Look at Ray Ray Run

Replaced by who? Guys just as bad? That's the point I'm making. What's the point of having a carousel of arms that are all bad. You as well, have a great holiday as well.

Grandal.

Again, if you're 8% worse than league average most teams will not have a replacement better than that for their 5th starter spot. There were only 61 qualified starters in MLB baseball - the number you are using to say Lopez ranks at the bottom. There are over 150 starting pitchers in MLB baseball. In a given year, on average, over 210 starters will be used. Lopez ranks near the bottom of the mlb qualify starters who warrant pitching every 5th day. He doesnt rank near the bottom of mlb pitchers In general.

how unprofessional do you have to be to ask that question to a MLB player who chose to join your show?

Everyone counts; just as you can't cite that Reynaldo was the 15th ranked starter by fWAR because it only lists qualified performers. You create league averages vs the full sample - not just qualified. So he is 8% worse than league average in FIP. That's all that matters, imo.

I'm really really going to enjoy the Cub demise and the White Sox ascension over the next 3-5 years. The Cubs gotta might fat and arrogant, but reality is about to hit them hard.

I clarified this above, but he is the 15th ranked starter in fWAR among QUALIFIED starters over the past two years. If you take out qualified, he moves all the way down to #25 - which is certainly still serviceable. On a WAR rate basis, he'd rank even lower as WAR is a cumulative stat. Depending on how you want to value him, things change but he's certainly not someone you should just throw away and discard.

I turned the radio off after I heard Parkins and McNeil say this will likely be the only real signing, but it's better than nothing. This was right after Bruce and his "now they just need to find a lefty bat who hits 25+ homer" comment. To even ask the question above is just embarrassing but I expect nothing more from that station since the Sox left and the Cubs moved in.

In the modern game? A lot, given that Lopez was again only 8% worse than league average. You need to stop looking at his ERA as if it was 15 years ago and realize that scoring is up league wide so ERA's are up league wide. a 5 ERA today is similar/same to a 4.4 ERA in a less friendly run scoring environment of the past.

What is confusing about my post? I have said here that his defense is overvalued - certainly that is true. Does that mean I am not happy about signing one of the 3 best catchers in baseball? No. Does it mean I think Grandal is as valuable as the 4+ fWAR player he's been over the past 3 years? No, and I think the market confirmed that it agreed with my opinion as well - he wasn't paid like a 4 WAR player, he was paid like a league average player 2-3 WAR. I stand by my initial post, and I'm still excited about the signing. I'm not sure how I can't do both of those things, but OK. Is it OK for me to think Grandal's defense wasn't as good as "BEST IN BASEBALL" all while being excited about him joining the White Sox?

his FIP- is identical, so yes 4.6 and 5.03 are actually exactly the same when put into context of league averages over those two years. Run scoring was up; therefore his FIP in relation to his peers was the same.

You're greatly exaggerating how bad Lopez is. Lopezs FIP has been 8% worse than league average over the past two seasons. 8% worse than league average while throwing 180-200 innings every year is not a terrible MLB pitcher by any means.

The pretty big difference is Grandal was a 4 WAR player the year he had the .308 OBP. Dunn, Laroche and even Frazier's value was driven mostly by their offense. Grandal's offense is good, but it's also just one part of his value.

Bad news about this is, outside of two meetings since the signing, I have gotten nothing done today... not great!

He's the 15th ranked qualified starter in the AL over the past two years. You shouldn't really used qualified for that analysis though, imo.

I think last season the White Sox wanted to get their piece at their price because last year wasn't the year in which competing became the goal. This year, I think the White Sox realize that this core has come together really nicely and that the window and opportunity are there. At that point, they need to sign impact players at whatever cost required because they realize the window is here finally and they need to maximize it.

Cole - 7 years, 250 million - Signed: Rendon - 8 years, 255 million - Signed: Stras - 6 years, 220 million - Signed: Bumgarner - 6 years, 175 million - Signed: Chapman - 4 years 60 million - Signed: JD Martinez - 4 years, 90 million - Signed: Ryu - 4 years, 85 million - Signed: Donaldson - 3 years, 65 million - Signed: Wheeler - 5 years, 125 million - Signed: Ozuna - 4 years, 85 million - Signed: Grandal - 4 years, 70 million - Signed: 4 Years, 73 Million Odorizzi - 4 years, 60 million - Signed: Hamels - 4 years, 65 million - Signed: Didi - 5 years, 68 million - Signed: Keuchel - 3 years, 50 million - Signed: Castellanos - 5 years, 80 million - Signed: Miley - 2 years, 25 million - Signed: Encarnacion - 1 year, 19 million - Signed: Moustakas - 2 years, 38 million - Signed: Puig - 3 years, 45 million - Signed: Will Smith - 4 years, 48 million - Signed: 3 Years, 39 million Will Harris - 3 years, 30 million - Signed: Betances - 2 years, 16 million - Signed: Roark - 1 year, 13 million - Signed: Pineda 1 year, 11 million - Signed: Tracking

When his fastball is on, and he is staying on top of it and driving down (creating great back spin and very limited drop), it's elite . When he doesn't stay on top and drive through the ball, it's all velocity but not much else; and it's well below average.

On a start to start basis, this just wasn't true though. His fastball spin rate was very erratic. He had elite fastball starts where his spin rate was high, his vertical movement was top of the league, and he generated elite swing and miss percentages. In other starts, he got under his fastball and off-speed stuff, leaving a much flatter plane on the pitch with a much lower spin rate.

To be fair, you should be sorting by all pitchers - not just qualified. He's 25th when you look at all arms. I'm not sure I'm ready to praise his past two seasons, but I definitely think there is big reason to have optimism pertaining to his development. The Sox seem to have found his driving force of success but getting that out of him consistently has been the challenge.

I think Rick and Kenny enjoyed that moment as well. I actually enjoyed that much more than a build up to a signing, followed by the signing.

No chance should the Sox give up on Reynaldo Lopez. Despite his ERA and FIP not being great, he increased his K-rate (generated more swings and misses, just inconsistently from start to start) and decreased his walk rate. He is trending in the right direction. They need to untap the potential he shows in his huge games every single start, but the talent is very clearly there.

Jaysus. I hate to see this; I prefer the... "Wheeler's market is moving slowly." *1 hour later* "White Sox sign Wheeler" This 95% shit makes me say

Again, as I have explained to you before. You are statically, factually, wrong, but I don't want to rehash this over and over again. If you truly believe this, you should quit your job and gamble for a living.

I actually think how soft his hands and how relaxed his body is behind the plate is a big reason he leads the league in past balls so frequently.