DECEMBER 20: Gonzalez is slated to receive a $5MM guarantee, per James Fegan of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll be paid $4.5MM for the coming season, with $1MM in incentives, before the club decides between a $7MM option and $500K buyout.
DECEMBER 19: The White Sox are in agreement with left-hander Gio Gonzalez, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets. Reporter Robert Murray (Twitter link) was the first to break the news that Gonzalez and the Sox were nearing a contract. Gonzalez is represented by CAA Sports.
Gonzalez represents Chicago’s first major pitching acquisition of the offseason, after the Sox were widely expected to target rotation help. While the White Sox have thus far been linked to several big name hurlers on the free agent and trade fronts, the 34-year-old Gonzalez is a less-heralded veteran who still offers some significant upside to the 2020 staff.
Gonzalez was actually drafted by the White Sox (38th overall) back in 2004 but never played for the team, as he was sent to the Phillies as a player to be named later in the November 2005 deal that brought Jim Thome to the Windy City. Over 1901 1/3 career innings with the A’s, Nationals, and Brewers, Gonzalez has established himself as a usually-durable starter who can miss bats (8.6 K/9), limit free passes (3.8 BB/9), keep the ball on the ground (47.1% grounder rate), and limit home run damage (0.8 HR/9).
Gonzalez came close to matching all of these career numbers in 2019, and his 3.50 ERA over 87 1/3 innings with Milwaukee also fell near his 3.68 career ERA. The big outlier, however, was the lack of innings, as Gonzalez spent almost two months on the injured list due to a dead arm. The southpaw already got off to an abbreviated start to the 2019 campaign since he didn’t sign until March 19 (a minor league deal with the Yankees), and missed much of Spring Training rather than going through a normal ramp-up process to Opening Day.
With a full offseason to prepare, Gonzalez could very well return to his normal self next year, which would be a nice boost to a young White Sox rotation. Ace Lucas Giolito is the only projected 2020 rotation member coming off a quality season, as Dylan Cease and Reynaldo Lopez have yet to prove themselves at the MLB level, with Lopez taking a step back after a promising 2018. Gonzalez will now join that trio as Chicago’s starting four, with Dylan Covey, and veteran swingman Ross Detwiler in line to compete for the fifth starter’s job. Michael Kopech is also expected to be in the mix as he returns from undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2018.
It isn’t quite yet the pitching staff that you would expect from a contending team, which is why the White Sox are likely to keep up their efforts to acquire more front-of-the-rotation help. The Sox have been linked to such names as Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dallas Keuchel, and David Price in recent days, though came up in efforts to sign Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler, Jordan Lyles, and Cole Hamels.
Good. This is the second signing of the day by the White Sox.
He’s gonna get absolutely lit up
It’s been 10 years since he’s been “lit up.” Assuming he’s healthy, he’ll be fine.
He’s garbage. This team is officially done. The selloff is imminent. I give it three years.
How can they be done when their window hasn’t even opened yet? I don’t mind Gio as a 4th or 5th starter, but they do need significantly more help at the top end of the rotation. Ryu would be a nice add, but it’d be nice if they could think bigger and land someone with more youth and less of an injury history in trade.
ChiSox, you just summarized my view of a White Sox fan. Thanks for that melancholy moment..again.
Buck up, drama dudes.
Dumpster divin’ Ricky!
Why don’t you follow another team? Your negativity brings real Sox fans down.
It’s painful being a CWS fan and seeing all this crybaby garbage on a daily basis. Such cynical jag offs.
What’s up with you man? You talk crap about the Cubs on every article and then when the Sox have a signing you poopoo them too. I think you need a drink or some pootang pie
Oh silly Minnesotoans… Minnesotians… Minnesotianos… Martians… Canadians…
Don’t know why fans get all worked up over signings like this. His compensation is in line with expectations. Someone has to be the no.5 starter and those pitchers are never really all that good. As a no.5 type pitcher he is actually not so bad.
Love this. Great value play for any team. Low cost quality rotation addition.
Gio threw some awesome innings in Milwaukee. Good pick up
…with Yasmani Grandal behind the plate..
Who isn’t regarded as that great an actual catcher or game caller. He’s entirely an offensive player.
Or we can go by the facts, which are that he has been rated as an above average defender, and has elite pitch framing skills.
But why Google when you can just make stuff up.
If its for one year okay. Anything else sucks
Anybody not named Dylan covey! JR going cheap again! The two Jewish men , borass and reinsdorf , feuding with each other, just sign a Borass starting pitcher in Ryu or Keuchel
What’s Jewishness got to do with it?
Right?
He threw less than 100 innings in 2019 might not be a good number five starter at this stage
Could help the bull pen once the cast of injured finally get healthy. Still need more premier starter.
That’s all we need is 100 innings …. a bridge to Michael Kopeck in late May and Carlos after the break. Now sign Ryu or Keichel and we’ll see what we’ve got.
Third time’s a charm!
That’s what I’m thinking. He might actually get to pitch in Chicago this time.
