Chicago White Sox... The thread.

[Southside Sully]

I'm fine with the Eaton Signing to be honest between him and engel they both get on base and have good defense. The offense isn't the problem for the Sox you got to remember the Sox struggled last year with barely any production from DH and Moncada not 100%. I would like to see them go get Hendriks and then sign Jose Quentina to be the 4th or 5th starter. That way you have a pitching staff of Giolito, Lynn, Keuchel, Kopech, Cease and Quentina you also have Lopez who can come out of the bullpen. I think their plan is to start Vaughn off at DH.

Disagree.. Eaton in 2020 was a -0.9 WAR, and a .285 OBP.. making $7 mil, those are dogshit numbers

 

[Rogue219]

I'm fine with the Eaton Signing to be honest between him and engel they both get on base and have good defense. The offense isn't the problem for the Sox you got to remember the Sox struggled last year with barely any production from DH and Moncada not 100%. I would like to see them go get Hendriks and then sign Jose Quentina to be the 4th or 5th starter. That way you have a pitching staff of Giolito, Lynn, Keuchel, Kopech, Cease and Quentina you also have Lopez who can come out of the bullpen. I think their plan is to start Vaughn off at DH.

You have to do better than Eaton or Engel in right field if you're going all in now.

Quintana as depth might not be a bad idea. Lopez is surely in the pen, but Quintana means Kopech or Cease has to go there too. For my money, I put Kopech in there for a year and ease him in.

Johan Santana, Francisco Liriano and others have started out in the pen in the Majors and gone on to be starters. Didn't Mr. Buehrle as well?

Nothing wrong with being cautious on Kopech, especially if 2021 is a short season again. He opted out in 2020, so if they put him in the pen as precaution, he shouldn't have much of a gripe. Service time is already ticking.

 

[Rogue219]

Tony LaRussa got a day of house arrest as punishment. During a pandemic when we're all staying at home anyway.

Add "I'm a Hall of Famer baseball person" to the list of priviledge sayings that will get you out of shit with cops. Wow.

White Sox have an agreement with 23-year-old Cuban outfield prospect Yoelqui Cespedes, the half-brother of Yoenis Cespedes. Somewhere around $2 million. If this team plays well, it's in the International market with Cubans. They also have Cuban right-hander Norge Vera inbound as well.

Cuban outfield prospect Oscar Colas could wait until next window and get a better deal in 2022 than 2021, and there is mutual admiration between Colas and the White Sox. They can't get him this window with the other two already on board, but if he waits another year they'll be able to snag him.

Such a fun team on paper, even with the crypt keeper as their manager.

 

[Southside Sully]

There are rumors Sox will sign Cuban Pitcher Vera Santiago as well.. He's 20th on MLB pipeline as well.. All the Cubans please.

Great signing on Cespedes.. Just be a league average hitter, with above average OBP, with plus defense and speed and ill be happy with him right when Engels done

 

[Rogue219]

White Sox bullpen.

 

[Southside Sully]

Big $$$

 

[Rogue219]

Big $$$

For a franchise often accused of being "cheap", they certainly seem like they are making moves.

 

[Southside Sully]

Yep its great to finally see.

 

[Southside Sully]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">New White Sox closer Liam Hendriks and wife Kristi donating meals from Bridgeport restaurants to those working in front lines during pandemic. Firefighters from all 3 platoons at Engine 29 near Sox park will be treated to lunch Thurs. They plan to do more of same in coming weeks.</p>— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) <a href="https://twitter.com/CST_soxvan/status/1354505701419323394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Gonna be a fan favorite quick on the Southside

 

[Rogue219]

Rockies are probably throwing in the towel.

White Sox should inquire about German Marquez. He would go from THE hitters park to an AL hitters park that is closer to sea level than Denver.

 

[Southside Sully]

Rockies are probably throwing in the towel.

White Sox should inquire about German Marquez. He would go from THE hitters park to an AL hitters park that is closer to sea level than Denver.

Rumors are they are sniffing around Charlie Blackmon

 

[Rogue219]

I think the Twins are back in front now for this division based on the recent moves they've made. It's close, but I still have them as the favorites.

 

[Rogue219]

So this Eloy guy needs to DH full time, but you have Abreu/Vaughn/Grandal who are also going to get DH at bats.

Abreu's eventual retirement is the only way you can stick Eloy at DH for good. He makes Manny Ramirez look like Torri Hunter.

 

[Southside Sully]

Ya this is a kick square to the balls. Get healthy young man. In other news, Oscar Colas coming sox way in January. #AllTheCubans
https://twitter.com/JRFegan/status/1375088130223669255?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet

 

[Rogue219]

They have that market cornered.

 

[Southside Sully]

Well done and much deserved #55

 

[Rogue219]

Now Luis Robert is out 12-16 weeks? Ugh. Injuries are really hitting these guys, and early too.

