Sox Claim Brandon Eisert, Designate Steven Wilson, Wilson clears waivers

[Chicago White Sox]

  On 2/10/2025 at 7:11 PM, Tnetennba said:

Hoping he develops into the role is a fair take all things considered. Whether he can or will is an unknown right now. He certainly hasn't earned it, but it's JR's playground where job accountability means little so we as fans have little alternative. I also think it is fair to hope for his improvement while also not ignoring the level to which his first year on the job set the org back. And his management of the 40 man roster has in fact set the org back. JR refusing to hold him accountable doesn't mean he is above criticism, or that fans should simply ignore his catastrophic failings in year one. 

Expand  

Fully agree with everything you say here.

[JoeC]

  On 2/10/2025 at 2:17 PM, Chicago White Sox said:

The problem is it’s all the same argument over and over again.  Every single transaction (outside of possibly Crochet) we have the same handful of posters debating the same topics.  And I have partaken in some of these threads, so I am not free of blame either.  But at some point you have accepted defeat in being able to convince your counterpart to take your position.

IMO, it’s very fair to say the following:

1. Getz has been generally been bad at trades so far
2. The Cease trade doesn’t look promising right now
3. The Vargas trade was questionable from the get go
4. Pro Scouting still remains a major area of concern
5. It’s too early to draw conclusions on Getz as a trader

To me, there is nothing controversial in the above, but I guarantee we couldn’t get the board to align on those five points.  Certain sides have locked in on their view of either Getz being a total failure at trades or him being completely free from blame, where the reality is somewhere it the middle right now.

Expand  

Correct - it is the same thing over and over again.

It's just amusing to me that people can have the same discussion over and over again, re-packaged in different threads.

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 5:47 PM, WhiteSox2023 said:

Obviously they won’t be remembered because they will be DFA just like Getz’s great acquisition of Steven Wilson.

And Getz already gave up prospects for these guys!  Are you forgetting that?  So you need to factor in whom Getz gave up for these guys in any mediocre trade return that Getz gets for them.

Expand  

The entire Booser/Fajardo conversation has been that Getz is betting he gets back more in value for Booser than Fajardo was worth coming out of Dominican rookie ball. And he'll get 4 months of bullpen coverage. We all understand that, and you don't need to belabor what, in fact, has been the whole crux of the Booser conversation all along. 

I'd be shocked if you called any Getz acquisition mediocre. 

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 7:30 PM, JoeC said:

Correct - it is the same thing over and over again.

It's just amusing to me that people can have the same discussion over and over again, re-packaged in different threads.

Expand  

I guess I just don't have the ability to separate out people asking a question in earnest and just setting me up to take the piss out of me. 

[Tnetennba]

  On 2/10/2025 at 6:26 PM, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Not a huge fan of that one. 

Catastrophic? How so? I kind of like the roster churn. It's something that KW and Hahn never did during the last rebuild. 

They absolutely cannot "afford" to sign guys like that this year. They are spending what they're allowed to spend. 

Expand  

Roster churn is fine and is the least of my concerns. Getz's trades before Crochet however are the catastrophe to which I refer. Not only has he burnt his limited trade capital, none of those acquisitions look like foundational pieces. 

[Y2Jimmy0]

  On 2/10/2025 at 7:46 PM, Tnetennba said:

Roster churn is fine and is the least of my concerns. Getz's trades before Crochet however are the catastrophe to which I refer. Not only has he burnt his limited trade capital, none of those acquisitions look like foundational pieces. 

Expand  

I just think it's too early to make these determinations. Fedde/Kopech deadline deal looks pretty bad right now. Bummer trade isn't great either. I don't really have any issue with the others as of now. 

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 7:36 PM, WestEddy said:

The entire Booser/Fajardo conversation has been that Getz is betting he gets back more in value for Booser than Fajardo was worth coming out of Dominican rookie ball. And he'll get 4 months of bullpen coverage. We all understand that, and you don't need to belabor what, in fact, has been the whole crux of the Booser conversation all along. 

I'd be shocked if you called any Getz acquisition mediocre. 

Expand  

The irony being the best reliever flip he has had so far?  A minimum wage guy the Sox drafted and developed themselves.  The guys they have traded for?  Yeah, not so much.

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:23 PM, southsider2k5 said:

The irony being the best reliever flip he has had so far?  A minimum wage guy the Sox drafted and developed themselves.  The guys they have traded for?  Yeah, not so much.