As a cubs fan on the south side, hahaha man your front office really went for it in the pitching market this winter
Useless comment of the day award goes to this jackazz right here
Yep. Dude got roasted properly for it too
As opposed to the big splash the Cubs made on the pitching market this winter.
Haha right . Joparx go take a long walk off a short pier
Wrong time to make this comment, Hoeparks. Your team has a $200M payroll yet is so far removed from being a WS contender. How hot is it in Payroll Hell?
joparx, it’s not even Christmas yet…why make such a dumb statement with over three months to go to Opening Day. If we get to March 20th and this is it…signing, trade, whatever then throw your hahahas in….but not now, please.
Nah. Not even then. Because if anything, I blame Theo and Papa Ricketts’ little boy for making Jerry Reinsdorf more gun shy than ever (if that’s even the case). Because he sees the terrible contracts signed just a few miles North of him and doesn’t want to repeat those mistakes.
Klentak you asleep. this was the budget get we needed.
Come on Phillies! What are you doing?
if he can eat innings, I’m fine
Career 3.68 era over 2,000 innings.
If its for one year okay. Anything else sucks
@tycobbo16
I agree. He’s probably better than a dumpster dive, but I’m hoping he’s SP2 for the Sox this Winter and not SP1. Though I don’t think GR Field will be kind to him when it warms up this Summer.
Giolito-Lopez-Gio-Cease-Kopech is what I envision so far. But it’s hard for me to imagine them not adding Keuchel or someone else along those lines. I’d mention Ryu but his reunion with the Dodgers is inevitable especially since they weren’t able to land any of the big fish.
Carlos Rodon is also expected back around the ASB. Either way, Gio is a massive upgrade over the 3 headed monster of Covey (6.19 FIP), Detwiler (6.62 FIP) and Banuelos (7.40 FIP) that started a combined 32 games with -0.8 fWAR in 2019.
Yes! Forgot about him and that’s bad on my part because I’m a true believer in him still. He can be a great #3-4.
He hasn’t given up more than 1 HR/9 since 2009. Limiting HR’s is clearly one of his best skills. I don’t think GR Field will hurt him too much.
We’ll certainly see. I wouldn’t be so sure. Still don’t mind the signing. Good low risk move. He’s been an acceptable pitcher. There’s not too much of a future supposedly. Nonetheless….
Guys, everyone calm down. They only signed him so they could trade him for a third time.
Players usually have to be sorta good to get traded at the deadline.
2019 Jordan Lyles and Pomeranz say hello.
People who don’t base decisions on ERA and understand starter to bullpen flexibility respond with, “Nice weather we’re having!”.
What about his FIP being lower than his ERA pretty much every year of his career? He’s a fine middle-to-backend guy when healthy, and that’s how exactly how he’s being valued.
The money was spent!
Finally been but the bullet and mustered up the courage to sign him after they traded him away. Of course it comes when he’s at the end of his career and will probably use this as an excuse to not sign either Ryu or Keuchel. I sense Reinsdorf folding his wallet back up.
The White Sox traded Gio Gonzalez away twice before he even made his MLB debut. In addition to the 2005 Jim Thome trade, Gonzalez was dealt to the A’s in a package for OF Nick Swisher in 2008. In between, Gonzales returned to the White Sox organization along with SP Gavin Floyd in a 2006 trade that had SP Freddy Garcia going to the Phillies.
The 2005 and 2006 trades actually worked out pretty well for the White Sox. The last one that sent Gonzalez to the A’s for Swisher, not so much.
And then Kenny compounded that by trading Swisher low to the Yankees. But he did get a good trade in here and there.
I think everybody was just happy to get Swisher out of the locker room; the return was secondary.
I wonder if Gio insisted on a no-trade clause this go round.
I think the main problem in Chicago was with Ozzie Guillen. Perhaps the White Sox manager couldn’t handle playing second fiddle to another clown in 2008. Nick Swisher had a pretty solid MLB career in Oakland before the White Sox acquired him and in the Bronx after they traded him. That ‘solid’ could have been ‘great’ with a little better luck from the health department which limited him to 12 seasons, 9 full ones from 2005-2013. Swisher didn’t do himself any favors with his postseason numbers either. He had plenty of chances too with 7 playoff opportunities in Oakland, Chicago, NY and Cleveland.
How about you’re reading into it too much. Swisher was an average at best player. It had nothing to do with Guillen. He (Swisher) was nothing special. Poor move by the front office. Selfish, one dimensional player. Couldn’t possibly be more overrated. One of the worst moves in the last decade plus for the White Sox! And that’s certainly saying something with this organization!
Swisher was a bum.
How about you’re FOS. I’d say that Swisher’s 27.7 fWAR and 25,4 bWAR in his 9 full and relatively healthy seasons from 2005-2013 suggest he was a solid player. That includes his crap 2008 season with the White Sox and metrics that were negatively impacted by his below average defense.
