The Kids Can Play

Yes of course, that championship run window...when we get to meet Hahn at the PARADE!

No it didn't, because his "GUYS" weren't very good pilots and crashed and burned the Sox plane in mid flight.

Found this interesting article about Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn from the Southside Showdown on August 12, 2017. White Sox: Ken Williams, Rick Hahn Given Contract Extensions By Matt Manetti | Aug 18, 2017 The Chicago White Sox recently extended the contracts of Ken Williams and Rick Hahn. Bob Nightengale reported this in a lengthy interview with Jerry Reinsdorf. Reinsdorf is very loyal to his guys and both Williams and Hahn are his guys. Terms of the new deals are unknown. However, Nightengale wrote they were long-term deals. Williams has been executive vice president since 2012. That’s the same year Hahn took over as general manager. It has been reported in the past the two clashed, but now it seems they are working well together. At least that’s what we’re told. Hahn has been the architect of the rebuild, which has netted the organization the best farm system in baseball. This is clearly a vote of confidence from Reinsdorf, but it’s not like their jobs were in danger. It’s not a surprise to hear their contracts were extended. But the team has a lot going for it right now. They have the best farm system in baseball and should be able to contend by 2019 or 2020. That’s really what this team had in mind when they decided to rebuild. And it appears the process will go fairly quick. Hahn deserves all the credit. The rebuild has his fingerprints all over it. Rebuilding was not really Williams’ style but it was the best way for the team to move forward. Hahn was able to get that point across and has his team in much better position for the future.

I was working out at my club before the derby. They had old highlights of the HR derby. You make a great point. The play by play was more enjoyable and slower and for sure you had time to enjoy each home run.

Yeah maybe very low end of a front office. Why in the world would 29 other owners ever hire Hahn? Typical Owner's checklist of key questions and criteria for hiring a GM: 1. Can you handle a complete teardown rebuild and be successful building the club to a competitive playoff team knocking on the door of a World Series in 5-6 years after the start of the rebuild? 2. Can you mange a large player payroll that will be the upper third of the league? 3. Are you good at drafting? 4. Do you have a solid and successful scouting dept? 5. Do you have a strong player development blueprint? 6. Have you been able to maintain a top third farm system after initially having the #1 farm system from all the initial rebuild trades? At some point once you bring all the top prospects up, you need to replenish the farm system with continued talent for the future. Where is your current farm ranked? 7. Are you good at signing productive free agents? 8. Are you good at hiring managers? 9. What is your current record and lifetime record? How successful have you been in the playoffs? 9. Are you good at building a strong team culture> Please tell me what owner is dumber than Jerry and would give this guy a high level executive position after he is fired?

Hahn missed that window a few years ago when he didn't resign after his POS owner went over his head and hired his drunk buddy TRL.

LOVE IT and Big thanks! All the points seem accurate except one! *Rebuild has failed in part because Hahn wasn't allowed to finish the job (i.e. signing Harper) There were so many blunders and frankly too many to keep track of; like bad FA signings, botched trades, bad draft picks, horrible player development and bad manager hires. Not getting Harper had nothing to do with Hahn's massive debacle with the rebuild. I can't wait for part 2 on Thursday.

6.15 ERA in 26 IP, 34 hits, 18 ER, 1.67 WHIP. Rick Hahn once again working his magic!

No problem, because at the time I did agree with you.

Maybe not, but they have changed the rules drastically and its way too intense. It was better in the beginning when the HR derby was structed as a two-inning event with each player receiving five outs per inning.

Well the Sox have the first 9 games on their side to probably make that happen minus their best hitter and run producer: 2nd Half: @ Atlanta - 3 games @ NY Mets - 3 games @ Minnesota - 3 games

Actually you did warn against Robert doing the HRD as I remember your response: If I had any say, I’d tell him to forget the HR Derby. Right now he’s in a good place with his swing, timing and mechanics and the Derby could screw that up and with his history of injuries we might see a trip to the IL. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Many got on you for saying that, but you were right and kudos to you. His swing, timing and mechanics were his best ever. He didn't need those stupid 50 swings like he would never be swinging in a real game. Imagine if we were in first place, how everybody here would be screaming right now how dumb it was.

That's really sad and unfortunate, but hence why the HRD is not a good thing for the team aspect, but only good for the fans. Btw, I heard on the radio that Robert initially told the Sox and MLB he didn't want to do the derby. It was only from all his Cuban countrymen hammering him and making him feel guilty, until he caved in and agreed to do it.

If you check any of my many posts when it comes to Seby debates in here, I have 100 percent always been a big fan of Seby and wanted him playing full time over Grandal. I could care less if his hitting is bad, as he is a superior defensive catcher to Grandal. I was referring to the fact we do need another good defensive catcher to add to Seby and be a hopefully could also be decent hitter. I realize Perez may be another Grandal.

As I said in my first response to you...neither one of us has proof and were both guessing. What someone did in the second half of their career does not constitute they did that in their first half. That is you once again speculating, which is exactly what I'm doing as well. However when you have cases where you see guys get much larger just like Bonds, Sosa and ARod did, I'm not buying your theory. Again we can agree to disagree but if you you are still going trying to get a "Win" here on your argument and prove you won the debate....that will be a freezing day in hell before I agree you are right.

You might be right with Perez, but I'm tired of playing Grandal knowing how much he is severely overpaid. I think Perez deserves a chance. However you are right and the Sox desperately need to find a strong defensive catcher somewhere. Oh btw, didn't we have that with James McCann?

Btw, do you have these positive test results and documentation to prove your wild assertions that Bonds was on steroids during the Pittsburgh days? No need to reply, as it was a rhetorical question and I know the answer.

I guess you need better glasses because the two photos of Bonds from the Pirates to the Giants is a night and day difference. I love how you always love being the contrarian in these battles with everyone in SoxTalk.

Once again you did not follow my points accurately. I never said only big guys use steroids. What I said is, when you are initially thin and smaller in mass like ARod, Sosa and Bonds were once....and then all of a sudden they get thicker, stronger and not as lean anymore...that is the visual proof. Keep in mind even though we know Bonds used steroids, he was never officially caught with any positive results. BTW, since you want to play the photo game let's compare these photos: Barry probably before using: Barry after using: So you still want to tell me Bonds was suing in the Pirate days. LMAO!

Yes this is his worst year ever, but it doesn't mean he doesn't have strong value still. You need to remember the previous 4 years of BA for TA were: 2019 - .335, 2020 - .322. 2021 - .309 and .301 in '2022. There have been many all-star players in MLB history who have had great careers, but one particular year they just happen to have a bad year. There are teams like the Rays and Dodgers who are very talented in developing prospects or turning around veterans. They will assume they can give TA a new positive team culture and environment and tweak a few of his flawed mechanics. However if you roll the dice and he sucks again next year, then for sure no team will want him in 2024. Two straight bad years means a much deeper problem teams that are even good at changing players, may not want to participate in. Btw, teams absolutely trade players away if they are a cancer to the team...even if they get less back.

Well hopefully Rick Hahn will be gone after this season and maybe the Sox can clean up some of garbage player development coaches in the minors so the kid can make it to the majors.

Well until you give me some documented facts and proof, you are speculating and I'm not buying your novice theories on whether Bonds was using early in his career, when clearly his frame size, mass and leanness do not warrant your wild west theories. Find me the documented evidence. As I stated previously neither one of us has proof or knowledge and all we're both doing is just speculating. Hence we will agree to disagree because in a million back and forth debates with you, I will not change my mind.