Here’s the latest on Chicago’s two major league teams:
- Shortstop Javier Baez once again made it clear Friday that he wants to remain with the Cubs, not depart in free agency next offseason, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic tweets. “Obviously, I want to stay here. I don’t want to play for another team,” Baez said, though the Cubs may lose the opportunity to extend the two-time All-Star if they don’t do so by the time the season begins. Baez stated he’ll “probably” put a deadline on talks in spring training. Barring a new deal, Baez could be one of several free-agent standouts at his position next winter, though he’s in need of a rebound after hitting a dismal .203/.238/.360 with 75 strikeouts against just seven walks in 235 plate appearances last year.
- One of Baez’s new teammates, outfielder Joc Pederson, told Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters that he turned down longer offers to join the Cubs. The former Dodger inked a one-year, $7MM guarantee with the Cubs because of the allure of playing every day. Pederson was a platoon player in Los Angeles, where the left-handed swinger batted .238/.349/.501 over 2,132 trips to the plate versus righties. On the other hand, he managed an ugly .191/.266/.310 line in 385 PA against southpaws.
- White Sox manager Tony La Russa confirmed Friday that righty Michael Kopech will open the season in the team’s bullpen, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score relays. The highly touted Kopech made his major league debut in 2018, throwing 14 1/3 innings, but he had to undergo Tommy John surgery in September of that year, and he hasn’t appeared in the bigs since. Kopech missed 2019 while recovering the procedure and then sat out last season because of COVID-19 concerns. The 24-year-old continues to rank as one of baseball’s most promising prospects, though, with MLB.com placing him 39th overall.
I wouldn’t read too much into Kopech going to the bullpen. TLR is big on getting young arms ready for the rotation out of the bullpen first. Wainwright, Lynn, and others followed the path.
Bingo
Tony knows what he is doing. And he is a master communicator with his players. New and superb pitching coach will get every ounce out of his pitchers.
Bryant extension yes. Baez extension no.
Joc believes he will play vs lhp. We will see if he can hit them.
Joc can hit left handers. Give him a chance. He has pretty much hit only right handers for the last few years, so he will need adjustment time.
Pederson was untouchable until he came up to the majors. He raked right and left handers his whole career.
I read somewhere, maybe here, that he hit lhp hard in college. But I didn’t think he went to college. But I wish him luck and hope he gets the chance. Ross seems like the easiest manager in the world to want to play hard for.
Going into last season Pederson has hit .188 vs LHP.
Peterson is lost against LH pitchers in MLB. Anyone who has watched him with the Dodgers knows this…
I like Joc, and he is a solid overall player, but he is almost useless at the plate versus lefties. The frustrating part is that he can draw a lot of walks, but he also just swings and misses terribly, resulting in a lot of really ugly strikeouts. It’s like one eye is good and patient, and the other is nearly blind and erratic, swinging wildly at anything thrown to the plate, and the two switch between being dominant on any given day. Basically, he is a good platoon player due to his difficulties versus lefties. Defensively, he is not bad in LF at all. As a Dodgers fan who has watched him for years, he is a good pickup for the Braves, but don’t expect him to be more than a platoon player. He is also a great option to have on the bench when he doesn’t start.
I had Pederson in a daily league in 2019 and he helped win me the first half. He was awesome. Him and Jay Bruce that half were great with tons of homers. Even If Joc didn’t Start because of the LHP, as soon as the RHP came in from the bullpen Joc entered the game. It was great.
TBF, most AB vs LHP for Joc was at least 2 years ago. He’s matured as a hitter in general. Not a huge stretch he could improve vs lefties. I mean 380 AB vs2100 says it all
Would you get better at hitting against LHP if you weren’t allowed to bat against them? Teams need to let him hit
TLR is also a multiple DUI offender, who is great a communication with police officers asking for his license and registration
@PeteWard8
Agree with your take on the White Sox and Joc Pederson. However, I’d wager a contract extension with Javier Baez is more likely than one with Kris Bryant, especially with the latter being a Scott Boras client. I’d also bet that Anthony Rizzo is the most likely Cub to finish his career on the northside of Chicago over Baez or Bryant.