Swisher’s schtick wore out his welcome as soon as his batting average nosedived. He was terrible for the Sox. Good “clubhouse guy”, but a waste of human flesh on a baseball diamond. You might know a thing or two about that. lol
Yes he was and there was no way he should have been playing center field, but on the other hand, he wasn’t good in the corner outfield positions, either.
White Sox are busy today with ‘fringe’ free agent signings. I would assume the Gio Gonzalez contract will be a short term MLB deal to fill their need for a back of the rotation starter and not the veteran anchor they are also pursuing this offseason.
I hope so. That would be a major disappointment if he’s F/A SP1 as opposed to F/A SP2.
Gonzalez‘not the veteran anchor’, really.
They will have to trade for one, because any self respecting free agent pitcher, wants no part of this team – except to help drive up their asking price.
Wow! There’s the least surprising thing of the day! Dogbone here to troll the White Sox with his typical useless banter!
Dogboner is a cub fan what do you expect other than uselessness?
Yes Mr. Cub fan. It should also be noted that great free agent SP’s like Brett Anderson, Tyler Chatwood and Yu Darvish have been drawn to the Northside of Chicago like a nail to a magnet. The Cubs ‘anchors’ of late have pretty much sunk their chances to compete for another championship.
Aaron, your opinions on Cub matters will carry more validity, if your fav team ever makes it back to .500, much less ever gets into the postseason.
Nice pitching staff. lol
The Cubs and White Sox have been my co-favorite teams since the early 1960’s. I fear that one co-favorite has their window closing while the other’s is beginning to crack open. As we post, I expect each team to play at least .500 ball in 2020. Hopefully, both will be serious contenders in their respective divisions with further additions between now and opening day.
Clearly the White Sox have been busy but still need to add a front line starter, a decent bullpen arm and another right-handed hitter to complement the lefty bat of Nomar Mazara in RF or at DH. We are all still waiting on the Cubs to make their first impacting move of the offseason which figures to be a major trade with Tom telling Theo there is no extra money in the Cubs offseason budget to add a significant free agent. Nicholas Castellanos badly wants to return to the Cubs but they need to clear some salary along with an outfielder in order to make that possible.
Alex Wood is the better 3rd tier choice.
Agreed if the back problems he’s had still are not a major issue.
Alex Wood was also one of my favorites targets as the White Sox ‘secondary’ free agent starting pitcher this offseason. Perhaps they were more concerned with his medicals after he missed all but one month in 2019 due to a back injury that occurred in spring training and never fully healed. Perhaps Wood was also looking for a little more security than what Gonzalez required from the White Sox.
I was also hoping that the White Sox might take a flyer on Taijuan Walker this winter. Perhaps they still might as a high upside, low risk free agent signing on a short term, low cost incentive laden MLB deal or maybe even a minor league one.
The White Sox still need to land a veteran anchor for 2020, be it one of the remaining top FA’s or in a trade..
Teheran signing with Angels just now, you get a sense both teams got momentarily bored with Boras pitting them against one another for his clients Keuchel/Ryu…..and said let’s just take care of the 1 year #5 stopgap solution.
Good signing. Gio always gives a solid year. I really wish the Angels had picked him up last year.
This just proves Sox will not commit the resources in order to sign top flight FA pitchers. The remain FA’s available are Boras Clients. Sox cannot say there is no Boras issue now.
So now we have yet another off season of bargain basement shopping for pitching. First Deitweller and now Gonzales. Sox owner/front office continue to lie…
It’s year 4 of a complete teardown.(minus Abreu)
There’s an argument for going with stopgaps while finding out what they have with Giolito, Kopech, Cease, Lopez, Dunning, Rodon and Stiever.
Successful rebuilds waited for the in-house talent to dictate necessary moves.
Year 4? Last winning season was 8 years ago. What were they waiting on? Maybe management thought there was more taxpayer money on the way?
Pretty soon their ‘youth’ will be free agents.
…. if pretty soon is 2023, yes.
Dogbone,
More garbage from an incompetent imbecile! Do you ever comment on your own team!? I seriously doubt it. It seems you wait around for the most recent White Sox post, then pounce. It’s tiring to say the least. Absolutely pathetic fandom on your part! Go light up your sCrUBbieS board. I’m sure your ideas will be as well recieved there! Especially considering you have apparently zero unbiased baseball knowledge!
well, cease was awful, rodon has always been crap and Lopez is crap as well
Very astute observations.
I’m not sure this proves what you think it proves. They were/are in the market for 2 veteran pitchers this year. They got 1 so far and the other guys you’re referring to are still available… Do you want them to not sign anybody until those guys are off the market?
Gio left Boras for CAA I believe
Solid 5-6 inning guy in Washington but that “dead arm” comment in the article is pretty scary..
I prefer this deal over acquiring David Price, and giving up a top prospect.
I like Gio Gonzalez to help fill the back end of the White Sox 2020 rotation. I also like the notion of acquiring David Price but he alone won’t cost the White Sox any of their top prospects regardless of how much money the Red Sox are willing to eat. If Boston wants to include Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez or Mookie Betts in a Price trade that could certainly change the narrative.
