South Side Hit Men

Molina was in his 20s under La Russa. Grandal can play 1B and DH for rest to keep his bat in the lineup. He's had a few injuries last year and already this Spring. At age 32, 100 games at catcher and another 40-50 at 1B/DH is wise to preserve his health, productivity and bat for October. I see the backups playing 60 games, with Grandal catching 4-5 games per week and 1B/DH for many of the others to reach 145-150 games played assuming no IR stint or nagging long term injuries.

Yesterday was a well pitched game on both ends. Today the bats were silent and too many 3 ball counts on the pitching end. They did face two excellent pitchers to start the game. Looking forward to the first full game tomorrow.

Kaplan said they are calling this off early. EDIT: Kasper reversed course and said the Dodgers are coming out to bat for the 7th. He also said tomorrow is a scheduled 9 inning game.

Dodgers perfect through four. Time to wake up the bats.

Brooks Boyer was on the radio broadcast. Over 8,000 tickets for per game to start. Seats will be assigned in 1-6 seat pods. Tickets will only be released for sale for the first home stand (7 games). Future homestands will be released on a staggered basis for now. General public tickets available if any left after season ticket holders are accommodated.

Agreed, though more concerned with an injury than annoyance or potential error. If there is a legitimate ball in the gap that’s one thing, but these straight away left field flies need to be left for Eloy. Stone and Jason can find something else to joke about.

That should have been stopped last year, needs to be the last this year.

His natural platoon advantage should be against LHP, and I expect it to improve. That said, I also expect his obp vs righties to likely drop by the same token, small sample size. If he doesn’t develop some type of power and doesn’t walk much, he won’t be an everyday player on a good team.

4 pitches, 3 outs to start the game.

Not sure about Moncada cleanup in the season, would bat him 6th or 7th vs. lefties with the current Sox team. Career OPS Splits RHP Splits: Anderson .709 Moncada .813 Abreu .853 Jimenez .864 Grandal .797 Vaughn .800 Minors Robert .718 Eaton .801 Madrigal .821 LHP Splits: Anderson .869 Robert .807 Abreu .927 Jimenez .801 Vaughn .941 Minors Grandal .781 Moncada .702 Engel .689 Madrigal .455 <= will need to platoon if he can't bring to an acceptable level.

Wasn't cognizant of the White Sox until I was 5 in 1975. Remember my grandfather bitching about Al Lopez not starting Bill Pierce in the World Series. Looking at the stats, not sure why Wynn started three times in a six game series, pitched poor (5.54 ERA, 1.77 WHIP). Perhaps starting Pierce in Game 4 and letting Wynn go Game 5 with 4 days rest would have made a difference. Are you referring to the trade below? Going to look up Veeck's thoughts in his two books to see his perspective. Merkin named Greenberg the Sox' fourth best GM, though without any context other than referencing the 1959 Pennant. Were there any other egregious trades? People will look at playoff results to rank one team better, but the regular season is the test of a champion. I care more about the regular season, most seasons ignore the post-season. Any team can get hot for two weeks, doesn't mean teams like the two Marlins teams (franchise never won a division, but two World Series) or other poor teams (2006 Cardinals 83-79) who made it via a watered down format were anywhere close to being the best team. Baseball should revert to two divisions in each league, would be similar to the 1 team in 8 that qualified for the first five decades. Sadly, owners want 14-16 + teams in, rendering the season a glorified exhibition season to seed playoff teams, like the NBA and NHL.

Mark Giangreco joins Mark Grace and Dan McNeil in the former Chicago sports media personality category. He's also been absent from the White Sox flagship radio station after his ditzy comment about Cheryl Burton during a previous broadcast.

Keuchel was the most to blame, giving up 5 in Game 2, that was the loss that cost the Sox the series, burnt the bullpen as well. Never hear a peep about the big FA signing. Madrigal didn't help with his 2 run error in the first which left Abreu shaking his head after the play. Didn't help Keuchel loaded the bases with three singles to start the game. https://www.mlb.com/athletics/video/marcus-semien-s-two-run-home-run-x0998?q=Date %3D ["2020-09-30"] AND GameType %3D ["WILD_CARD"] AND Player %3D ["Dallas Keuchel"] AND Date %3D {{ "2020-09-28"%2C "2020-10-05" }} Order By Timestamp DESC&cp=MIXED https://www.mlb.com/athletics/video/khris-davis-solo-home-run-x6336?q=Date %3D ["2020-09-30"] AND GameType %3D ["WILD_CARD"] AND Player %3D ["Dallas Keuchel"] AND Date %3D {{ "2020-09-28"%2C "2020-10-05" }} Order By Timestamp DESC&cp=MIXED

Carson Fulmer once again available. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/03/pirates-acquire-duane-underwood-designate-carson-fulmer.html Wonder where his next stop is this Spring.

