Bananarchy

The Cubs are so good it hurts.

I want Hahn to be like Moneyball Beane and start trading players so Robin is forced to play Thompson.

Sale is by far the best pitcher I have seen in White Sox pinstripes. Like a lot of us here, I feel like Buehrle might be more important looking back depending on how the rest of Sale's career turns out, but in terms of stuff and talent, it's Sale by a mile. It all comes down to whether or not the White Sox are able or willing to pay him after this current contract.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:56 PM) Go to Cubstalk and be happy Cubby boy. You also should take a math class. Sale alone has a higher fWAR than Bryant. Regardless, we need a heck of a lot more than pitching. Like one fielding prospect to turn out. Also, don't call me names. I don't call you names.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:46 PM) We weren't going for it last season. This year ya. That was stupid but it only cost us money and some lesser prospects. I'm ok with that. With that said, what will we do moving forward? That's what will tell me all I need to know about this organization. If we could just see Courtney Hawkins or Tim Anderson, or any fielding prospect turn out I would feel so much better, honestly. Every year it just fields like "Begin Josh Fields era..." "Praise Bacon!" "TCQ!" And so on

QUOTE (Boogua @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:06 PM) I just assumed he was some sort of plant that came to convert Sox fans into Cubs fans or something. Every post I've seen is bashing the Sox, praising the Cubs, or both. And I do get the current situation of both franchises. I think everyone here does. I just don't feel the need to be reminded in every post. Life long White Sox fan who lived in Chicago for 23 years. I'm just really sad the last 9 seasons have been so bad. One playoff appearance. One. And every year, we go into the season "going for it all" and ultimately ruin it through some combination of poor coaching and underperformance. Then you step back and look and realize this team hasn't drafted a good MLB fielder since 2001 and it just looks so much worse. Am I a Cubs fan? No. I'm devastated that baseball on the south side of Chicago is so bad. But yeah, I don't question anyone's fandom here. That's your business. The fact is, we're stuck with this subpar organization and this subpar team.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:38 PM) I get it. But we do have a core of players. Sale, Rodon, Q, Abreu. Decent pen with a closer who can get it done. We have some prospects down in the minors also. Fact is, some of these position players need to pan out. If Avi was advertised we'd have protection for Abreu. This team has holes. So dd a lot of teams. I understand what you mean. And I don't mean to antagonize you. I like the guys here, but I just am so frustrated with the direction we have gone. And when you take a step back, it just looks so much worse. They go for it every year and are still consistently bad.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:26 PM) They're named Chris Sale, Carlos Rodon, and Carson Fulmer. I would say Quintana, but he was a FA. When do they bat? Or field? Kris Bryant is a higher WAR than the active guys you mentioned, including Q, combined. Drafted starters aren't pieces. Go look over those drafted position players again.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:28 PM) Good post. With a better FO, this team could be so much better. We have the pieces. We just need those savvy signings you mentioned. Where? So many holes. We're baseball swiss cheese.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:20 PM) I have no idea why you'd do a rebuild when you have a potentially elite rotation locked up cheaply for the next four years. It honestly makes no sense to me. I do find it humerous that many on here cite the Cubs' rebuild as proof that it's the correct strategy. However, people fail to acknowledge that only two of their important major league players are a direct result of sucking for multiple years (Bryant & Schwarber). Rizzo was stolen in a prospect for prospect trade. Russell was given up in one of the most mind-boggling trades in recent memory (for a guy the Cubs wanted to sign to a long-term extension). Soler was an amateur international free agent signing. Arrieta was the result of an incredible trade deadline deal. Lester & Hammel were free agent signings. Hell, Fowler, Coghlin, & Montero, three of their top 5 position players based on fWAR, were savvy pickups. Point I'm trying to make is the lengthy rebuild route isn't the primary reason for their success. Shrewd trades and signings have provided them much more value this season. Given the talent we already have in place, there is absolutely no reason to blow things up and start from scratch. More often than not, rebuilding doesn't work out. We've sucked for a number of years. Where are our Bryant and Schwarber? I'll wait. Also, what examples do you have of the bold? The teams that are doing full organizational rebuilds are in significantly better shape than the White Sox or the Padres. Welcome to the new MLB.

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:00 PM) Post of the year. I think the most surprising thing about this thread is that Ryan Sweeney has a 6.5 career WAR. What's really surprising is that people stand up for this pile of lard.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 07:16 PM) It's the philosophy that needs to be changed. That won't happen. A rebuild wont work. This is thought process is completely and entirely wrong and part of the problem. Doing what we are doing now won't work.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 06:35 PM) Yuck We should send a draft pick to the Mariners with Kenny Williams. He's the worst.

QUOTE (SouthSideSale @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 06:29 PM) Oh Robin lol Every facet of this team gets more and more embarrassing by the day. It's just so infuriating.

