South Side Hit Men

I enjoy listening to games and watching game recaps every year, win or lose. If it was contingent on the team winning, I wouldn't have been a fan in the first place, since they sucked the first year I watched/listened, and they are the only franchise in MLB to have advanced only one year in the playoffs across the 45 seasons of my fandom. Last among 30, I'm still here. Have only booed three White Sox players/managers ever (and of course Reinsdorf and Einhorn), unfortunately two of the three returned this off-season (David Wells was the third). In terms of the team's prospects, I believe this will be a developmental year, and if Cease Kopech and Crochet develop and the later two are allowed to emerge from the bullpen, the White Sox have a good chance at a playoff run the next two years before contracts for their core begin to expire.

Moneyball and the emergence of baseball analytics media coverage shifted fan mindset from wanting their favorite team to acquire the best players and team, to wanting their favorite team to tank, screw over players for as long as possible, and delay the arrival of the best prospects, pretending they are GMs paying homage to the actual GMs. The top government propaganda ministers and consumer marketers in the world couldn’t concoct a better scheme to convert customers to DEMAND and PRAISE a lower quality product, at ever higher prices. “They give you this, but you pay for that.” - Neil Young

Really looking forward to Jose and his fellow teammates rendition. It will hopefully be embraced more than Jose Feliciano’s performance before the 1968 World Series which some protested as “disrespectful”. Still remains with Wayne Messimer one of my favorite versions.

Planning and discussions for large scale openings like schools or for what we are discussing are planned well before an opening. COVID cases could drop and stay at zero, and it would still take substantial time for all the relevant operations (stadium personnel, CPD, IDOT, CTA, food / beverage / merchandise) to get organized, have personnel trained, uniformed and available, have items delivered and staged, etc. It’s a lot more involved than what people are discussing here. The City and Sports teams would have substantial discussions in terms of allowable operations, and it wouldn’t be until full agreement before teams can begin ramping up planning for opening up stadium operations. It’s why the August 1 date both mentioned on the Score last month, and the usher letter noted above is the most realistic expectation fans should have. Not saying it takes five months to get things ramped up, but it’s not going to be seemingly light switch flip for other reopening pronouncements for small independent bars and restaurants which require a shorter lead time.

Assessing a poor contract / overpay does not equate to 'hate'. The Sox are paying him for 2020-2023, not 2015-2019. Neither of the teams who had him during the past five years had any interest in signing him to 4 Years $73M, nor did the 27 other teams. A smart GM pays future production, not the rear-view mirror. He couldn't beat out McCann for more than slightly half of playing time behind the plate, and pitchers significantly were better with McCann over Grandal behind the plate. You can't credibly state a catcher in his 30s will play 162 games with your extrapolation. He was on pace for 86 games caught last year, and the Sox will be fortunate if they can get a productive 300 games caught the rest of his deal. The Sox also better hope MLB does not go to automated strikes with the next CBA, which would render Grandal a below average defensive catcher when he is healthy enough to catch. Look at other lengthy high priced deals to catchers in their 30s and report back with all the success stories, would love to hear about catchers retaining high levels of production and ability to continue to catch 120 plus games each season. Fisk is the only one I can recall, and the Sox capped out at $1.2M / year on his highest deal. The same Fisk La Russa stuck in LF until he was forced to walk back that debacle shortly before getting shitcanned.

$18M+ for four years on a $125M payroll team in his declining age 30s seasons? Especially with greater needs in RF and SP the past two years and beyond, and the restrictions that contract puts on future teams? Hard pass on Grandal, the conclusion of 29 other teams with that length and dollars. Definitely a head-scratcher deal to be the "biggest contract in club history".

Managers have slotted scheduled innings for select pitchers for the game. Teams don't have several pitchers in a bullpen available. I don't agree with the changes to the 2021 regular season in terms of 7 inning Doubleheader Games and runners on 2nd in extras. Made sense last year, doesn't this year. Was also a major reason I was vehemently opposed to the Owner's proposal to start the season in May with a bunch of bullshit scheduled 7 inning doubleheader games, not to mention unscheduled doubleheaders for rain outs and possible COVID cancellations, to reach 154 games. That said, they can and should do whatever is best to prepare the team for Spring Training, and not stretching pitchers beyond 25 pitches in an inning makes sense for the purpose of these games, which is to get pitchers stretched for the season, get hitters timing back and evaluate a few players. They are not for fans or wagering.

Same if Anderson and Robert get hurt, Still doesn't mean Collins and Lucroy should EVER be in the same lineup together. I do get your point regarding injuries and depth, two of the reasons Eaton and Grandal were not good signings to begin with.

Again, you are going off of the current CBA which expires this year. Players will prioritize this issue and these rules will likely change, rendering bullshit this year irrelevant. A much bigger concern burning 1 or more years of Kopech and Crochet in the bullpen to placate La Russa and cover for the fact the White Sox didn't add to it this off season. Playing service time games during tanking years make sense, putting your best team on the field during "championship seasons" also makes sense. With AAA not starting until May at the earliest, there is no credible development reason to keep Vaughn down. As last year and every year proves, even one game in the standings can mean the difference from a Division Title or Wild Card, or making the playoffs or going home.