Also sounds like LaRussa's decision making is proving his critics correct. Again, I didn't understand the hire other than he's pals with the chairman of the team and what this chairman says goes. From a baseball 2021 vantage point is makes absolutely no sense, and the guy is making bad choices that are costing them games.

Hopefully no one forces their front office to panic. They don't need to start trading away assets when they are set well for the long term with the players they have.

This Mercedes guy has been absolutely a joy a watch hit.

 

[ozzman]

RIP 74 and 88

 

[BobbyMac]

This Mercedes guy has been absolutely a joy a watch hit.

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/whitesox/status/1390427979692613637[/TWEET]

 

[Rogue219]

No Jimenez, no Robert, Giolito and Keuchel pitching like end of rotation starters. Yet still, they're rolling.

 

[Southside Sully]

No Jimenez, no Robert, Giolito and Keuchel pitching like end of rotation starters. Yet still, they're rolling.

 

[BobbyMac]

2005 had a hell of a bull pen... this team has a pen from another planet. All gas, all the time.

There were 11 guys avg'ing a SO per inning last I checked. Come on man!

 

[Rogue219]

2005 had a hell of a bull pen... this team has a pen from another planet. All gas, all the time.

There were 11 guys avg'ing a SO per inning last I checked. Come on man!

The 2005 team had multiple people who had career years and were never really heard from again, right? Didn't they have three different closers that year and it was Jenks in the end, who they pulled out of nowhere? Remarkable story.

I laugh when the old timers talk about "putting the ball in play" and "making contact." Tell you what, I'd love to have seen Mike Schmidt put a 94 MPH slider "into play". I'm sure it would've been no sweat.

Last year with Covid, I started noticing that just about everyone has a couple of guys in their pen now who you've never heard of that throw 98 MPH fastballs. It's crazy.

This team, though, seems to have guys that are competing for leverage and that's a great problem for a manager to have. With that many guys you can trust going into those late innings, it makes you that much more formidable.

Still can't believe what they're doing offensively without the two Cubans basically done for the year.

 

[Wild Bill]

The 2005 team had multiple people who had career years and were never really heard from again, right? Didn't they have three different closers that year and it was Jenks in the end, who they pulled out of nowhere? Remarkable story.

Ozzie went from Shingo Takatsu closing games to Dustin Hermanson. Was a great move until Hermanson got hurt and then Jenks started closing games. Jenks had one or two decent years after 2005 and the other two never really played again, IIRC. Cotts and Politte and a few others I'm forgetting had career years and never did much after that season.

That team rode their starters in the playoffs more than any team I can remember in my lifetime. I think they got 7 plus innings from their starter every game with the exception of one, game 3 against the Red Sox when El Duque came out to get Freddy Garcia out of a bases loaded jam in the 6th inning.

Against the Angles their starters pitched 44 plus innings out of the 45 total that they played, including four complete games.

Starters weren't as dominant against the Astros in the WS, aside from a complete game gem by Garcia in game 4, but they got the job done and chewed up a ton of innings.

It was a remarkable story and a fun year overall.

I laugh when the old timers talk about "putting the ball in play" and "making contact." Tell you what, I'd love to have seen Mike Schmidt put a 94 MPH slider "into play". I'm sure it would've been no sweat.

Last year with Covid, I started noticing that just about everyone has a couple of guys in their pen now who you've never heard of that throw 98 MPH fastballs. It's crazy.

This team, though, seems to have guys that are competing for leverage and that's a great problem for a manager to have. With that many guys you can trust going into those late innings, it makes you that much more formidable.

Still can't believe what they're doing offensively without the two Cubans basically done for the year.

They are deeper than I thought, that's for sure. Yermin has been a great story, but I'm not sure if he can keep this pace going. Andrew Vaughn is another guy who has been hitting the piss out of the ball and playing both RF and LF. When they drafted this guy he was supposed to be a great bat and an average, at best, fielding 1st basemen. He's been surprisingly good in the field. Eaton has cooled off recently but he started the year hot and has contributed in Engel's absence.

The entire OF is injured, Eloy, Robert, Engel, Tim Anderson out for a couple weeks, Grandal batting .100, we're nearly dead last in the AL in total HRs, Giolito and Keuchel, the presumptive 1 and 2 starters are close to a 5.0 ERA and we have the best record in the majors with a +73 run differential.

Makes total sense.

 

[BobbyMac]

The 2005 team had multiple people who had career years and were never really heard from again, right? Didn't they have three different closers that year and it was Jenks in the end, who they pulled out of nowhere? Remarkable story.

I laugh when the old timers talk about "putting the ball in play" and "making contact." Tell you what, I'd love to have seen Mike Schmidt put a 94 MPH slider "into play". I'm sure it would've been no sweat.

Last year with Covid, I started noticing that just about everyone has a couple of guys in their pen now who you've never heard of that throw 98 MPH fastballs. It's crazy.

