Chicago White Sox... The thread.

[Crazy Balki]

batting champ and RBI leader...

Yeah, hitting was a problem.

They ranked 25th in strikeouts per game and dead last in walks per game.

Guys like Anderson, Moncada, Abreu and Eloy had the sheer talent and power to hit their ceiling, but the team overall struggle immensely in terms of taking walks and swinging at errant pitches.

 

[Southside Sully]

They ranked 25th in strikeouts per game and dead last in walks per game.

Guys like Anderson, Moncada, Abreu and Eloy had the sheer talent and power to hit their ceiling, but the team overall struggle immensely in terms of taking walks and swinging at errant pitches.

We were 23rd in OBP, Runs and Total Bases, 24th in Slugging % and SO's, Last in Walks. 24th in Run Differential at -124 Runs.

Those are pathetic stats, and it reflects in our Record. We were tied for 10th worst record in baseball. Have to get on base for when the guys who actually hit, drive you in. OBP is a direct reflection of run differential.

 

[Rogue219]

This clubs's model should be, SHOULD BE, the Tampa Bays. Embracing their methods and the way they've run that club going back to the Andrew Friedman days would be a start.

Would start with the chairman.

 

[Southside Sully]

This clubs's model should be, SHOULD BE, the Tampa Bays. Embracing their methods and the way they've run that club going back to the Andrew Friedman days would be a start.

Would start with the chairman.

Avi looks like the series MVP so far.. Good to see him doing well.. Wish we would have traded him when his value was highest rather than let him walk out the door. But you are right, the small market model, is what they need to follow. A's, Rays, so on. Sox have the money to spend though, so hopefully they do this year. Big game 5 coming up, future Sox Ace Cole toeing the bump.

 

[Wild Bill]

Avi looks like the series MVP so far.. Good to see him doing well.. Wish we would have traded him when his value was highest rather than let him walk out the door. But you are right, the small market model, is what they need to follow. A's, Rays, so on. Sox have the money to spend though, so hopefully they do this year. Big game 5 coming up, future Sox Ace Cole toeing the bump.

We've got dreams too.

 

[Southside Sully]

We've got dreams too.

I already know my disappointment is going to be, Sox resigned Nova to long term deal, and traded for some washed up starter who they think they can reinvent.

 

[Rogue219]

I can't see Cole going to Chicago. He played for the NL version of the White Sox in Pittsburgh.

With all that has been afforded to him from Houston's front office/player development, he's been exposed to the best of the best.

Have to figure the Angels will be the team to beat.

 

[ACamp1900]

I can't see Cole going to Chicago. He played for the NL version of the White Sox in Pittsburgh.

With all that has been afforded to him from Houston's front office/player development, he's been exposed to the best of the best.

Have to figure the Angels will be the team to beat.

Honestly though, I'm totally expecting them to muck that up somehow...

 

[Rogue219]

Avi looks like the series MVP so far.. Good to see him doing well.. Wish we would have traded him when his value was highest rather than let him walk out the door. But you are right, the small market model, is what they need to follow. A's, Rays, so on. Sox have the money to spend though, so hopefully they do this year. Big game 5 coming up, future Sox Ace Cole toeing the bump.

Agreed. It would have been a full rebuild if they had just moved him for anything they could've gotten. They wanted to see if he could be all he could be and take part in their future. He needed the change of scenery.

Tampa and Oakland embrace methods that Chicago will not fully endorse. It would require such a massive philosophical overhaul that would necessitate far more analytical staff employed than what they have currently. Their top execs don't want that from the looks of things.

It would also mean showing Don Cooper the door, which they don't plan on doing and he certainly seems to want to keep working.

The White Sox got rid of their hitting coaches. It's a start, but it isn't complete.

 

[Southside Sully]

Agreed. It would have been a full rebuild if they had just moved him for anything they could've gotten. They wanted to see if he could be all he could be and take part in their future. He needed the change of scenery.

Tampa and Oakland embrace methods that Chicago will not fully endorse. It would require such a massive philosophical overhaul that would necessitate far more analytical staff employed than what they have currently. Their top execs don't want that from the looks of things.

