White Sox prospect Jake Burger has re-torn his Achilles tendon, GM Rick Hahn tells reporters including Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter links). The recent first-round pick was rehabbing a prior tear that occurred in late February.
Burger was already down for the year, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a significant new development in its own right. He will now have to start over in his rehab after undergoing a second surgical replacement. With a full-year absence required, that means there’s little hope that Burger will be ready for the start of the 2019 season.
Clearly, the 22-year-old was not going to be a part of the immediate plans for the Chicago organization even before the initial injury. But the successive procedures don’t exactly help his long-term outlook, though at this point there’s no reason to believe he can’t get back to full health.
The White Sox will ultimately have to wait quite a bit longer than originally anticipated to see a contribution from Burger, the 11th overall pick last summer out of Missouri State. He hit at a .263/.336/.412 rate in his 217 innings in the low minors last year, so clearly was still in need of significant seasoning. Now, he’ll need to work through quite a lengthy rehab process before re-starting his march toward the majors.
Wow!!! This is a huge blow for the White Sox’s future
It sucks, but not anywhere near that badly.
Remember in the first “Burger tears Achilles” thread somebody wrote “Sad, Dustin Fowler 2.0” ?
Fowler had his MLB promotion on same day Burger re-tore his Achilles. O_O
He sure doesn’t look like an athlete.
Neither did prince fielder. Or bartolo colon. Or cc sabathia.
Or my man John Kruk
But none of those guys had Burger in their name
well played
neither did prince lol
Exactly! I think Prince may not be the best example and the others were pitchers.
“The Artist Formerly Known As Prince” looked like a jockey.
Neither did Kenny Powers.
Neither did Kent Murphy.
Check out a pic of Babe Ruth sometime.
In the words of John kruk i ain’t no athlete, I’m a baseball player
He looks like the winner of a cheeseburger eating contest.
According to their profiles on baseball reference, Jake Burger is 2″ taller than Kyle Schwarber and weighs 25′ less. Before kyleschwarbersmom reply’s, I am a big fan of “Hulk” and wouldn’t mind seeing his big left-handed power bat on the South Side of Chicago where he could be the regular DH and not have to patrol LF very often with Eloy Jimenez on the way.
Perhaps the Cubs and White Sox could hook up on a trade once again and swap a DH for some young pitching.
I guess if there was a time for it to happen, now would be the perfect time while he is already out a good amount of time?
he looks like he ate too many burgers as it is!
you are what you eat! Too many burgers for Jake!
Think he had crabs?
Dude was a bust anyways the White Soxs shouldn’t have drafted him.
Seriously? A bust? He didn’t even have a chance to be a bust or not.
In 51 games in the minors last year, he hit .263/.336/.412. This isn’t bad for playing after a college season. He only had 4 official at-bats in Spring Training before the injury. Not even experts can say what kind of player he’s going to be at this time. To call him a bust this early in his career means you’re either trolling or you have no clue what you’re talking about.
Totally. Great call.
The guy knows a thing or two about burgers
They need to keep drafting high for left side of the infield anyhow whether SS or good SS capable prospects able to shift to 3B as needed for situations like this.
The dude gets injured for the 2nd time in a few months and so many people come here just to bash him. Real classy.
Humanity is a cesspool.
The fat shaming is just unbelievable. Disgusting.
People love to talk trash injuries happen but I know for sure he will come back strong and become a Beast probably not with the White Sox since I feel the White Sox will sign Machado and if they don’t they will wait for Arenado.
The only way the White Sox will sign Machado is of they trade and sign him to an extension. I highly doubt the O’s ate just gonna let him walk. So all young talent you just got via your own trades will end up going to the O’s.
Too bad it’s Machado’s choice, not the O’s.
The O’s are not gonna get as much for MM as you think they are. That time has already passed! Teams will just wait for free agency.
Wait, what?!?! When is the last time a top free agent wanted to sign with the White Sox?!? Haha, I’ll wait….. Even when they were “all in” who did they sign? Adam Dunn? Adam F’n Laroche… and his son? Now they’re gonna sign a top FA in the midst of a long rebuild that may or may not work (probably not, many teams have tried what the Cubs and Astros have done, very few have succeeded) NO CHANCE Machado or Harper signs on the south side.