It should also be noted that the White Sox were reportedly one of the teams who offered Pederson more money than what he ultimately received from the Cubs. The White Sox wanted to jump the market early this offseason to find their 2021 RF and settled for Adam Eaton when other free agents like Pederson weren’t in any particular hurry to put pen to paper. Rick Hahn explained his reasoning for the early signing of Eaton and the December trade for Lance Lynn in the following detailed interview article with James Fegan of The Athletic: theathletic.com/2410528/2021/02/25/chicago-white-s…
That has nothing to do with him as a manager! Your one if the people that ruin discussions on here!
Joc’s .230 career average, while mostly hitting on the strong side of a platoon, does not portend to be anything but lower given his even poorer results against lefties.
Joc is the quintessential poster child for a platoon player and even hitting against mostly righties he isnt that good. Yea, he runs into some homers with his awesome power, but he’s not a high quality hitter overall. Saying how he “can hit lefties’ flies in the face of the facts.
James Jacobsen, Lurking… Exactly. I don’t know if it’ll rub off, but Rizzo struggled against LHPs early on and when he came to the Cubs, he played every day and made tremendous improvements.. If Ross can be patient, Pederson seems like a player who could make those adjustments.
Joc isn’t likely to make significant adjustments at this point. If you had watched his at-bats during his career, you would know he is more than a few adjustments away from turning things around. It sounds like you are basing your opinion on hope and looking at just some of his numbers rather than actually having watched him play. Like I said before, he is a solid platoon player, but he seems pretty set in his ways at the plate.
In games when you have a guy who hits lefties well on the bench? What kind of logic is that?
They’ll give him a shot let’s see if he can make some corrections.
I’ll drink to that.
It used to be routine to send young starting pitchers in the bullpen to allow then to adjust to the majors with little, if any pressure – often brought into games that were pretty much decided.
Dennis Eckersley started in relief with the Indians and was so good they thought of making him a closer. Then they gave him some starts and it was obvious he was a star. Years later when his starting career had hit a wall and he was floundering in MLB, LaRussa put him back in the bullpen with the A;s. Eck began a 2nd career, while LaRussa started the trend of bringing in the closer to start the 9th inning instead of waiting for a runner or two to get on base.
For every Wainwright there’s a Joba Chamberlain.
Spot on. It is a way to limit innings, make him feel part of the team from the beginning…..and gradually unleash him to start later on depending how rotation and he is looking for playoff push.
I am not expecting major things from Kopech this year. He is gonna need some time to get his command back to where it was. The velocity is fine. He is back over 100 mph. 2021-2022 season is where I am looking for Kopech to be a major factor. Quite possibly slotting into the #2 slot in the rotation behind Giolito.
Ambitious, but I like it. Personally think Cease is gifted (knee buckling, underutilized curve) and Katz will make him more consistent and confident right away. Sometimes it is a new voice to teach. Besides turning Giolito around, big fan of Flaherty he’s worked with (plus Fried). Loved the hire to help all the young arms in system.
I am not expecting a lot of innings from Kopech this year, but I am expecting massive improvement as the year goes on. Cease has his fastball back and with better vertical movement than ever after an offseason of working with Katz by video chat. I don’t know what Kopech is doing that’s hurting his control, but I’d bet Katz is the guy who can fix it. I honestly believe that hiring Katz may well be the biggest move the Sox made this offseason.
Kopech as #2 sounds ambitious this season but we’ll see. If Kopech can start a playoff game and go 3 or 4 innings and turn the ball over to Crochet for 3 or 4 innings I think the White Sox will be thrilled.
That is still the cardinals way with pitchers..
A Kopech, Crochet, Bummer, Foster, Marshall, and Hendriks relief core is INSANE. The White Sox are the best team in the A.L. Change my mind.
Hmm Yankees hmm money hmm uncertainty and variance hmm
All jokes aside, it’s a bit of a toss-up, but I’d give the Yankees the slight edge.
Yankees? Really?
They were a wildcard team last year. They lost 3/5ths of their rotation. They have a terrible defense. Chapman is hittable. Yankees could easy be a 3rd place team in the east.
@BobGibsonFan- I wish you were a betting man. No 3rd place for the Yankees. They will run away with the division. My guess is Dunedin will be in 2nd and Tampa Bay will finish 3rd.