Huge difference between 50% in a bar, and 50% in a 40,000 seat stadium. 20,000 vectors from the entire region convening for 3 hours on a daily basis can blow up COVID issues very fast. Sometime this Summer is a safer bet for an initial roll out of up to 25% capacity.

This is nonsense. Don't have Hahn tell me they're "All in" for "Multiple World Series Championships", and dick around with service time games which may not even matter with the new CBA, especially in light of the fact the AAA season has been pushed to May at this point, may be pushed yet again. Talking about Vaughn, not Kopech. Kopech should be kept back not for service time games, but to build up his arm as a starter, not another La Russa Bullpen Boy Toy.

The money would have been spent, just not on Eaton. Not sure why you post two backup catchers as being simultaneously in any lineup. Don't see them both on the 26 man together beyond Grandal IR stints.

I'd take Pederson for primary RF if given the chance, Engel would be my second choice over acquiring Eaton.

Not so fast. It's a battle royale at this point, with 10 votes a piece for Moncada and Grandal. Tight also between MVP and youth speed in the doubles race, with Luis 1 vote ahead of Abreu, and Tim, Yoan and Eloy within a few votes of the lead.

LOL at the hot takes. There certainly should be no crying in exhibition baseball.

Looking forward to seeing Lucroy, wonder if he will be Lucas' new personal catcher.

Sadly, this is still widely pervasive in society. I am required to take a Sexual Harassment course, required for all Illinois licensed professionals (I'm a early retiree CPA, keeping my license at least one renewal period) due to the severity of what happened in Springfield the past several years and a law to combat it. Also see what has happened in Albany, and decades long abuse in Hollywood and many other industries. Media is at least covering these issues openly as of late, and hopefully awareness and intolerance of permitting this to continue forces change sooner rather than later.

I'm waiting to see what happens. As long as they get their innings to allow both to start later this year or entering 2022, there are solid reasons for leaving to develop under Katz. However, if they finish healthy, but with 70-90 2021 innings due to "Win Today" trumping development, than Fuck/Fire La Russa, and Hahn for permitting it to happen. 200 inning starters >>>>> 60-80 inning relievers

I'm hopeful there will be new ownership (JR would be 88 in 2024) and/or the White Sox' attendance due to successful previous seasons will bump up the payroll after the new CBA. The current or a new FO will need to shifting the payroll primarily committed to older FAs acquired the past two off-seasons, to retaining the current core young players. Hopefully the club can draft and develop enough key players over the next few years to keep a competitive window open beyond 2023/24. I'm hopeful both Lucas and Tim remain with the club after their current deals expire, but don't expect a contract extension before their current deals expire or a "hometown discount".

Beckham (PED Suspension) can't start the year with the White Sox and Mendick is also a lock. LuCroy vs. Collins is thee battle, though both could start the year if the Sox play service time games with Vaughn. C Grandal, Lucroy IF Abreu, Anderson, Madrigal, Mendick, Moncada, Vaughn. OF Eaton, Engel, Garcia, Jimenez, Robert. Pitching will be more fluid, with pitchers with options including Kopech and Crochet to float on/off the 26 man roster all season. I expect Cordero to be with the team all season when healthy, and that Lopez will start for the Sox, not come out of the bullpen beyond perhaps if a starter goes down or available as a long man for a doubleheader.

Adding a second poll for a few categories I believe are more wide open than the three selected for the first poll.

HR: Eloy over Jose Hits: Tim over Abreu SB: Luis over Tim Doubles and OBP are the two most wide open polls in terms of numbers of legitimate options. I can see a half dozen viable selections for each of the two.

Got Wood?

I like this plan if they stick with it. As long as they get to 100-120 with Kopech, and 80-100 with Crochet, they can be legitimate starters next year with reasonable innings management. If they are healthy and top out at 70-80 to maximize the “NOW” Tony stated on the Score, than you are shortchanging the current and future window. Sale had to fight to the death to stop a permanent bullpen role, these two shouldn’t face a similar fate. I’m hopeful they stick with their stated plan, and not allow Tony’s today is the only day that matters to trump prudent development and long term needs of the club. It is not or should not be a 1-2 year window.

Neither are bad players, but $36M is too much of this team’s payroll over the next 3 years on a $125M budget. That significant commitment has and will continue to take away flexibility for other needs that haven’t, and continue to go unfilled. Also, unlike Hendriks, where the Sox were clearly in a competitive bidding process with other teams, no other team were handing either $18M AAV for four years. Keuchel is a 3 or 4 on a competitive playoff team at this point, and was out of gas trying to get through 60 games last year. I mentioned Grandal’s games caught, because i don’t believe it’s likely Grandal can or even should catch 120 anymore, and don’t believe he’ll top 100 here (gaining 40 + more games played, if healthy, at 1B/DH). I’m looking at it over 4 years, not just the 60 games. Lynn made the most sense of all the deals because he is a legitimate 2 or 3, and it’s one year deal. A 1 year + option deal at year end might make sense, if they (I’d say shortsightedly) don’t allow Kopech or Crochet to stretch enough to start next year.