They’ll have to overpay some old dude waaay over the hill and waaaay past his prime like Griffey. Hahn and KW have been HORRIBLE talent evaluators, this double Burger w/ extra cheese dude is the latest wasted 1st rounder.
Also, JR likes money, the Sox don’t generate near enough for him to jump in the pool with the big boys. No one goes to Sox games, their TV ratings suck so no network deal coming. They’re essentially the only team in a major market that has to operate like a small market team because the Cubs own the city.
Machado will be able to pick where he wants to go, he’s a top 5 player in the league already, so he’ll chase a ring and fat payday. Like most people, the only way he’ll end up on the south side is if his GPS screws up and he gets lost.
Bryzzo2016: Because Boy Wonder Theo Epstein has such a great track record of success in signing high profile FA’s to mega-deals. It’s a good thing he has had owners with deep pockets in Boston and Chicago to ease the pain of the Carl Crawford, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jason Heyward signings.
Btw-Epstein has as many World Series rings in Chicago as Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn….one each. With an overrated goof managing his team now I wouldn’t bet on too many more titles either. As a die-hard fan of both teams since the 1960’s I’d wager my few remaining retirement dollars on the White Sox in the coming years. At least the White Sox have had success developing pitchers and with the help of the Cubs they also look to have a generational slugger on the way in Eloy Jimenez.
Hahaha, save your retirement money. It’s takes more than a subscription to Baseball Prospectus to be a GM. Rick FINALLT blew up that circus. So what? Many teams have tried to do what the Cubs and Astros have DONE, few… very few succeed. You need scouting, both domestic and international (and not just Cuba) You need to be able to properly develop these “prospects” with great coaches up and down your system. You need to have an actual eye for talent, so you stop drafting and trading for BUST AFTER BUST AFTER BUST. There’s so much more than just dumping assets for who Keith Law thinks you should pick up.
Theo/Jed have a proven track record. The won in Boston and Chicago, BTW do a lil research. Many of the young stars in Boston were also drafted by Theo & Co. Built sustainable winners for both organizations. The clowns on the Southside ALSO have a proven track record, sadly it very clearly proves the opposite. They can’t even properly assess their own talent, much less other teams “prospects”. They were “all in” a few years back trying to win, acquiring bums like LaRoche and Shields, desperately calling up Tim Anderson before he was properly developed and they literally finished with a worst record than teams trying to tank. How does that happen?!?!They have no clue; they never have. JRs loyalty to those clowns has hurt that team for years. There is a reason their attendance, their ratings, their record is where it has been for years and years. You think Machado is gonna wanna sign there, you’d have a better chance taking your remaining “retirement dollars” to Vegas.
The proof is in the product old timer. Check out the 1st round picks for the Cubs since Theo got there, compare them to the Sox picks in that same time.
What about the trades? Basically stole Rizzo, Edwards, Arrieta, Russell, Hendricks, etc…. What did all that turn into? 3 straight NLCS, a WS ring already in the bank and the young core of this team hasn’t even peaked yet! Hahaha, they’re all locked up til AT LEAST 2022.
There is a reason why THOSE THAT ACTUALLY GET PAID FOR THEIR OPINION consider Theo one of the best GMs EVER, the same reason why people actually in Chicago barely even bring up Rick and/or Kenny.
Oh, and the Sox manager was fired by the Cubs the second they knew they had a chance to sign Joe. Again, the numbers, the facts don’t lie no matter how hard it is for sad lil Sux fans it is to admit. No one with ANY knowledge of the game would mention Hahn and Kenny in the same sentence as Theo and Jed, or Joe and Renteria for that matter. I know it’s hard to swallow, but “strap it down”, as that idiot Hawk used to say, the Cubs are just getting started, their window is wide open and they are an actual major market team, they got all the money they need to keep adding. Hmmmm, maybe they’ll sign Machado or Harper. Hahahaha, we’ll see.
If the Sox sign Machado he will play SS. Extremely unlikely the Sox will spend enough to get Machado though. Did I miss something? Did Burger move to SS? (Sarcasm) And also, why would Burger not play for the Sox?
