs some new faces.
May 28, 20169 yr QUOTE (oldsox @ May 28, 2016 -> 12:29 PM) Correct. A little early to make that kind of statement. Players can turn things around. The draft hasn't happened. No prospects have moved teams yet. Prospects in the minors will graduate, or not graduate. Who the hell knows.
May 28, 20169 yr QUOTE (GreenSox @ May 28, 2016 -> 04:19 PM) There are a lot of guys having good years. Not all good prospects are drafted in top 3 rounds. Caveaat, of course, is that I only look at stats, which isn't real scouting. Sox still punt too many draft picks with relief pitchers, etc. Certainly some hitters in Charlotte worthy of trying out on the southside. I am politely asking who?
May 28, 20169 yr Buddy Bell will be 65 in August. He never played for the Sox. He was a failure as a big-league manager. No reason for any loyalty. He needs to go -- ASAP. Our player development of position players in embarrassingly bad.
May 28, 20169 yr QUOTE (oldsox @ May 28, 2016 -> 04:26 PM) Hawk loves Buddy Bell. Hawk likes everyone in the Sox organization. Hawk is an imbecile
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ May 28, 2016 -> 03:56 PM) Buddy Bell will be 65 in August. He never played for the Sox. He was a failure as a big-league manager. No reason for any loyalty. He needs to go -- ASAP. Our player development of position players in embarrassingly bad. I'm starting to feel that way as a fan. It's like Cubans waiting for the Castro regime to end. No hope except new ownership and there is no guarantee that the incompetent people would be removed.
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (Alexeihyeess @ May 29, 2016 -> 01:36 PM) This draft will be a boon for the farm. At least there is hope on that front. Knowing how well they've drafted in the past, yeah I'm really psyched about this draft because I know the scouts will draft some guys that Bell and company can mold into future contributors.
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (soxfan49 @ May 29, 2016 -> 04:38 PM) Knowing how well they've drafted in the past, yeah I'm really psyched about this draft because I know the scouts will draft some guys that Bell and company can mold into future contributors. And this is exactly the major misconception about this year's three top 50 picks. It does not matter if the front office making the selection is the same one who has screwed up so many picks over the last two decades.
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (SI1020 @ May 28, 2016 -> 11:54 AM) I am politely asking who? Jason Coats Danny Hayes Nick Delmonico Jake Peter Tim Anderson has certainly had an excellent 2nd month in AAA. Fulmer has been bad. He also suffers from idiotic fans/sports media unfairly comparing him to Chris Sale/Carlos Rodon for no sane reason. It's also just 2 months into the season.
May 29, 20169 yr Hawk had some rather pointed comments today about drafting raw athletes over baseball players/contact hitters. Referenced Bubba Starling (look at all the players who became studs after him in that draft it was so deep compared to the Beckham class in 2008), but it could have just as easily been Borchard, Fields, Mitchell, Hawkins, Walker he was talking about. Fall in love with tools and you often get burned. Same thing might be happening with Buxton in MN.
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (Vance Law @ May 29, 2016 -> 04:02 PM) Jason Coats Danny Hayes Nick Delmonico Jake Peter Tim Anderson has certainly had an excellent 2nd month in AAA. Fulmer has been bad. He also suffers from idiotic fans/sports media unfairly comparing him to Chris Sale/Carlos Rodon for no sane reason. It's also just 2 months into the season. Except the jury's still out on whether any of those players have the tools to really succeed at the next level. Scouts preferred the likes of Trey M. and Jacob May. Fwiw, Peter and Coats were the only one close to prospect status, although Delmonico had the original pedigree. Hayes is the type of kid who just hits and hits and hits and 75% of the time never gets a break to make it up unless he has a huge supporter like a Buddy Bell in the organization pulling for him.
May 29, 20169 yr Our big name minor leaguers struggled a fair amount during April and May last year, which might not be all that surprising with a franchise whose motto is "aggressive promotion to challenge people". You put people at a level that challenges them and you expect them to struggle early in the year, some guys (Anderson) figured out how to succeed later in the year last year. There may be more struggles this year than last year but early season struggles make sense given organizational philosophy.
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 29, 2016 -> 04:40 PM) And this is exactly the major misconception about this year's three top 50 picks. It does not matter if the front office making the selection is the same one who has screwed up so many picks over the last two decades. I have quite a bit of confidence in Nick Hostetler, I his first year running that show.
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 29, 2016 -> 04:28 PM) Our big name minor leaguers struggled a fair amount during April and May last year, which might not be all that surprising with a franchise whose motto is "aggressive promotion to challenge people". You put people at a level that challenges them and you expect them to struggle early in the year, some guys (Anderson) figured out how to succeed later in the year last year. There may be more struggles this year than last year but early season struggles make sense given organizational philosophy. Who is getting pushed faster than they should be?
May 29, 20169 yr QUOTE (Vance Law @ May 29, 2016 -> 11:02 PM) Jason Coats Danny Hayes Nick Delmonico Jake Peter Tim Anderson has certainly had an excellent 2nd month in AAA. Fulmer has been bad. He also suffers from idiotic fans/sports media unfairly comparing him to Chris Sale/Carlos Rodon for no sane reason. It's also just 2 months into the season. Coats is getting a little old for a prospect. He's having a decent year at Charlotte. Danny Hayes? Are you kidding me? Nick Delmonico sort of came from out of nowhere this year. He's 2 for 17 since his promotion to Charlotte. Jake Peter is doing OK at Birmingham as of now. Seriously overall this is a very underwhelming list. The Sox farm system for the most part is a barren wasteland.
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