Albers

[harkness99]

Wanted to give the dude his props.

 

He held it down and gave us a chance.

[ChiSox59]

He is pretty good. His sinker is nasty.

[Quin]

I've disliked Albers on the roster since Nate came back up since I think they need a true LR like Carroll.

 

But damn, he was brilliant last night.

[Jose Abreu]

Next time you give him props, try to spell his name correctly.

[southsider2k5]

Honestly the entire pen was great last night. Even Robertson got screwed because of his defense. Realistically the pen didn't give up a run from the 8th to the 13th inning if Abreu makes the right choice.

[3GamesToLove]

The funnest (sic) of fun facts: Matt Albers has finished 86 games in his career. He has never recorded a save. All time, this is second only to fellow active journeyman Ryan Webb, currently in the Indians pen. Webb has surged ahead this season: he has already recorded 9 games finished, bringing his career total to 96(!). Albers's time on the DL has done him no favors in this chase for history, as he's got just 3 on the year.

 

(Credit goes to Baseball Prospectus's "Effectively Wild" podcast for noticing this race last year)

[OmarComing25]

Next time you give him props, try to spell his name correctly.

I opened this thread expecting the misspelling to be a joke about how Albers should be in AA.

[harkness99]

He really did a good job of keeping the ball down and in.

[kitekrazy]

Honestly the entire pen was great last night. Even Robertson got screwed because of his defense. Realistically the pen didn't give up a run from the 8th to the 13th inning if Abreu makes the right choice.

 

I didn't get to see the game so I wondered what happened because Robertson is making his way on my mental midget list.

 

[harkness99]

I didn't get to see the game so I wondered what happened because Robertson is making his way on my mental midget list.

 

He wasn't great but yeah if Abreu doesn't screw up he likely gets the save.

 

The first man that reached he threw a meatball on 1-2 count.

 

Then on a hit and run he gave up a bullet.. so two hits - first and 3rd 1 out. Gives up a line shot for the 3rd out.

 

 

But he likely should have escaped.

[harkness99]

Next time you give him props, try to spell his name correctly.

 

Well it was fixed.. Never noticed it was Albers instead of Aalbers. I've seen the name Aalbers many times in my life (including my high school quarterback).

 

Never knew any ALBERS.

 

I apologize.

[Jose Abreu]

Chicago White Sox ‏@whitesox 1m1 minute ago

With his scoreless inning in the 8th, that is 15 straight appearances for Matt Albers without giving up an ER (18.2 IP). #Nails

[Jose Abreu]

Chuck Garfien ‏@ChuckGarfien 9m9 minutes ago

One of Rick Hahn's best moves as GM: signing Matt Albers. Has a 1.38 ERA. Hasn't given up an earned run since July.

[Vance Law]

He wasn't great but yeah if Abreu doesn't screw up he likely gets the save.

 

The first man that reached he threw a meatball on 1-2 count.

 

Then on a hit and run he gave up a bullet.. so two hits - first and 3rd 1 out. Gives up a line shot for the 3rd out.

 

 

But he likely should have escaped.

 

Do you mean Flowers? Catcher's interference and passed ball.

[Balta1701]

Chuck Garfien ‏@ChuckGarfien 9m9 minutes ago

One of Rick Hahn's best moves as GM: signing Matt Albers. Has a 1.38 ERA. Hasn't given up an earned run since July.

We've made him a good amount of money on the free agent market since he's on a 1 year contract and we didn't make use of him at either of the trade deadlines.

[bmags]

Yeah, this is so familiar during Rick Hahn's tenure, the low-risk bullpen piece that works out is injured/just recovering to not be able to trade, not signed beyond one year. So, yay Albers, you helped this non-playoff team during the only months where we coulnd't flip you for longer term value.

[shysocks]

I know I'll lie awake at night wondering what stud prospect we missed out on because we didn't trade Matt Albers.

[bmags]

It's an easy way to add more talent to the system without affecting the long-term goals of the club. The prospect we added for Beckham may actually make it to the big leagues, and who would have guessed. It's cool to mock something very reasonable that the club needs to be doing while rebuilding, though. You are much smarter than us.

[elrockinMT]

Do you mean Flowers? Catcher's interference and passed ball.

 

 

I saw the replay on Flower's passed ball and wondered what the heck did he just do there

[shysocks]

It's an easy way to add more talent to the system without affecting the long-term goals of the club. The prospect we added for Beckham may actually make it to the big leagues, and who would have guessed. It's cool to mock something very reasonable that the club needs to be doing while rebuilding, though. You are much smarter than us.