@Soxsi75, couldn't find the criteria the simulated game uses to rate players. Did you come across anything? Also, while the goal of the playoffs is to win the World Series, before wild cards solid teams never had a chance stuck behind 100 win Yankees teams. It's clear based on WAR the 1917 team was head and shoulders above all other White Sox teams. The 1972 team was the second worst in the bracket. The 2020 team had the best hitting, their team didn't have the pitching to compete with the best teams in baseball. You saw it with your own eyes, but yeah, "Ricky's Fault" for the assembled staff. Keuchel was hammered hard both games against the 1972 team, wonder if subbing out Parrot and Mazara with McCann and Engel would have made a difference in the simulation. Teams ranked by total bWAR/pWAR as follows (All seasons under 162 games including 2020 WAR amounts have been pro-rata share adjusted based on a uniform 162 game season): 1917 (100-54 vs. Pythagorean 101-53) 24.8 bWAR + 28.5 pWAR = 53.3 Team WAR World Series Champion 1993 (94-68 vs. Pythagorean 92-70) 29.2 bWAR + 19.3 pWAR = 48.5 Team WAR 1954 (94-60 vs. Pythagorean 98-56) 28.7 bWAR + 18.9 pWAR = 47.6 Team WAR 1964 (98-64 vs. Pythagorean 99-63) 28.6 bWAR + 18.8 pWAR = 47.4 Team WAR 2000 (95-67 vs. Pythagorean 92-70) 28.3 bWAR + 18.9 pWAR = 47.2 Team WAR 2005 (99-63 vs. Pythagorean 91-71) 20.0 bWAR + 26.1 pWAR = 46.1 Team WAR World Series Champion 2008 (89-74 vs. Pythagorean 89-74) 19.2 bWAR + 25.9 pWAR = 45.1 Team WAR 1983 (99-63 vs. Pythagorean 96-66) 26.2 bWAR + 18.0 pWAR = 44.2 Team WAR 2020 (35-25 vs. Pythagorean 36-24) 34.6 bWAR + 9.2 pWAR = 43.8 Team WAR 1977 (90-72 vs. Pythagorean 88-74) 22.9 bWAR + 20.0 pWAR = 42.9 Team WAR 1906 (93-58 vs. Pythagorean 90-61) 24.7 bWAR + 17.6 pWAR = 42.3 Team WAR World Series Champion 1959 (94-60 vs. Pythagorean 86-68) 26.3 bWAR + 15.9 pWAR = 42.2 Team WAR AL Pennant 2006 (90-72 vs. Pythagorean 88-74) 20.3 bWAR + 21.8 pWAR = 42.1 Team WAR 1990 (94-68 vs. Pythagorean 87-75) 23.0 bWAR + 15.0 pWAR = 38.0 Team WAR 1972 (87-67 vs. Pythagorean 81-73) 11.6 bWAR + 26.0 pWAR = 37.6 Team WAR 1936 (81-70 vs. Pythagorean 79-72) 21.7 bWAR + 11.9 pWAR = 33.6 Team WAR PS - The Fernando Tatis Jr. "Teams which shall not be named" lest they win the tournament: 1919 (88-52 vs. Pythagorean 84-56) 31.8 bWAR + 16.4 pWAR = 48.2 Team WAR AL Pennant (Third best White Sox team all time, behind 1917 and 1993). 1994 (67-46 vs. Pythagorean 69-44) 31.4 bWAR + 23.8 pWAR = 55.2 Team WAR Season ended due to strike because Jerry was broke and needed to crush the union. The greatest adjusted WAR in White Sox history. Editorial Note: I don't necessarily agree with the premise that adjusting WAR for unplayed games (2020 COVID, 1994 Strike, etc.) on a pro-rata basis (162/games played times unadjusted WAR) is how the season would play out, but there is no other method to compare apples to apples. Same thoughts for saying Grandal's or any other player's WAR would have been XXX based on their 2020 WAR times (162/60). What we can relatively safely deduce is the 1919 and 1994 teams had a strong probability to finish among the Top 3-5 teams in White Sox history if they played a full season (1919 Spanish Flu, 1994 Strike).