Gerritt Cole < Gio
Gio Gonzalez > Julio Teheran
This is a good sign and will hopefully provide the bridge to a healthy Rodon / Dunning / Lambert.. However the key acquisition still remains a frontline starting pitcher like Keuchel or Ryu. My fear; however, is that Management goes after Price through trade of a key prospect like Vaughn or Madrigal. I feel like prospects are really assets of the fans who have had to suffer through 2 seasons of nearly 200 loses to be able to have them drafted. . Keep those guys! It’s time to spend JR’s money and Keuchel is available . Just do it and perhaps we can watch a meaningful game in August and September once again…
Nah with Price’s terrible contract, the Sox wouldn’t need to give up any high end prospects depending on how much of the salary Boston’s willing to eat. I did see one rumor from Peter Gammons a week or so ago where he threw out something along the lines of Vaughn and something for Price and Benitendi, but he didn’t even know if the source he got it from was legit.
Either way, Price is not getting a Vaughn or Madrigal by himself with that contract. Of course, I also don’t see Reinsdorf footing the bill either, so my guess is Price gets moved out west; maybe the Dodgers, Angels or Padres. But again, just a guess.
You are probably right. I am just starting to feel like the team is settling for a contention window that starts in 2021 0r 2022 when the division is backing up to them. Sox fans want the team to be relevant. Winning the WS would be great but become a competitive team now!
I get your frustration and distrust regarding the front office. But, given how this off-season has played out, I don’t see how Hahn could have done much better. Cole and Strasburg were never really available. Cole was going to sign with the Yankees or one of the two L.A. teams and Strasburg was re-signing with the Nats if they made any kind of acceptable offer. The Sox were the high bidder for Wheeler who opted to stay on the east coast and, of course Hahn landed Grandal. If the team has faith their new hitting coaches can correct Mazara’s approach, then he’s a better fit than any of the free agent right-fielders they might have signed. Ryu and Keuchel are still unsigned and rumors have the Sox “in on” both. While Hahn has signed the biggest names (most of whom weren’t really available), I think he has, so far, done a good job of filling the holes from last season’s team.
Mazara also already has made some changes. Look at his second half stats.
Good points and to be clear I am not trying to be overly negative or suggest the moves made so far have not been good ones. However based on team valuations and simple rule of thumb the Sox probably have yearly revenues that exceed $170M with licensing, TV and gate receipts etc. with payrolls and administrative costs being well short of that the last several years, the Team is banking a considerable amount of money. It makes me wonder just exactly what “money will be spent”? This years, next years or the profits over the last four? The main goal of a baseball team should be to provide a competitive team that creates fan entertainment. This can be accomplished even if a World Series is not imminent. Spending money while building to that goal is not necessarily a waste.
Nomar Mazara was negatively impacted by a persistent, hopefully not chronic, thumb injury the past two seasons. He put up impressive number in the first half of 2018 before the injury and finished strongly last season when it was supposedly fully healed. In between he struggled and admitted later that he probably should not have played at times with the injury late in 2018 and early on last season.
He’s solid but I don’t see him doing anything spectacular. Innings eater if you’re lucky at this point of his career….
Don’t mind this signing at all. Now invest resources into signing Keuchel to iron out rotation.
Just don’t trade for Price. Especially if cost is what’s being speculated. Sox fans endured some craptastic baseball to get Madrigal and Vaughn in the draft. Don’t give them away for aging pitcher on the decline.
Pretty early in 2020 the Sox will have a Giolito, Rodon, Kopech, Gonzalez, Cease and Lopez in the mix and may utilize the entire 6 w/ Rodon and Kopech’s potential innings limits. Still precarious if the injured guys don’t rebound and/or Cease /Lopez don’t step up. Per usual the Sox rotation right now is almost nothing but potential. It’s POTENTIALLY lights out good, but it could also flame out. Very risky situation.
Isn’t that kind of the point of rebuilding? Get a bunch of young guys with potential and develop them? Even if they signed Cole, they would’ve been relying on the young guys to step up to get the team to the next level…
pretty early in 2020? rodin is out thru at least july…
Yeah I like Kopech a lot, but Rodon and Lopez worry me. Lopez took a step back last year (as the article said) and I’ve never been sold on Rodon. Guy’s 27, coming off of an injury that will take him out until the All Star Break and he hasn’t had an ERA below 4 since 2015, his rookie year. ERA was over 5 last year. In an ideal world, he’s in the bullpen when he returns.
I’d like to see them sign Ryu and perhaps trade for someone like Ray. Doubt either of those happen, unfortunately.
They might sign Ryu, but they sure wouldn’t do both. That would leave them with Giolito, Ryu, Gio, Ray, and one spot for Kopech, Cease, Lopez, and Dunning. Even with Kopech on an innings limit and Dunning perhaps not ready yet, you’d still squeeze out Cease and Lopez for a good chunk of the year and the Sox don’t seem to want to do that, especially not with Cease. A starting five of Giolito, Ryu, Gio, Kopech, and Cease, though, has a chance to be really good if they remain healthy and wouldn’t require the prospect load Arizona would want for Ray.
