Jeff Passan on Fromthe108

[Heads22]

 

their now yearly Passan interview

[WestEddy]

Thanks for posting.

[caulfield12]

If Passan is right and the industry consensus is that Montgomery ends up at 3B or 1B...then the Rojas move was really dumb.

Because you simply end up blocking your young players...just like Vaughn is also doing.

They need to know from Vargas Ramos Baldwin Meidroth...who is actually a viable part of the big league plan for 2026 and get all those guys as many at bats as possible.

 

I'm to the point where you dump Benintendi for best offer on the table and stick Vargas out there.

I don't think Baldwin or Sosa can handle SS either ... so back to the HaSeong Kim option and making that your first $100 million contract.  You just have to establish stability at that position for the next 3-5 years.

Teel and Quero can rotate between catcher 1B and DH by no later than mid season.

Hopefully you trade Vaughn and starting giving at bats to Meidroth at 2B or 1B.

Try Baldwin in the outfield as well...he has more upside than DeLoach Julks Fletcher...heck, so does Vargas.

Trade Robert as well and set every Sox scout with the task of finding your next everyday CFer.

And Braden Montgomery is your RFer by some point in 2027.  Wolkow might be one picture for left field by then.

 

Finally, Ramos and Colas need to impress in the minors or you move on...Ramos gets at least this year and half of next to make a better impression defensively or be traded to address other needs. Moving him to the outfield is a fool's errand.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

5 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

If Passan is right and the industry consensus is that Montgomery ends up at 3B or 1B...then the Rojas move was really dumb.

Because you simply end up blocking your young players...just like Vaughn is also doing.

They need to know from Vargas Ramos Baldwin Meidroth...who is actually a viable part of the big league plan for 2026 and get all those guys as many at bats as possible.

 

I'm to the point where you dump Benintendi for best offer on the table and stick Vargas out there.

I don't think Baldwin or Sosa can handle SS either ... so back to the HaSeong Kim option and making that your first $100 million contract.  You just have to establish stability at that position for the next 3-5 years.

Teel and Quero can rotate between catcher 1B and DH by no later than mid season.

Hopefully you trade Vaughn and starting giving at bats to Meidroth at 2B or 1B.

Try Baldwin in the outfield as well...he has more upside than DeLoach Julks Fletcher...heck, so does Vargas.

Trade Robert as well and set every Sox scout with the task of finding your next everyday CFer.

And Braden Montgomery is your RFer by some point in 2027.  Wolkow might be one picture for left field by then.

 

Finally, Ramos and Colas need to impress in the minors or you move on...Ramos gets at least this year and half of next to make a better impression defensively or be traded to address other needs. Moving him to the outfield is a fool's errand.

 

Why? They have Rojas for a year. You can afford to play Montgomery at SS and see if he can play while the team is bad.

[caulfield12]

10 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Why? They have Rojas for a year. You can afford to play Montgomery at SS and see if he can play while the team is bad.

Because all of the focus on whether he can play SS or not is going to bleed over into his offense psychologically.

Cue the....well they were never strong enough mentally in the first place for the big leagues storylines.  

See Andrew Vaughn in the outfield.

[WestEddy]

17 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

If Passan is right and the industry consensus is that Montgomery ends up at 3B or 1B...then the Rojas move was really dumb.

Montgomery is going to come up as a shortstop. He's not going to move to 3B after 4 games. He'll get the rest of his rookie season to play shortstop. Rojas has a one year deal. 

[PaleAleSox]

5 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Montgomery is going to come up as a shortstop. He's not going to move to 3B after 4 games. He'll get the rest of his rookie season to play shortstop. Rojas has a one year deal. 

I don't know, moving from SS to 3B completely destroyed Machado's career.

[WestEddy]

8 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Because all of the focus on whether he can play SS or not is going to bleed over into his offense psychologically.

Cue the....well they were never strong enough mentally in the first place for the big leagues storylines.  

See Andrew Vaughn in the outfield.

Jesus, we act like every baseball player's a quivering mass of broken psyche jello, and one bad game will ruin him for life. He had a back injury this last year which affected his mobility. He also had a personal issue that he played through. 

[caulfield12]

12 minutes ago, PaleAleSox said:

I don't know, moving from SS to 3B completely destroyed Machado's career.

Clearly a first ballot Hall of Famer is a reasonable expectation for Sox fans to place on Montgomery lol.

Edited January 11 by caulfield12

[TaylorStSox]

Montgomery wants to stick at SS. You give him every opportunity to do so.

[caulfield12]

9 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

Montgomery wants to stick at SS. You give him every opportunity to do so.

Either Passan/Law will be right...or Colson.  We will know quickly enough in Spring Training if he's 100% physically or not.  

[TaylorStSox]

5 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Either Passan/Law will be right...or Colson.  We will know quickly enough in Spring Training if he's 100% physically or not.  

Okay.

[MiddleCoastBias]

25 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Jesus, we act like every baseball player's a quivering mass of broken psyche jello, and one bad game will ruin him for life. He had a back injury this last year which affected his mobility. He also had a personal issue that he played through. 