Hahaha, if the Sox sign Machado we’ll have bigger things to worry about like pigs flying… or fat, broken, bust 1st rounders flying… The Sux have NEVER been able to attract top FAs, now, as one of the worst teams in baseball, a top 5 player in his prime is gonna wanna sign there? Hahaha, why not sign Harper and maybe Kershaw too.
You must be one of those 20-something fans in Cub nation. Jerry Reinsdorf actually made Albert Belle the highest paid player in MLB when he inked the former Indian to a FA deal in 1996 after “consulting” with his own slugger, Frank Thomas.
That’s because Reinsdorf has absolutely no clue about how to successfully run a sports franchise.
That’s why the Bulls could never attract top talent, either. Any club he owns turns into a joke.
He uses them as jobs programs for his crony buddies. Gar/Pax (of the Bulls) should’ve been fired about a decade ago.
All Jerry likes to do is sign big names that are WAY past their prime, and pay them top dollar — just to fill the seats. The guy is the very definition of an “a-whole.”
He never cared about winning, or the fans.
Hahaha, seriously? You had to go back to ‘96 to find a legit FA signing?!?! Yeah, I remember that headcase. Wasn’t it Joey, then his shrink had him change it to Albert? Hahaha. Come on man, you just proved my point. It’s been over 20 years since a legit free agent stepped foot on the southside and it took meds, probably a lot for that crazy dude and the Big Hurt to get him in town. OVER 20 YEARS and you think the great Manny Machado, who isn’t clinically crazy BTW, but is in the prime of his career, a top 5 player in the game, is gonna want to sign as a FA with the Sux?!?!? Why would he?
Even if JR would pay him what he wants, WHY WOULD HE?! He can go to a team like the Cubs, the Dodgers, the Astros, the Yankees, the REAL Sox(Boston) just to a name a few that all have a young, PROVEN core of great players and give him a legit chance to win a ring… or rings. Oh, BTW, all those teams mentioned could pay him whatever he wants. You poor Sux fans, for your sake I hope ignorance truly is bliss. Thanks for the laugh, I know anytime I’m bored and need a few minutes to kill I can always get some entertainment on this board.
Bryzzo2016: How about a more recent one. The signing of international FA Jose Abreu to a 6yrs/$68MM contract back in October of 2013, 10 months following Theo’s 4yrs/$52MM deal to pitcher Edwin Jackson. It should also be pointed out that Jackson was signed to that deal in the early stages of the Cubs rebuild and only proves my point that Epstein has been protected from some foolish FA signings because of owners with deep pockets.
Meanwhile, the White Sox chose to invest in another top international FA to help jump start their rebuild…Luis Robert. They gave him a $26 million signing bonus and also had to fork over a like amount in penalty money by exceeding their pool allotment. Robert’s signing was the second largest ever for an international player behind the $31 million the Boston Red Sox gave Yoan Moncada,
Moncada, coincidentally enough, is now also with the White Sox courtesy of the Chris Sale trade along with top pitching prospect Michael Kopech as well as talented OF Luis Alexander Basabe who is having a fine season at their A+ Winston-Salem affiliate. These deals are a proper way to begin a rebuild, not signing a journeyman pitcher to an overpriced FA contract. As I said before, Epstein has always had the luxury to p!ss away ownership dollars with his gigs.
Absolutely, Aaron Sapoznik, Edwin Jackson was a bad signing. Every GM has some of those on their resume. I guess the ones that have the least, and/or make up for it with other great deals and ultimately win, keep their jobs. I’m sure that even the most biased, Cub hating south sider can’t deny Theo’s track record in both Boston and Chicago. The trades, the unbelievable success with his 1st round picks has been astounding and well documented on the national scene. I’m not gonna list them all again, I already did that above.
I like Abreau, I believe it was a two team race for his services and the Sox beat out Colorado. (Can you imagine that bat at Coors field 81 times a year?!?) Anyway, I stick to my original point, what started this back and forth.