First game watching, but for those that have watched previous games, has the dugout called all pitches like they are today, or is this a function of this being a Yermin start? Giolitio's work is important, but would also be a good opportunity for Yermin to plan pre-game and come up with pitch management to aid his development. Yermin has looked good today, and his throw to 2b was on the money. Can't ask for anything more this ST. Not sure if Narron's guy Lucroy is a fait accompli based on La Russa's/Narron's familiarity, or there is a legitimate shot for Collins or Mercedes to make the squad. Giolito has look well in command through 3, Moncada made a nice grab along the top as well in the third. Nice to watch White Sox baseball.

My post linked Rickett’s being booed by Cub fans at their last convention, and his statement when they booed his mention of Marquee Network. That linked video of fan reaction of Ricketts was my response to your post (Cub fan angst, charm going away, fans upset with his business ventures). I have many Cub fan friends and family, and concur few if any are pleased with the past year plus, or the family in general. As a non Cubs fan, I do believe he hired a solid front office, but do question some of their other financial management decisions (debt, costly older FAs, TV rollout, current predicament). Perhaps every city and fan base largely disapproves of their local team owners, though I contend Chicago can stand toe to toe in any argument regarding our overall collection as being legit contenders for the worst across the four, though at least two kids are trying to reverse the mistakes of their fathers.

Yes, I am highly optimistic that at least a few of the young pitchers who languished the past few years will pleasantly surprise fans this season. A healthy Rodon and consistent strikes from Cease and Lopez will go a long way to adding the depth needed to compete. I’m hoping they can transition away from older FA / trades and replenish their staff with the young current core, and develop and draft solid pitchers. It’s the only possibility beyond drastically increasing payroll to retain the solid core beyond their current contracts/control period.

Dude, go ahead and live in your fantasy land of praising corpses. Sox fans had enough with Corpse Ball under Manuel. You post the same repetitive irrelevant tripe at least a dozen times equating other octogenarians who have absolutely nothing to do with the Sox hire. Since early December, I haven’t posted much of anything regarding LaRussa in a non baseball context, beyond discussing the relevant Nightengale article last month noting Jerry’s omission of disclosing Tony’s DUI arrest from his “trusted family” during the hiring process, until responding to your absurd posts here. The only error of judgment was to respond to someone “too stupid to argue with”. That won’t happen again.

While you are praising the value of hiring resurrected corpses, literal or figurative, you should listen to Jerry’s statement on why La Russa is a poor managerial fit last offseason (it’s in my sig). That statement was before yet another arrest under Tony’s belt. Jerry’s defilement of the process and wise criteria defined by Hahn is another strike against your praise of all creatures decades beyond their shelf life. The literal corpse of Charles Comiskey or his predecessors would all be upgrades over the current one.

This is a fair assessment, and one likely to Passat least on the Crochet end. That said Hahn needs to make these decisions, whether he does or allowed to do so is another story. Injury or poor performance with the starting rotation may change plans to the benefit of Kopech and Crochet. There’s not a lot of depth there, whereas the bullpen is solid on its own, and it’s easier to pick up another bullpen piece if necessary.

What do you have against the Marquee Network?! https://mobile.twitter.com/AldoSoto21/status/1218409960872169472

Thanks for posting, I just posted what Levine stated earlier today. Crochet may turn out to be limited to bullpen work long term due to health / arm limitations, but I hope he is given at least a shot to start next season if health permits. 5-6 innings per start is much more valuable than 2-3 relief innings per week long term. Tony’s focus is to “win today”, but it must be balanced by FO considerations for today and the future, especially for top prospects with high ceilings. Also “more” doesn't exclude multi-inning appearances. If Crochet pitches a full season in the bullpen healthy and hits 80 + innings this season, he can still convert to a starter for a good portion of 2022. It’s much easier and cheaper to replace Crotchet in the bullpen than to sign a starter with equivalent ability.

Touche. I just hope they can reopen later this year, been going there for decades.