Rodon won’t be ready coming out of spring training.
Yet another ex Nat? Surprising they didn’t pursue Roark and Treinen.
If he is your 5th starter, not bad. Light years ahead of some chump they trotted out there named Covey. However, if this is the top SP arm they land…that is not ideal.
I’m so happy that they got him and not Price (at least, not yet). He may be a little old and coming off an injury-shortened season, but he’s still a huge improvement over the back end of their rotation from last year. He’s also a guy that won’t be affected too much by the homer-happy confines of GRF. I’d rather they signed Ryu, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.
From contender to pretender.
Describing your Cubbies?
How’s that dynasty on the north side turn out for you guys? Multiple rings yet?
“The Sox have been linked to such names as Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dallas Keuchel, and David Price in recent days, though came up in efforts to sign Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler, Jordan Lyles, and Cole Hamels.”
Too bad they came up in those efforts, so disappointing.
Hard to say they came up short on Hamels considering they didn’t even try.
Wouldn’t mind seeing them trade for a year of Ray as a stop gap at the very least. I know they won’t get two more pitchers, but Ryu seems like a solid option as well. Giolito, Ryu, Ray, Gonzalez and then work in guys like Cease, Lopez and Kopech until one of them hopefully sticks. No need to rush Cease or Kopech and Lopez barely looks like a starter at this point given his production.
Called it. Next up, Ivan Nova signing.
And that will be it.
I sincerely hope not, though I’d rather that than the Sox give up Madrigal and Vaughn for Price.
If they have no chance at Keuchel or Ryu, you could do much worse than Gio 2 and Nova. If it were Keuchel and Gio 2, I’d actually be content, because I wanted Keuchel and Hamels.
But with Nova, it’s nothing more than a stop gap. And that money should be shifted toward pursuing another bat, like Castellanos. Mazara is still hot garbage with potential
I like Nova. Sign him!
I like Nova too but better as Lox and less as a Sox.
he’s a better #5 than dylan covey.
that being said, hes not a #5 in this rotation right now. he’s a 2 or 3. (cease, lopez, kopech have potetntial but Gonzalez is ahead of them right now) and covey is still in line for a lot of innings.
they have to hit on one of the 2 higher-end guys left or this year’s going to be a big problem.
Agree he’s currently #2, but I expect at least one of those three you mentioned to surpass him. Even if not, the offense really doesn’t have many holes in it. When Grandal’s not catching, he can DH; otherwise, you have Collins/whoever else at DH and Mazara in RF as your holes. Madrigal should be about average (low power and doesn’t walk), but everyone else figures to be above average at the plate. This team should score a bunch of runs and make things a lot easier on the pitching staff than last year.
Where is this narrative that Madrigal can’t take a walk coming from? He walked ~8% of the time in A+ and AA, and he walked ~10% of the time in AAA. He takes plenty of walks, especially for someone that doesn’t strike out ever.
I don’t get it either. Madrigal has been a fine OBP player since the White Sox drafted him in June of 2018. Apparently he doesn’t mind a little pain either with 16 HBP to go along with his 51 BB and 21 SO.
I like Madrigal, but if he is going to be elite, he needs to walk at an even higher rate, to overcome lack of power. Otherwise he will bat 300, but still have an OPS+ that is average.
He needs to be more Chuck Knoblach and less Nellie Fox.
That is a nice comp. I do believe that Nick Madrigal can be a hybrid of Chuck Knoblauch and Nellie Fox. I think Madrigal can approach ‘Knobby’s’ base stealing prowess and Fox’ defense at 2B. I also believe Madrigal will hit for a higher BA than either.
The flip side is that Fox was considered one of MLB’s hardest workers, a player with limited athleticism that included little speed and a weak arm. He was the ultimate overachiever. I also appreciated Knoblauch’s ability on the field but some of it may have resulted from his ‘admitted’ use of HGH which he claimed came late in his career and caused more harm that resulted in injury and a premature end to his career.
Hopefully, Madrigal will have more in common with Fox. His work ethic has been lauded, a direct result of Madrigal overcoming his diminutive size throughout his amateur career. Madrigal is also said to possess an extremely high baseball IQ, another great attribute of Fox. Madrigal also has far more athletic ability than Little Nel ever did with a plus run tool and an arm that is sufficient enough to play SS but better served at 2B.
Fox was from a different era and eventually was elected to the HOF by the Veterans Committee in 1997 after just missing out during the last year of his initial eligibility period with a 74.7 percent tally when he needed 75% from the BWAA. Fox’ election was a result of an elite glove and a bat that was even more so based on his ability to make contact like few others ever did in MLB history. Knoblaugh put up a better bWAR than Fox in a shorter career but in the steroid era where he was an admitted participant. Knoblauch played solid defense but his WAR was driven more by his offense which may have been assisted ‘unnaturally’.
Collins should be traded for Price.
He cannot hit MLB pitching.