Expand  

Well, whatever happened last year, between a bad starting rotation to begin with that just ate up the bullpen early, a bad manager, some bad roster decisions in camp, misreading how to augment what their pitchers had to throw, communication with pitchers who had a bad back, one would expect them to have ironed that out this time around. 

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 7:15 PM, WestEddy said:

Nope. You're playing word games. You guys ask me a question, and I'll give you a full, good faith answer. I thought this board was a little more jokey when I amped up last winter. But apparently, me being light about the bullpen and "Nicky .300" really hurt some people. 

Here's a list of pitchers who could very well be vying for spots in the AAA rotation:

Iriarte, Nastrini, Eder, W. Gonzalez, Ky Bush, Mason Adams, Justin Dunn, and Thorpe will probably rehab there. That's 8 starters. 

AA: Schultz, Tyler Schweitzer, Gowens, Juan Carella

That's only 4, but maybe they get Adams back until the logjam at AAA clears. Some of the guys behind them will be pushing quickly. 

High-A: Hagen Smith, Grant Taylor, Tanner McDougal, Shane Murphy, Lucas Gordon, Tommy Vail, Aldrin Batista, Seth Keener, John Bockenstedt

9 guys. Some of these guys, like Bockenstedt might be bounced out or to the bullpen. But already, they're backing up. Batista is borderline AA. Hagen Smith will move quickly. There might be lingering injuries, but you see the jam forming. 

Low-A: Jake Peppers, Ricardo Brizuela, Carlton Perkins, Justin Sinibaldi

You also have Christian Oppor, Mathias LaCombe, Blake Larson, Maximo Martinez. There's a couple more I'm not recognizing because of bad numbers, but they have stuff, and Getz still wants them. 

Some guys here will argue that we only really have 2-1/2 pitching prospects in the system. Schultz, Hagen Smith and Grant Taylor. But there's a whole slew of these guys who are actual prospects that need to throw innings every 5. I just listed 29 guys for 20-24 rotation spots. No, they're not all sexy, and some will be an easy call to toss in the bullpen. But you read and listen to the same stuff I do. To pretend that you don't know any of this is silly. We have a glut of pitching, and we'll be adding to it in this year's draft. 

So anybody thinking I'm "full of it" is just being argumentative. 

Expand  

Your contention starts with NONE of these guys making the major league roster, and/or the IL, which seems pretty crazy to me.  It also assumes no injury problems in any of the rest of the levels, which is also abjectly unrealistic.

[T R U]

  On 2/10/2025 at 7:11 PM, Tnetennba said:

Hoping he develops into the role is a fair take all things considered. Whether he can or will is an unknown right now. He certainly hasn't earned it, but it's JR's playground where job accountability means little so we as fans have little alternative. I also think it is fair to hope for his improvement while also not ignoring the level to which his first year on the job set the org back. And his management of the 40 man roster has in fact set the org back. JR refusing to hold him accountable doesn't mean he is above criticism, or that fans should simply ignore his catastrophic failings in year one. 

Expand  

What an excellent post. I hope he does succeed because I have no other choice but to hope for that. Doesn't change the fact that he shouldn't have this job and has practically done nothing to warrant any form of support from the fanbase. 

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:37 PM, WestEddy said:

Well, whatever happened last year, between a bad starting rotation to begin with that just ate up the bullpen early, a bad manager, some bad roster decisions in camp, misreading how to augment what their pitchers had to throw, communication with pitchers who had a bad back, one would expect them to have ironed that out this time around. 

Expand  

Sure, but now you are telling us that the rotation should be good, the bullpen should be good, roster problems are a thing of the past, and our pitching development is going to be fixing all of those problems, and I am supposed to believe that based on what, exactly?  This is going to be a mediocre to bad rotation, with a non-present offense.  There are plenty of mediocre arms around the system and free agency that we can fill innings with, without wasting futures for them.  This is going to be another 100 loss team, and we are supposed to be sinking NOW resources into it?  It doesn't add up, especially after all of these problems you are detailing from last year as an excuse, and not an on going reality.

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:39 PM, southsider2k5 said:

Your contention starts with NONE of these guys making the major league roster, and/or the IL, which seems pretty crazy to me.  It also assumes no injury problems in any of the rest of the levels, which is also abjectly unrealistic.

Expand  

Which is all expected. I'm not saying, "Hmmm, we have 29 guys for 20 spots. We better trade 9 of them."

It's not radical to say that some guys are probably going to start at a level below what their development calls for just because of a logjam. 

