White Sox fans will get a long-awaited first look at top pitching prospect Michael Kopech on Tuesday, and GM Rick Hahn spoke to the media today about the decision to bring the prized righty to the Majors (links to Twitter via James Fegan of The Athletic, Daryl Van-Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times and Scott Merkin of MLB.com). Hahn said that the team feels Kopech has turned a corner recently and that the organizational hope all along has been to get a look at how he fares against big league hitters at some point during the 2018 season. Chicago made Kopech earn the promotion, but with a 59-to-4 K/BB ratio across his pat 44 innings, the control troubles he’s battled throughout the minors look to be much improved. The Sox aren’t announcing who’ll be bumped from the rotation, but Hahn said that Kopech will start every fifth day, though the team will be “flexible” and conscientious of his innings, as he’s already just eight shy of his career-high 134 frames.
As for slugging outfielder Eloy Jimenez, White Sox fans will have to wait a bit longer. Hahn said that Jimenez will “remain in [Triple-A] Charlotte at this time” and will be further evaluated in the coming weeks (Twitter link via Van Schouwen).
Here’s more from the division…
- Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey spoke with Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune about the team’s summer sale of veteran assets, acknowledging that it’s a change of course from how the organization has typically operated in the past. Falvey, GM Thad Levine and the rest of the Twins front office traded six players — Eduardo Escobar, Ryan Pressly, Zach Duke, Lance Lynn, Brian Dozier and Fernando Rodney — in under two weeks when it became apparent that their postseason hopes had all but evaporated. Falvey indicated that, having previously worked under then-GM Mark Shapiro in Cleveland, dealing away short-term assets to stockpile controllable talent was “common practice” even if it’s a “departure from the norm” for Twins fans. As Zack Meisel of The Athletic recently explored, though (subscription required), such trades helped pave the way for Cleveland’s current success; the Indians acquired each of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger in exchange for a short-term veteran upgrade.
- Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press spoke with Tigers GM Al Avila about the team’s rebuilding process over the weekend. Though Avila has fully committed to a multi-year rebuild of the organization, he was not shy about expressing the difficulty he has in watching his club struggle — even if the results were largely expected. “This is why people try to avoid rebuilds,” said the GM. “Because the rebuilds are very, very tough on everybody’s mentality and psyche and they drive you crazy. I know it’s driven me crazy.” Still, Avila discussed the importance of finding reasons for optimism in the farm system and of the positive strides some prospects have made in 2018 as the team looks to the future. Fenech notes that a number of farmhands, Daz Cameron perhaps chief among them, have made encouraging strides in ’18. The interview is rife with quotes from Avila, who explained that the Tigers had little choice but to commit to a rebuild and vowed to fans that the ultimate payoff “will be worth it.”
Pat 44 innings instead of past 44 innings
You left out a period in your comment. You’re criticizing someone for making one typo in a long article when you can’t even use proper punctuation in one sentence.
Douche.
Touché, mon ami. Or is that douché?
How is it douche? It’s a grammatical error that clearly should be fixed.
The White Sox treatment of Eloy is bordering on criminal. There isn’t anything else for him to prove or learn in the minors, and there hasn’t been for a month. It’s not like he’s being blocked. They better hope come extension time his memory isn’t long. They aren’t the type of team that can sign guys to extensions without a discount.
Why play him now over Engel when they’re clearly not going to the playoffs? Just chill on starting his clock until next year
I can think of a lot of reasons.
1. Engel is not an MLB quality starter
2. Eloy isn’t going to play center anyway, he will play left and DH.
3. He isn’t just MLB ready, he’s been MLB ready for over a month.
4. He is the best hitter in the White Sox organization, top to bottom.
5. He is probably already better than the vast majority of major league players, if not one of the top players in all of baseball. But he is wallowing away in the minors.
6. Nobody signs a team friendly extension when they’re getting screwed over so handily. It isn’t like he doesn’t have an agent. His agent is telling him exactly what the White Sox are doing to his service time, and he’s definitely mentioning how unfair it is that Kopech is going to be a super 2.
1) Engel’s Defense borders on historic. His bat is not MLB quality.
2)He will play right because of his arm,as well as because they already have a stockpile of bad fielders with power to play DH (Palka, Davidson, Avi, Delmonico)
3)Can’t argue, he’s ready
4)Make a case for Abreu, but splitting hairs
5)He has never seen an MLB pitch, you ca not make this comment without being highly speculative. Talent is there for this to be true, but not until he plays.
6)If he becomes the superstar you project him to be, then a team-friendly deal isnt likely regardless. Also, recent evidence suggests the Sox may be willing to open the checkbook for a talent like Eloy, and given this is the friends he will make on the team, there is no reason he wont siny with the Sox.