Oh, and BoSox need to throw in Betts.
Collins had over an 800 OPS against RHP in MLB in September.
Dogboner is a cub fan what do you expect other than uselessness?
A move that’s probably a year late. Would have made them a lot closer to a .500 team in 2019 and maybe more attractive to better pitchers. If they can still get a Ryu or Keuchel, will be very happy with this signing. Think too much is being expected from Kopech and they are going to need more starters. Got to eliminate the large amount of games down 5+ runs by the third inning. Gio can help with that. Hope he can stay healthy.
Agree on the down 5+ runs thing, but lots of that was due to either the parade of AAA players manning the 5th starter position or Cease getting caught in his own head at the start of games. A lot of these issues should resolve this year. They’re not contenders as of now, but I do expect an above-.500 finish.
Great insurance piece.
Sox playing it smart. Team isn’t ready until 2021. Two rookies in the starting lineup (Roberts, Madrigal) and if you think Lopez, Kopech, and Cease don’t need another year of seasoning you didn’t pay attention last year. They will be a force in 2021.
Yeah 2021 is realistic. There’s hope this year if everything aligns, but that’s not likely. Would be nice to get a solid FA SP locked in this offseason though, next year’s FAs are nowhere as good.
Reynaldo looking more like a bullpen arm. Rodon is never healthy or consistently good for a full year, trade him. Gio is their Ivan Nova replacement. Rotation consists of one proven stud Giolito and if he doesn’t continue his growth rotation will be the worst in MLB again. Sign Ryu Rick Hahn outbid everyone. Sign E.E. and trade for Clevinger
Rodon should move to the pen considering his track record of health concerns. I’ve been saying this for years now. Good stuff. Wipeout slider. Could be a Josh Hader, Andrew Miller (prime) type theoretically. Giolito is far from a “proven stud” after only one year of excellent production. Can only hope for more of the same from last season. I’d rather have Kuechel than Ryu. Not nearly as much injury concerns. Clevinger is an unrealistic pipe dream. The Indians are asking for a kings ransom (and rightly so considering he’s only entering his first year of arbitration eligibility) for him. They’re not going to trade him in the same division unless Twins, Tigers, Royals, or White Sox get completely screwed over in terms of prospect capital. You’re looking at giving up a combination of Robert, Kopech, Madrigal, Lopez, Collins, Moncada, Anderson, etc…
In other words, no way!!! Stupid move. Why help Cleveland!?
I agree. I think he would be Matt Thornton out of the pen, which is fine.
They overpaid for Grandal because well they had to because nobody wants to play on the south side. Wheeler took less money to play in Philly, Madbum has zero interest and Gio is on the downside of his career. With his walk rate and inability to pitch more than 4 plus innings he will get shelled in the AL especially in that band box.
#HotTakes
Wow! More garbage insight! How unsurprising! Do morons just wait around for every White Sox post to spew their meaningless rhetoric!?
No. They are usually on Cubs posts. Every Cubs or White Sox post is full of the other sides fans pooing all over whatever rumor or signing is made. It’s the same 5-7 people.
All true.
This is likely an endearing moment for Coop. I can already see the typewriters going at the Hallmark Channel.
Not a Ryu fan. He just had his career year, injury problems and a Boras client. Keuchel is more of a workhorse as was Nova this year. Sign one of them. Sky is the limit for young prospects Kopech, Cease, Dunning and even Lopez. Nobody knows how good these guys are, but the potential is there. Youth is on their side. I hope Giolito can progress and Rodon is still in the mix. The southpaw Gonzalez is a good veteran addition.
Ryu on a 2 year deal I’d be all in. You know he’s getting 4 and that is way too risky imo.
Look Sox fans, the writing’s on the wall. Ryu’s not coming. Keuchel’s not coming. The Sox have been completely stone walled, so 2020 is another wasted year. Stay away. Stay far away. Not that it matters with revenue sharing blood money. Reinsdorf couldn’t care less. Enjoy your uncontested, bought and paid for Championship Yankee fans. I’m out.
Everyone knows that the best team on paper always wins.
“…bought and paid for Championship Yankee fans.”
Did you say that about the ’18 Red Sox? Of course not. Would you be upset if Reinsdorf bought and paid for a WS for you? Of course not. Hypocrisy.
Can’t buy a WS. All you can do is buy better odds.
This is when I want them to go after Chris Archer by trading players stuck behind starters…package of Collins and Rutherford should headline the deal and another prospect in the 30-50 range.
I would rather take a look at Tyler Mahle and see what his price is.
ughhh. eww. absolutely not. His ERA is a mess
Archer? Jesus what year is this 2015? No he sucks always has always will.
Chicagofan1978
What team is it you’re pitching for!? Yeah, he really “sucks” so much! He’s had very quality years. Perhaps he could benefit from a change of scenery. Wouldn’t be the worst move the White Sox ever made.
