The White Sox announced a series of roster moves today, including placing right-hander Lance Lynn on the bereavement list and third baseman Yoan Moncada on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. To take their places on the active roster, the club reinstated utilityman Leury Garcia from the 10-day IL and recalled right-hander Davis Martin from Triple-A Charlotte.
This is the second hamstring-related IL stint of the season for Moncada, who missed 10 days due to a strain in his right hamstring back in June. That absence followed a longer IL stint at the start of the season due to an oblique strain, which delayed Moncada’s 2022 debut until May. All of these injuries have contributed to a miserable season for the third baseman, who has only a .197/.269/.313 slash line over 324 plate appearances.
The White Sox in general have been hampered by injury absences all year long, and Moncada joins other regulars in Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal as current members of the IL. Garcia’s return will help make up some of that depth in the infield, though Garcia is himself struggling through a mediocre year at the plate. Garcia, Josh Harrison, and rookie Romy Gonzalez now figure to split duties between third and second base.
Who cares anymore. They are at a point where they must rebuild with an entirely new front office
Quiet! Lance Lynn is very bereaved right now.
So much promise, TLR needs to go bye bye for starters!!
He already penciled Leury Garcia into tonight’s starting lineup at 3B to replace Yoan Moncada.
They need to shed a lot more than TLR.
How bout adding Grandal, Eloy, Wonderful Yoan Moncada and Giolito. And the ‘see no evil, hear no evil’, team of Stone and Benetti.
I blame ALL of this on narcissistic Reinsdorf and the man HE hired (Tony LaRussa).
Hahn also became neutered immediately when LaRussa was hired by Reinsdorf. You would think that Hahn would have the gonads to stand firm on his selection or resign immediately.
How.can you expect to win with Anderson always on the IL…….? Why bother to pick up his option
…..lol…..$190M+, in the Central….and they are not even close…..
Rick Renteria was the perfect manager for the White Sox and their core of prospects and the front office just crapped on him after he finally broke their long playoff drought in the shortened 2020 season. The team played hard for him, unlike what is happening under Tony La Russa.
Rick Hahn couldn’t wait to fire Renteria and in my opinion was enabled by many of the White Sox analytically inclined fan base following their quick playoff loss to the A’s. Once Hahn made his purge that also included long time pitching coach Don Cooper, owner Jerry Reinsdorf stepped in and insisted that his long time pal Tony was the right manager to take his team to the next ‘level’. As I recall, it was also JR who suggested to then GM Kenny Williams and assistant GM Hahn that Robin Ventura was the ideal guy to replace tempestuous manager Ozzie Guillen following the 2011 season.
We’ve all seen what has transpired since the Renteria firing. The team under La Russa last season had just as quick a postseason departure while the current club looks more and more likely to be spectators for the 2022 playoffs. The ChiSox have not just treaded water under TLR, they have begun sinking. Additionally, a club that was full of energy and camaraderie under Ricky has become a listless, non-hustling entity that very much reflects their sleepy manager in the dugout.
Hahn and the front office fired Renteria with the notion they needed a different manager to take this team to the promised land. Thus far, Hahn as GM has not demonstrated he is capable of taking this team to the next level after what appeared to be a successful rebuild constructed with solid prospect trades, better domestic drafts and the signing of international free agent stud Luis Robert. The veteran additions Hahn made to supplement the solid young core base have been a mixed bag while the development and production of many of their most promising prospects has abated.
Karma has seemingly bit Reinsdorf, Hahn, La Russa and some of that nerd fan base in the behind while the rest of watch in disbelief of what might have been. It’s not too late but something needs to change drastically this offseason to salvage the White Sox current window of championship contention.
Good summary Aaron.
Reinsdorf’s tenure is a perpetual 3 to 5 year rebuild.
He’s got a one-hit wonder to show for it – Straight Out of Damn Yankees.
Who got the pain when he did the Mambo ?
Sox fans for the last 17 years
That sub .200 average will be missed. After watching them this far into the season I’m starting to wonder maybe they aren’t underachieving maybe they’re just not good
When you look at the roster they should be at least 10 games over .500, but when I watch their games I’m astonished that they’re even at .500. At a minimum they’ll have to replace LaRussa after the season. He’s not done a whole lot with what he’s had to work with.