It would also mean showing Don Cooper the door, which they don't plan on doing and he certainly seems to want to keep working.

The White Sox got rid of their hitting coaches. It's a start, but it isn't complete.

Most Sox fans want Coop gone, and he should be gone. If he can't figure it out this upcoming year or show some promise, him and Ricky no matter what need to go.. I think the Sox are keeping Ricky in the organization somehow not in coaching.

 

[Rogue219]

Most Sox fans want Coop gone, and he should be gone. If he can't figure it out this upcoming year or show some promise, him and Ricky no matter what need to go.. I think the Sox are keeping Ricky in the organization somehow not in coaching.

You really think they'll get rid of Cooper? He has survived multiple managers and front offices. He's there for life, my friend.

They haven't been to a postseason in over ten years and under Reinsdorf as chairman they've never gone to the postseason in back to back years. He's there for the profit and to reward people loyal to him. That's Ken Williams and Don Cooper, it seems.

 

[Rogue219]

White Sox have named Frank Menechino as their new hitting coach.

Menechino was the hitting coach for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights last year. He was on the Marlins coaching staff for the five years prior to that. 26 years ago, the White Sox picked him in the 45rh round of the draft.

James Fegan

They drafted him 26 years ago and promoted him from Triple A. Makes perfect sense.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Good hire.

He's familiar with the organization and the players in the farm like Madrigal and Robert, and the guy has a pretty good track record helping developing guys like Stanton, Ozuna and Yelich.

Hitting coach probably isn't a game changer, but it helps.

 

[Rogue219]

I feel terrible for the Sox fans that think Gerrit Cole is going to even consider them. He's so incredibly good and is ready to cash in. He'll play on the Moon before he plays for the White Sox.

 

[Rogue219]

https://www.soxmachine.com/2019/11/...ional-money-while-rebuilding-for-some-reason/

What is going on here?

 

[Southside Sully]

https://www.soxmachine.com/2019/11/...ional-money-while-rebuilding-for-some-reason/

What is going on here?

Yes they did this again and it infuriates me

 

[Rogue219]

https://www.soxmachine.com/2019/11/...f-white-sox-free-agents-in-the-rick-hahn-era/

Brace yourselves for the winter, White Sox fans.

Kenny Williams are running his mouth the other day at the winter meetings. Rick Hahn took a different approach.

They should keep their mouths shut and get something done this time around.

 

[Southside Sully]

https://www.soxmachine.com/2019/11/...f-white-sox-free-agents-in-the-rick-hahn-era/

Brace yourselves for the winter, White Sox fans.

Kenny Williams are running his mouth the other day at the winter meetings. Rick Hahn took a different approach.

They should keep their mouths shut and get something done this time around.

Yes, and sign no relatives, or friends.

 

[Rogue219]

Yasmani Grandal in for 4 years, $73M.

Omar Vizquel out as minor league manager.

Sounds like they're working hard on Zack Wheeler.

 

[Rogue219]

Grandal and Wheeler are NOT Scott Boras clients.

Hmmm....

 

[Southside Sully]

Grandal and Wheeler are NOT Scott Boras clients.

Hmmm....

I know some inside folks, they are pushing extremely hard on Wheeler. Be interesting to see if Sox try to trade McCann now. Great signing, and finally nice to see them being aggressive. The press release was infomative, and glad they made mention of his pitch framing.. These young pitchers will love him I bet. Collins has been training with him since he was in HS. Interesting development there.

 

[Southside Sully]

Keuchel to a very very team friendly deal.. I am good with the cheap money on Gio. LFG boys! Gonna ink Edwin Encarnacion to a 1 year cheap deal too. I don't like the Mazara move, but it has potential. Lot of flexbility with this team. Grandal is the signing that I think isn't getting talked enough in MLB. Great deal, early and aggressive. Lastly, the sox, are the only proactive team in all of Chicago Sports. Its a bizarro world.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Keuchel to a very very team friendly deal.. I am good with the cheap money on Gio. LFG boys! Gonna ink Edwin Encarnacion to a 1 year cheap deal too. I don't like the Mazara move, but it has potential. Lot of flexbility with this team. Grandal is the signing that I think isn't getting talked enough in MLB. Great deal, early and aggressive. Lastly, the sox, are the only proactive team in all of Chicago Sports. Its a bizarro world.