Sure, but I'm still also scarred by how Gordon Beckham lost all confidence after being moved all over the diamond defensively while still also trying to figure out how to hit consistently as a big leaguer. Seemed like every move and adjustment was accompanied by two steps backward in his development.

[caulfield12]

"Montgomery continues to add strength without losing speed, though he's merely an average runner and some evaluators wonder if he'll outgrow shortstop. The White Sox have no such concerns, pointing to his quick first step and athleticism, and Seager has remained at short despite hearing the same questions. Montgomery's agility and solid arm strength should allow him to make an easy transition to third base if needed, and his bat should make him an All-Star wherever he plays."

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/colson-montgomery-695657?stats=career-r-hitting-milb

 

"Because he has fringy speed and figures to slow a bit as he matures physically, most scouts believe Montgomery will outgrow shortstop. He moves well for his size, however, and the White Sox will give him a chance to stick there. If he has to move to third base, he projects as at least an average defender with a solid arm."

https://www.milb.com/news/scouting-report-chicago-white-sox-shortstop-colson-montgomery

 

Edited January 11 by caulfield12

[WestEddy]

5 minutes ago, MiddleCoastBias said:

Sure, but I'm still also scarred by how Gordon Beckham lost all confidence after being moved all over the diamond defensively while still also trying to figure out how to hit consistently as a big leaguer. Seemed like every move and adjustment was accompanied by two steps backward in his development.

Beckham played 3B exclusively in his first season, then he was parked at 2B for the next 4 years. In that 4th season as 2B, he played 6 innings over two games at SS when Alexei Ramirez was subbed out. 

[WestEddy]

10 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

"Montgomery continues to add strength without losing speed, though he's merely an average runner and some evaluators wonder if he'll outgrow shortstop. The White Sox have no such concerns, pointing to his quick first step and athleticism, and Seager has remained at short despite hearing the same questions. Montgomery's agility and solid arm strength should allow him to make an easy transition to third base if needed, and his bat should make him an All-Star wherever he plays."

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/colson-montgomery-695657?stats=career-r-hitting-milb

If that transition ever happens, it's not going to be in 2025, unless they trade Robert for our future shortstop. 

[caulfield12]

He throws 84 mph on the infield...average is 78 for high schoolers.

82% percentile arm but definitely elite. HS QB.

6.91/60 yd profiles more typically at third.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

1 hour ago, WestEddy said:

Jesus, we act like every baseball player's a quivering mass of broken psyche jello, and one bad game will ruin him for life. He had a back injury this last year which affected his mobility. He also had a personal issue that he played through. 

A hurt hand too .

[Jerksticks]

1 hour ago, MiddleCoastBias said:

Sure, but I'm still also scarred by how Gordon Beckham lost all confidence after being moved all over the diamond defensively while still also trying to figure out how to hit consistently as a big leaguer. Seemed like every move and adjustment was accompanied by two steps backward in his development.

I still feel like he’s a HOFer if we just left him at 3rd.  3rd is a swagger position and he was crushing it.  Nothing cool about 2nd base and totally neutered him beyond repair.  
 

might be time to dust off the Beckham projections thread for laughs

[caulfield12]

39 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

A hurt hand too .

And rumors of a back injury...slowing down his bat speed against FBs.

[caulfield12]

16 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

I still feel like he’s a HOFer if we just left him at 3rd.  3rd is a swagger position and he was crushing it.  Nothing cool about 2nd base and totally neutered him beyond repair.  
 

might be time to dust off the Beckham projections thread for laughs

Ultimately the Sox draft picks with the most natural swagger...him and Brian Anderson, couldn't ever recapture their original confidence levels coming out of college when they hit walls offensively.

[mac9001]

I probably watched 35+ games last year and at no point in watching Colson did I think he'll stick at SS. I don't see any harm in letting him butcher SS for a year, but long term it's not gonna happen. Ironically watching Ramos at third made me wonder at least a few times how he would handle SS. I definitely think he could be a 2B and he can absolutely play the outfield. My impression of him was his athleticism and speed was comparable to Baldwin.

[caulfield12]

33 minutes ago, mac9001 said:

I probably watched 35+ games last year and at no point in watching Colson did I think he'll stick at SS. I don't see any harm in letting him butcher SS for a year, but long term it's not gonna happen. Ironically watching Ramos at third made me wonder at least a few times how he would handle SS. I definitely think he could be a 2B and he can absolutely play the outfield. My impression of him was his athleticism and speed was comparable to Baldwin.

How is he on those jump throws deep in the hole like Anderson perfected?

Range up the middle?   Throwing against his body moving left?  Ability to quickly get back to his feet and get rid of the ball on diving plays?

Turning double plays?

[Bob Sacamano]

11 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Because all of the focus on whether he can play SS or not is going to bleed over into his offense psychologically.

Cue the....well they were never strong enough mentally in the first place for the big leagues storylines.  

See Andrew Vaughn in the outfield.

Wouldn’t it mess with his head more if he changed positions from SS to 3B in his rookie year?

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

12 hours ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Why? They have Rojas for a year. You can afford to play Montgomery at SS and see if he can play while the team is bad.

What’s the plan for SS for 2026 and beyond if evaluators are right about Colson? One year stop gaps like Paul Dejong every year until maybe someone like Bonemer is ready in 2028?