Paulie4Pres

I think my opinion of Sox leadership from the top down has been made pretty clear here. I despise JR and his stupid "old boy's club". It's one of the biggest reasons the White Sox have been the laughingstock of the AL for as long as they have been. I'd love for JR to sell the fucking team, and have a new owner clean house. Unfortunately, our best hope at this point is the old may dying, and one of his relatives actually running the organization in a competitive manner. He will NEVER sell. The same way the McCaskey's will NEVER sell. They're the Chicago Bears of the MLB, and it's a huge reason my fandom for both teams has really, really dropped off as I've gotten older. Here's to the Blackhawks. ?

Who is acting like they've never done something stupid? I don't manage a Major League Baseball team, so the stupid things I may or may not have done are immaterial to this discussion. Whether you like it or not, with increased responsibility, comes increased accountability. When you're in a leadership position, standards are, and should be, much higher. The fact that TLR has been arrested twice for DUI is pretty telling(here's where analytics comes in). This speaks to a pattern of poor judgement. It points to a pattern of stubbornness, and not learning from your mistakes(especially when you state IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN). These are not attributes I want in the guy managing my favorite baseball team.

BAC is not statistics. It's a single fucking measurement. Jesus Christ. Statistics should be a mandatory class for everyone, starting in middle school. And none of this has ANYTHING to do with analytics.

And since you brought up this RIDICULOUS discussion regarding BAC, here's some science for you: Blood Alcohol Concentration // Rev. James E. McDonald, C.S.C., Center for Student Well-Being // University of Notre Dame (nd.edu)

You do realize that BAC has nothing to do with analytics or statistics, right? But, here's a statistic for you. Tony La Russa has been arrested twice for DUI. In 100% of those instances, he was over the legal limit. In 100% of those instances, he was displaying driving behavior that would lead one to believe he was driving drunk. In 100% of those instances, the police arrested him for it. In 100% of those instances, he was guilty.

This is the same guy who said in 2007 after his arrest that he took full responsibility and "it would never happen again". Maybe he has a drinking problem, maybe he doesn't. What's 100% clear is he's a stubborn asshole who, at the very least, suffers from a chronic case of extremely poor judgement. Then again, anyone who has watched him manage recently could tell you that.

What the fuck are you even talking about? You posted the facts and the BAC level yourself. He was over the legal limit. Period(twice). He fell asleep at the wheel the first time. He hit a curb the second time. Those are the facts. You're the one arguing that "it wasn't that bad" based on his BAC. Obviously the police thought it was, or they wouldn't have arrested the fucking guy. I'm well aware of alcoholism and have first hand experience with it. Maybe if he suffers from alcoholism, he should be in a fucking rehab program, getting help, and not managing a professional baseball team??

He has had multiple DUI arrests, you realize? I also don't give a shit what your BAC is if you fall asleep at the wheel. Or hit a curb. You quite obviously shouldn't be driving. Some people can handle their booze better than others, and TLR quite obviously cannot handle his booze. Watch the fucking video. He's obviously severely impaired. He can barely talk. Then again, he can barely talk when speaking to the press, when, I assume, he's sober?

Oh, and just so I have this straight. White Sox fans should have higher standards when it comes to talent and on-field performance, but should be perfectly happy with the drunken asshole they hired to manage that talent? Even when his bad decisions are on full display for everyone to critique? Got it.

I mean, have you ever listened to the guy speak?? Have you seen the videos of his DUI arrest? He's a drunken old man, who likely suffers from alcohol induced dementia. Sorry if the truth bothers you. People making up La Russa drinking jokes is on nobody but TLR. Do you realize how poor your judgement has to be, to drive so drunk, that you FALL ASLEEP at the wheel? He's lucky he didn't kill someone. The fact that it wasn't the first time makes it even worse. That poor judgement is also reflected in his managing. He fucking sucks.

Because like most things the White Sox do from an organizational standpoint, they do it poorly. Because their owner is a stupid fuck. Dodgers, Astros, Braves are #1, #3, and #4 in shift rates in the MLB. This is not a coincidence. You dinosaurs really do blow my mind. Stick to your guns regardless of how wrong you are, or how detrimental your position is towards success.

I love the posters who say to hell with analytics.... What a fucking meatball take.

Yes, let's do the opposite of what all the successful teams do. Great idea.

Cardinals fire Shildt, even after the absurd finish they had to the season. Meanwhile, in Chicago, we continue to settle for mediocrity. Which is why the Cardinals are a great organization, and the White Sox are a joke.

Imagine thinking the manager does not have the final word on defensive shifts.

The White Sox are going to blow this entire window, arent they?

Yes, I'm sure the White Sox can count on Grandal putting up a .900 OPS next season.?

Great. How about his defense and pitch calling? He's fucking abysmal at all aspects of catching, aside from pitch framing. Where he's now.... average. He was a really good catcher at one point. He's become a liability, and he's only getting older. I think his bat is easily replaceable at DH, and I think you can get WAY more out of a catcher who is....actually a good catcher. You know, calls the right pitches, blocks pitches, has even an average arm... Houston basically trots out a pitcher in their lineup, because he's that valuable behind the plate... Offense is, IMO, the least important aspect of being a catcher.

Thanks TLR.

The White Sox had 18 passed balls this season(tied for 2nd worst). They had 84 wild pitches this season(tied for 4th worst). They were the worst team when it comes to rctch, at -20. Next closest team was -13... Tied for 2nd in errors committed by catchers... Obviously wild pitches is on the pitchers, too, but pitch blocking is a huge part of that. They were more or less the worst defensive catching team by pretty much every measurable metric... Grandal was barely an average pitch framer this season, based on statcast numbers. Grandal's offense(when it's there) doesn't even remotely cover his deficiencies everywhere else. Collins and Zavala both absolutely suck... This doesn't even take into consideration the effect the terrible defense and pitch blocking has on pitch selection. Never mind looking at bases stolen, which both pitchers and catchers are abysmal at preventing. Grandal is only getting older, and this is going to continue to get worse as the injuries pile up.... I think catcher is a huge need for this team. If you don't, I'm not sure what to tell you.

The problem is, he fucking sucks at pretty much everything you need a catcher to be good at, to win a world series... His offense isn't even remotely good enough to make up for this. Especially when he's a career .605 OPS in the playoffs.

If the pitching staff is not throwing breaking balls, sliders, changeups, etc., because Yaz can't fucking block them, then the Sox absolutely need a new catcher... Yaz was fucking abysmal in the playoffs, outside of one swing. I thought he called terrible games more often than not, he is shit defensively, and none of what he brings at the plate, or his "elite pitch framing" makes up for his deficiencies. I think catcher is absolutely a need of this team.

The biggest problem with the White Sox is their organizational philosophies and personnel. It's quite obvious they are way behind the times when it comes to analytics, scouting, fundamentals, plate approach, etc. All the talent in the world isn't going to mean shit without the right approach defensively, and at the plate. They aren't in the same stratosphere as the top dogs when it comes to being prepared for their opponents. The TLR hire exemplifies this more than anything. It's not the 90s anymore. Stop trying to play baseball like it is. Too much "gut instinct" and not enough attention to the numbers.

Glad to know it wasn't just my imagination...

AJ still questioning why Kopech wasn't up for Correa. Spot on.