The $$$$ will be spent!

[SonofaRoache]

15 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

It seems every single veteran hitter who could switch hit or hit left-handed who they have brought on board has been a huge disappointment.

In the 2000’s, Joe Borchard was going to solve the problem.

Then the Dunn signing in 2011, the closest to a superstar in terms of name recognition for ages.   A Nick Swisher here, a LaRoche or Cabrera there from the second tier...simply feels like that inviting RH porch has been waiting for someone to put up a 40+ homer season for ages and it has just never come to fruition.  In fact, just having a hot spring training stretch and a sweet looking swing (a universal aspect of the allure...) could make you envision Ryan Sweeney as a poor man’s Mark Grace or John Olerud, the desperation was so thick.

It’s almost one of those areas now such as 3B for a generation, catcher and CF that the White Sox completely have whiffed on, at least in terms of internal development.

It's because these guys lack tools. No speed, no hit tool, no defense, etc. We bring them in as home run hitting lumber Jacks. Thise days need to be over and we need to be more diversified with our hitters. 

[Jerksticks]

5 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

It's because these guys lack tools. No speed, no hit tool, no defense, etc. We bring them in as home run hitting lumber Jacks. Thise days need to be over and we need to be more diversified with our hitters. 

I like the negative use of lumberjacks 

[caulfield12]

42 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

It's because these guys lack tools. No speed, no hit tool, no defense, etc. We bring them in as home run hitting lumber Jacks. Thise days need to be over and we need to be more diversified with our hitters. 

Therein lies the problem.

For every Hunter Renfroe, Baustista or Nelson Cruz, there are our four minor league outfielders...who...if you somehow assembled them together, MIGHT actually be the equivalent of a 2.5-3.0 fWAR player on the corner (this doesn’t even count Call and Fisher disappointing.)

With Eloy anchoring the other side...you have almost no choice but to get someone with some athletic tools, especially the ability to throw and cover ground...because Robert’s eventually going to get hurt again trying to do too much if he has to cover both gaps.

Ozuna keep this up, his total contract dollars will be closer to $100 than $50 million.  Or we put Choo in the way back machine via the assistance of Sherman & Peabody.

 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

19 hours ago, Eloy Jiménez said:

It's an old-timey theory about LH vs RH which at this point is basically superstition.

What the hell are you talking about ? The Sox lineup is primarily right handed. Most pitchers are RH. Often hitters hit better against the opposite handed pitcher. Righties hit better against lefties and lefties hit better against righties.  Not always the case but true much of the time . That is not old timey. It's true unless you meant something else.  Therefore the Sox need some left handed hitters to present a more balanced lineup. In particular need a LHH middle of the order bat. LHH also get to 1st base faster on average since they start closer to 1st base.

Great job of age discrimination knowing the poster is older and therefore making up some crap about using "old timey" outdated and useless info.

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/705314249/Game-of-baseball-seems-tailor-made-for-left-handers.html read this and become knowlegdable

Edited June 24, 2019 by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

[Lillian]

Thank you, "CaliSoxFan..".  Although strong arguments can be made that left handed hitters have some distinct advantages, my argument is not based upon that. I wouldn't want an all left handed hitting lineup, anymore than I do an all right handed hitting lineup. Of course, I'd prefer a good all right handed hitting lineup, to a poorly balanced lineup. However, if we are discussing acquisitions, why not try to find someone who could provide "better balance," as you stated?

So, what is so important about "balance". A pitcher can more easily find his slot, when facing a lineup consisting of every hitter from the same side of the plate. Having to pitch differently, to each hitter is made more difficult by the adjustments required to effectively deal with a succession of hitters, who bat from opposite sides of the plate. A right handed pitcher may be very effective throwing his breaking pitches to most right handed hitters. If he faces a succession of them, he can more easily get into a good groove, and just try to consistently maintain it. If he has to face a few left handed hitters, he is forced to use a different approach. The challenge of having to make that necessary adjustment simply places an added burden on the pitcher. That is the reason that a manager will try to stagger his lineup, by alternating right and left handed hitters, where possible. 

 

It is much easier for an opposing manager to manage his bullpen, if all of your dangerous hitters bat from the same side of the plate. By alternating right and left handed hitters, you force your opponent to consider bringing in different relievers, in order to navigate through the dangerous part of the batting order. Absent that balance, an opposing manager can simply leave a reliever in the game, until he reaches the number of pitches, deemed to be his limit, for that appearance.

