White Sox sign Robbie Grossman to minors deal w/ invite to ML camp

[nrockway]

4 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Part of the problem with many of these guys is that if you don't call them up early in the year, they're likely to ask for and be granted their release. The White Sox are such a mess that right now Grossman has a decent shot at a starting OF spot, but you can't call up all of the guys they've signed, there's not enough space for them. Where are they actually playing these guys, how do you decide in the next 7 days if Robbie Grossman is ready to go? 

I get the feeling that Grossman will see action pretty quick if Fletcher can't hit. If Fletcher, DeLoach, Colas figure out how to play baseball, then I don't care all that much about the Pilars or Phillips's of the world asking to be let out of their contract. Grossman seems better than most of the bums we signed to minor league deals in the outfield (Phillips, Ortega, Payton, etc.) and I bet would see major league time before the rest of them. I also wonder how likely these guys are to ask for a release because if a minor league deal with our Sox is the best they can do, they probably don't have a ton of options stateside. I imagine with Grossman, he was asking for a major league deal with actual money attached and didn't get it. And so the White Sox offer him the best opportunity to earn a major league role. In that sense, you're probably right that he asks for a release if he doesn't join the major league team early in the year. Although, if he doesn't get called up it probably means Fletcher or whoever is actually performing. Still, I don't see it as terrible to give the young outfielders some actual competition. Oscar is probably fuming, but maybe he should play better baseball if he doesn't want his boss to keep signing 30something scrubs at his position. 

[Quin]

2 hours ago, Snopek said:

Getz signing all these veteran depth guys now who would have been useful to the contending Sox teams of previous years is the new Kenny signing washed up former all stars/future hall of famers.

Useful is certainly one word to describe them

[ChiSox59]

26 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Part of the problem with many of these guys is that if you don't call them up early in the year, they're likely to ask for and be granted their release. The White Sox are such a mess that right now Grossman has a decent shot at a starting OF spot, but you can't call up all of the guys they've signed, there's not enough space for them. Where are they actually playing these guys, how do you decide in the next 7 days if Robbie Grossman is ready to go? 

Then they walk in a few weeks? What’s the big deal? I’m not really defending the Sox here, but minor league deals are just that. Gonna have to make some 40 man space next few days for whoever makes, but that shouldn’t be an insurmountable task. 

At the end of the day, the Sox offer one of, if not the, quickest path to an MLB roster. Most of these guys will probably agree to stay in Charlotte. 

[ChiSox59]

16 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Well Moose and Pillar were just released and I would bet Grossman is going to Charlotte for the reasons you just gave.

Hadn’t seen that yet. Interesting. Figured Pillar had a good shot of making the roster but based on some of the signings since Pillar $3M was a major overpay if they kept him. 

Edited March 23 by ChiSox59

[WestEddy]

Dude rakes vs. LHP. I suppose they can absorb his glove against lefties. 

Opening day right-fielder?

[South Side Hit Men]

I love it when a plan comes together.

2024 Opening Day Roster

Elite Eight Starters: C Maldonado; 1B Vaughan; 2B Lopez; 3B Moncada; SS DeJong; LF Benintendi; CF Robert Junior; DH Jimenez

Fab Five Reserves: C Stassi; INF Mendick; RF/OF Fletcher & Phillips; 1B/DH Sheets

Fab Five Rotation: 1 Crochet; 2 Soroka; 3 Fedde; 4 Flexen; 5 Nastrini

Elite Eight Bullpen:  CL Kopech; SU Brebbia; Leasure & Wilson; MR Banks; Hill; Swing: Garcia; Toussaint

 

Last Out: RP J. Chavez; B. Shaw; 2B/SS B. Shewmake

[ChiSox59]

27 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Dude rakes vs. LHP. I suppose they can absorb his glove against lefties. 

Opening day right-fielder?

Even with Grossman and Fletcher on the roster, the Sox could use an actual glove first 4th/5th OF. Wonder if any interesting ones get released this week. 