His change of scenery already happened and he got worse, go ahead im sure pirate fans would love to get rid of him
Cause every team is the same!? Look at what’s happening to Sale! Sure it could just be progression/regression because of his awkward delivery. It could also be not looking out for the best interests of said pitcher!? Just wanting the biggest return at all times for said player. Who knows!? He’s excelled before (Archer). He isn’t too old. He could still benefit. Just like people the likes of you are clamoring for Kuechel and/or an injury ridden Ryu for incomprehensible sums!? #Please
Now go look and see what happened to Cole/Glasnow when they left Pittsburgh. I’d happily take a chance on Archer.
Archer is trash.
And has been trash for years. Amazing that some people hear his name and just think of him like he was 4-5 years ago.
Definite no on Archer, especially as the off-season SP1. I’d rather take my chances with Gio as the off-season SP2 rather than Archer.
I definitely wouldn’t roll the dice with both in the rotation.
All these guys left are trash. I really think Kopech is going to be a lights out stud this year.
Garbage
Very reasonable cost for the Sox. Still preferred the upside Alex Wood could offer, but this works on risk vs. $ spent.
OK, I can handle this. Good signing by Hahn. Even if Gio bombs, it’s not a huge loss for the Sox (Alonso signing last year was already a worse signing no matter what happens with Gio).
I guess I can’t refer to Giolito as Gio anymore.
This is not a good signing for a team trying to contend.
Who cares how “cheap” Gio is, the goal is to win the division and a World Series. They’re not doing that by adding Gio Gonzalez to the rotation.
Look they’re freaking payroll right now. It’s nothing. They can and should do BETTER!
@ChiSoxCity
The Sox were not getting either Cole or Stras. They probably would’ve had to fork over $400MM to Cole, because you know the Yanks would’ve countered whatever the Sox offered. The Sox would’ve had to go minimum $300MM for Stras, most likely more than that. It’s not like the Sox can offer a few million more and think that will cut it. Wheeler turned the Sox down even though the offer was better.
They’re not going to sign both Keuchel and Ryu, and quite honestly I wouldn’t either. In fact, I’m not all that crazy about either, though I’m not going to complain if they sign one of the two. And Keuchel and Ryu are the 2 best options left (outside of a trade).
Just because they have the money doesn’t mean they should spend it like a teenage girl at the mall with daddy’s credit card. I look at the ’12 Marlins as what not to do when there’s tons of money available to spend. Boston got in trouble for spending wildly earlier this decade, only to get bailed out with trading bad contracts to LA. Just because you have the money, you still have to show some smarts spending it.
There’s a lot of money going to be spent in the next 5 years on arbitration or extensions to their core. I’d hate to lose a few of them just to spend it like it’s 2020 or bust.
So if they’re just going to repeat what they’ve done the last 14 years, why bother with a rebuild? As a fan, you should be asking questions instead of making excuses for why they’ll fail… again.
@ChiSoxCity
Relax.
They tried with Wheeler. They outbid Philly, it didn’t work out. I’m sure they did their due diligence with Cole and Stras, but the Yanks made sure no one else was getting him and they would’ve had to blow away Wash for Stras, the only team he’s ever known. Look at what else is out there to buy. Ryu and Keuchel are about it, and I don’t see either as the finishing piece.
Otherwise it’s a trade for a SP, and if so, you gotta give Hahn some time to make that work. No need for Hahn to be stupid and rush a trade that will cost the team dearly with part of the core.
The Sox can contend with another SP, but they’re a year away from knowing exactly what they have, especially in the SP department. That’s not an excuse, that’s reality.
Again, it’s not 2020 or bust.
More excuses.
@ChiSoxCity
If you hate the Sox and JR so much, why do you still root for them? If I hated them that much, I’d drop them like a bad habit. Life’s too short to be miserable.
There are 29 other teams to root for. Don’t let me stand in your way. I’m sure their fan bases would love your cheery disposition.
He’s still an upgrade over Covey, Fulmer, and even Lopez. He can still provide some value as a #4/#5.
He stinks so there is no value to provide
Please show me the FACTS and STATS that prove he stinks? And don’t show me a <20 game sample size. I’ll save you the time, you won’t find those FACTS. Thus your opinion is not only inaccurate but extremely flawed. You are a danger to society and shall be shipped off to the edge of the Earth!
These are the same kind of signings the White Sox always do. One playoff appearance since they lucked into a World Series 14 years ago. 115 years, 3 championships. Pathetic! Reinsdorf owns the most profitable NBA team in the NBA, same story there. 30+ years of ownership, lucked into drafting Michael Jordan, who’s superhuman effort got him six rings. Hasn’t won jack before or since, but still owns the most profitable team in the NBA thanks to MJ. You can’t spend a little more to get to a WS one time every decade? Is that really too much to ask?
*WS appearance
Same applies to the cubs, who are even more pitiful, despite their recent success. And I’ll add this: It would not have happened without the Sox putting much needed pressure and urgency on the cubs.
How is signing a bad pitcher for millions a good signing?
OK, guys, explain how he’s a bad pitcher. I get he’s getting up there in age, but glancing at his stats, I don’t see how he’s considered a bad pitcher. I wouldn’t sign him to a 5-year deal, but he hasn’t regressed that badly yet.