Yankees are headed for a 3rd place finish in the AL East. They might be fighting Boston for that. They got holes EVERYWHERE.
@Very Barry- keep being delusional and run far away during the season or I’ll be the guy who told you the Yankees will be winning the AL East in 2021. As always thanks for the big laugh.
@Yank4Life – Yankees have holes EVERYWHERE! Starting Pitching = holes after Cole. Severino? Corey Kluber? Jameson Taillon? How many innings have those dudes pitched the past 2 years??? Domingo German? He is lucky to still be on the team. Catcher = hole. Gary Sanchez? Lol. This dude can no longer hit and ALL the pitchers hate throwing to him. Outfield = holes. Judge is gonna get hurt. Facts! That leaves Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier. Yikes! Brett Gardner is your 4th outfielder. Let that sink in for a moment. Stanton is the DH. Sigh! Like Judge …. He is gonna get hurt. Facts! I think Jay Bruce is his backup. Let that sink in for a moment as well. Whew! Gleyber gonna actually hit this year, or is this dude overrated because he wears pinstripes? The Yankees got holes ……. EVERYWHERE!
Gotta love yankees fans calling other people delusional
Could argue them being the best team, but no doubt the best bullpen in AL, hands down. Lights out.
The Dodgers know this! White Sox bullpen is next level! Tony LaRussa has a lot of “toys” to play with in the bullpen. Why do you think Bauer got his $40 million? He ain’t no lefty that is for certain. Looking forward to betting on the White Sox again against every left-handed pitcher they face. BTW ….. Go ahead and write in Andrew Vaughn Rookie of the Year. You can put that one in ink!
You’re not serious right? You think the Dodgers signed Trevor Bauer on the slight chance that they meet the White Sox in the World Series? They just won the WS and are going to have their work cut out for them winning the Pennant again. I’m a WS season ticket holder and that is just crazy talk.
LaRussa won’t be able to swap his relief corp in and out the way he used to with the rule that pitchers have to face at least 3 batters. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the rules that didn’t exist the last time he managed.
If you peruse through the White Sox projected 2021 bullpen you won’t see an obvious LOOGY. I don’t particularly care for the recent rule change but the White Sox have a bullpen loaded with power arms who can pitch multiple innings and can retire any hitter regardless of what side they hit from. Their relievers can either miss bats, induce ground balls or do both.
The only question marks with the White Sox pen might be health and perhaps command with a couple of the younger arms. It’s the command aspect that bothers me most about the rule change. It’s painful and frustrating to a team and its fans to see a reliever enter a game who can’t find the strike zone on a particular day and be forced to stay in for three batters before he can be removed. The rule is a farce, one of many recently that should be immediately abolished.
PECOTA disagrees has the chisox at 83 wins. Paper champions at this point
PECOTA has not got anything right yet anyway
Nope never gotten a single thing right. d’okay great take James.
i dunno, most of their 2021 team projections look absurd.
Maybe there picks are for last place?
Bet a bundle on the over if that were the actual line. No worries they still have to beat a good Twins club led by the chemist/ageless DH, but you are sounding like bitter Morneau who said “Anybody but the WSox” in ’05 when they went wire-to-wire and ultimately 11-1 in playoffs to win it all.
PECOTA? LOL!
What was PECOTA projection last year for Sox?
PECOTA had the White Sox with the same win total of 83 last year. They finished 35-25 in the abbreviated 60-game season, good for a .583 win percentage that extrapolates to 94 victories (.580) over a full 162-game schedule. Most White Sox fans will gladly take 94 wins in 2021 although I personally believe they could beat that number with good health and a HOF manager guiding the team.
PECOTA carried a NY bias. Notable how WSox and Braves–Yanks and Mets competition–had projections far below others.
Braves 90-95 wins.
WSox 90-95 wins.
And I’m a Yankee fan.
Considering that bot the Braves and White Sox have one true competitor in their division, one decent team, and two weak ones, I’m expecting the high side of those ranges. If the Sox can continue to feast on the Twins and Royals, they could push toward 100 (though I admit it wouldn’t count as much as an AL East team winning that many). Yeah, I’ve often thought that PECOTA has to have some bias in it. A regression for the Sox to a roughly .500 team after a 94-win pace last year, despite their additions and expected growth from their young players? Calling bull on that on.