Is it really the manager or isn’t the roster pretty much 50% of the blame here (and there is still a month plus to gain four games)?
They consistently trot out four or five onto the field consistently that should be DH only, can’t field, can’t run, miss cut off men, can’t throw out runners, etc. You can only put lipstick on a pig and be attractive for so long, even in that division.
Once Houston exposed every single flaw last season in the playoffs, this roster should have had, at least, shifted some.
Individually guys like Eloy, Moncada, Sheets, Vaughn, Grandal (many more) all serve a purpose but collectively they are much closer to a train wreck on the field at the same time. Vaughn is the real deal, but if you can trade the other “Thursday night beer league softball superstars” for “baseball players” this team can piece together a high quality contender.
They are still only four games out. They are still good enough to beat anyone in a short series…but they are not good enough over 162 games and they are certainly not good enough to beat, say Toronto AND New York AND Houston AND Los Angeles in consecutive short series.
I agree that LaRussa doesn’t shoulder all or even most of the blame, but I think everyone can now clearly see he is NOT the right man for the job. The roster is not well constructed and the whole is not the sum of its parts. More often than not it’s not opponents beating them but rather the Sox beating themselves, and despite all this they STILL have a legit shot at making the playoffs. They don’t need a rebuild as some suggest, they do need to switch out some parts, and that starts with the manager.
For the hundredth time……
No one can manage that roster and win.
That is a Kenny Williams / Rick Hahn production. Ozzie had to argue with those guys to get real ballplayers till he got himself fired and took the blame…..and the team has had 3 full-time managers since Ozzie to “teach the players fundamentals”. They couldn’t. And the fans have blamed each manager for the teams failures.
The Astros didn’t “expose” the Sox. Anyone that understands baseball and watches them play knows they run up their stats beating up on the crummy teams.
MLB is not a rotisserie league.
Wait, so you just implied that Ventura was a good manager? Wow, are you feeling OK? Anyway, I think the real issue here is that there are those that think LaRussa is the same manager from 10 years ago (when he retired from managing). He is not. I also think LaRussa threw his credibility under a bus when he put one of his own players in harms way to ‘send a message’ last season. I think Renteria got FAR more out of this team than LaRussa did and did not look like he was falling asleep in the dugout (like LaRussa does every game). Heck you can barely hear or understand him in after game interviews with reporters. Are the Sox world beaters? No, and that does fall on Management as well, and so does removing a guy in the club house in Renteria, that I think the players genuinely liked and played for, to be replaced with owner favorite LaRussa (because JR also thinks everything is from ten years ago). Managers decide who plays and who sits, they decide if a guy who made three errors the game before goes out the next day (spoiler alert LaRussa has done this twice this season).. Also did Hahn force LaRussa to play Garcia batting third in a handful of games? No, I do not believe so…
Leury is the jolt they needed
And they’ve got him thru 2024!
Leury Garcia. Any organization that not only rosters him, but relies on him isn’t serious and certainly isn’t trying to compete with the best teams in MLB.
Especially when you have a manager that bats him third…
All White Sox fans should qualify for the Bereavement List in 2022.
I didn’t realize that even though he was a superstar prospect, Yoan Moncada has only been a slightly above league average player since joining the White Sox.
Injuries are the cause of his mediocre production, but that is what he has delivered. Not quite what the White Sox were expecting when they made that trade.
The overall trade has been almost exactly even in terms of WAR. Neither team got the exceptional production they were expecting due to injuries on both sides but it was a win-win.
Sale helped them win a WS in 2018
The only move I want to see is LaRussa back to being unemployed.
LaRussa definitely needs to go, but the whole vibe there needs a change. I lived in Chicago for about 6 years when I was starting out my career. Always been a Cubs fan, but never hated the White Sox like most Cubs fans. Just another team in the American League. I would occasionally go over to the South Side to catch a game whenever there was a team or player I wanted to see in town. Anyway, the one thing that was blatantly obvious in that town, was how much more the Cubs were marketed and sold to the community, than the Sox were. Nevermind that they are in a crappy area, because Chicago in general is a sewer and has been for some time, save for a few upper class areas. The Cubs and Wrigley were always marketed as this amazing place, old school, fan friendly, come be a part of the excitement. I don’t remember any buzz surrounding the White Sox my entire time there. Like they were second rate. Media ignored them. Fans were apathetic. Reinsdorf and Co. just never did much. It’s like the White Sox and their marketing team have either given up, or it will always just be a Cubs town, and oh yeah the White Sox are here too. Alright. Well I’ll end this rant, that didn’t really say much anyway. I’m at my mother-in-laws house killing time. They are out going through the garden right now, and I’ve heard about 8 different ways to make squash, and I don’t even really like it. No early baseball today. Blue Jays just got started. One more beer and I gotta get out of here. I know you’re not getting your time back after reading this long post, but I hope you enjoyed this trip through Chicago circa 20 years ago, as well as Bonnie’s garden. She really is a sweet woman.