[Dick Allen]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:43 PM, WestEddy said:

Which is all expected. I'm not saying, "Hmmm, we have 29 guys for 20 spots. We better trade 9 of them."

It's not radical to say that some guys are probably going to start at a level below what their development calls for just because of a logjam. 

Expand  

pitchers in the low minors pitch very few innings. There will be plenty of innings for all of these guys.

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:43 PM, WestEddy said:

Which is all expected. I'm not saying, "Hmmm, we have 29 guys for 20 spots. We better trade 9 of them."

It's not radical to say that some guys are probably going to start at a level below what their development calls for just because of a logjam. 

Expand  

That's not radical, that's pretty normal for a decent farm system.  That doesn't mean we need to start wheeling them out for old and mediocre middle relievers.  Stuff is going to happen, and just like we do now with the last rebuild, the people who think we have too much depth will probably be wrong.  s%*# happens, especially with pitchers.  If nothing else injuries are going to get quite a few of these guys just because of pure numbers of injuries that happen to pitchers.

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:42 PM, southsider2k5 said:

Sure, but now you are telling us that the rotation should be good, the bullpen should be good, roster problems are a thing of the past, and our pitching development is going to be fixing all of those problems, and I am supposed to believe that based on what, exactly?  This is going to be a mediocre to bad rotation, with a non-present offense.  There are plenty of mediocre arms around the system and free agency that we can fill innings with, without wasting futures for them.  This is going to be another 100 loss team, and we are supposed to be sinking NOW resources into it?  It doesn't add up, especially after all of these problems you are detailing from last year as an excuse, and not an on going reality.

Expand  

The rotation should be more settled on OD than last year, with 5 strong starters. Last year, Soroka, Flexen and Nastrini were not major league ready. 5 of Perez, Cannon, Martin, Burke, Thorpe, Wilson, Shane Smith, 

Nobody said that roster problems are a thing of the past. You even just argued with me when I said starting pitching in the minors is facing a bit of a logjam (roster problems) at some levels. 

What is it with you guys, and the word "excuse"? To say that they made bad roster decisions isn't an excuse. The words "reason" and "excuse" aren't interchangeable. Learn them, okay?

I don't care what you believe. (I can feel you and Tony rising up to now argue that I care...) If Bannister and Katz can't teach a new pitch to a 30 year old reliever who has already experienced some success in the big leagues, then there's no point to anything. 

 

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:56 PM, WestEddy said:

The rotation should be more settled on OD than last year, with 5 strong starters. Last year, Soroka, Flexen and Nastrini were not major league ready. 5 of Perez, Cannon, Martin, Burke, Thorpe, Wilson, Shane Smith, 

Nobody said that roster problems are a thing of the past. You even just argued with me when I said starting pitching in the minors is facing a bit of a logjam (roster problems) at some levels. 

What is it with you guys, and the word "excuse"? To say that they made bad roster decisions isn't an excuse. The words "reason" and "excuse" aren't interchangeable. Learn them, okay?

I don't care what you believe. (I can feel you and Tony rising up to now argue that I care...) If Bannister and Katz can't teach a new pitch to a 30 year old reliever who has already experienced some success in the big leagues, then there's no point to anything. 

 

Expand  

Is this is a Steven Wilson reference/

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:47 PM, southsider2k5 said:

That's not radical, that's pretty normal for a decent farm system.  That doesn't mean we need to start wheeling them out for old and mediocre middle relievers.  Stuff is going to happen, and just like we do now with the last rebuild, the people who think we have too much depth will probably be wrong.  s%*# happens, especially with pitchers.  If nothing else injuries are going to get quite a few of these guys just because of pure numbers of injuries that happen to pitchers.

Expand  

An 18-year-old pitcher who will spend the summer in the complex league won't be of help at the big league level for 5 years. 

I'm glad you agree the Sox have a decent farm system. We do have a glut of pitching. There's no problem trading an A-ball reliever for bullpen depth. I'm sorry you don't think so. 

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:57 PM, southsider2k5 said:

Is this is a Steven Wilson reference/

Expand  

Bryce

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:56 PM, WestEddy said:

The rotation should be more settled on OD than last year, with 5 strong starters. Last year, Soroka, Flexen and Nastrini were not major league ready. 5 of Perez, Cannon, Martin, Burke, Thorpe, Wilson, Shane Smith, 

Nobody said that roster problems are a thing of the past. You even just argued with me when I said starting pitching in the minors is facing a bit of a logjam (roster problems) at some levels. 