“Pace”.lmfao.
This stuff’s made in New York City!
@hyraxwithaflamethrower
The Royals won’t be pushovers in 2021. I believe they will approach .500 and be closer to the Indians in the AL Central than the Tigers. I see the division as a two-horse race between the White Sox and Twins with both teams winning 90+ games and reaching the postseason.
Hey 333, just hoping if the White Sox win the division the AL Central can avoid the October embarrassment that the Twins always bestow upon the division. Brutal. Here come the Yankees…….BOO!
Ouch! Well I only started at SS for two of those playoff teams so that only kind of stings.
The white Sox also bestowed it last year.
Don’t forget about Cody Heuer. That bullpen is gonna be phenomenal this year.
Heuer is fantastic! He and Foster is who I wanted to replace Fulmer/Herrera, and surprised they did it. Only thing saving Fry and his injury is being a lefty. Tyler Johnson much better with little more minors time and Lambert eventually option regardless of being righties. Hahn’s 2 weaknesses are overpaying washed up DH vets and mid-relievers. If they are smart, Mercedes for DH and in-house relievers provide production for little $$. Save cash for any holes due to injury later.
Saying they are this good makes them over rated. The offense isn’t as good as people think.
The White Sox finished 6th overall in team batting, despite the hole in RF and at DH. What makes you say it’s overrated? That makes zero sense. We had two guys get MVP votes for Pete’s sake.
Your team played in the weakest division in the AL and faced the weakest division in the NL. That is why the AL Central teams flamed out fast in the first round of the expanded playoffs. It’s nice your squad hit the baseball but until they can beat the beasts of the AL East there really isn’t anything brag about just yet.
Ok, so the Twins hitting is “great”, but the Sox hitting is overrated? You sound very uninformed (to put it nicely).
There is still a hole at RF and DH. Bottom of their lineup is not good. Madrigal has zero power. Eaton is just bad. And who is the DH? Zach Collins, Garcia??
@WereAllJustGuestsHere
The AL has a pretty good balance among its divisions. That said, the weakest division in 2020 was the West. It will also be the weakest in 2021. The East and Central are fairly even with perhaps a slight edge to the right coast. Both divisions have potential 100-loss teams at the bottom with the Orioles worse than the Tigers.
I believe the White Sox and Twins will have more wins combined than the Yankees and whoever finishes second between the Jays and the Rays. The Red Sox are a stronger 4th place team on paper than the Royals but don’t sleep on KC. They may approach the .500 mark in 2021. I do like the 3rd place finisher in the East over the Indians in the Central.
Killer pen. Best in baseball.
@Rangers29, much as I like reading this sort of opinion from fans of other teams, I’m not ready to hand the AL Crown to the White Sox just yet. The Yankees’ upside if they can finally stay healthy, is at least as high. The Rays always find a way to compete and, even if they take a step back this year, they have far and away the best farm in baseball, so they’ll be back in 2022, 2023 at the latest. The Jays also got a lot better and the Twins, though I don’t expect them to win the division, are getting JD back, so a RoY-type year from Kiriloff and the back of the White Sox’ rotation disappointing us again could turn that battle. If I had to put money on a team to represent the AL, I’d go with Chicago, but I don’t think it’s clear-cut.
Dead-on with the bullpen comment, though. If the Sox’ starters can make it through six with a lead, you can almost chalk up a win right there.
Sox are good maybe not great. Twins are still very good so I wouldn’t give Sox the division either. But stellar pen and three solid starters who throw a lot of innings will take them far.
I expect Kiriloff to rake also. Last healthy season he was a beast. Him or Kelenic for AL ROY.
The Sox are the deepest team in the AL. They have better pitching and better defense than the Twins. I’m glad people are sleeping on the White Sox. It always makes the winning sweeter.
The White Sox have a solid bullpen and top three in the rotation, and a solid top of the order lineup.
But they still have question marks with the back of the rotation, DH and RF, as well as a lack of depth.
Success will ultimately come down to Robert, Cease and whatever young player they put at DH taking the next step, Eaton, Moncada and Jimenez staying healthy and Abreu and Grandal not going into regression.
