South Side Hit Men

Let's face it, 90% of Chicago doesn't want to be in 2023 Chicago.

fWAR covers the entire game, hitting and defense. Same as the HOF. Luis is in because he stuck around for 18 seasons and stayed healthy, with a .653 OPS / 82 OPS+, and was a superb fielder. Tim has a .750 OPS / 103 OPS +, missed 2022 with a significant injury, lost another season due to owner greed (60 game faux season). Think he does well once he leaves, I am grateful what he did here mired in a toxic tanking organization his whole career, similar to Abreu who wasted his career playing for Jerry and his cronies.

Even if the team was/is bad, many appreciated James' in game and pre/post twitter reporting. While I was a subscriber, I really enjoyed his in depth features on players and other aspects of the team you weren't going to get with the weak Chicago (tv, radio, print) or in-house media.

Nobody was covering his already inured UCL, so all future time off is not insurable. Perhaps the several cancer weeks were insured, if they were than it was even more stupid to rush him back, not check his MRI with the low velocity rushed rehab. And for that, Hahn's fired.

My two highlights are: 1. Lone Postseason Lead in the Hahn era. 2. Miguel Cairo's first game as White Sox Manager.

Do you have any evidence the team has insurance, or was even able to get insurance, on Liam Hendriks? He's had the UCL issue for a long time, so this injury is not covered.

I was prepared to buy a ticket on Stubhub for any Billy Hamilton start while he was up, but they never did start him. He could have given Luis Robert Jr. a day of rest and covered CF well.

What a said day for White Sox fans and mankind. I followed each of his rehab games, and it doesn't appear he can hit anymore. Billy was one of if not the most likeable guys on the 2021 and 2023 White Sox, and I will appreciate his efforts on behalf of the Sox. Wherever he ends up, either retirement or one of the other 29 MLB organizations, I wish him all the happiness and success down the road.

Glaring omission:

Well Luis Aparicio is in the Hall of Fame on a BB Writers ballot (not crony Jerry Baines VC ballot), and he averaged 0.2 fWAR more than Tim. A franchise can suck as but still have good players. Mike Trout, a GOAT, has a lower franchise winning record than the Sox, doesn't negate his greatness. Not saying Tim is anywhere close to Trout or HOF level, but saying he had a solid overall career with the White Sox, and his 3 fWAR puts him in the Good Player range per Fangraphs metrics, someone most of us appreciated over the years as Sox fans.

2-3 = Solid Starter; 3-4 Good Player The Sox fielded solid shortstops more than half of the time 40 of 75 seasons with six solid plus players. I have a book "Who's on Third?" chronicling the poor options throughout White Sox history. Yoan could be a 4+ player if healthy, not sure he'll ever get there at least with the White Sox. I find it amusing the Scotty Fletcher and Craig Grebeck were far superior shortstops to bigmouth Ozzie. OBP ranking 431 players with 7,100 + PA: 424 .304 Garry Templeton (8,208) wRC+83 24.5 fWAR 425 .302 Dave Kingman (7.429) wRC+113 20.4 fWAR 426 .302 Joe Quinn (7,334) wRC+78 6.3 fWAR 427 .300 Larry Bowa (9,108) wRC+70 16.7 fWAR 428 .293 Frank White (8,468) wRC+84 31.1 fWAR 429 .289 Tommy Corcoran (9,358) wRC+73 22.7 fWAR 430 .287 Ozzie Guillen (7,133) wRC+66 13.1 fWAR 431 .285 Alfredo Griffin (7.331) wRC+65 -1.0 fWAR

With Fegan gone, down to Scott Merkin for Sox Tweets. Everyone who loves to jump on Sox players without knowing their full health status (Tim, Yoan, Yasmani, Luis), we can add Liam to the mix of gross misconduct when it comes to White Sox management of injuries the past three seasons. So basically Liam was injured before he even started his truncated post Cancer Recovery rehab, the Sox did nothing, either told him to pitch through his barking arm, or Liam said nothing and pitched injured until he couldn't make a fist or hold a baseball which happened last Friday. Sox could clearly see his velocity was down this entire time. Rushed rehab, no MRI examinations until yesterday. Boyer and Hahn rushed Liam back for a few weeks of PR fluff pieces and pawning a few tickets. Fire Rick Hahn and Brooks Boyer,