All you are seeing is the public face of everything. You dont think Hahn hasn’t had a conversation with Jimenez and his agent about exactly when he is coming up? Jimenez knows and has said the right things. All you need to do is get ready to buy you 16 Jimenez jersey in May 2019
1. Historic? The guy is a good defender. He’s made some flashy plays at the wall, but we’re talking about a team that’s also giving him ample opportunity to catch balls at the wall.
2. None of those guys will be on the White Sox the next time they contend. Release someone if you have to.
3. yep
4. No, he’s leaps and bounds more talented than Abreu. That’s not a knock on Abreu.
5. Maybe you can’t, but many scouts believe he’s going to come up and play the role of the next Bryce Harper from day one. Using the “he hasn’t seen an mlb pitch” argument only flies if you can’t evaluate his talent and rely solely on numbers at that level.
6. Nothing about the way the White Sox have operated in the last 20 years indicates Eloy will be resigned for anything but an early, team friendly extension. Which will not happen if they continue to do this to him.
On the conversation, you also assume he has a bad agent that isn’t explaining all of this to him. Hahn’s statements to Jimenez mean nothing compared to what his agent- who he pays to look out for his best interests – is telling him about how the White Sox are screwing him out of money he deserves..
Hahn is clearly keeping Eloy down because Eloy needs to work on his age. He’s simply too young to be this good. Lol
Eloy has looked real good in the minors but saying “ he is probably better then the vast majority of major leaguers” when he hasn’t played at that level is kind of a silly statement.
I do you think you statement is a little ridiculous but would like to see him up seems like he doesn’t really have anything to prove in the minors so let’s see what he’s got. The only other player I’d like to see called up more is Vlad Jr. hopefully both will be called up in September.
So simple
1. s
2. e
3. r
4. v
5. i
6. ce time
also this is nothing new. Cubs did this with their third baseman. I mean don’t take me wrong but you will also learn that the moon is not made out of cheese.
Maybe his service time clock, but he’s already on the 40 man roster which has used up one of his options.
One can argue now or later, but ChiSox fans should Eloy when he finally gets called up. His 326/.374/.580 is a line that should be MLB ready.
Yet they traded away the players who did give a discount and signed long term.
Pulling for a decent start for Kopech
Was hoping his debut would be at home but no biggie.
It is at home
ChiSox are in Minnesota.
Today is a make up game and then they are back in Chicago tomorrow. Hes pitching tomorrow
Sorry, my mistake. Totally forgot about it being a make-up game. Carry on lol.
The Sox play the Cubs in September. Eloy will be up for that. There is no way Kenny or Rick pass up an opportunity to have Eloy hurt the Cubs.
Do you think they still care about the Cubs?
I don’t think the Sox management cares about the North Siders, other than their desire to cut into the Cubs’ fan domination.
However, so many Pale Hoser fans obsess about the Cubs, like an envious little brother. They look for any excuse for criticism or schadenfreude, e.g., if the Sox lose but the Cubs also lose, it’s a happy day for such people. Sad to see.
As a Chicago with many friends on both sides of the rivalry, I can say without a doubt this exists as a two way street, but it is far more prevalent amongst the north siders.
It’s not as many as you think.
And I find it hilarious that so many Cubs fans think it only goes one way.
My Cubs-fan family pulled for the Go-Go Sox in the late ’50s and beyond, throughout their lives, even though my mom grew up in Wrigleyville. We loved Nellie, Big Klu, Leetle Looie Aparicio, and Minnie Minoso.
So did lots of folks. It was Chicago fans rooting for Chicago teams. That was true for the most part in 2005 too when the Sox won.
I don’t see that any more; most Cubs fans I know are indifferent about the Sox; but I see and hear lots of Sox fans focus on belittling the Cubs and their fans.
To each his own experience and perspective.
Yeah…I don’t want to act like this doesn’t exist. But it’s terribly overstated, and there’s far more Cubs fans doing this than Sox fans. Which is pretty ridiculous when you consider where both of these teams are.
I think you live in a bubble then. To be perfectly honest.
I live on the south side and no one ever talks about the Cubs.
My family lives on the North side and Everyone hates the sox. Literally won’t shut up about it if the Sox are brought up.
“To each his own experience and perspective.”
As a Red Sox fan who happens to live in Chicago I see it on both sides of the fanbases here but it has been more prevalent with Cubs fans in my opinion as they try to treat Sox fans as little brother but those fans tend to be the less informed, suburbanite fans that become bandwagons whenever a Chicago team becomes relevant.
Almost all fanbases are guilty of having fans such as this but to say it’s one-sided is a losing argument. It’s mostly less informed fans or fair weather fans who hold idiotic fights that consist of childish remarks.