Solid team, but they do not have much room for error, and are banking on a lot of things going in their favor.
Not a fan of PECOTA, but this is why the system is lukewarm on the team.
Name one team that’s “deeper” than the White Sox. I’ll wait…
Padres overall just as deep. Consider the five starters plus Gore, Weathers and Morejon. Then you have infielders plus Kim and Cronenworth. At least two potential closers. Insane depth. Oh, and Clevinger next year.
But Sox bullpen goes on forever with talent if you include Crochet and Kopech. The best.
Won’t matter…they will not meet in the WS.
The White Sox really aren’t that deep.
They have tremendous depth in the bullpen, but they have inexperienced/bad pitchers at the back end, a shaky RF platoon, and frankly, a major question mark at DH. Healthy is also a significant issue for several players.
A deep team doesn’t have to worry about three separate roles on the team. These are roles, BTW, the team has failed to address for years.
White Sox are very good but not deep. An injury to the left side of their infield would be brutal. Two injuries there would be catastrophic. Injuries in the outfield would hurt as well. If Giolito goes down for the season early I think the Twins run away with the Central.
Exactly.
If Adam Eaton gets hurt, they are back to the same situation in RF they have had for the past four seasons.
And we don’t know if Moncada will still have lingering COVID issues, and he already is prone to injury, as is Jimenez. Even the top bench player, Garcia, is rarely healthy.
And God forbid if Grandal gets hurt.
The rotation, while solid overall, also has holes at the back end, and a number of pitchers with a history of injury struggles.
Couple that with a lack of depth in AAA, especially with position players, the problem grows more concerning.
The White Sox can absolutely win it all, but it will require a great deal of luck in the health department, and significant development from younger players.
They are very good. They are not deep. That is why adding a potential DH who could also play in the field (Todd Frazier, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario) or a veteran who can help on the back end of the rotation (Quintana, etc.) Would have solidified the team’s chances of competing this year.
PECOTA is almost ALWAYS wrong with their predictions every single year. It’s more of a running joke in the industry than anything else. Only casual fans and hacks take them seriously.
Chi, could you walk us through how the Pecota estimates are derived, perhaps saying a little something about what has happened to the standard dev of the prediction set vs. actual outcomes year by year? Could you also shed some light on the way in which you make estimates of the number of WS wins this year, and especially why your methodology is superior to Pecota? I mean, few folks are insufficiently self aware and uneducated to believe that “I watch a lot of baseball” is a better predictor of statistical processes than statistical analysis by people who are well versed in that field, right?
Such is the sad state of the MLB… reduced to a simulation controlled by statistics fanboys who know jack about the game of baseball.
PECOTA predicted the Cubs would finish the 2015 season with an 82-80 record. Now, tell me what their ACTUAL final record was in 2015. Furthermore, since you’re obviously a genius who know math better than anybody, tell me WHY the Cubs finished with the record they did.
Got it. You have nothing.
@bronyaur The correct answer is 97-65. PECOTA’s prediction was off by 15 wins! See, I can do math too.
Pecota and their 2005 White Sox call was a total disaster.
@ChiSoxCity
Yes. Even Theo Epstein admitted that he and other like-minded analytical nerds have changed the game and not necessarily for its betterment. Perhaps Theo can elevate himself to the Commissioners job down the road and actually do some good by returning the game toward the field and away from computer projections.
Good luck with turning people off computers in the year 2021. How about refining and improving the algorithms.
Smart move starting him in the bullpen. They need to bring him along slowly and limit his innings.
Everyone is on the same page I believe. No hurry for any of our pitchers. Sox are deep in pitching and Tony has them in line. Priority is winning and everyone will contribute.
Javy Baez been openly campaigning for an extension from the Cubs for 2 years now. He don’t want no part of free agency. Lindor, Storey and Correa all gonna hit the market next year. Cubs don’t want to give him a deal. They are in a rebuild that they haven’t told their fan base about yet. Baez knows that no deal from the Cubs will mean his free agent year will be a major dud. Baez is no longer the hot name that he used to be.
It’s probably true, but at least he’s on the record so fans know he wants to stay. Keep all options open.
Couldn’t disagree more. Baez and Rizzo will get extended.