 

It appears that almost every position is practically set, for the approaching window of contention. Most of us would be willing to bet that the following players will be starting in 2021:

LF Eloy

CF Robert

3B Moncada

SS Anderson

2B Madrigal

1B Vaughn

C   Collins and maybe McCann

 

That leaves just DH and RF as major question marks. If the Sox extend Abreu, that leaves only RF as a hole to fill. There are several promising outfield prospects, but it's doubtful that anyone will be ready soon. That's why I agree with "Eminor3rd," who suggested adding Shogo Akiyama, if he elects to come to the U.S. Something like  a 3 year deal could be a very good solution to the RF problem. Moreover, he would not likely demand so much money, that it would impede the front office's ability to sign the more needed additional pitching.

Edited June 24, 2019 by Lillian

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

11 hours ago, soxfan49 said:

How have the Astros been so successful, for the most part, without any lefties then?

Correa, Bregman, Springer, Altuve

The Cubs 4 best hitters are all RH except Rizzo

Middle of the lineup for the Yankees is all RH (Torres, Stanton, Judge, Encarnacion, Sanchez)

I think you're overthinking this. Were you excited for Alonso?

Anyone can use examples of success with RHH's . It's just a fact because most players hit RH . It does not mean she s overthinking,You act like everything she said is an absolute when really its just baseball knowledge and common sense. Baseball's design favors jeft handers.

[Moan4Yoan]

The last guy I want to sign is a 32 year old Japanese outfielder whose power won’t translate to the MLB.  Hard pass.  Let someone else waste money on him.

[Lillian]

25 minutes ago, Moan4Yoan said:

The last guy I want to sign is a 32 year old Japanese outfielder whose power won’t translate to the MLB.  Hard pass.  Let someone else waste money on him.

Why wouldn't his power "translate" to the Major Leagues? I doubt that they have been using a ball, as juiced at the one MLB is using. Japan had a "juiced ball" scandal, a few years ago, however I think that they have gone back to a less lively ball. Does anyone know exactly how the ball, which Japan has been using, compares to the MLB ball?  In any case, I'm much more intrigued by that .400 OBP, and high average, than I am by his power.

Edited June 24, 2019 by Lillian

[Bob Sacamano]

11 minutes ago, Moan4Yoan said:

The last guy I want to sign is a 32 year old Japanese outfielder whose power won’t translate to the MLB.  Hard pass.  Let someone else waste money on him.

Yeah looking at the OF's available in free agency and assuming they want to go the stop-gap route, I'd want Calhoun (doubt his option gets picked up) or Puig. Calhoun can play RF and has some left-handed pop. Wouldn't be opposed to him hitting say in the 7-spot to open the year (would have to adjust as guys get promoted throughout the year).

Edited June 24, 2019 by soxfan2014

[TaylorStSox]

12 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

It seems every single veteran hitter who could switch hit or hit left-handed who they have brought on board has been a huge disappointment.

In the 2000’s, Joe Borchard 

Never change, Caulfield. Never change. ?

[soxfan49]

35 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Anyone can use examples of success with RHH's . It's just a fact because most players hit RH . It does not mean she s overthinking,You act like everything she said is an absolute when really its just baseball knowledge and common sense. Baseball's design favors jeft handers.

Yeah, and the point is you don't NEED left handed hitters to succeed as a team. If Robert, Madrigal, Jimenez, Vaughn, and Anderson are all really good, they'll be fine. They won't NEED a lefty...but luckily they'll have Moncada to break it up. Oh the joy.

[caulfield12]

23 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

Never change, Caulfield. Never change. ?

Borchard’s failure to be a generational talent (as projected) led to a decade of trying to fix that mistake through veteran acquisitions that have almost all fizzled.  At the time he signed, it was the biggest bonus in history for an amateur player.

We even managed to do it yet again (chasing fool’s gold) this offseason with Alonso, even though 85% of the board called it a dumb (or even idiotic) move from the time it was made, the only caveat being it hasn’t yet been exploited by the Indians in the way originally imagined.

I think most of us would love to have a job where I only had to be right 15-20% of the time when the industry standard is probably closer to the 35-40% mark.

 

 

Edited June 24, 2019 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

23 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

Yeah, and the point is you don't NEED left handed hitters to succeed as a team. If Robert, Madrigal, Jimenez, Vaughn, and Anderson are all really good, they'll be fine. They won't NEED a lefty...but luckily they'll have Moncada to break it up. Oh the joy.