Agreed. This is heavily generated and sustained by the media more than anything.
I don’t know about that. If they are playing he “service time” game, he won’t be up. But even then I don’t think they care about hurting the Cubs. Too professional.
Also there is no guarantee the guy will even make an impact in a 3 game series. So I’m pretty sure they don’t care.
There is little doubt that Eloy Jimenez will make his MLB debut in 2018. As good as Michael Kopech has been in his last 7 starts for AAA Charlotte, Jimenez has been the more consistent of the two top White Sox prospects this season. The White Sox also won’t want to piss Jimenez off by delaying his promotion until 2019.
Both Kopech and Jimenez have been vocal about their ability to succeed at baseball’s highest level this year and to promote only Kopech would not be a wise decision for the organization. Unlike Kopech who will need to be added to the 40-man roster before his start against the Twins on Tuesday, Jimenez has been on the reserve list since last fall when the organization needed to keep him from becoming Rule 5 eligible last December.
A lot of Twins fans were upset with the sell off. So many comments and letters in the local papers. I think it was the obvious thing to do. If you’re not going to make the playoffs, may as well fill up the farm with future talent.
Most of those people would’ve been upset regardless of what direction they choose. They live in perpetual outrage.
Sox need this guy to be big. Doesn’t look like Giolito is all that special yet.
Tigers rebuild is a nightmare… the team still doesn’t really have anything exciting in the minors to look forward to with the exception of Casey Mize… I think the rebuild idea is flawed in modern baseball… guys who you develop in the minors and become stars are so rare, and even then, you only get them for a few years before they leave for money. I believe you must be willing to spend every single year, to bring in FA’s and build a competitive enough team that has the ability to compete for a playoff spot. Once you’re in the playoffs, really, all bets are off, as anything can happen in a short 7-game series. MLB has proven that modern baseball dynasty’s really don’t exist. When you begin the season with no realistic chance, it’s such a demoralizing blow to everyone in and around the organization. Unfortunately, the Tigers are going to be terrible for a long long time, as they have signified their intent to try to be cost conscience while building from within, and there is nothing to build with. This team has been misguided for years. Mike Illitch knew he was creating a giant mess that he wouldn’t be around to have to deal with, all on the hopes of getting lucky in the playoffs one time. They blew it every chance they got.
Having been thru the record tying losing season of 2003, as a fan of the Tigers, and then watched them make the WS in 2006, I can tell you that they are in a much better position today, than they were in 2003. Candelario looks like a keeper, in spite of his decline since his wrist injury. Niko Goodrum looks like a find (tho 2B may not be his best spot). They just acquired Harold Castro from the Indians, and he should get an opportunity to play SS or 2B as early as next year. They have plenty of starting prospects in the minors, not just Casey Mize. Boyd has taken a step forward. Greene, Jimenez, Alcantara, and Reininger have shown the makings of a stable bullpen. Hicks and Greyson show promise at C. Stewart and Cameron are on the horizon for OF. Yes, they will need someone to anchor the lineup, but FA provided the Ordonez last time and will be an option again. No team self develops every player. I see this rebuild as any rebuild: something that will take time.
Great insight, thank you.
As long as the Tigers have a plan and stick to it. Twenty plus years ago, they began a rebuild and were making progress by 1997. Then, they changed the plan and tried to build a different type of team… two more times. The effort reeked of owner interference
The difference between the Twins and Indians is that the Indians have shown some record of turning nobody minor leaguers into worthwhile major leaguers. Cynicism from Twins fans isn’t so much from parting with the established players as it is from the generally dismal record of actually developing minor leaguers into anything.
It is really amazing to see fans that cannot seem to understand what a rebuild really entails (that and that the White Sox are in a rebuild).
There are two reasons why Eloy should be down in AAA:
1) prove he can stay healthy for an extended period of time. He hits great.. when not hurt
2) See how he can overcome adversity: Lets see him when he goes into a slump and how quick he can get out of it.
Those things have not happened yet as far as I am concerned. If people want to complain about Moncada, that I think is one reason why he has struggled up with the big league club.
Finally, Why start his service time in garbage time play, lets see him next spring, and then in Late April. The only reason why the Sox possibly bring him up now is if they are thinking they will be competing at the start of next season, which I think they need far more to be in place than Kopech and Jimenez to do that.
The Cubs trade of Eloy makes me want to throw up in my mouth and swallow
Agreed. All for Quintana who isn’t even that good.
Can’t wait to see Kopech pitch. Been hyped for a while now for good reason. His highlight tapes are impressive. The crow hop from behind the mound where he hits 113 MPH is ridiculous.
I think he is going to be really good. Fingers crossed for you Sox’s fans.