Yeah maybe Javy will give a little on a slightly team friendly deal. Cubs would be smart to jump now off a dismal 20
Cubs will go farther than the White Sox in 2021. White Sox fans need to slow their roll for a bit. the 2020 season was for 60 games…. so 1/3 of the total that is usually played. and their was a fade by some WS prospects and now they will need to have adjustments ready. Moncada had Covid and had bad side effects…. but when other teams use the 2020 excuse it is not allowed. Calm down WS fans, 162 games is a long season.
Hooked on phonics didn’t work for you!
He’s on a roll.
You are a conspiracy theorist aren’t you………………
arte moreno will likely sign baez for close to $30 mil per.
Ha, I imagine after Tatis a lot of these guys want to “stick around suddenly” !
My thoughts aside, you know there’s GM’s out there right now throwing Darts at a Preller pic on the wall
Lol
why not just send Kopech down and stretch him out where the leverage is lower
I don’t think there is too much interest in truly stretching him out. He pretty much hasn’t pitched for 2 years. They want to build up his innings and continue to get his command back. 2021 will be an adjustment year for Kopech. I see him as our #2 starter in 2022.
Because his innings will be limited this year anyways… Unless he looks absolutely terrible in Spring Training, there’s no reason to waste bullets in AAA.
Kopech has no reason to be in AAA. He’s not going to learn anything throwing to AAAA players.
I like the idea of him coming out of the pen. Frankly, I don’t know why more teams don’t ease staters in via a bullpen role.
I used to think woe is me all the time but it must really be tough to be a White Sox fan. Damn….every year filled with these fantastic pipe dreams and the only year you ever won was because of our boy A.J. Good luck with the felonious drunken driver in charge and pinning your hopes on a bunch of has been and never weres. Maybe you can bring Ozzie Guillen off the scrap heap in Florida to be bench coach?
channing1964- Everyone i know and ever knew has driven drunk.
How about you?
Pete I think you need to expand your field of acquaintances. Seriously. For the last 25 years or so only irresponsible man-children drive drunk.
whatever- For the last 25 years or so? That’s all? To each their own but thanks for the lecture. I quit the drink 27 years ago. Played softball until I was 56 years old, Played 5 days a week and twice on Sunday.. We all went to the sponsor after the games.
Okay Ozzie has been a coach or manager for two World Series winning teams. Which is the same amount as the Twins have won the entire time they’ve been in MN. It will be a fight for the division for sure but the Sox do have a deeper bullpen and rotation.
As for Pete, you need to get to know more people out get better friends. Most of the people I know have never driven drunk and TLR should have had the book thrown at him.
John Kappel- Good for you John.
Drunk to the point of passing out behind the wheel in the middle of an intersection like LaRussa? No.
Not me personally. But DWI and DUI were given to some friends back in the 1970s, but since then nothing. And one friend got in a serious accident and served time for DWI and reckless homicide also back in the 1970s.
@Pete-you forget that chat rooms only attract the most upright of citizens. Absolute models of righteousness, who never have and never will do anything wrong, say or even think anything that’s not PC, and most can predict the future too! Company too impressive for me to keep!
And everyone gets caught a few times, right?
My goodness. Justifying drunk driving because “everyone else does it!” Are you sure you are 56 and not 5.6?
I don’t think he’s justifying it. He was making a point to someone judging a mans mistake when all the while most people at some point have gotten behind the wheel when they were impaired. It’s nothing to be proud of, but I agree with him, people need to quit judging someone for a past mistake. “He who is without sin cast the first stone”-John 8:7
I understand, but there is a difference between having a beer or two and being sloshed…and being ticketed multiple times for such an offense. I personally am not judging him for that–I don’t like him for other reasons–but that take was ridiculous, come on. Apparently he drove impaired every night for how many years? Don’t downplay drinking and driving by saying everyone does it–will assume you have never lost someone to it. This board is weird. All kinds. Never thought I would read anyone discuss drinking and driving in such a cavalier manner, but here we are. 2021.
Sideline Redwine- I am 65 not 56. I said I played softball until I was 56.
45 years ago some of my friends were caught drinking and driving and taken to jail.
Thanks for being perfect and having perfect friends.