What is it with you guys, and the word "excuse"? To say that they made bad roster decisions isn't an excuse. The words "reason" and "excuse" aren't interchangeable. Learn them, okay?

I don't care what you believe. (I can feel you and Tony rising up to now argue that I care...) If Bannister and Katz can't teach a new pitch to a 30 year old reliever who has already experienced some success in the big leagues, then there's no point to anything. 

 

Expand  

I certainly wouldn’t count on that

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:58 PM, WestEddy said:

An 18-year-old pitcher who will spend the summer in the complex league won't be of help at the big league level for 5 years. 

I'm glad you agree the Sox have a decent farm system. We do have a glut of pitching. There's no problem trading an A-ball reliever for bullpen depth. I'm sorry you don't think so. 

Expand  

This is quite literally the point.  I am glad you FINALLY got it.  When you are 4-5 years from contention, you want guys who fit that window, not guys who will probably be retired at that point.

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:59 PM, JUSTgottaBELIEVE said:

I certainly wouldn’t count on that

Expand  

Not a chance of this happening in reality.

[WestEddy]

  On 2/10/2025 at 10:02 PM, southsider2k5 said:

This is quite literally the point.  I am glad you FINALLY got it.  When you are 4-5 years from contention, you want guys who fit that window, not guys who will probably be retired at that point.

Expand  

Right. One can either buy a Lotto ticket for a 2029 drawing, or you can get a job, and start drawing a paycheck in 2 weeks. 

It's also a thing to shore up the bullpen using a teenager who's 5 years away, then trade him for another teenager who's 5 years away, or maybe even a shortstop who's 2 years away. 

[T R U]

  On 2/10/2025 at 9:56 PM, WestEddy said:

The rotation should be more settled on OD than last year, with 5 strong starters. Last year, Soroka, Flexen and Nastrini were not major league ready. 5 of Perez, Cannon, Martin, Burke, Thorpe, Wilson, Shane Smith, 

Nobody said that roster problems are a thing of the past. You even just argued with me when I said starting pitching in the minors is facing a bit of a logjam (roster problems) at some levels. 

What is it with you guys, and the word "excuse"? To say that they made bad roster decisions isn't an excuse. The words "reason" and "excuse" aren't interchangeable. Learn them, okay?

I don't care what you believe. (I can feel you and Tony rising up to now argue that I care...) If Bannister and Katz can't teach a new pitch to a 30 year old reliever who has already experienced some success in the big leagues, then there's no point to anything. 

 

Expand  

Man I think you're falling into the same trap you did last season when you touted the bullpen etc. This team doesn't even have 1 strong starter, the rotation is hot garbage man. I don't understand where this line of thinking comes from.

[GreenSox]

  On 2/10/2025 at 5:51 PM, WestEddy said:

The Fletcher trade wasn't "catastrophic" either. Yes, Getz has to start winning some of these inconsequential trades, but they hardly rise to the level of catastrophic. 

Expand  

Hahn, in his 2nd rebuild,  routinely "lost" those smallish trades, such as peddling relievers at the deadline. He also didn't hit on a thing on the waiver wire (except for a couple of relievers that he would end up dumping for peanuts in July).  That contributed to the lack of depth and staying power of the rebuild.    And by "lost" I mean the trades didn't help the team; a "win" helps the team.  I don't really care about the effect on the other team unless it's disproportionately to the other team's advantage.

Getz is starting from a much lower-point than Hahn  and has a much tougher rebuilding task.  He really needs some hits in these areas.   The Sox have a lot of pitchers right on that ML/AAAA precipice and we'll  find out some answers this season (which is one reason I wouldn't bother much with these veteran relievers).   if a bunch develop, there should be good opportunities for young player for young player trades.  Let's get a Carlos Quentin in here.

[southsider2k5]

  On 2/10/2025 at 10:10 PM, WestEddy said:

Right. One can either buy a Lotto ticket for a 2029 drawing, or you can get a job, and start drawing a paycheck in 2 weeks. 

It's also a thing to shore up the bullpen using a teenager who's 5 years away, then trade him for another teenager who's 5 years away, or maybe even a shortstop who's 2 years away. 

Expand  

If you want a finance analogy the Sox have a chance to either invest long term, or buy a luxury item on a credit card.  The Sox are using their credit card with a 550 credit score, then going to get a payday loan to make it until payday.