Maybe my favorite play of the year

[Buehrle>Wood]

https://twitter.com/SoxOn35th/status/911434091010183169

 

Perhaps not as good as the Engel catches but damn that was fun

[greg775]

Amen Buehrle, it was exciting.

[Lip Man 1]

Yoan is coming along and Lopez pitched around some bad errors and gave them some innings.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

It's so easy to root for this team to win . To me it's like any other year. Root for them even though you know the losses are going to pile up. Me rooting for the draft pick or the Sox has no effect on the game so might as well do what I always do.

[credezcrew24]

I thought the tank was on when Avi fell, but then I saw that Merrifield hadn't even touched 3rd yet and my heart sank. Then Cain had to go and make my day worse by getting doubled off

[greg775]

I thought the tank was on when Avi fell, but then I saw that Merrifield hadn't even touched 3rd yet and my heart sank. Then Cain had to go and make my day worse by getting doubled off

So weird. I had the opposite sensation. I was so mad KC was about to tie it then I saw Avi with this amazing throw, a great tag and great throw to first and incredible throw by Jose and tag by Anderson and fistbump by Anderson so happy to win a meaningless game. I screamed in delight. Damn I was so frickin happy to beat the Royals. And happy for the fans who seemed into it at the Cell.

Edited September 23, 2017 by greg775

[hi8is]

One of the best plays in baseball this year, considering context. Bonehead running KC.

[Lillian]

So weird. I had the opposite sensation. I was so mad KC was about to tie it then I saw Avi with this amazing throw, a great tag and great throw to first and incredible throw by Jose and tag by Anderson and fistbump by Anderson so happy to win a meaningless game. I screamed in delight. Damn I was so frickin happy to beat the Royals. And happy for the fans who seemed into it at the Cell.

 

Just a minor point, but it was Moncada, covering first, who made the throw to Anderson.

[bmags]

This team just seems to love playing together and it's fun to watch. May not mean anything, I had same feeling in 14 when Moises sierra was on team. But breath of fresh air after all the drama last year.

[oldsox]

Just a minor point, but it was Moncada, covering first, who made the throw to Anderson.

Good catch; Abreu was in the cutoff position. Great play by all four players who touched the ball.

[SoxAce]

People like to pile on Benetti, but that was by far his best call of the year.

[ptatc]

Yoan is coming along and Lopez pitched around some bad errors and gave them some innings.

Absolutely. To me, this is one of his most impressive performances. It won't show up in the numbers but being able to continue pitching effectively after giving up the 6 runs without his best or even good stuff. while wins in general don't mean much for a pitcher, this was a win for him that did matter.

[chitownsportsfan]

Absolutely. To me, this is one of his most impressive performances. It won't show up in the numbers but being able to continue pitching effectively after giving up the 6 runs without his best or even good stuff. while wins in general don't mean much for a pitcher, this was a win for him that did matter.

 

He's running on fumes and had zero strikeouts after only having one his last outing. I guess the Sox are just going to push him as long as his arm feels fine.

 

Omar Narvaez would be an ideal backup catch on the next good Sox team. Maybe even a starter if he can improve his framing somewhat.

[Jose Abreu]

This team just seems to love playing together and it's fun to watch. May not mean anything, I had same feeling in 14 when Moises sierra was on team. But breath of fresh air after all the drama last year.

I miss that guy. He was a good 4th OF and I'm surprised he hasn't been in the Majors since then. He's been killing it in the minors ever since and he had an absolute cannon of an arm, topped off by his energy and clubhouse presence.

[Jose Abreu]

People like to pile on Benetti, but that was by far his best call of the year.

I don't like Benetti's question-asking style of broadcasting, but this was a terrific call.

[Jose Abreu]

He's running on fumes and had zero strikeouts after only having one his last outing. I guess the Sox are just going to push him as long as his arm feels fine.

 

Omar Narvaez would be an ideal backup catch on the next good Sox team. Maybe even a starter if he can improve his framing somewhat.

People don't really like Narvaez due to his framing, but he's actually a surprisingly adequate offensive catcher- his eye and on base abilities coupled with the low strikeout rate are rare at his position. I think that he would actually be one of the better starting catchers in baseball if he could be a better framer.

[southsider2k5]

People don't really like Narvaez due to his framing, but he's actually a surprisingly adequate offensive catcher- his eye and on base abilities coupled with the low strikeout rate are rare at his position. I think that he would actually be one of the better starting catchers in baseball if he could be a better framer.

 

In general what the White Sox have gotten from the catching position this year has been really impressive. If you had told me in January the Sox catching tandem this year was going to be essentially Smith and Narvaez, I might have cried a little bit.

[kitekrazy]

I think this is the hardest position to fill in baseball. How are the younger guys doing in the farm system?

[hi8is]

I think this is the hardest position to fill in baseball. How are the younger guys doing in the farm system?

Much better and more promising than in years past. I can't remember the last time we drafted a catcher with our first pick.

 

Looks like it was Josh Phegley in 2009 - prior to that it was 1994 in Mark Johnson - followed by 1985's selection of Kurt Brown - and then none other than Ron Karkovice in '82.

 

 

Overall, I think people should be happy with Collins in that he showed a great improved skillset over the year at catcher. Even coming out of the gate after spring training he was showing that he had potential to hold down the fort. After his end of year promotion to AA his offensive numbers also showed improvement.

 

This offseason and in the spring, I look for him to take a big stride forward on the offensive side of his game and I've really came around on him since the initial draft pick. Kudos Hostetler and company.

 

In the lower levels we've also got some other interesting names in Seby Zavala and Brett Austin, to a lesser extent.

 

Collins needs to stick or we're going the FA / trade route when the time comes.

 

Edit: I'm sure that one of the Future Sox guys here could give you a more comprehensive perspective.

Edited September 24, 2017 by hi8is

[southsider2k5]

Much better and more promising than in years past. I can't remember the last time we drafted a catcher with our first pick.

 

Looks like it was Josh Phegley in 2009 - prior to that it was 1994 in Mark Johnson - followed by 1985's selection of Kurt Brown - and then none other than Ron Karkovice in '82.

 

 

Overall, I think people should be happy with Collins in that he showed a great improved skillset over the year at catcher. Even coming out of the gate after spring training he was showing that he had potential to hold down the fort. After his end of year promotion to AA his offensive numbers also showed improvement.

 

This offseason and in the spring, I look for him to take a big stride forward on the offensive side of his game and I've really came around on him since the initial draft pick. Kudos Hostetler and company.

 

In the lower levels we've also got some other interesting names in Seby Zavala and Brett Austin, to a lesser extent.

 

Collins needs to stick or we're going the FA / trade route when the time comes.

 

Edit: I'm sure that one of the Future Sox guys here could give you a more comprehensive perspective.

 

We also have at least two interesting catchers in the lowest levels from Latin America who could be something in the future in Alfaro and Carlos Perez.