2018 White Sox catch-all thread

[Balta1701]

3 hours ago, turnin' two said:

I've asked before without an answer, why is there the love fest for Corbin.  Top 10?????????  Maybe this season, but overall? Going forward?

Coming into this season he had a 4.12 ERA, a WHIP of 1.35, 7.9 K/9, and was 45-47.  Even factoring in this year, his ERA this season is almost a full run lower than his career number.  

Yeah, he has been great this year, and Arizona is a tough place to pitch.  He will be turning 30 during next season and this year will be the 2nd of his career working 200 innings.  He will probably get it, but going beyond 13-15 million / 4-5 years (even that is probably more than I'd give him if I were the GM) seems crazy for him. 

He is currently the second best starting pitcher on the free agent market behind Kershaw and the New York Yankees will have a S***ton of money to spend and he's already talked about pitching for the Yankees. So yeah, he'll be signing a massive deal. With the Yankees.

[southsider2k5]

57 minutes ago, bubba phillips said:

We need to start winning more games NEXT year to maintain fan interest. I don't want to see any more tanking nor do I want to overspend millions on free agents (primo free agents won't come here unless we're the highest bidder). 

I think we can accomplish this.  Improvement should come in the everyday lineup (with Eloy added) and the 3 starting pitchers we currently have in the rotation (no Shields and no Kopech next year).  There are several options for the  other 2 starters yet to be determined

Where we do need to spend on help is for 2 or 3 affordable bullpen pitchers.  With a couple of exceptions, the current guys are obviously not cutting it.  Too many blown leads late in the game.  

We're not going to compete for a division title next year, but we do need to improve to 70-75 wins and then a winning record in 2020 when more of the "future of the team" makes it to the big club. 

 

The first sentence lost me. Sox fans are primo bandwagon fans. Ratings and attendance losses have accelerated with the rebuild,  so it isn't like they have been faithful to this point.

The one thing I know is the fans will start showing up when the winning starts, even it still takes years more.

 

[bubba phillips]

10 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

The first sentence lost me. Sox fans are primo bandwagon fans. Ratings and attendance losses have accelerated with the rebuild,  so it isn't like they have been faithful to this point.

The one thing I know is the fans will start showing up when the winning starts, even it still takes years more.

 

I hear ya.  I meant the fans that are still left.  One thing about us Sox fans (which I like) is that we treat the product on the field the same way any consumer treats any product:  if it's no good, don't buy it.  I don't believe in filling the stadium for a last place team (like the Cubs were famous for).   

[southsider2k5]

2 minutes ago, bubba phillips said:

I hear ya.  I meant the fans that are still left.  One thing about us Sox fans (which I like) is that we treat the product on the field the same way any consumer treats any product:  if it's no good, don't buy it.  I don't believe in filling the stadium for a last place team (like the Cubs were famous for).   

Yet it allowed the Cubs to buy cornerstones during their rebuilding. 

[turnin' two]

1 hour ago, Balta1701 said:

He is currently the second best starting pitcher on the free agent market behind Kershaw and the New York Yankees will have a S***ton of money to spend and he's already talked about pitching for the Yankees. So yeah, he'll be signing a massive deal. With the Yankees.

I have no doubt there.  I just don't personally get it I guess.  

[Lip Man 1]

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

Yet it allowed the Cubs to buy cornerstones during their rebuilding. 

It was more than just fan attendance though and their exceptional marketing / promotion department had a lot to do with building the Wrigly Field culture regardless of how the team was doing on the field. John McDonough was a genius at this approach.

[NWINFan]

13 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

It was more than just fan attendance though and their exceptional marketing / promotion department had a lot to do with building the Wrigly Field culture regardless of how the team was doing on the field. John McDonough was a genius at this approach.

In addition, in the late  part of the rebuilding, there were many no-shows at Wrigley. Attendance figures stem from tickets sold, not fans in the seats.  Even Cub fans had enough of losing. From 1945-2015, the Cubs had 45 losing seasons. Anyone would tire of that crap.

Sox fans are always accused of being bandwagon jumpers. Bandwagon jumpers only go when the team wins. The Sox have won exactly one World Series in the past 101 years. They have no post season appearances in the last 10 years. How about this? Instead of blaming fans for all this failure, how about putting out a winning team for a change? And if the Sox want people to come out, stop hating their own fans. That would help, too. 

The White Sox have a feeling of entitlement. They aren't entitled to anything.  No go out there and win something and stop the whining.

[southsider2k5]

14 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

It was more than just fan attendance though and their exceptional marketing / promotion department had a lot to do with building the Wrigly Field culture regardless of how the team was doing on the field. John McDonough was a genius at this approach.

Sure it was fan loyalty.

[ptatc]

18 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

The first sentence lost me. Sox fans are primo bandwagon fans. Ratings and attendance losses have accelerated with the rebuild,  so it isn't like they have been faithful to this point.

The one thing I know is the fans will start showing up when the winning starts, even it still takes years more.

 

Yes. Bandwagon fans are bandwagon fans. They'll appear when the Sox start winning whether it's 2019 or 2020. There is no need to get impatient now.

[Lillian]

On 9/21/2018 at 1:15 PM, Lip Man 1 said:

Covey shouldn't even be a 5th starter in double A, if you are actually trying to compete next year you need five solid starters, not four, (two of who are young and one has an injury history). Look back at the White Sox staffs of 1996, 2003 and 2004 to see the impact of not having a solid back end starter on your staff. When I said three outfielders I was counting Eloy as one of them. Both A. Garcia and L. Garcia need to be sent packing if for no other reason they are useless always being injured. 