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 09:44 AM) Considered by who? Like who listens to all the broadcast teams and decides who the best is? As much as I prefer the Hawk from 10 and 20 years ago, and I can see why he is hated by many "critics" who aren't fans (and even by a lot of fans now), I still prefer him over the dry impartial broadcasting of other teams. We are watching hometown broadcasts, not national, I don't see what the big deal is about being a homer. I know a lot of what Hawk says it outlandish now and I can understand how he gets ripped for that, but I never understood the big deal with him being a homer. National media for sure. You know, the people who are experts in this sort of thing. Don't try to pretend Jon Miller isn't great.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 05:54 PM) This is flawed thinking. No mention that the NL also has the six worst records in baseball. AL has a lot of good teams beating each other up. The Red Sox, Mariners and A's are far more talented than your normal AL bottom dwellers. Who is we here? A few fans do something dumb and the whole fan base can't be "taking seriously?" Apparently you've never sat in the bleachers in Lakeview because the Cubs fanbase wouldn't be taking seriously either if you did. The national media thinks of us as a bunch of Cub hating, umpire attacking losers who become relevant once a decade. Glad that makes you happy. And even IF the AL and NL are comparable, the Cubs are 20+ games over and the White Sox are certified trash.

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 06:06 PM) KW leaving would be a start in the right direction, but let's remember that he, and Hahn, and Bell, and all of the others are just the symptoms of this organization's problems when it comes to fielding a sustainable winning ball club. The root cause of the problem continues to be the strategic vision coming from the top, from Jerry Reinsdorf himself. The rest of these characters are simply carrying out his wishes and executing according to his orders. That part, doing what the boss tells you to do, is fine. That happens in every organization. But if what you are executing is flawed, if the vision and strategies are not designed well, then that's where the problem lies. And the record over the past 35 years executing Mr. Reinsdorf plans clearly show his shortcomings in that dept., because the Sox have been very deficient when it comes to winning over the past several decades - 2005 or no 2005. Yes and no on the Reinsdorf thing. While I understand that he has a certain way of running things, I don't think organizationally he's overbearing on the ways the GM and VP of Baseball Operations run the team. At the end of the day, this garbage is on Kenny and Hahn. If Kenny walks to Seattle, the joke is on them.

Turned on B&B today, and while they can be jerks, Matt Abbatacola's numbers on air today were staggering and disappointing. Under Williams/Hahn/Ventura (3+ seasons) White Sox 281-331 (50 games under)^ Twins 267-346 (79 games under)* Astros (120 below .500)* Cubs (66 under)* Padres (31 games under)^ Mets (17 games under)* *Team getting notably better, have announced they will be bad, and do a complete rebuild. All showing significant signs of improvement. ^Teams that reload every season ("Reload" every year) AL Central Tigers (49 Games over .500) Royals (37 Games over 500) Indians (2 games under .500) White Sox Record Total: 43 games Under in Division 30-39 against the Indians 27-41 against the Tigers 24-45 against the Royals 35-34 against the Twins I continually call for a rebuild on this board because it is critical we get one. We require a change in philosophy, new staff, move players like Jose Abreu for pieces/picks, and we need to draft better. If that's not bad enough, here is our position drafted players since 2001 by WAR

QUOTE (South Side Fireworks Man @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 05:37 PM) Well let's hope he takes Hahn along with him. I am 50/50 on Hahn, but we know Kenny's way of doing things is pretty bad. Those Matt Abbatacola numbers are absolutely horrible.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 03:16 PM) Amen damnit. My father and the neighbors once blew up a cubs batting helmet with a 1/4 stick of dynamite on the 4th of July. Fortunately nobody was hurt by the more-dangerous-than-expected shrapnel, but that was one less kid who was gonna be wearing a cubs helmet on the southside. Solid work if you ask me ? No offense, but this is part of the reason we're not taking seriously.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 03:52 PM) Wasn't that all proven to be not true? Also, how does Cubit get a pass here? He's the OC. How do the OC and DC not know about players playing hurt or not getting treatment? To answer the first question: I don't know, but didn't the assistant immediately run for the hills? If this were a regular end-of-year firing, I would fully expect Cubit to be gone, however I understand the Illini do have to field a team.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 10:14 AM) Sox were 3-3 vs. the Cubs and 2-2 vs. the Cards. Why are they considered so good and the Sox so bad? These things are so random. You might have your bottom 3 starters face their top 3 in a series. Its hard for me to think a team could be 20-30 games over .500 in one league and just be average in the other. I think the teams that are good in each league would be good if they were in the other league. Because the White Sox are really, really bad. The Cubs are over 20 games over .500. What team are you watching?!

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 02:27 PM) Here's the problem with that. He is the AD. He hired Beckman. Beckman had issues at his previous job. The guy running the department needs to know what is going on. If his excuse is being naïve, that kind of goes against his job description. He needs to go. Didn't he also sign the abusive women's basketball coach?

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 02:04 PM) Beckman gone now time Mike Thomas is FIRED also. If Thomas doesn't get fired, this doesn't matter.

QUOTE (OmarComing25 @ Aug 28, 2015 -> 08:26 AM) I don't how you can say that. First of all, the AL is 140-118 in interleague play, that's a .542 winning percentage, or an 88 win pace. Small sample size, but the Cubs have a losing record against the AL Central this season (I'm not saying they'd be under .500 in our division though). The AL is clearly better this year in my opinion, the worst six teams in the major leagues are all in the NL. All the top teams in the NL get to pad their win totals against them. I'm not convinced that the Pirates or Cardinals are better than the Blue Jays or Astros at this point, the schedules are too imbalanced and there's too much variation in baseball to simply say "better record = better team". It's been discussed endlessly and tirelessly that the lack of a DH is a major disadvantage to NL teams in interleague play. Until there's a DH in the NL, they will continue to have a worse record.