MiddleCoastBias

This is where I am (and I think a good many other are as well), but it's going to set us up for another upsetting off-season because as you say - it needs to happen but I don't expect it to happen. After years of going into an off-season with clear needs (sign Harper or Machado, sign a RFer, sign a lefty hitter, sign a 2B), and then the subsequent failures to do so, I expect more of the same this year.

Exactly. Speaking of turning on fans, haven't seen Steve Stone's Twitter recently, wonder if he's walked back rhetoric. Doubtful.

And another thing I've noticed with how everyone is now coming out with all of these articles blasting the Sox for things we've all seen all year, but where were they to ask these questions or raise these issues when they had the chance all year? They've lobbed softball questions all year and just gobbled up the party line, then turn around with this crap at the end of the year when it didn't work out. It's so disingenuous and they don't deserve credit for raising the issues now when it's too late.

I've thought this for a while. Tony seems like the kind of guy that would be yelling "cut those sideburns, Mattingly!" at Yoan.

Pfft, why wait until May when you can win the off-season ever year!

I appreciate you being on tap to start these White Sox winner threads with quick highlights every night, Cali! Here's hoping our Sox keep winning and give you more opportunities for game winner threads.

Except now they can still make the decision for him ("hey bud, seats taken"), and Tony can choose to publicly say he's stepping away for health reasons, not mentioning that he wasn't invited to return. Everybody wins!

Day game for Giolito? IIRC, Gio struggles in day games as it shortens his game day prep. Didn't he get shelled for 8 runs in Boston for the day Marathon Monday game? Trying to pull his day game stats vs what Cease offers but I don't have that access on Baseball-Reference anymore.

This looks great, appreciate all the work you guys do for this site and community!

This might be naive of me but what the hell happened to Katz being the Giolito whisperer? We hired the guy and now Gio sucks? What happened?

The Dodgers have success because of players like Muncy, Taylor, and Bellinger that they can move all over the diamond, and we're saying we should take up two roster spots to cover 1B. That's great.

This is an important takeaway: it's possible to separate wishing he's no longer with the organization, and also being respectful about the man's health. Genuinely hope he's ok.

I'll be the cynic and say it - this might be a PR move as much as a health move. Others have mentioned it throughout the season but this may just be laying the groundwork to give Tony an out. Not doubting he may have health issues, just that publicly having him sit out could also be a calculated move to telegraph the off-season separation.

Agreed, and they didn't even touch on the identified holes in the roster (2B and RF) and supposed "fixes" we've tried. Or the dollars spent on acquisitions/total payroll and the production we've gotten from them. Overall great segment and yet still didn't even discuss all of the issues.

*swift jerking off motion* I'm done with Tony's empty statements. This means nothing and he's done nothing to change it.

I'm not against it. Sounds like the players that participate really enjoy it and it spurs some drive in them to play for country, etc while playing alongside guys they would typically be competing against. It'll be fun for the fans to have real players on the team. Injury is always a concern - guys get hurt doing all kinds of non-baseball things in the off-season, they don't live in a bubble. I see just as much risk with him playing competitive baseball as he would have playing basketball with friends in the off-season. And if the shorter off-season means fewer "non-baseball" distractions, even better.

*Frank Menechino liked this*

Always good to get in the win column, but still a very flawed showing. Can't depend on getting 12 hits to just plate 5 runs against a team with actual starting pitchers when playing against competitive teams. The FS1 broadcast was all over us for being too impatient at the plate, swinging at bad pitches right after they walked two guys, etc. Like I said, win is a win. But the cracks are still there.

Fixed that last sentence for you.

And then Josh Harrison takes a seat on the 2-seat approach, but that's another thread haha

Yep, I agreed with the approach initially thinking that it would be a BALANCED approach to hitting. In reality it seems he genuinely advises against the HR and the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Only dingers: susceptible to "feast or famine" Only singles: 4 hits to drive in one run Balanced approach: success??

Yes, sometimes it'll load half a page and freeze. I've gotten used to it, just a lot of refreshing to make it start over.

Did somebody say launch angle? Frank'll fix him.

How do vesting options work in this case, like is it null if released and signs on with another team (us)? Or would we then be on the hook if the option hits?