STOP F-ING WALKING GUYS

[tray]

22 hours ago, FourEyesShottenhoffer said:

Vaughn is on pace for 95 walks

Good for Vaughn taking walks but that might not be enough to stop pitchers from pitching him outside sliders, partially because he can't run once he is on first.

[Tomtom]

On 4/15/2023 at 9:32 PM, gusguyman said:

I'll be honest, if I were an MLB gm, and my lefty specialist came into a game and walked the lefty he was facing on 4 pitches, I'd be faxing the league office his release papers before he even gets off the mound.

It's probably one of many reasons I'm not an MLB gm. 

The problem is that the "lefty specialist" was geared toward facing that one lefty, but now that a pitcher has to face three batters, the "lefty specialist" is kind of a dinosaur in today's game.  Same can be said for Bummer.

[KipWellsFan]

If you were wondering we are 29th in walks allowed, and 25th in walks taken. That is cumulative, not as a percentage of PAs.

[Tomtom]

On 4/16/2023 at 8:49 AM, The Mighty Mite said:

Nothing has changed from last year when a KC pitcher said the White Sox were the easiest team to face in the league with horrible plate discipline as they will swing at anything and refuse to take a walk.

Why aren’t  the manager and hitting coach addressing this situation.

Pedro was on KC last year!   He should know this and made it a top priority during spring training.

[bmags]

41 minutes ago, Tomtom said:

Pedro was on KC last year!   He should know this and made it a top priority during spring training.

It's something that the organization has to be clear they prioritize from training/pd to player acquisition. When they then go and sign Elvis Andrus it's clear it would just be half hearted.

[Sambuca]

59 minutes ago, tray said:

Good for Vaughn taking walks but that might not be enough to stop pitchers from pitching him outside sliders, partially because he can't run once he is on first.

Why do you hate Andy so much?

[The Kids Can Play]

3 hours ago, ChiSox59 said:

The Bummer thing is weird.  I recall him going through similar stretches last season, but his numbers were pretty good at the end of the year.  2.36 ERA / 3.19 FIP is pretty darn good.  But he's just been awful these first 8 appearances.  Sox need so much better from him.  Diekman on the other hand just sucks, and expecting productive innings from him is foolish. 

You are so right on Bummer. Yet it seems to me this year he looks scared. He looks like that preverbal "deer in headlights" and having zero confidence. 

You're also right that Diekman sucks and he probably won't get this turned around and if he doesn't he needs to be DFA soon.

In both cases, it just shows me a total lack of practice on their part in this last off-season when they should have put more time in perfecting their technique and accuracy on their pitches. This is Diekman's 12th season and Bummer's 7th. As veteran pitchers for what they are paid, they should be able to be more productive and reliable. 

I don't know, but when we face great relief pitchers that make us look bad, they always seem to pitch with an attitude, confidence and that edge that they are going to throw strikes and get outs. 

Again, another frustrating example of where Hahn has no clue how to build an effective bullpen through trades and free agent signings, nor does he have the scouts or coaching development setup in the minors to develop good relievers to bring up.

[Lip Man 1]

56 minutes ago, The Kids Can Play said:

You are so right on Bummer. Yet it seems to me this year he looks scared. He looks like that preverbal "deer in headlights" and having zero confidence. 

You're also right that Diekman sucks and he probably won't get this turned around and if he doesn't he needs to be DFA soon.

In both cases, it just shows me a total lack of practice on their part in this last off-season when they should have put more time in perfecting their technique and accuracy on their pitches. This is Diekman's 12th season and Bummer's 7th. As veteran pitchers for what they are paid, they should be able to be more productive and reliable. 

I don't know, but when we face great relief pitchers that make us look bad, they always seem to pitch with an attitude, confidence and that edge that they are going to throw strikes and get outs. 

Again, another frustrating example of where Hahn has no clue how to build an effective bullpen through trades and free agent signings, nor does he have the scouts or coaching development setup in the minors to develop good relievers to bring up.

44 million being paid to this bullpen. 44 million. 

[ChiSox59]

8 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

44 million being paid to this bullpen. 44 million. 

Its at least worth noting that $24M of that is on the IL.  Obviously Kelly has been mostly a trainwreck on the Sox, but he is legitimate MLB reliever.  Liam's cancer was a totally out of the blue terrible occurrence that no one could have projected.  Add Liam, Crochet and Kelly to the pen it goes from very bad to above average pretty quickly.  Hopefully we get to see that in May along with Bummer, ReyLo and Graveman throwing the ball better than they have to date. 