You weren’t born there, you can’t call Chicago a sewer.
I wasn’t born there, that is correct. But I did call it a sewer so it seems like you were wrong about that part.
Glad you moved out then if you feel that way. Chicago is one of the best cities in the world when the weather is nice. The lakefront area and Mag Mike are gorgeous. I don’t know what you’re career is or was but you’re not very observant.
Your brain is a sewer, anything you spew is not worth reading.
I’ve never understood why any real Baseball fan from Chicago would ” Hate” either team. I’ve mostly rooted for the Cubs being from the Near North Suburbs But I’ve never hated the Sox. With 2 TOTAL team Championships in around 200 combined years of baseball, Are you REALLY going to be Picky? I just for the life of me can’t figure out why the Sox hired a 100 year old fossil to manage a team of mostly 20 year old Latin Players. LaRussa’s sell by date is over. Time for the dumpster. Heck, They would of been better off making Abreu the manager.
I disagree, now that Tony is entrenched, the Sox are better off with LaRussa than bringing in a new coaching staff which would set them back another two or three years.
I’m a Sox fan, it’s mostly about the neighborhoods, most south siders would rather not have to suffer the misery of Wrigleyville and vice versa.
Because of the Sox fans.
You drink don’t you? A lot I’m guessing. To compare that South Siders would have to ” Suffer” going to Wrigley to see a game compared to seeing one in that coffin the Sox call a stadium? I loved Old Comiskey, It hat least had character. I saw one game in that new park Reinsdorf and his Stadium pals built and was completely left unimpressed. Even with that, I wouldn’t consider rooting for the Sox suffering, Even at that park, Unless I had to sit next to you probably. Grow a pair. And as far as LaRussa goes, you’re completely lost.
But Reinsdorf got that stadium, Super CHEAP!!!!
hopefully one of the roster moves is firing their drunken fossil of a manager
Wish they’d place South Side fans on the bereavement list
That was a quick dynasty.
Not according to Steve Stone. Ask Steve, all he sees is wine, roses and rainbows.
They still lead the league in number so fans arrested so at least that’s something
Tony La Russa is world famous for allowing steroids in the clubhouse. The steroids started in Oakland (1986-1995) and continued on to St. Louis (1996-2011). Why do you think Mark McGwire moved with La Russa from Oakland (1986-1997) to St. Louis (1997-2001)? McGwire knows this but will he admit La Russa knew too?
He’s also famous for getting DUIs, leaving his wife, suing twitter, and caring more about cats and dogs than his own daughters.
Whats most mind numbing are the goofs that worship the guy and think he can do no wrong…
Next poster who calls them the ‘Trashtros’ or refers to the ‘cheating’ in any way, there’s gonna be a problem. Don’t do it.
Houston Asterisk’s?
Houston Cheetah’s
Houston Cheetah’s?
You’re on the internet dude. You aren’t going to do anything. People refer to them as the Trashtros because of their cheating scandal, and the zero accountability the cheating players on the Trashtros showed. They are in fact, the Trashtros and will be forever, to some fans. I personally think people should be more mad at MLB for not punishing the Trashtros for cheating, but that’s just me.
Get over it already. The Yankees, Dodgers & Red Sox cheated too. And maybe more.
I think others may have cheated, so my favorite team is justified cheating!
Oh what fantastic logic coop. What a moral compass you have.
I agree,the Red Sox and the Padres are blatantly cheating with those yellow and pastel uniforms and nobody outside of baseball raises any eyebrows but the only reason they wear those uniforms is because that bright yellow hides the ball when it’s released out of a pitchers arm slot.
That’s a scientific study of some sort by baseball brains trying to get an edge, no different than the Astros banging on the trash cans.