This team, though, seems to have guys that are competing for leverage and that's a great problem for a manager to have. With that many guys you can trust going into those late innings, it makes you that much more formidable.

Still can't believe what they're doing offensively without the two Cubans basically done for the year.

Yep on the '05 pen.

Lefty Neal Cotts had a career year out of nowhere. ERA in the 1's. Cliff Polite also had a career year, 2.00 ERA but he had good years earlier in his career with Toronto and somewhere else. Viscaino and Marte ate innings at ERA's of 3.75ish. Dustin Hermanson was having a career year as a closer, 34 saves and 2.04 ERA...but got hurt right before the ALDS (and basically ended his career). That opened the door for Jenks as the closer in the post season. Jenks had a great rookie year even before becoming the closer with a 2.75 ERA and 50 K's in 39 innings after being called up in July. Jenks then went on a run over the next few years that included breaking the record for most consecutive retired batters at 41 and he did that over 14 appearances... Which Buerhle later broke with help of his perfect game.

 

[Rogue219]

I remember that season pretty well. Still think it is funny that they were referred to as a "Small Ball" team when they collectively hit 200 HR.

Loved Konerko and Dye.

Jose Conteras was lights out that second half of 2005 and first half of 2006 as I recall. He was unreal.

 

[BobbyMac]

Ozzie went from Shingo Takatsu closing games to Dustin Hermanson. Was a great move until Hermanson got hurt and then Jenks started closing games. Jenks had one or two decent years after 2005 and the other two never really played again, IIRC. Cotts and Politte and a few others I'm forgetting had career years and never did much after that season.

That team rode their starters in the playoffs more than any team I can remember in my lifetime. I think they got 7 plus innings from their starter every game with the exception of one, game 3 against the Red Sox when El Duque came out to get Freddy Garcia out of a bases loaded jam in the 6th inning.

Against the Angles their starters pitched 44 plus innings out of the 45 total that they played, including four complete games.

Starters weren't as dominant against the Astros in the WS, aside from a complete game gem by Garcia in game 4, but they got the job done and chewed up a ton of innings.

It was a remarkable story and a fun year overall.



They are deeper than I thought, that's for sure. Yermin has been a great story, but I'm not sure if he can keep this pace going. Andrew Vaughn is another guy who has been hitting the piss out of the ball and playing both RF and LF. When they drafted this guy he was supposed to be a great bat and an average, at best, fielding 1st basemen. He's been surprisingly good in the field. Eaton has cooled off recently but he started the year hot and has contributed in Engel's absence.

The entire OF is injured, Eloy, Robert, Engel, Tim Anderson out for a couple weeks, Grandal batting .100, we're nearly dead last in the AL in total HRs, Giolito and Keuchel, the presumptive 1 and 2 starters are close to a 5.0 ERA and we have the best record in the majors with a +73 run differential.

Makes total sense.

Ozzie pulled Freddy after he gave up a HR to Manny leading off the 6th and then Marte loaded the bases with all walks or a hit followed by tow walks... then El Duque cane in and performed the miracle. Was just telling someone that was the most intense thing I can remember in sports. Seemed like it took a half hour for him to get those three outs, it may have... it was over 20 pitches and El Duque put on a show.

You hit the nail on the head about the starters. That staff won't be confused with other HOF staffs that go down in history but I'd have to think really hard and dig deep to find anyone who matched that post season.

Thanks for adding Takatsu, I skipped that and it's important to tell that story and who Ozzie/Coop transitioned Hermanson from an 8th inning guy to closer over time. They shipped Takatsu off at some point after he sat in the pen for a while.

 

[Rogue219]

I recall El Duque at Fenway in Game 3 was on a Friday if I'm not mistaken. I rememeber being at a pub watching that game and him getting out of the bases loaded jam. You did not want to give that Red Sox team any kind of lifeline whatsoever. It was a critical moment for them and they finished the three game sweep.

That team lost one game in the postseason? I doubt we see a run like that again soon.

 

[BobbyMac]

I recall El Duque at Fenway in Game 3 was on a Friday if I'm not mistaken. I rememeber being at a pub watching that game and him getting out of the bases loaded jam. You did not want to give that Red Sox team any kind of lifeline whatsoever. It was a critical moment for them and they finished the three game sweep.

That team lost one game in the postseason? I doubt we see a run like that again soon.

Game 1 vs the Angels and Hernandez pitched into the 9th down a run.

Anything's possible but I'm not betting on the field coming up with a better performance.

The only blemish was Jenks blown save in game 3 of the WS but that led to a great 14 inning game and I was on Kauai so it was more baseball at the beach cabana in the afternoon for me.

 

[Rogue219]

So LaRussa got mad his player hit a 3-0 HR off a position player while ahead by many runs and it’s a thing now.

He actually apologized to the Twins.

Average median age of a baseball fan is 55. These unwritten rules are why.

These are pros getting paid.