[The Kids Can Play]

24 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

44 million being paid to this bullpen. 44 million. 

I think that could be considered literally several relievers stealing money from the Sox. I'm not sure where that ranks for team bullpen paid rosters, but I do know it equates to the worst bullpen in baseball. 

[Lip Man 1]

1 hour ago, The Kids Can Play said:

I think that could be considered literally several relievers stealing money from the Sox. I'm not sure where that ranks for team bullpen paid rosters, but I do know it equates to the worst bullpen in baseball. 

The last I looked 44 million for relief pitchers was the highest amount for a single team in MLB.

[The Kids Can Play]

1 minute ago, Lip Man 1 said:

The last I looked 44 million for relief pitchers was the highest amount for a single team in MLB.

OMG that is horrible! ! Is there any other owner in baseball who would allow their GM to have a team be the highest payroll for a bullpen and have the worst ERA and stats for that bullpen, on top of all the horrible results for the last 7 years from the start of the rebuild debacle?

Not only is there no accountability from Jerry, but now this embarrassing trainwreck journey is getting even worse. 

[Lip Man 1]

2 hours ago, The Kids Can Play said:

OMG that is horrible! ! Is there any other owner in baseball who would allow their GM to have a team be the highest payroll for a bullpen and have the worst ERA and stats for that bullpen, on top of all the horrible results for the last 7 years from the start of the rebuild debacle?

Not only is there no accountability from Jerry, but now this embarrassing trainwreck journey is getting even worse. 

On Jerry Reinsdorf

“JR is 86 and he’s in great shape, he looks good, still drives himself around but I just think at this point he simply doesn’t want to be bothered with having to bring in a new front office, maybe he thinks in a few years it won’t matter anyway.”

“People, his friends… have tried to tell him what has been going on, “Hawk” Harrelson, the late Ed Farmer… God rest his soul, Darrin Jackson, Scott Reifert (Author’s Note: Scott is the Senior Vice-President for Communications) , Bob Grim and others but it’s just not registering for some reason.”

“I wonder what impact his wife passing away earlier this year has had on him.”

“JR has told his family he does not want any of his sons owning the team when he is gone. The Bulls are fine he said because they make Michael (Reinsdorf) money but baseball just doesn’t allow you to do that. (no salary cap)” (Author’s Note: Was told by an individual who knew some of the minority owners that “The Sox haven’t lost money in a long time.” A second source agreed with that statement. Seems to be a conflict doesn’t it? Maybe JR isn’t making enough money to suit him vis a vis the Sox?)

“With :30 seconds left in their selection time on draft day JR would say things like “You know this college right-handed pitcher has the lowest injury risk.”

“In October 2005 some investors asked JR to sell and get out while the going was good, but he wouldn’t.”

“Andrew Berlin, twice tried to buy the Sox around 2008 but wasn’t successful.” (Author’s Note: Berlin, grew up a Sox fan and is now the owner of the Cubs farm team in South Bend, Indiana.)

“I heard that JR owns 12% of the team but with some of the original investors passing away that has probably gone up to 18%” (Author’s Note: Even though he only owns a small percentage of the franchise Jerry Reinsdorf has absolute authority to run the team as he sees fit. It is written into his contract. That includes selling or not selling the club despite what the other investors wish. The only way he can be removed from his position is if he has done something illegal, appears to be losing his mental faculties or is being financially irresponsible.)

“I was talking with an agent and they said the next owner of the Sox can’t be a group of investors, it has to be a big company. That’s why Dennis Gilbert, who tried to buy the Dodgers won’t get the Sox, he can’t come up with enough big money investors”

“JR has become oblivious to things and what he’s allowed to happen is sad. He’s probably the most successful owner in Chicago sports history given the Bulls titles and the White Sox one which is dear to his heart, but what has happened the last two years is just sad. He is out-of-touch. And even worse he’s inaccessible. He’s either afraid of having to answer questions or he’s incapable of doing so.”

“JR likes the structure he has because it gives him an extra layer of protection from criticism.”

 

[pcq]

I pretty much figured by now at 87 that jr is not handling daily details and that Ken plus whoever  are running the show perhaps as the curmudgeon would have wished. 