You mean like the “Black Sox”?
Injuries have plagued the Sox for two seasons now when they really had a world series team on good contracts with a three to four year window, that window is down to two.
Jose Abreu
Andrew Vaughn
Luis Robert
Eloy Jimenez
Tim Anderson
five all stars in my opinion, and then you have Grandal at catcher who has been an all star in the past and Moncada who has flashed some real potential when healthy.
Seven potential All-stars when healthy, with AJ Pollock and the platoon of Leury Garcia and Josh Harrison at second, really a good team but can’t keep them on the field.
What happened to Burger? Burger should be up with all these injuries, is he hurt too?
7 day minor league IL.
Abreu is a terrific run producing DH.
Of those you listed only Andrew Vaughn exhibits any baseball IQ and discipline on the field of play.
Sox have been super injured all year but this has to not be sitting well with the fans. No depth, bad defense, bad managing.
Well the Conditioning staff can be fired…into the sun. They stink out loud.. Look knee sprains and elbow issues, those things happen, but WAYYYY too many soft tissue injuries on this club.. Hamstrings, calves, quads, groins, lats, and ab injuries on this club.. Either the staff sucks or the players refuse to adhere to a training regiment. All I know is this stuff would not have happened if Herm Schneider was still managing the conditioning staff.
Where’s Burger?! Is he not ready yet?
That is curious, as Im fairly certain that is is available down in AAA
Incredible that Sox are stuck in limbo as org bc Reinsdorf is calling the shots and will never fire TLR or let Hahn do his job to improve the roster. Don’t blink or this window will close on a controllable roster and the next rebuild will begin.
I’m no TLR fan, but this obsession with him by the media and fans has gotten ridiculous. Firing LaRussa won’t make one bit of difference on the outcome of this team in ANY season. The problem is the mediocre roster, full of unreliable players. They barely have enough talent to win a bad AL Central. Add injuries, natural regression and inconsistent performance to the mix, and this is what you get: a .500ish ballclub. Any still surprised by the team’s performance at this point simply haven’t been paying attention. In baseball you have to watch the finished product on the field, and believe what you see. They failed to complete the rebuild with impactful free agent talent of any kind, and it’s biting them in the behind. Now they have to blow the roster up again, and nobody should care anymore. The Sox have (once again) proven the naysayers right.
“They failed to complete the rebuild with impactful free agent talent of any kind…”
ChiSoxCity;
You’re in the park, but not still close……
The shot their financial wad on FA’s before the youngsters were even up. Teams that do rebuilds keep money in reserve to sign FA’s (or take on salary in trade) when it comes clear what they’re missing. The key to rebuilds is roster flexibility. The Sox didn’t leave themselves any.
I wrote 2 years ago that the Sox rebuild was a disaster (as I wrote 3-4 years ago that the Phillies rebuild was a disaster); and wrote last offseason that within the next 18 or so months baseball fans around the country would wonder what the hoopla about the Sox was all about.
You want to see how to run a 1) rebuild or 2) rebuild-on-the-fly? Look at the way the 1) Orioles and 2) Guardians are currently handling theirs.
Samuel, your observations are not rooted in reality.
The Phillies are an impatient organization, partially due to envy of the Yankees and Red Sox, and a fanbase that won’t tolerate a true rebuild (3 to 5 years of losing). They never committed t to the rebuild, so they locked themselves into a perpetual.500ish team when they acquired Harper. They didn’t bother to find a core of inexpensive young talent to build around, so they’re efforts were doomed from the start.
In contrast, the White Sox made smart trades, then tanked to acquire solid prospects who have become everyday starters at the big league level. This core talent gave them, as Rick Hahn coined it, “roster flexibility” to sign impactful free agents. All it really did was allow the organization to avoid arbitration by signing most of their young players to longterm contracts more advantageous to the organization. Of course, acquiring so many young players so soon left them with zero depth in the farm system for trades and replacements for injured players. The Sox probably should have tanked another two years if they weren’t committed to spending money when the time called for it. They still haven’t invested any money longterm towards making this team a serious World Series contender, despite all the lip service from the from office (and lazy analysis from the sports media).