Plus, it’s only $5MM, don’t act like it was $25MM. And if the Sox take on the $7MM in ’21, then obviously he will have pitched well in ’20.
Telling their fans “cheer up. even though we didnt get Cole/Stras/Rendon, we still want to compete. I give you, GIOOOOOO”
Reinsdorf’s the reason the Sox only get dirtbags and dogs. Felt certain they’d at least get Puig. I should know better than that.
Puig??? No thank you. Too toxic. He’s worn out his welcome in every clubhouse he’s been in. He’s a few steps away from being Antonio Brown toxic.
Aren’t 27 other teams also telling their fans this story? I’m sorry, I didn’t know the Sox guaranteed one of them being signed. I’m glad we haven’t signed a top tier FA yet because other than Trout, Arenado, and Betts, I can’t think of any megastar who was/is close to becoming an FA that is worth $200M+. The Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox of the world can afford to sign those deals and miss out on them without being screwed for a decade. No other team (maybe the Angels?) can afford that big of a miss.
That’s absurd.
A Brewers fan would see this for what it is.
Might be good to use him as an opener or middle reliever to limit his innings.
we need another trade with the Cubs to cheer us up.
White Sox to MLB: “Can a team hypothetically decline a 2021 option in 2019? Asking for a friend.”
I don’t get it…
Like this deal even more now that I know how inexpensive it is. If he stays healthy, great signing. Now go get Ryu!
Haha inexpensive? His ERA is over 5.00 and you are paying 4.5 million? I am sure the Sox can just call up someone from the minors to get rocked every 5th day for less then $600k.
When was his ERA over 5.00? For a two week period in July? Dude, you’re spreading fake news. Go to bed.
I really expected the Sox to sign a front line guy. The market is very weak next year. You still have Ryu and Kuechel but I don’t see it now. Too many teams still need a guy. The White Sox will have to overpay in years and they just won’t do it.
Ryu or Keuchel will sign with the White Sox by Christmas Day. BOOK IT!
You are correct…. and, there will be no front-line- starters for four years, until Walker Beuhler hits FA. I know the Red Sox and a bunch of other teams are trying to cut total salary commitments, but dang, I thought Dallas, MadBum and Ryu would be in higher demand.
Not sure who is going to be the front runners on Dallas, but the White Sox would not surprise me. I’m also curious to see their rotation when Cease, Kopech, and Giolito hit their respective primes…. could be quite a nasty rotation.
Hot take – a healthy Gio Gonzalez is basically Dallas Keuchel at this point in their careers.
To quote hawk Harrelson , “Stretch”
Um no.
What’s your point anyway?
3 points.
1) Dallas Keuchel hasn’t been great since 2015.
2) A healthy Gio Gonzalez is much better than people apparently think.
3) Neither one is a frontline starter anymore.
Keuchel has been a solid starter his entire career, and has not had either the injury issues or control issues of Gonzalez.
He may not be a No. 1, but he will give you Mark Buerhle like production for probably the next four years.
I like Gonzalez, but this assumption of a “healthy” Gio is a massive one.
He had a dead arm last season, and spent two months on the Injured list.
HIs production has also dipped, as he has went from good to merely above average during the same time period, with an outlier in 2017. He’s not even close to the innings eater he once was.
Good pick up, but the notion that he’s as good or reliable as Keuchel is misguided. They still need to pursue him.
But I’m sure this is some talking point they will march out when they sign Nova as the second starter.
Collect them all!
Given the $5M salary, I wish the Red Sox signed him over Martin Perez! Will be fun to compare the stats between these two over the upcoming season. Let’s see how good Chaim Bloom really is at identifying talent!
The White Sox need to find out what they have with their starters before they commit long term to any starter outside the organization.
Why? No other team had to do that. And it’s stupid—why waste a year of control over young core players to wait for a couple young pitchers to develop? Makes no sense. The Sox can still win by adding a few quality (good) starters to the roster. Adds depth, mentoring and takes pressure off guys like Kopech and Cease.
Grandal caught for Gonzalez last season in Milwaukee. Gonzalez had some good numbers with Grandal catching for him. It’s dumbfounding how White Sox fans along with Cubs’ fans have been badmouthing this move to not signing Wheeler or Cole or Bumgarner.
The White Sox are going to be good this season and we are going to see people start changing their opinions about the team. I went to lunch this week with a Cubs’ fan with baseball knowledge even believes the White Sox are going to be good and can be a contender with another move or two before the trade deadline in July. There is too much talent on the roster with the young players and it would be dumb to overpay a veteran looking for a pay day rather than play to win. Gonzalez is a good for the Sox’s young pitchers on the MLB roster to coming up from the minors.
Gio’s going to surprise a lot of people. Love this move. He’s a gamer. Huge upgrade from what we had last year. Grandel should make all of the Sox pitchers better
Cant wait for the dueling Gio promotion. Make it happen Brooks!