JUSTgottaBELIEVE

My point is that the other college infielders drafted immediately next to Madrigal are also really struggling at the plate. If this were to continue into next season I’d be concerned about these guys but until then I’m not. I’m just glad they didn’t draft Singer...

Meanwhile, the college infielders taken immediately before and after Madrigal are hitting below .200 in A ball

First of all, Albies turns 22 in January. You must be thinking it's 2017 still. Second, you were just ripping on Moncada for showing no improvement from last year and yet your guy Albies has a lower wRC+ than last season and is trending way down as this season progresses. I guess as long as he stays above a 100 wRC+ for the season you won't be concerned. That's fine, I will check in again in another month to see where he's at. Also, it's hard to take a guy serious that throws out a hypothetical trade proposal of Moncada + Kopech for Gleyber Torres earlier in this thread.

Yea, I don't get it. Only shortstops younger than TA with a higher fWAR this season are Lindor, Turner, and Pereza. TA's 2.0 fWAR ranks just a tick below the median value of all qualified shortstops this season. He's already an MLB average regular at shortstop but, with his age and rawness, the upside is a top 10 guy at the position within the next couple years.

I thought you were the guy that loved the long ball and didn't care about strikeout rate? e.g., Nolan Gorman By the way, your guy Albies is dropping like a rock since his hot start. Down to 107 wRC+ for the season and dropping FAST. 576 OPS in August. That must be concerning.

Still fun to think about

Think Kiley was impressed?

It’s nuts. White Sox are on track (knock on wood) to have the best 1-3 starters in MLB by 2020. Add a Chris Sale to the mix in the winter of 2019/2020 and good lord that staff could be absolutely bonkers. Like 90s Braves good...

I wonder if Cease, like Kopech, has an elite spin rate on his fastball? Could be looking at the top two strikeout leaders in MLB come 2020. Damn that’s sick.

Welp, there's the answer from an unbiased source! Biggest questions with Gorman were always the swing/miss and defense. Those questions are nowhere near answered.

and that my friends is called improvement...a 20-16 finish would be splendid and put them right at their 68 O/U Vegas pre-season win total!

About to improve to 18-17 (.514 winning percentage). That’s in stark contrast to the 30-61 start (.330). Pretty clear this team is heading in the right direction and the worst of the rebuild is behind us. Rodon and TA continue to perform and adding Big Mike to the mix further solidifies the starting rotation. Depending on what happens this offseason, this team could surprise a few people next year. Maybe not quite playoff ready but 80+ wins seems well within reach, especially in this division.

That's a great article. I need to check out more of that writer's work. I like his writing style and supporting it with GIFs. A 2020 starting rotation of Sale-Kopech-Rodon-Cease-Giolito/Lopez/Dunning/Hansen sounds like an opposing team's worst nightmare....2020 start of contention window re-opened!

I thought fathom was spin rate guy?

Fathom LOVES this https://mobile.twitter.com/_dadler/status/1032061357787631617?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet

Gas!!!

I think Big Mike said it best, let’s go to war...

7 of 10 for Gio. ? Carry this momentum into next season and he’d be a solid back of the rotation starter. Then, suddenly, the rotation looks pretty darn respectable assuming Kopech lives up to his billing. First look at Big Mike tomorrow, can’t wait!

Another QS for Gio. 7 for his last 10 ?

Absolutely. Also worth noting he's been a better shortstop this year than the one starting for the north side team (the guy once ranked as a top 3 prospect in all of baseball).

Rodon is controlled 3 more years. Like I said, you either trade him for a haul within the next couple years or he's a TOR starter on the next playoff team. He's every bit as important as Giolito and Lopez. Not sure why you are so down on TA. He's already a solid starting SS at age 25 at an incredibly affordable price for another 6 years after this season. Why the big rush to move him into a utility role?

That makes no sense. Rodon and Anderson aren't part of the future but Giolito and Lopez are? I'd say Rodon and Anderson are bigger parts of their future than Giolito and Lopez. If he continues performing at this rate, Rodon is either a top of the rotation starter on their next contending team or he's a huge trading chip. TA is an average to above average starting SS. Those don't grow on trees either.

Do we know for certain Jerry will still own the team in 2024? He'd be 88 years old.

It's definitely dramatic but I think this team needs a guy like Kopech to shake things up. Will be interesting to see what kind of impact he has on the rest of the pitching staff.