Fandom aside, do you realistically think Machado would consider the Sox this winter? Or Harper for that matter? Keep in mind, the Cubs have avoided the luxury tax since Theo took over. The Dodgers and Yanks reset their luxury tax this year. Houston has avoided it as well. These 4 MAJOR market teams have a PROVEN young core of studs, the Cubs and Astros have the ultimate proof with their youngsters already winning rings as key contributors. Why would he roll the dice with a rebuild that may or may not work when he can get the same money, if not more, and be a part a proven contender? Not to mention the endorsement money from playing on one of those teams. For instance, Bryant already dwarfed the pennies the Cubs are paying him by signing a major deal with Adidas.
If it’s random, fun fantasy speculation from fans, that’s one thing. But the majority of the posters in here are actually thinking something like this is realistic. That’s just silly to me.
Just to remind you, I am a die-hard fan of both teams and want both to win each year. I have just as much fun criticizing White Sox fans who are impatient with their rebuild just as I admonished similarly thinking Cub fans when they undertook their own under Theo Epstein. If you don’t believe me, feel free to check out the White Sox own website at mlb.com.
That’s not to say I don’t always have issues with the ownership, the front offices or coaching staffs of each organization. It’s clear I am not happy with some of the things the Cubs FO is doing and I especially have an issue with their micro-managing egomaniac manager. I have also lambasted Kenny Williams in the past and haven’t always been a fan of their managers including another ego-driven one in Ozzie Guillen.
I don’t believe it is realistic to think that the White Sox will get into a bidding war over Manny Machado but there are some things that could appeal to him on the South Side. He is not oblivious to what is transpiring in MLB and has to know that the White Sox are a team on the rise. As a player with a Hispanic heritage he might also appreciate an organization that has gone above and beyond in hiring minority candidates to fill upper management and field manager positions. I can see him him very comfortable on a team with a manager like Rick Renteria and surrounded by players such as Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada and many others who are still learning their trade in the minors. He already knows the White Sox showed interest in him this past offseason when the Orioles were shopping him and I could also envision 81-year old Jerry Reinsdorf ponying up some big dollars to make Machado the centerpiece of a White Sox team that most experts believe will be something special in a few years. He definitely would be the star of this White Sox team along with Abreu should they also consider extending their slugging first baseman beyond 2019. With many other teams including the Cubs and his boyhood fave Yankees, he would be among many stars.
Fair enough, first off, I don’t see Abreu on this roster past July, and certainly not by next season. Hahn will want to keep adding prospects and Abreu holds little value on a team that will lose 100 games. It would obviously be very foolish to move assets to rent a player when there is zero chance of a playoff berth this year. Also, again, the White Sox are acquiring “prospects”. None of these guys are proven. Too much of a gamble for Machado when he’ll have PROVEN young rosters that are already legit contenders.
On the BoSox, Astros, Cubs, Dodgers or Yankees he can slide into an instant contender surrounded by players his own age and locked up for several years to come. Again, many have tried what the Cubs/Astros have done, very few have succeeded.
He’ll still get contract him and his rep desire and all 5 of those teams garner huge national attention, so he’ll get all the exposure he could ever want, except maybe on the Dodgers cuz they play on the West Coast, but it doesn’t seem to hurt Trout’s brand. I would say that the Phillies and Braves have more of a guarantee with their prospects than the White Sox do and those two teams also have money to spend. The Padres and White Sox have great “prospects” but none of them are sure fire prospects because there is no such thing as sure fire. As a Cubs fan, you should know the ages of their core, the fact that they are proven. They have met, and even exceeded, the “prospect hype”. Same thing in Houston, and to a lesser extent in NY and LA.
Like many that follow the game, I just don’t trust the development ability of the Sox. They FINALLY overhauled it, they FINALLY started paying more attention and resources to the international market. It will be years if we know if they picked the right guys, if they have the right system in place. They didn’t exactly hire proven guys in the lower levels, or really any level for that matter. Isn’t Scotty Pods the head of player development? How is he qualified for such a crucial position? Haha, again Reinsdorf’s blind loyalty killing the Sox.
Theo tore it down to the studs. Brought in his guys from top to bottom throughout the system. Made sure the assistant hitting coach all the way down in rookie ball was teaching the exact same things as Maddon is preaching for the big club and every coach, instructor, manager in between are all teaching the exact same philosophies. They literally have a book, to keep them all on the same page at all levels. Nothing on a whim, nothing left to chance.