Thank you for the lecture dad.
Again I am not condoning and I don’t think others are. Clearly this manager has a drinking problem. If he is driving sloshed every night he’s getting drunk every night. I hope the DUI woke him up before he does kill someone. I know the grips of addiction, I understand that you make very poor judgment calls. While I don’t condone driving a 4000 pound weapon down the highway, hammered, I sympathize with the addiction. It breaks my heart to see so many enslaved to a substance and also when that enslavement ends up killing someone, especially an innocent party because they chose to drive. Ultimately he is still responsible for his actions, I just relate because I’ve been there, and the only difference is I didn’t get a DUI, only by God’s grace. I truly hope he’s working on getting his life sorted out. So I hope I didn’t come across as cavalier on drinking and driving, but I do recognize the people who are the loudest criticizers of others are usually the biggest hypocrites.
Talking mad smack for a fan of a team who hasn’t won a playoff series since 2004.
LMAO
Not just a playoff series, but a playoff game.
The other part of the smack talk I like is that the Twins were just bad from 2011-2014, around .500 in 2015, deplorable in 2016, around .500 in 2017-2018, and finally took off in 2019. 2 actually good years in the last 10 and Twins’ fans think they’re untouchable atop the division.
The funny thing is, the White Sox haven’t won a playoff series since 2005.
The kids born the last time either of these teams won anything are getting their learners permits and drivers licenses now.
Neither of their fanbases should be talking smack.
Hew Channing 1964…..was 1964 the last time the Twins beat the Yankees in an October game? I love these Twins fans that beat their chest over their October performances and talk smack LOL!!!! The 2005 team won more October games than the Twins will this century.
Twins are currently on a 18 playoff game losing streak. Not only can they not win a series or a title, they cant even win a playoff game lol
Win a playoff game Twinkie. Come back to us then with all your baseball related relevations. We’ll be waiting with bated breath- at least those of us who are still here in the year 2035
The White Sox had its first winning season in seven years last year, during a short season. Talking smack about a franchise that is consistently successful is just dumb.
I crack up with these players that turned down better deals as Pederson stated. They are so full of it. Trying to bring a warm and fuzz feeling I guess.
It’s possible. Maybe someone offered him a two-year deal for $7 million!
Pederson will do well with a change of scenery and a team that will set him loose against lefties. He doesn’t have to be great against them, just more competitive, and that will improve his overall hitting. A similar approach the Yankees took with Paul O’Neill when they traded for him.
Schwarber never mastered hitting lefties with the Cubs, but I do agree that Pederson might have a better shot. Schwarber never hit lefties. The way the Dodgers operate, they did everything they could to minimize Pederson batting against lefties, which means he’d never improve. It will be interesting to see how he does in a new environment with more opportunities against southpaws. If I had to bet on one improving against lefties in the new homes. I’d go Pederson.
There’s speculation that Michael Kopech will be used as a piggyback opener along with Carlos Rodon in order to monitor their early season workloads in the wake of last season’s abbreviated COVID-19 schedule. Innings pitched limits are needed for both due to Kopech’s 2020 opt-out and Rodon’s injury history during the past 4 seasons. The White Sox want both pitchers available down the stretch and into the postseason.
Garrett Crochet will also be considered for a multiple inning role in order to stretch him out as a potential starter as soon as 2022. Crochet figures to be on the same timeline plan the team utilized with Chris Sale early in his White Sox career. The preference is to have both Kopech and Crochet working directly with new pitching coach Ethan Katz at the MLB level rather than keeping them down at AAA Charlotte to open the season. Clearly the team would rather put the limited 2021 innings of Kopech and Crochet to better use on the MLB roster than at AAA..
Speculation = pulling monkeys out of your butt
Pederson has the worst swing in baseball. He looks like an epileptic lumber jack trying to swat a fly. Enjoy the .200 batting average Chicago.
I like starting Kopech and Crochet in the pen. You can control how high-leverage the situations are when they pitch, give them favorable matchups or big challenges, and still get good use out of them while stretching them out and letting them refine their stuff with Katz. White Sox should win the division this year, but this is not the year they become true contenders. I think that’s 2022. Still need more development from that young pitching staff (and pipe dream here, but getting Conforto would be amazing, too).