In any event, Hahn did the right thing by convincing Jerry Reinsdorf to allow the rebuild, and he drafted well, for the most part. All he needed to do was acquire an elite bat or two, and an Ace-type starter to produce a finished product. The owner clearly said no more payroll at that point, which is par for the course with Reinsdorf.
I don’t give the front office much credit for acquiring a quality closer, because that is something every team serious about contending must do. Conversely, all the bullpen acquisitions were non-moves meant to appease the fanbase when it became clear no funds would be made available to add significant free agent talent to the roster. Can the organization turn this ugliness around by spending money where it’s actually needed for a change this next offseason? Sure they could. Based on what I’ve learned about the owner of this franchise, it will be a cold day in hell before that ever happens.
Hahn shot himself in the foot giving out the extensions to Eloy, Robert, and Moncada. It took away from the flexibility of the payroll budget. Eloy and Moncada would probably be making less if they went through arbitration. They may have saved some money on Robert but he spends a lot of time on the IL which hurts earning power in arbitration.
ChiSoxCity;
I’m totally rooted in reality, and am sick of reading on here from every fan disappointed in his team that the problem is that the owner won’t spend more money.
Do you watch Sox games? Do you see the little league HR’s their defense gives up every year misplaying batted balls and throwing the ball around? The lack of awareness when running bases – running themselves out of innings? The lack of situational hitting? The inconsistent pitching. The players flexing and preening and showing off their jewelry while forgetting how many outs there are? Being unable to retain the game situation between pitches? More players fat and out of shape than with any other team in MLB? And not surprisingly their out of shape players get hurt a lot. Is that the mangers fault? Does spending more money solve that?
Sox players change. Their managers change. Their FO doesn’t. And the fans keep saying the they should spend more money. SOS.
–
How this for rooted…..
The Sox have a new billionaire invested with more stock in that franchise than anyone else – and the Chicago sports media didn’t report it until recently because it wasn’t made public. Don’t know that I’ve ever seen that before. Jerry still has most of the other ownership voters on his side. But the way these things usually work over a period of a few years is that the newbie acquires some of the other stock, or politically swings voters to him/her to take control.
Until that is done you can kvetch about spending money and how dumb a HOF manger is, while convincing yourself (like the guy below) that the Sox were somehow a coming power in MLB and that Sox fans were: “practically promised a World Series trip or win.” And when the new majority owner takes control there still will be a budget.
The entire Sox situation is befit of baseball intelligence – from the FO to the players to the fans. A bunch of entitled whiners like Yankee and Red Sox fans.
Doesn’t this look familiar? Its the same thing Williams did before failing, trading the cheaply signed, long term, young players away, (only to watch them get Rings with other teams) because they wouldn’t go the payroll necessary. Then Hahn repeated the process. The young prospects acquired by Williams in the sell off, got signed to cheap long term contracts. Now the payroll has been maxed and they can’t afford to add the needed players. Both Williams and Hahn should be well aware of the payroll limitations of the team. They are not acting like they do. Next step will be trading away the young cost controlled players, to start the process over.
Well, starting to wonder also if their motivation went out the door once they got those extensions.. I mean Moncada has been a walking injury, when he is not under-performing on the field. Same with Eloy.. Heck Eloy went out of a crucial game with a ‘knee issue’ then was back out there the next day…
They need someone to really step up and challenge both of those guys, and its clear that they are not getting that from the manager. As for Robert, I just think he really is not learning anything form this staff.
The Sox are in ‘Win now’ mode? Right? I mean ‘win now’ should mean that you also go after guys on the FA market that should help do this? Correct? Is Harrison one of those guys? No. Was Kelly? No.. Cueto was, but he was more of a desperation pick by Hahn that worked out insanely well.. That and, again, LaRussa sucks. Stop worshiping the guy! He is not the same manager from 10 years ago… I think at this point Renteria clearly could have done just as good of a job and the players likely would have responded to him FAR more than the guy the owner said was the guy to lead them to the promised land. By the way, LaRussa would also likely be the first guy to fall on his sword saying he was obviously not doing a good job so just stop with this fawning over a guy that is not worth fawning over.
To cut through all the reasons/excuses/explanations, the fact of the matter is that this incredibly fun team’s arrow was pointed to the moon 2 years ago. It stayed about the same in LaRussa’s first season at the helm but plenty of issues emerged. Now in year 2 Sox arrow is pointed Down to Earth’s very core. Draw your own conclusions but those are facts. it just sucks wondering where they would be with another manager and coaches. I still believed they “could” go on a big run until this weekend. Possible? yes. Do I believe anymore? no.
