JoeC

I stand corrected. Thank you.

Also known as “Chris Sale Appreciation Night”

I'm inclined to agree that no competetent org would send him to AAA, but stranger things have happened. My point is that the "sink or swim" school of development is outdated and will continue to set us back. Competent organizations have strategies in mind, and they deliberately seek out players who they see can benefit the most from their pipelines. Development doesn't stop once you hit the big leagues, either. With the Sox, it's just a "sink or swim" school of thought, and it seems like we see the results time and again of players (especially hitters) languishing with the Sox but thriving once they leave.

That is probably the organization's philosophy, and that's my exact issue with this org that I unfortunately love. Sox attitude: "let's give this guy time to prove himself." Competent org attitude: "let's give ourselves a year or so to work out these specific holes in their game, whether it's at the big league level or minor league level, at which point we can figure out he's a good everyday player or if we should sell before his value declines too much"

That's never stopped us before.

The problem with Vaughn and Eloy, like with any other Sox prospect, is that the organization just relies on the innate abilities of players to figure thing out on their own. They don't seem to have a strategy to actually develop players. The coaches at different levels of the minors may offer insight / input, but, as we've heard from former players (like Carson Fulmer), a lot of times they receive conflicting instruction. Look at organizations like Cleveland and Tampa who consistently take "okay" prospects and crank out serviceable big leaguers out of them, then look at us. AJ had it right in his rant against the Chris Getz hire - when's the last time this org has produced a serviceable everyday big leaguer out of a non-blue chip minor leaguer? Vaughn and Eloy are symptoms (and victims) of organizational incompetence. IMO, trading them away for actual prospects is still possible (maybe less so with Eloy) - if the minor league development system could be overhauled, my preference would be to trade them (and others) and start from scratch.

Ok.

The big change this time is that there appeared to be an actual plan this time with an intentional rebuild. We got good results for two half-years… then the bottom fell out. The fall from hope was fast, persistent, and painful. That’s the biggest thing about this round.

Worth a pickup. If he doesn't work out, he doesn't work out. Big whoop. So we're out what...? An extended stay apartment and a meal stipend in spring training? Hotel rooms / apartment rentals in Glendale / Surprise are super expensive, I suppose.

Most of the games had good baseball, depending on your perspective.

Salvy Perez as player-coach?

I stand mildly corrected - I canceled my auto-renewal during the lockout, then re-upped once the new deal was reached. I have zero intention of renewing for 2024 unless the Sox are somehow in first place after the Bud Billiken parade.

For the first time since like '07 I will not be an MLB.TV subscriber next year.

Yeah. At least I'm putting my hope in a different spot than in the past.

Yeah, I'd LIKE to think that they're going to do something intelligent with the prospects. On that, I'm willing to give Getz some benefit of the doubt. I hope he has a plan for prospects. That's the extent of my hope for 2024, is that they figure out what to do in the minors. (yes, that's bleak)

…so I guess you can put me in the “full rebuild” camp, I guess. sucks, but that’s what’s needed to get out of mediocrity.

What prospects? Nobody worth a damn on a contending team is close to being ready to come up to a big league club next year. There are no big league ready prospects to screw up, unless you're looking to flip some mid-level prospects. My vision for 2024 is to get a collection of veteran cast-offs on "show me" contracts. Focus resources on putting together an actual farm system with a development plan, and let the kids develop at an appropriate level... not just rushing guys to the big league level just because we have nobody else at that position.

To be fair... what could Grifol possibly screw up? Like, what is the upside if they hire anyone else at this point?

The season?

Q101 - the official retroactive sponsors of the 2023 Chicago White Sox?

He literally has to do nothing. Let the media deals keep accelerating the increased valuation of the clubs.

Milkman Delivers delivers!

I mean, his .070 BABIP is probably not sustainable, but wow.

You aren't familiar with our owner, are you?