THAT is how you build sustainable success. Not just throwing pieces together, getting on a hot streak at the perfect time and then going right back to being awful and irrelevant a couple years later. Firing your WS winning headcase of a manager before dust even gets a chance to settle on the ring he won. Again, the proof is in the product. 3 straight NLCS appearances, a ring in the bank already with a window that’s wide open for several years at least, most of this core hasn’t even peaked yet.
If you were a top 5 player, entering your prime and had the option, what would you choose? The fact that Bryant and Harper are best friends, or Machado and Almora have been tight since they were kids helps them get ONE of those young stars, but they clearly have a LOT more to make them attractive.
Bryzzo2016: It’s been no secret that I have been a proponent of the White Sox retaining Jose Abreu with a contract extension beyond his 2019 walk season. It’s also no secret that any rebuilding team needs a couple of proven veterans on it’s roster when they transition to contending status. So it makes absolute sense for the White Sox to keep Abreu for all that he’s done and all that he can continue to provide for a team he wants to remain with.
As I mentioned before, I don’t realistically expect the White Sox to be players for either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper next offseason. We also know that stranger things have happened in MLB and the White Sox certainly have ample payroll space to make such a plunge with no danger of any impending luxury tax problem which could hamper all of those “glamour” teams you mentioned. One thing is for certain at this point. The White Sox will not rent Machado this summer which is something that any of those other teams might be willing to do in order to boost their World Series aspirations in 2018.
It won’t be that long before the White Sox have a better idea about some of their most elite prospects like Michael Kopech at AAA along with Eloy Jimenez, Dane Dunning and Zack Collins at AA. They have also prioritized selecting college talent in their June Drafts and those players typically develop faster. They will likely not veer from that direction next month when they select 4th and are also primed for another top pick next year. Most of the prospects they acquired in selling off their many veteran assets the past couple of years are also fairly well advanced as minor league players. Once Luis Robert finishes his rehab he should also be on a fast track to MLB with his numerous years of experience playing in the Cuban CNS league since he was 15. Because of all their “advanced” college bats and arm along with the prior seasoning of those acquired prospects proper internal development should be less of an issue. It should also be noted that the White Sox have revamped most all of their development personnel starting with Chris Getz from the Royal organization and they are now fully recovered from the international scouting scandal which plagued them last decade.
If I were the Cubs GM I would rather have rather have Kris Bryant’s BFF Bryce Harper than Albert Almora’s pal Machado. Of course there is no possibility that they can rent Harper this summer with a trade but a very real possibility they can pry Machado away from the Orioles if Baltimore was interest in three year of Addison Russell to help jump start their next phase. If Baltimore just wants a quick retool they could start with Russell but if they are smart they ought to just start from scratch and prioritize prospects which would give a team like the Dodgers a better advantage with a better farm system.
Of course, signing either Harper or Machado will see the Cubs entering deep luxury tax waters because Jason Heyward is not opting out of his deal and they still have huge dollar obligations outstanding from other FA deals which netted them Jon Lester, Ben Zobrist and Yu Darvish. This is to say nothing of the future earning of elite players like Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras and Kyle Hendricks along with many others who are in or soon to begin their arbitration eligibility.
The orioles could trade Machado to the Dodgers, the dodgers use him half a year, let him walk because of seager returning, and the sox sign him without giving up young talent.
“6’2 210 lbs”
Ugh as someone that’s torn their Achilles I’m devastated for this young man. Don’t let this keep you down. “A setback is just a set up for a comeback”
This might sway the White Sox to select a third baseman like Jonathan India with their #1 pick in the MLB Draft on June 4th. They might even consider drafting top hitting prospect Nick Madrigal who profiles as a leadoff hitting second base in MLB and move Yoan Moncada to 3B sooner rather than later. Moncada is already built like an NFL linebacker and only figures to bulk up more as he continues to develop and age as a ballplayer.
This guy makes Kenny Powers look like a triathlon…..
Good try…
I’d like him more if his last name were Taco.
Poor guy looks like he tore open some Arby’s