michelangelosmonkey

I think Baltimore won the most games in the AL from 2012-2016, won their division once and went to the playoffs three times...so they do compete in their division, just not in a rebuild. I think what they are doing makes complete sense...like I believe in what the White Sox are doing. You don't want to pay a guy $10 million dollars a year, who won't be in your next contending window, and will possible cost you a better draft pick by being good.

I think it's Micker Adolfo. Klaw loves him still...he's got big power and a huge arm and would be great in our time line. That said...the Sox had terrible luck this year with their second string of prospects. I suspect this year by All Star game two or three of Dane Dunning, Stiever, Basabe, Adolfo, Rutherford, Lugo, Hansen Flores, Burger, Lambert, Walker will step forward and look exciting. So sign Puig or Avi for a year and if none of the step-forward candidates are RF's...use them to trade for someone like Marte.

He had a great 80 games. 110 Stikeouts in 80 games is a lot. 18 errors in 80 games is a lot. One major injury in one season is a lot. I think it's fair to wait before we put him in the hall of fame.

I can't believe we just LET Quintana go. He was a 22 year old LEFTY coming off a 10-2 record with a sub 3 ERA and we just dumped him on the side of the road. We are the dumbest organization ever. If we'd kept him we probably win three World Series and then we trade him to the Cubs...imagine our team with Jiminez and Cease added to our core....its the fifties all over again. Honestly I cant get over it. Wait...this is meatball Yankees talk, right?

Your disdain for Collins is crazy...based on 86 major league at bats???? Collins had a 1.200 OPS as a senior at Miami as a CATCHER. He had a .950 OPS last year at AAA at TWENTY FOUR. AT twenty three he led the whole minor leagues in walk rate. The art of catching will take time. I think the benefit of McCann to learn from as he learns to be a big league hitter is a great scenario...50 games caught in 2020. I wouldn't sign Grandal...I'd use the money on starting pitching. I think they get Cole. I think they have learned and will shove the chips in...and I think they like Collins and he will be a big part of the future.

Aren't we rolling the dice with Robert and Madrigan and Kopeck and Cease...seems like exactly the team to roll the dice on...but spend the money on Cole.

He put up a .950 OPS in AAA this year...not much different than Robert this year or Jiminez last year. He hit .280 this year in AAA at 24. He hit .360 in his senior year in Miami. The idea that his ceiling is .220 with 25 homers and he can't catch seems wildly pessimistic. An elite batting eye added to the natural maturation process would suggest he could be an elite hitter. Maybe we've used up our unbridled optimism on Robert and Madrigal but if we're going to dream it doesn't seem crazy to dream that Collins could be very good.

I always thought Zack Collins was going to be the new Ted Simmons. Simmons was not a great fielding catcher (Dwar of 5.0 TOTAL over 21 seasons) but he was a very good hitter. He had a nine year stretch of putting up nearly 5 WAR per season. Collins hasn't shown the batting average but has shown more power and walks than TS. What has stalled my enthusiasm though is...why did the Sox only have him catch 50 games in Charlotte? Why did he only catch 10 games in the majors last year of the 25 games he played in? It seems like last year was the year you really wanted to find out what guys could do before moving all the chips in. Seems like the White Sox are telling us they don't believe he can catch...or maybe they were telling us they love McCann...or maybe Collins had a sore knee...or maybe the pitchers have said they hate throwing to Collins? Who knows. Still the idea of paying Collins league minimum to be DH and back up 1B and maybe catch 40 or 50 games for the next few years while putting up an .850 OPS seems pretty valuable. Again...just turning 25 so he could improve as a catcher in a year or two and then at 27 step in as full time C?

I feel like three or four of the most frequent posters on Soxtalk hate him for some reason. So there is a general feeling that hes a bust based on a handful of loud voices. It does seem like the organization has given up on him being a catcher...but power, LH and amazing OBP should make him an attractive part of the team. I'm excited for him.

Collins had a .950 OPS in AAA...not much different than Robert. He's lefty, catches and has an elite batting eye. He's only 24, has a strong pedigree and has gotten better each year. Why wouldn't you give him a chance? Why are people not more excited about him? Use Grandall money on Cole.

I dont love Rutherford. Poppysox made a joke about Ruth looking good at RF...and I thought it was funny that we HAVE a B Ruth lefty hitting RF in our system. I also dont like flushing a kid at 22....there's room to grow.