[Balta1701]

32 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Dude rakes vs. LHP. I suppose they can absorb his glove against lefties. 

Opening day right-fielder?

Unless he was playing for someone else the last 3 weeks I can’t imagine he’s ready for that, and I don’t see anyone having cut him. April 10 maybe?

[Balta1701]

6 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Even with Grossman and Fletcher on the roster, the Sox could use an actual glove first 4th/5th OF. Wonder if any interesting ones get released this week. 

Brett Phillips is both able to back up CF and a former Royal, so him making the roster does make sense.

[WestEddy]

3 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Unless he was playing for someone else the last 3 weeks I can’t imagine he’s ready for that, and I don’t see anyone having cut him. April 10 maybe?

Maybe Eloy is the RH part of that platoon until then. In which case, they're DHing Mendick/Stassi on days they're facing a LHP. Besides that, Wynton Bernard and Yoelki Cespedes are the highest ranking, right-handed hitting outfielders in the system. Bernard has hit in AAA for Colorado and Toronto, and Fangraphs seems to like him as a CF. 

I wonder if Getz will be watching for more OFs on the waiver wire. 

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

46 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Even with Grossman and Fletcher on the roster, the Sox could use an actual glove first 4th/5th OF. Wonder if any interesting ones get released this week. 

Well, one technically did - Guardians waived Straw.

[WhiteSox2023]

Imagine trying to put a positive spin on this signing, rather than just admitting that Getz and his FA choices are a clown show.

If they had any faith in Fletcher, they wouldn’t have signed Grossman.

The most hilarious part of this will be when they waste $4 million on a platoon of Sheets and Pillar.  WestEddy assured me that they were just testing out Sheets in the outfield based on their data collected by their analytics team, and not just from Grifol.  ?

Edited March 23 by WhiteSox2023

[WestEddy]

24 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Imagine trying to put a positive spin on this signing, rather than just admitting that Getz and his FA choices are a clown show.

If they had any faith in Fletcher, they wouldn’t have signed Grossman.

The most hilarious part of this will be when they waste $4 million on a platoon of Sheets and Pillar.  WestEddy assured me that they were just testing out Sheets in the outfield based on their data collected by their analytics team, and not just from Grifol.  ?

Why aren't you happy? Getz waited until 4 days before the end of training camp to make this signing. That makes him "wise", right? 

You know, they just released Pillar. You should probably keep up. A lot has changed since your first year of following this team. 

[caulfield12]

25 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Imagine trying to put a positive spin on this signing, rather than just admitting that Getz and his FA choices are a clown show.

If they had any faith in Fletcher, they wouldn’t have signed Grossman.

The most hilarious part of this will be when they waste $4 million on a platoon of Sheets and Pillar.  WestEddy assured me that they were just testing out Sheets in the outfield based on their data collected by their analytics team, and not just from Grifol.  ?

Isn't Pillar out of consideration now?

[Bob Sacamano]

2 hours ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Well, one technically did - Guardians waived Straw.

Straw checks all of Getz boxes of strong defender, no bat.

[ChiSox59]

3 hours ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Well, one technically did - Guardians waived Straw.

Sox would have to take on the 3/$19M he is owed. No one is claiming that. 

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

31 minutes ago, ChiSox59 said:

Sox would have to take on the 3/$19M he is owed. No one is claiming that. 

Oh wow, I had no idea he was owed that much.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

9 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Well this makes a fair amount more sense then.

Yes it makes a lot of sense.

If Mouse and Pillar both made the opening day 26 man roster that's $2M guaranteed for Mouse and $3M for Pillar. There was also another $2M Moustakas could've made in performance incentives.

Getz and company can talk about culture and defense till they turn blue but the real color of the team is green, the color of money.

At least Getz didn't guarantee the money when he signed them. Not sure this is a Getz or Grifol decision. This has JR stench all over it.