I like what the sox are doing now. Now they will have plenty of pitching depth a guy like rodon may end up in the bullpen next year. You have Gonzalez, Keuchel, Kopek, Lopez, Giolito, Cease, and Rodon. A lot of people wanted RYU but he is 33 and injury prone. I'd like to see what they can do to make a deal with Boston for Betts but only if he signs long term.

 

[Rogue219]

Play the trade market and keep going.

 

[Rogue219]

White Sox remain interested in Nicholas Castellanos, following their signing of Dallas Keuchel. Their current payroll obligation is around $100 million for 2020, with room to possibly increase further

He makes their lineup better if they can get him.

 

[Rogue219]

Encarnacion in. Castellanos and a reliever could be coming next.

Looks like rebuild is over. This is, right now, the most improved team of the winter.

With Cleveland seemingly packing it in, they should have a clear run at the Twins while the Royals and Tigers likely lose 100+ again.

 

[Southside Sully]

Encarnacion in. Castellanos and a reliever could be coming next.

Looks like rebuild is over. This is, right now, the most improved team of the winter.

With Cleveland seemingly packing it in, they should have a clear run at the Twins while the Royals and Tigers likely lose 100+ again.

The Encarnacion signing is solid.. 15 year career, 162 game average - 35HR/105RBIs, 75BB, 153 hits a season.

LFG Sox Fans!

 

[Wild Bill]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In 2019, the White Sox gave 3,252 plate appearances (53.8% of the total) to hitters that were below league average (using wRC+).<br><br>8 of the 9 projected 2020 White Sox starters hit above league average in 2019, and the lone exception, Nomar Mazara, was only 6% below the average.</p>— Nik Gaur (@Gaur_Nik) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gaur_Nik/status/1210053361107701763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What's this batting order going to look like once Madrigal and Robert are on the roster?

 

[Southside Sully]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In 2019, the White Sox gave 3,252 plate appearances (53.8% of the total) to hitters that were below league average (using wRC+).<br><br>8 of the 9 projected 2020 White Sox starters hit above league average in 2019, and the lone exception, Nomar Mazara, was only 6% below the average.</p>— Nik Gaur (@Gaur_Nik) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gaur_Nik/status/1210053361107701763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What's this batting order going to look like once Madrigal and Robert are on the roster?

Lets take some stabs at it..

Madrigal
Moncada
Robert
Abreu
Encarnacion
Eloy
Grandal
Anderson
Mazara

Madrigal
Moncada
Abreu
Encarnacion
Eloy
Grandal
Anderson
Robert
Mazara

 

[Wild Bill]

Lets take some stabs at it..

Madrigal
Moncada
Robert
Abreu
Encarnacion
Eloy
Grandal
Anderson
Mazara

Madrigal
Moncada
Abreu
Encarnacion
Eloy
Grandal
Anderson
Robert
Mazara

Everything I've seen so far projects Robert leading off with Madrigal batting 9th, which is a bit surprising given his ability to get on base. In 2019, Robert hit north of .300 with 30 plus homers and steals. I guess I'll take that. Maybe it's Robert this year and if he continues to fill out/develop he'll be hitting in the 2 or 3 spot after 2020, and Madrigal takes over the leadoff role.

1. Luis Robert - righty
2. Yoan Moncada - switch
3. Jose Abreu - righty
4. Eloy Jimenez - righty
5. Yasmani Grandal - switch
6. Edwin Encarnacion - righty
7. Tim Anderson - righty
8. Nomar Mazara - lefty
9. Nick Madrigal - righty

I assume they'd prefer a combination of Abreu, Eloy and Encarnacion at 3, 4, and 5 but they may split them up with Grandal to get a left handed bat in between them.