The biggest question offensively is whether they can eventually play smart and sound/fundamental baseball...obviously, Vizquel and Madrigal/Vaughn were picked to do exactly that.

The main issue, though, is whether Cooper still has it and if they can actually manage not to botch another set of free agent pitching moves.  

[TaylorStSox]

29 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Borchard’s failure to be a generational talent (as projected) led to a decade of trying to fix that mistake through veteran acquisitions that have almost all fizzled.  At the time he signed, it was the biggest bonus in history for an amateur player.

We even managed to do it yet again (chasing fool’s gold) this offseason with Alonso, even though 85% of the board called it a dumb (or even idiotic) move from the time it was made, the only caveat being it hasn’t yet been exploited by the Indians in the way originally imagined.

I think most of us would love to have a job where I only had to be right 15-20% of the time when the industry standard is probably closer to the 35-40% mark.

 

 

If only Sox management listened to Soxtalk. It's shocking that the rebuild is right on track, despite a number of injuries, without consulting us. Astonishing really. 

[bmags]

3 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

If only Sox management listened to Soxtalk. It's shocking that the rebuild is right on track, despite a number of injuries, without consulting us. Astonishing really. 

Soxtalk would be a good GM.

[TaylorStSox]

1 minute ago, bmags said:

Soxtalk would be a good GM.

Even though Harper is a bust so far and Moncada is out playing Machado. There was that one guy who was right on the money about Tatis Jr though. Heads? Hire him.

 

If it was up to Caulfield, we'd be fielding a team of Puig and... That's it. Just Puig. 

[Dick Allen]

7 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

Even though Harper is a bust so far and Moncada is out playing Machado. There was that one guy who was right on the money about Tatis Jr though. Heads? Hire him.

 

If it was up to Caulfield, we'd be fielding a team of Puig and... That's it. Just Puig. 

Moncada would be at 2B if Machado was signed. I believe he would outplay Yolmer and Rondon. And he would have probably been a candidate to move to RF if Madrigal warranted an eventual starting postion on the roster. I think he is probably a better option than Palka or Cordell or Tilson or whoever else the Sox might throw out there.

[TaylorStSox]

2 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

Moncada would be at 2B if Machado was signed. I believe he would outplay Yolmer and Rondon. And he would have probably been a candidate to move to RF if Madrigal warranted an eventual starting postion on the roster. I think he is probably a better option than Palka or Cordell or Tilson or whoever else the Sox might throw out there.

I'll take Moncada, Madrigal and $30M. Thanks 

[TaylorStSox]

3 years ago, if I would have told any of you that this team would be hovering around 500, with the lowest payroll in baseball and have Kopech, Rodon, Dunning, Hansen, Burdi, Hamilton, Burger, Alolfo and Basabe all suffer career threatening injuries, you wouldn't have believed me. 

[bmags]

 

1 minute ago, TaylorStSox said:

I'll take Moncada, Madrigal and $30M. Thanks 

Wow check out the message board GM.

[Bob Sacamano]

1 minute ago, TaylorStSox said:

3 years ago, if I would have told any of you that this team would be hovering around 500, with the lowest payroll in baseball and have Kopech, Rodon, Dunning, Hansen, Burdi, Hamilton, Burger, Alolfo and Basabe all suffer career threatening injuries, you wouldn't have believed me. 

3 years ago, we would have been saying: "Who?" to a lot of those names.

[TaylorStSox]

2 minutes ago, bmags said:

 

Wow check out the message board GM.

Just acknowledging that Hahn is killing it. 

[bmags]

1 minute ago, TaylorStSox said:

3 years ago, if I would have told any of you that this team would be hovering around 500, with the lowest payroll in baseball and have Kopech, Rodon, Dunning, Hansen, Burdi, Hamilton, Burger, Alolfo and Basabe all suffer career threatening injuries, you wouldn't have believed me. 

I'm glad a decade of irrelevance has created the lowest of expectations. 

"Hey old me, so excited after trading Eaton! In 3 years, the sox will be two games below .500 in June, 12.5 games out of a resurgent twins and many of your top prospects will be injured, some so badly they won't have careers!! How friggen awesome is this?!"

 

[bmags]

Just now, TaylorStSox said:

Just acknowledging that Hahn is killing it. 

This is embarrassing.

[Dick Allen]

5 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

I'll take Moncada, Madrigal and $30M. Thanks 

Yeah, you can get guys like Nova, Alonso, Jay, Santana. Maybe now that you have some prospects, pick up another Shields.