[8/9 Game 1 GT: Sox at Royals - Lynn vs. TBD (Tue 310CT)]

Since the trade to Boston Reese M has been an every other day player, is batting 5 of 11, raised his average from .225 to .241.

[7/23 Guardians vs White Sox G1 12:10 PM: McKenzie vs Cueto]

Where is Tim Anderson in the first game? Is he injured? He is not Pujols or Miguel Crabrera who needs to be rested frequently. After tomorrow's game, there are two days off next week. Where is the sense of urgency? 

[The 8-5 Triple Play…]

Someone please explain what has happened to Roberts in centerfield? It is too kind to describe his effort last night as mediocre.  

[Great Expectations]

Jake Lamb was an all star for a season. He also was a mediocre player for the White Sox. A.J. Pollack once won a gold glove. He misplayed  a ball at the wall against the Tigers in game one earlier this season and overran a catchable ball near the fence during a recent game against the Angels. The point is that many players have a single great season but fail to produce stellar performances over a career. Anyone is capable of having a big or outlier year. Few have the careers of Frank Thomas, Nellie Fox, or Luis Aparicio. 

In 2019 and 2020 I genuinely believed that the White Sox roster was packed with perennial All Star quality players --- Anderson, Abreu, Eloy, Grandal, Yoan, Luis, and Nicky Two Strikes.  Now I believe that I was mistaken, except for Anderson and maybe Jose. 

Eloy, Yoan, and Luis are above average but unreliable performers on the field. Each may experience one, perhaps two great seasons, but not sustain excellence over the course of  a lenghty career. Won't happen. Too many soft tissue injuries, poor command of the strike zone, lapses of concentration and effort in the field. 

The fear is that if Eloy, Yoan, or Luis is/are traded then soon thereafter the player will suddenly fulfill the great expectations we have had for him. But, that is unlikely to happen for any of those players. More likely, each will have a career liken to Avi Garcia or Jorge Soler rather than Aaron Judge or Mike Trout. Wishing and hoping doesn't make it happen. 

As to Nicky Two Strikes, he is injury prone and unreliable but in a trade with the Cubs the White Sox got a zero return, anyway. As to Gandal, he is mediocre at best behind the plate and only a streak hitter approaching old age in the life expectancy of a major league player. Besides, Grandal is injury prone, too.

Lynn, Gio, Cease, are Kopech are single A quality players compared, for example, to Verlander in today's game. They have no resemblance whatsoever to Jemkins, Gibson, Spahn, Ford, and Robin Roberts who posted wonderful careers without extensive injury and had the capacity to pitch beyond the sixth inning.  

The White Sox are an average team without the roster that would justify the great expectations we had prior to this disappointing season.

[Offseason predictions thread]

Trading Madrigal was an epic failure by Hahn. It was myopic and short sighted. Madrigal would have become the Nellie Fox of the modern White Sox era. Nicky two strikes was an on base producer and a perfect fit at either the 2 or 9 spot in the batting order. He was more than adequate playing at second base. Basically, the White Sox gave away both Madrigal and Heuer without any value exchanged by the Cubs.

For 2022 the White Sox should trade Eloy and/or Moncada for quality starting pitchers. Forget signing Rodon and trade Keuchel to a second tier team in exchange for a young and proven but potential starting pitcher or double AA outfield prospect. Play Vaughn regularly in left field and Engel as the starting right fielder. Roberts, of course, stays in center field. Sheets will be the primary DH and play some games at both first base and right field. Bolger takes over at third base. Trade Cease to the Cubs in exchange for Madrigal's return to the South Side. Garcia becomes the super sub relieving TA, Madrigal, and Bolger in the infield. Jose remains at first base. Trade Grandal to the Mets for the return of McCann to be the number one catcher in 2022 with Collins as the backup. Arrange Gio, Lynn, Kopech, Crocket and the pitcher obtained in the trade of Eloy and/or Moncada as the starting rotation. Tepera, Bummer, and Liam handle the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings closeout roles. Foster, Marshall, Rios, and Cordera pitch in the early relief innings.

With the above roster adjustments, the White Sox need to respect the fundamentals of baseball: hitting, catching and throwing the ball. Be selective at the plate, reduce fielding errors, and hit the cutoff man.