Well said. Too much has gone wrong this season after being practically promised a World Series trip or win. Too may guys that can’t stay healthy. Too many odd managerial decisions. Can’t get a few games past .500. Starters we we’re counting on not doing as well. Bullpen injuries. Lack of timely hitting in a lot of games. Base running blunders. Guys getting sent home that shouldn’t. Guys getting held at 3rd that should be sent. Near collisions still in the outfield. Anything I missed?
I can’t hang all the front office blame on Hahn. It’s such a weird setup in the Sox front office. His press conference after the deadline, almost seemed like there were things he maybe wanted to do but couldn’t (Jerry or Kenny overruling?).
I smell rebuild 2.0 or is it 3.0 coming in 2023. Where do we need help or shoring up? Pick a position, probably does. If money and contracts were no object, Who would you keep? Love Abreu, but his age and ouchiness would not make me want to do too big of a long term deal. Keep Cease, Kopech, Liam (except if we’re rebuilding, see what you could get for him). Vaughn – YES! Sheets, yes. Anderson if he gets healthy.
Eloy, Yoan, and Luis need to be consistently HEALTHY for them to have value.
Whether they fill from the now not as well rated minors or free agent or trade, need a C, 2B, 3B, a few OF and SP and RP.
And what does Leury have on the front office and TLR? An ok utility guy, But He gets put in way too often.
You guys rember that time Kingman got picked off in Cincinnati?
Hahn is the main person to blame. They need a complete rebuild. This moment 2of 5 starting pitchers (Lynn and Cueto) average 35 years old. Too many position players (Abreu,Grandal, Josh Harrison, Pollock) average 35 years old. And their younger players Eloy, Robert and Moncada spend half the season hurt. And the trend is they will be oft injured next year too.
Plenty of blame to go around, but I do feel that this managerial staff just does not get through to some of these guys. Now you can quibble over who is to blame as its obvious this rebuild misfired. But from appearances, they were on their way up, then Reinsdorf had to stick his nose into it and jump the gun and fire Renteria (who did nothing wrong mind you) and throw in ‘his guy’ who, after 10 years retired from managing, is likely out of touch with the league now (sorry LaRussa cult devotees). I think that also caused a major trust issue in the clubhouse (regardless of what the players said)-Nevermind last season, when the HoF manager trying to get one of his own players beaned because of a stupid unwritten rule and making it well known that is what he wanted (sorry but what player on a club would trust their manager to do the right thing after that happened?!). This season, everyone was asleep at the wheel until Cueto had to call this club out. then they go win a few games.. Then LaRussa finally wakes up from his nap and tried to copy Cueto’s rah rah speech, and the Sox promptly lose the next game 20-5. The Sox have made some egregious errors this season (hitting, base runner and fielding) which a HoF manager should simply not allow happen. Either his need to go to GM to voice his concerns (and the idea they would not be heard is ludicrous as he is JR’s guy) and get guys moved off the roster or bench guys for their egregious errors (like Moncada’s little league running error that cost the Sox that game). Heck Guillen was doing commentary for a game and made mention of how he did not really see players out there working on improvement with coaches before the game. Even Guillen said the manager, and his staff was not doing a good job motivating his players and Accountability falls on the manager’s shoulders… So, while there are obvious issues, people need to stop whining about how LaRussa is the only good thing on the club and the rest have to go.
Cost the Mets a big rubber game of a 3 game series
I believe I’ve said enough on this topic, but I feel it necessary to reiterate something. I’ve been a diehard fan of the Chicago Whitesox for 40 years. Now, that’s not long compared to some of the old timers who comment here, but it’s long enough to see patterns of organizational behavior as I understand it. They’ve had several quality teams during that timeframe that, had they added a big bat or stud pitcher during an offseason, would have put them in serious contention. The White Sox simply won’t commit to longterm contracts for top free agents with current ownership. That has put them at a tremendous disadvantage over the years, and the fans suffer for it. You can’t win without elite talent on the field, in varying degrees. Every owner and GM around the league understands this, but too many owners treat baseball operations as a business.