You start off by saying you might have jumped the gun on Collins and then IMMEDIATELY write off his catching. Didnt he catch Thursdays game...when people said he was a terrible hopeless catcher...and yet a bunch of garbage pitchers held hot Twins bats to one run? Wouldn't his bat look great at catcher?

B Ruth-erford. 21 year old lefty right fielder. Of course most on here have written him off as he's not an all star yet.

I have to say...I love Poppysox positive attitude...which seems so rare on this site. Baseball is about dreaming what might be. I've followed the Sox for 50 years and I've never been more excited for the future. My dad started following the Sox when Ruth was playing RF for the Yankees...and he checks on three farm teams a night. Spring training cant come soon enough.

That's fair...heat of the moment thoughts are different than reasoned opinions. But Collins hate on this board is crazy. I think young players learn and an elite batting eye has enormous value

Well thank goodness we can finally agree that Collins is not a major leaguer. 15 at bats in September after 25 earlier in the year. Sure he crushed AAA pitching this year, and he's only 24, at a very difficult position and sure he's put up a .350 OBP in those 15 at bats...but done. Lopez also done...as were Giolitto and Moncado last year. Life is much easier when we can make sweeping conclusions instantly.

Snarky attacks are so clever. Robert signing, Sale trade, Eaton trade Quintana trade, Madrigal draft, Vaughan draft...what?? What hasn't gone well? Yes injuries have hurt but if you dont think this team is on the cusp...I'm not sure what you are looking at.

Please...go get a new hobby. Hating the White Sox and constant whining about the management on every thread and every conversation makes the whole sight boring. Yes rebuilding is hard and suffering through losing seasons to become a great team is taxing...but this isn't random...the rebuild has been well calculated and well executed. If you can't enjoy where we are right now in the evolution of the team, seemingly on the cusp of greatness...there's no hope that you will ever enjoy the team. Go find something that makes you happy.

I'm SO happy Dylan Covey pitched last night. I wasn't paying that close of attention and I knew it was close to Dylan Cease's turn in the rotation...and after last time's very encouraging start I was looking forward to another step forward...then I saw the 7 runs given up by Dylan C in 2 and a half innings and I felt depressed. Only later did I see it was the other Dylan that got killed. Dylan Covey getting destroyed means nothing for the team outside of this one day. And any fans buying tickets got to see Anderson and Moncado go 5 for 9 and Abreau hit a three run homer to make the game exciting.

Pittsburgh Steelers from 1933 to 1971 won a total of zero playoff games. The next eight years they went to the playoffs 8 times and won 4 Super Bowls. Art Rooney owned the team the whole time. The past is not the future. If you can't get excited about what's happening now with the White Sox future there's really no point in being a White Sox fan.

Isn't it possible the market has changed? Top two by a wide range this past year (total $ committed) were Machado and Harper and their $/War isnt great...and the year before it was Hosmer and Darvish and their return has been bad and in 2016 it was Cespedes and Chapman...that's a lot of money thrown at six players that have averaged less than 2 WAR per season since their big contracts. It's possible the new smart move is to vulture teams that are imploding and get guys like Yelich as the Brewers did, or Verlander like the AStros did. Of course the key to that is having a bunch of minor league assets which has been discouraging for the Sox this year (past the top five or so).

Yes that was exactly the point. Thanks for playing along.

I'm sorry I clearly can't help you. The point wasn't shopping for milk...or Baumgartner...or anyone. It is how does one go about spending a budget for the White Sox in the most effective way....one huge splash, several medium splashes or many small splashes. When I discuss how to divide the pie and you tell me that you don't like apple pie or that it's easier to cut cherry pies or that pizza isn't really a pie...and suggest I'm some sort of an idiot...it's probably time to stop arguing.

I was talking theoretically about how one spends a budget...so it seems you are missing the point by more than half. I would also rather give Rodon an extension than 5/$100 million to Bum who's an NL pitcher turning 30 with 2000 IP on his arm an ERA nearly 4.

I wasn't doing an indepth budget...I was just making a point about shopping second tier instead of the flashy titles. Make it Baumgartner for $12 and Avi for $8. However it falls...and ALL this said...if they want to drop $7/$240 for Gerrit Cole...I'm ok with that. I love their future.