[The Kids Can Play]

13 hours ago, Lip Man 1 said:

On Jerry Reinsdorf

“JR is 86 and he’s in great shape, he looks good, still drives himself around but I just think at this point he simply doesn’t want to be bothered with having to bring in a new front office, maybe he thinks in a few years it won’t matter anyway.”

“People, his friends… have tried to tell him what has been going on, “Hawk” Harrelson, the late Ed Farmer… God rest his soul, Darrin Jackson, Scott Reifert (Author’s Note: Scott is the Senior Vice-President for Communications) , Bob Grim and others but it’s just not registering for some reason.”

“I wonder what impact his wife passing away earlier this year has had on him.”

“JR has told his family he does not want any of his sons owning the team when he is gone. The Bulls are fine he said because they make Michael (Reinsdorf) money but baseball just doesn’t allow you to do that. (no salary cap)” (Author’s Note: Was told by an individual who knew some of the minority owners that “The Sox haven’t lost money in a long time.” A second source agreed with that statement. Seems to be a conflict doesn’t it? Maybe JR isn’t making enough money to suit him vis a vis the Sox?)

“With :30 seconds left in their selection time on draft day JR would say things like “You know this college right-handed pitcher has the lowest injury risk.”

“In October 2005 some investors asked JR to sell and get out while the going was good, but he wouldn’t.”

“Andrew Berlin, twice tried to buy the Sox around 2008 but wasn’t successful.” (Author’s Note: Berlin, grew up a Sox fan and is now the owner of the Cubs farm team in South Bend, Indiana.)

“I heard that JR owns 12% of the team but with some of the original investors passing away that has probably gone up to 18%” (Author’s Note: Even though he only owns a small percentage of the franchise Jerry Reinsdorf has absolute authority to run the team as he sees fit. It is written into his contract. That includes selling or not selling the club despite what the other investors wish. The only way he can be removed from his position is if he has done something illegal, appears to be losing his mental faculties or is being financially irresponsible.)

“I was talking with an agent and they said the next owner of the Sox can’t be a group of investors, it has to be a big company. That’s why Dennis Gilbert, who tried to buy the Dodgers won’t get the Sox, he can’t come up with enough big money investors”

“JR has become oblivious to things and what he’s allowed to happen is sad. He’s probably the most successful owner in Chicago sports history given the Bulls titles and the White Sox one which is dear to his heart, but what has happened the last two years is just sad. He is out-of-touch. And even worse he’s inaccessible. He’s either afraid of having to answer questions or he’s incapable of doing so.”

“JR likes the structure he has because it gives him an extra layer of protection from criticism.”

 

I knew most of these things about Jerry and you are correct, this is who he is. It still doesn't change my thought that the way he is running the club is negligent and incompetent. Yes he is the owner and fully has the right to do as he pleases. However a lot of these feelings he has, are clear signals that he has become complacent running the team. It's sad if Jerry is ok and happy with his one title and doesn't have any passion to win another title. Furthermore if just making money is his only purpose to continue being owner of the Sox, then that is disrespectful to the city of Chicago and all the loyal Die-Hard Sox fans that made him his money. 

In my opinion, just because Jerry is 86 is not a good reason to be complacent with one title and also a complacent and apathetic owner. I am not a Jerry Jones fan, but at least I respect the fact the Cowboys owner at 80 years old, is still passionate about winning another Super Bowl. Yes Jerry Jones has three titles, but you won't ever see him sitting back and making comments to his friends, family and fans, that he is fine with those 3 titles. Finally, the fact Reinsdorf likes that extra layer of protection from criticism, is just another reason, if not to sell yet, at least let one of his sons help him run the team better and more productively...thus making the team ultimately worth more until he does indeed pass away and then the team is sold. 

I get that Reinsdorf has the six Bulls titles this may make him technically the most successful owner in Chicago sports history, but it damn sure isn't because of his ownership brilliance. It's only because he got lucky one year in the 1984 draft and had the greatest player of all-time fall in his lap. 

As a final note, I realize my posts and feelings on Reinsdorf are always quite harsh. I will never expect anyone here to agree with me, but those are my feelings on this man. Nobody is going to change my mind. I will always hate this man vehemently for being such an inept owner and destroying my favorite Chicago sports team and keeping them in the Baseball Mediocrity of Hell. 

[GreenSox]

Game 1 v Philly, 5 walks issued; none taken.
It's in the blood throughout the organization.