Sox fans might want to find a hobby or two, because the sports climate in Chicago will get a whole lot worse before it gets better. I’m talking decades (more) of ineptitude and mediocrity.
“‘The White Sox simply won’t commit to longterm contracts for top free agents with current ownership. That has put them at a tremendous disadvantage over the years, and the fans suffer for it. You can’t win without elite talent on the field, in varying degrees. Every owner and GM around the league understands this, but too many owners treat baseball operations as a business.”
Oh Jeeze…….
Want me to list the 17 mid and small market teams that got to the WS this century that didn’t “commit to longterm contracts for top free agents with [their] current ownership”?
Your Sox with the same owner got there in 2005 and won the WS.
You’re like the government – constantly spending more and more money, yet the problems still don’t go away. How can that be?
And imagine – treating a business as a business. Doesn’t seem to be an issue when the players and their agents do that.
The ‘05 Sox was a great team, but it was a fluke. And considering it’s been the only WS win in nearly 100 years, it’s not something an organization like the White Sox should hang their hat on. If you think a small ball team like that has ANY chance to win in this era, good luck to you. The other teams you claim won without spending any money wouldn’t win in this era, either. The time where frugal teams like the Braves and Twins get to the WS without spending money is over.
Y’know I was just thinking about 05 and just that, and while Im really glad to see a WS won by the Sox in my lifetime (especially at that time), it was a fluke. All the moves happen to work ( I mean 9 times out of 10, you get rid of Carlos Lee for Scott Podsednik and things are not going to go your way), and stars aligned for some players to have career years.. Sure that can happen with a ‘small market team’ but I think most people would realize that its an aberration, not the norm.
I guess some think that if you have a HoF manager (from 10 years ago) on your club that you should just be given the WS trophy, and if they fail at that, well its everyone else’s fault but the Manager’s.
The Sox have Cease, Kopech, Crochett and Vaughn thru 2025, they have Eloy and Robert signed through 2026, Anderson is signed for a couple more years and Abreu will likely resign, so their team is in place for the next few seasons.
They need to add depth to their rotation and their bullpen, that’s about all the Sox need, that and to stay healthy.
They have a three year window, will be interesting to see how it breaks for the Sox.
No reason why Abreu can’t keep it going for a few more years — Vaughn, Robert and Jimenez all young players, Moncada, Grandal and Anderson in their prime, AJ Pollock has been good and have a couple good OF in the minors in Rutherford and Haseley.
Bullpen will be critical to their success, Norge Vera should be close.
Rotation probably looks like Cease, Kopech, Crochet with Lynn and Giolito as question marks beyond ’23.
It might also be a good idea to get a Catcher that can call a game, handle a staff, and play D. Find a SS that can play D smartly and consistently. Find a RF and 3B that can play D. Teach the players to run the bases properly, and maybe do some situational hitting.
That’s not all, but it’s a start.
“The ‘05 Sox was a great team, but it was a fluke”
ChiSoxCity;
LOL
No pleasing you, huh? 2 questions……
1. Do you want me to post the other “17 mid and small market teams that got to the WS this century that didn’t “commit to longterm contracts for top free agents with [their] current ownership”?
Then you can find dismiss all of their accomplishments as well.
2. Have you ever accomplished anything in your life?
Moncada is good defensively, Anderson is good enough for how well he hits, Grandal had been acquired primarily for his defense.
Unsure about right field, Abreu plays good defense, Robert was a gold glove caliber CF before all the injuries.
Sox need another Ace in the rotation and two or three bullpen arms and they are ready to make a run at the WS.
Moncada is not good defensively.
SS is a defensive position. Anderson is a crummy SS. He’s out of position, boots balls, messes up cut off throws, etc.
Abreau is a bad 1B. Boots balls all the time. When he catches a batted ball with runners on base half the time he’s unprepared to do anything with it until it’s too late.
I forgot your LF – he’s a hack on D, and terrible base runner.
So from that all you need is: “another Ace in the rotation and two or three bullpen arms and they are ready to make a run at the WS.” Oh, that should be easy enough to do. Just log onto Amazon, place an order and have them deliver the merchandise to the park. If you have Amazon Prime they’ll be there tomorrow.
Hey Scott Rolen settle down.
Give me Rodon back, Norge Vera, Yermin, Tepera, Crochett healthy and a one more lock down RP and let’s go.