I go back to the basic premise, unless the Sox dramatically overspend in their offer why would anybody want to sign with a franchise that has had six straight losing seasons, nine out of the last 12 and have shown little growth potential as of yet? (because most of the best prospects are either injured or still a few years away.)

Maybe I'm wrong, I've basically forgotten what meaningful September games are like save for watching my tapes and DVD's of the Sox in better years, but I can't see 2019 being worth a damn either at this point.

I'm not trying to be a "smart aleck," and I don't know exactly what to think of Covey, myself. However, I'm just wondering if you have reconsidered your assessment of his future, with the Sox. One has to be impressed with his stuff. If he can learn to be consistent, it seems that he is certainly at least a legitimate 5TH starter, on a good staff. This seems to be an important question to answer, as he could really help fill out next year's rotation, while the Sox wait for Kopech, Cease and Dunning, in 2020. 

[Dick Allen]

18 minutes ago, Lillian said:

I'm not trying to be a "smart aleck," and I don't know exactly what to think of Covey, myself. However, I'm just wondering if you have reconsidered your assessment of his future, with the Sox. One has to be impressed with his stuff. If he can learn to be consistent, it seems that he is certainly at least a legitimate 5TH starter, on a good staff. This seems to be an important question to answer, as he could really help fill out next year's rotation, while the Sox wait for Kopech, Cease and Dunning, in 2020. 

He has definitely had his moments. That was  a spring training line up he was facing yesterday, but he did shut them down, and has shut a few teams down this season. Might as well keep on truckin with him. There obviously is something there. Whether it can be there on a more consistent basis is the question.

[Lillian]

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

He has definitely had his moments. That was  a spring training line up he was facing yesterday, but he did shut them down, and has shut a few teams down this season. Might as well keep on truckin with him. There obviously is something there. Whether it can be there on a more consistent basis is the question.

If you're anything like me, watching him and the hitters' reactions, is more revealing than the box score. I don't care whom he was facing, his pitches look very nasty. 

Edited September 25, 2018 by Lillian

[Lip Man 1]

5 hours ago, Lillian said:

I'm not trying to be a "smart aleck," and I don't know exactly what to think of Covey, myself. However, I'm just wondering if you have reconsidered your assessment of his future, with the Sox. One has to be impressed with his stuff. If he can learn to be consistent, it seems that he is certainly at least a legitimate 5TH starter, on a good staff. This seems to be an important question to answer, as he could really help fill out next year's rotation, while the Sox wait for Kopech, Cease and Dunning, in 2020. 

No I haven't. He'll throw a good game then stink the joint up in the next five. He's quad AAAA filler in my opinion.

[pcq]

I have Covey penciled in as sixth man out of the pen which is valuable enough. I do not think we have seen any minor league SPs this month which seems a bit unusual. We had Kopech come up and I guess no one else was ready or worthy. 

[southsider2k5]

This is what I am saddest about missing last night.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

 

[Bob Sacamano]

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

 

It just seems like it would be messy. What about games where he DHs? Or is at 1B/3B and needs to warm up in the pen?

[ChiSox59]

3 minutes ago, soxfan2014 said:

It just seems like it would be messy. What about games where he DHs? Or is at 1B/3B and needs to warm up in the pen?

He doesn't pitch those days?  I don't think he'll ever be bullpen regular, but a guy you can throw out there for a an inning in a blowout 10-15 times a year seems doable.  

[Harry Chappas]

I think he gets traded to an NL team where he could hit and pitch an inning here or there.

I would also think this opens the door to send him to winter league and try him more in spring. 

 

[Bob Sacamano]

42 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

He doesn't pitch those days?  I don't think he'll ever be bullpen regular, but a guy you can throw out there for a an inning in a blowout 10-15 times a year seems doable.  

Yeah that's about it. Pretty much only games when they're down like 5+ more in the 9th next year and they can save an inning for a bullpen regular the next day.

[ChiSox59]

15 minutes ago, soxfan2014 said:

Yeah that's about it. Pretty much only games when they're down like 5+ more in the 9th next year and they can save an inning for a bullpen regular the next day.

Yah, I mean...what's the worst that can happen?  He hurts his arm?  Its not like he's so good as a DH on the wrong side of the platoon that the Sox wouldn't be able to go on without him.

Based on the Cooper's comments on Davidson pitching, and the fact that Davidson admitted having real pain/soreness after one of his outings, I really doubt this ever amounts to anything.  

[Bob Sacamano]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

Yah, I mean...what's the worst that can happen?  He hurts his arm?  Its not like he's so good as a DH on the wrong side of the platoon that the Sox wouldn't be able to go on without him.

Based on the Cooper's comments on Davidson pitching, and the fact that Davidson admitted having real pain/soreness after one of his outings, I really doubt this ever amounts to anything.  

Yeah I don't think it will either. He'll just be more of their "go to" in those situations. Maybe make 5 appearances next year at most.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

On 9/21/2018 at 2:45 PM, Balta1701 said:

He is currently the second best starting pitcher on the free agent market behind Kershaw and the New York Yankees will have a S***ton of money to spend and he's already talked about pitching for the Yankees. So yeah, he'll be signing a massive deal. With the Yankees.

You think Kershaw opts out of the next 2 years of $65 M and goes for a longer term contract at a similar or slightly less AAV ?

[Whisox05]

 

[Whisox05]

https://twitter.com/scottmerkin/status/1045076123988701184?s=19

Hahn on early 2019 outlook: "It’s too early to answer the contend question. I don’t think it’s too early to say we expect to be certainly more competitive."

Edited September 26, 2018 by aeichhor