Good, my goal is to look cool and smart.

 

Albers is pictured next to "just a guy" in the dictionary, despite his remarkable August in which he allowed 14 hits, 6 walks, and a hit batter in 13.2 innings. He's also allowed 10 inherited runners to score this year, which is tied for 35th in MLB this year behind a whole bunch of guys who've thrown more innings. The 1.38 ERA is a mirage and GM's know it. Any return for him would be a long shot to ever contribute, Gordon Beckham trade notwithstanding.

 

Should he have been traded? Sure.

Is it worth complaining about? No.

[Dick Allen]

Good, my goal is to look cool and smart.

 

Albers is pictured next to "just a guy" in the dictionary, despite his remarkable August in which he allowed 14 hits, 6 walks, and a hit batter in 13.2 innings. He's also allowed 10 inherited runners to score this year, which is tied for 35th in MLB this year behind a whole bunch of guys who've thrown more innings. The 1.38 ERA is a mirage and GM's know it. Any return for him would be a long shot to ever contribute, Gordon Beckham trade notwithstanding.

 

Should he have been traded? Sure.

Is it worth complaining about? No.

Yeah, the "Beckham was traded for a guy who may be decent" doesn't mean Albers would be traded for a guy who would be decent. If it was, the Sox then should get a serviceable pitcher and a starting SS for John Danks considering that's exactly what they got for Jaime Navarro.

 

One month of Matt Albers gets you scraps. Maybe those scraps become a decent player. Odds are, in a year, you forget exactly what the Sox received for Matt Albers. The White Sox are paying the guy. You would think if there was something offered they were even remotely intrigued with, they would have sent him packing. Obviously, there was not.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Dick Allen

[Chisoxfn]

Yeah, the "Beckham was traded for a guy who may be decent" doesn't mean Albers would be traded for a guy who would be decent. If it was, the Sox then should get a serviceable pitcher and a starting SS for John Danks considering that's exactly what they got for Jaime Navarro.

 

One month of Matt Albers gets you scraps. Maybe those scraps become a decent player. Odds are, in a year, you forget exactly what the Sox received for Matt Albers. The White Sox are paying the guy. You would think if there was something offered they were even remotely intrigued with, they would have sent him packing. Obviously, there was not.

I totally forgot that we got Eldred and Jose for Navarro. What a freaking trade.

[southsider2k5]

Yeah, the "Beckham was traded for a guy who may be decent" doesn't mean Albers would be traded for a guy who would be decent. If it was, the Sox then should get a serviceable pitcher and a starting SS for John Danks considering that's exactly what they got for Jaime Navarro.

 

One month of Matt Albers gets you scraps. Maybe those scraps become a decent player. Odds are, in a year, you forget exactly what the Sox received for Matt Albers. The White Sox are paying the guy. You would think if there was something offered they were even remotely intrigued with, they would have sent him packing. Obviously, there was not.

 

There is one key point being missed here.

 

The odds of getting a good player for Albers are zero if you keep him.

The odds of getting a good player for Albers are above zero if you trade him.

 

It doesn't particularly matter how good the offer was, it was SOMETHING, which is better than NOTHING.

[bmags]

Yeah, the "Beckham was traded for a guy who may be decent" doesn't mean Albers would be traded for a guy who would be decent. If it was, the Sox then should get a serviceable pitcher and a starting SS for John Danks considering that's exactly what they got for Jaime Navarro.

 

One month of Matt Albers gets you scraps. Maybe those scraps become a decent player. Odds are, in a year, you forget exactly what the Sox received for Matt Albers. The White Sox are paying the guy. You would think if there was something offered they were even remotely intrigued with, they would have sent him packing. Obviously, there was not.

 

No, you are right, it doesn't. But if his success happens at the right time you flip it for a lottery ticket. It will most likely fail, but the more lottery ticket talent you bring into the system the more chances you have something hits. And all you paid for it was a decent reliever in a year where you were terrible.

 

There is zero argument that Matt Albers not getting injured changes the trajectory of the franchise, but the white sox have been rebuilding for 3 years, and absolutely zero of their low-risk vet signings have turned into something they could sell for long-term potential. This is something other teams in similar situations have been able to do successfully, and Hahn has not. His low-risk signings have either been DFA disasters or injured around the deadline. He is either very unlucky, which is possible, or we have terrible pro scouting, which at this point seems very accurate.