Yeah, like what the f*** do guys like Mike Trout know about baseball. https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/mlb/chicago-white-sox/mike-trout-on-tim-anderson-hes-a-star/347212/?chrcontext=WMAQ

Career stats, or what some here call "cherry picked". White Sox Shortstop fWAR per season career leaders - Legitimate MLB seasons (1947-2023), minimum 5 White Sox Seasons & 5 total fWAR: 3.4 Jose Valentin (17.3 fWAR / 5.0 White Sox Seasons) 3.2 Luis Aparicio (32 / 10.0) 3.0 Tim Anderson (19.4 / 6.4) 2.9 Ron Hansen (18.4 / 6.3) 2.8 Chico Carrasquel (16.8 / 6.0) 2.5 Alexei Ramirez (19.6 / 8.0) 1.6 Jose Uribe (7.8 / 5.0) 1.5 Craig Grebeck (8.3 / 5.6) 1.5 Scott Fletcher (8.0 / 5.4) 1.0 Ozzie Guillen (12.5 / 12.6) White Sox Third Base fWAR per season career leaders - Legitimate MLB seasons (1947-2023), minimum 5 White Sox Seasons & 5 total fWAR: 4.5 Robin Ventura (39.2 / 8.7) 3.0 Pete Ward (20.7 / 7.0) 2.8 Bill Melton (19.8 / 7.2) 2.7 Yoan Moncada (14.9 / 5.2) 1.7 Joe Crede (11.3 / 6.5) 1.5 Floyd Baker (7.5 / 5.0)

I disagree they are holding back his development. He was rushed at a young age this season due to Hahn’s perennial incompetence, in this instance acquiring a RF. I competent ball club would work with him to improve pitch recognition while sustaining his power capabilities. He hasn’t really improved at this point and should stay down. The White Sox are all but eliminated, so they should be thinking long term.

Poop ?

I feel pretty scummy following The MLB at this stage. Not sure I'll ever buy another ticket again, and I've been going for nearly 50 years, been a full season ticket holder and to 42 MLB stadiums over the years.

https://www.mlb.com/news/liam-hendriks-no-structural-damage-right-elbow

The Oakland A's field a AAA team (0.3 net fWAR through yesterday) and won their 7th straight win tonight, all against winning teams. The drew over 27,000 on the day Nevada sleeze-ball politicians handed out $380M plus to a billionaire. The Sox outdrew this number three times this season. In a decade of Hahn, the Sox have two seven game win streaks, none beyond. Fire Rick Hahn. Seven Plus Win Streaks in the Rick Hahn Era: 2023: None (5 Longest) 2022: None (6 Longest) 2021: None (6 Longest) 2020: One Seven Game Streak (August 16-22) 2019: None (5 Longest) 2018: None (4 Longest) 2017: None (6 Longest) 2016: None (6 Longest) 2015: One Seven Game Streak (July 23-29) 2014: None (4 Longest) 2013: None (6 Longest)

After the Stanley Cup, I watched the rest of the podcast. Worth a watch if you like Tim Anderson or baseball. Much more entertaining than watching the finger pointing 6.75 ERA pitcher lose again to the scumbag owned Dodgers. Tim was measured and respectful, nothing negative but did address issues more openly than most in the public sphere.

https://www.audacy.com/670thescore/sports/chicago-white-sox/how-much-longer-can-white-sox-keep-trotting-out-struggling-lance-lynn https://la.eater.com/maps/best-steak-steakhouses-los-angeles https://www.mychicagosteak.com/steak-university/ten-best-los-angeles-steakhouses

Steve Stone confirms Moncada's positioning was right. Only a few here agreed with this take real time, including James Fegan. https://www.audacy.com/670thescore/sports/chicago-white-sox/stone-nothing-was-wrong-white-sox-defensive-alignment-late-loss-marlins