Defense taking a back seat to the money but they still have Phillips for that and he's a good soldier and knows his role.  It'll be Grossman against LHP very soon if not exactly by opening day.

Go you Green Sox !

[caulfield12]

24 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Yes it makes a lot of sense.

If Mouse and Pillar both made the opening day 26 man roster that's $2M guaranteed for Mouse and $3M for Pillar. There was also another $2M Moustakas could've made in performance incentives.

Getz and company can talk about culture and defense till they turn blue but the real color of the team is green, the color of money.

At least Getz didn't guarantee the money when he signed them. Not sure this is a Getz or Grifol decision. This has JR stench all over it.

Defense taking a back seat to the money but they still have Phillips for that and he's a good soldier and knows his role.  It'll be Grossman against LHP very soon if not exactly by opening day.

Go you Green Sox !

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/robbie-grossman/5254/stats?position=OF

 

Well...you might not want to look at his 2022-23 defensive numbers.

Or any defensive numbers throughout his career.

Negative across the board except for a 0.7+ anomaly mixed in.

 

Call him Robbie Rex Grossman.

Although that's probably insulting the QB.

 

It is what it is.  I guess the new mandate is not to lose so many games the team's a butt of jokes the media every single day.

Edited March 23 by caulfield12

[oldsox]

Sox wasted a lot of at bats with Moose and Pillar.

[southsider2k5]

9 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Isn't Pillar out of consideration now?

That was my favorite part... ranting about someone who had already been released. 

[caulfield12]

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

That was my favorite part... ranting about someone who had already been released. 

Arguably, those at-bats could/should have gone to Colas, to DeLoach, to Phillips (if they were so determined to keep him on the roster from the beginning).

Or Fletcher, obviously.

Not going to argue that Sheets should have had MORE opportunities.  That's a bridge TOO far.

 

And giving Moustakas all those bats as a "favor" (see Justin Fields/Bears) prevented them from going to Lee, to Popeye, Sosa, etc.

 

If we look at 2017-19, there were numerous players given valuable playing time without any return at all, either via trade or having that playing time actually turn into (at the very least like an Alejandro de Aza) a part-time player to supplement the so-called core super prospects.

[Snopek]

13 hours ago, Quin said:

Useful is certainly one word to describe them

Grossman as a guy that took walks and mashed righties, and Pillar as something more than a scarecrow wearing a Sox jersey in the outfield seem like they could have helped the 21-22 teams ?‍♂️

[Y2Jimmy0]

 

10 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Imagine trying to put a positive spin on this signing, rather than just admitting that Getz and his FA choices are a clown show.

If they had any faith in Fletcher, they wouldn’t have signed Grossman.

The most hilarious part of this will be when they waste $4 million on a platoon of Sheets and Pillar.  WestEddy assured me that they were just testing out Sheets in the outfield based on their data collected by their analytics team, and not just from Grifol.  ?

Grossman has nothing to do with Fletcher. Just an upgrade against LHP

[Balta1701]

1 hour ago, caulfield12 said:

Arguably, those at-bats could/should have gone to Colas, to DeLoach, to Phillips (if they were so determined to keep him on the roster from the beginning).

Or Fletcher, obviously.

Not going to argue that Sheets should have had MORE opportunities.  That's a bridge TOO far.

 

And giving Moustakas all those bats as a "favor" (see Justin Fields/Bears) prevented them from going to Lee, to Popeye, Sosa, etc.

 

If we look at 2017-19, there were numerous players given valuable playing time without any return at all, either via trade or having that playing time actually turn into (at the very least like an Alejandro de Aza) a part-time player to supplement the so-called core super prospects.

As CinC of the “the Sox can’t develop anyone because their front office are idiots” club, I’d like to note that “this guy failed to develop because he didn’t get enough at bats in spring training” isnt a thing.

I was worried that having so many guys in camp would mean dumb moves like Pillar and Moustakas staying with the team would happen by default because of veteranyness.. Clearly this didn’t happen, so another minor correct decision here for Getz.