No, in this particular AL season, Sox ARE contenders. Believe it. Only ‘Stros and Yanks stand in their way and both have potential issues with SP. Maybe not the best team yet, but close.
Representing the AL in the WS means little if they don’t have a realistic shot at the Dodgers or Padres. I love the Sox, but they’re just not one of baseball’s elite teams. And it’s a shame because if JR had been aggressive and gotten Springer or even Brantley, signed Cruz to a one-year deal, and signed someone like Paxton, they would have jad a shot. Still underdogs, but not by nearly as much.
Any decent team has a shot to win a series.
The games decide who goes to the playoffs. I went to some White Sox playoff games in 05 and got to see David Wells laboring and getting shelled. Icing on the cake was seeing Clemens losing his World Series start for the Astros. Watch for the White Sox to make October noise. Anyone that says they have holes in their lineup should go back and look again. Going to be a great season on the South side of Chicago. And yes I’m a Yankees fan too.
I would like the idea of starting Kopech in the pen if they had a reliable 5th starter in his place. They don’t. Whatever plan they have now for their 5th starter cannot last long unless either Lopez or Rodon prove that they are drastically different pitchers than they were the past 2 years. The Giants had a mediocre staff under Katz influence. That does not mean he is not a good pitching coach, I think he will be. It only means that he cannot make bad pitchers good, and is unlikely to achieve that with Rodon or Lopez because nobody in baseball achieves drastic improvement among pitchers who are as bad as these two were in 2019/20. It’s spring and everybody is saying good things about how all pitchers are throwing, on every team. But come on. This team is doomed if they plan on sticking with Rodon or Lopez out of stubborn and childish loyalty, wishing and hoping while those 2 give games away and post ERAs among the worst pitchers in MLB like they did the past 2 years. Whatever they say the plan is now, it is bound to change unless by some miracle Rodon or Lopez proves capable of an ERA under 5 rather than over 6 or 7. There is nothing that this organization has done that makes their judgment deserving of even the slightest level of trust where Rodon or Lopez is concerned. We’ve watched them painfully for too long. Whatever their plan is, things change, and the numbers will not lie. Prediction: neither Rodon nor Lopez is pitching for this team in the 2nd half. And Kopech will occupy the 5th starter spot, being more than adequate and going 4 or 5 innings with ease.
Conforto would be great, as would Springer have been. A more realistic replacement for Eaton would be Pederson, who might wind up in a Sox uniform before the end of the year if the Cubs are bad, and Eaton is on the DL with the Sox still in contention.
Way too much negativity for a fan of a team on the brink of sustained greatness. Lighten up and enjoy the ride. You might miss the euphoria with so much unwarranted pessimism. 🙂
If you don’t think pessimism on the subject of Rodon and Lopez is warranted, you haven’t watched much baseball the past 2 seasons. Rodon was the guy Renteria put in when they blew the game against the Indians that cost them the division, with guys like Ozzie and Frank harshly criticizing that as a result. I’ll respect their opinion and baseball acumen over someone who believes whatever they want to hear. Rodon’s line in game 3 vs the A’s was zero innings and 2 runs. Forgive me for not wanting to watch more of that. Best to you, I think best if we ignore each other from now on, thanks.
And you blame that on Rodon? Not the idiot that thought it was a good idea to bring him out of the bullpen into a high leverage situation when he hasn’t pitched all year and has practically never pitched out of the pen? That is 100% on Ricky; the only thing he was consistently good at was putting his players in terrible spots.
As far as the 5th starter role, it won’t be as important as you think. I’d be much more worried about it if they didn’t have 3 starters that go 6+ every start and an elite, deep bullpen. All they need is for someone to go 4 to 5 mediocre innings and hand it over to the ‘pen.
As soon as I saw 10 pitcher changes in the last playoff game I knew Renteria was a goner.
@jhomeslic
Carlos Rodon and Reynaldo Lopez have electric arms.
Rodon’s biggest issue has been his health over the past 4 seasons with shoulder issues and then his TJ surgery. The front office knows his medical history better than any other team and wouldn’t have brought him back if they believed his arm issues will continue into 2021.
Lopez has been much healthier physically. His mental state of mind is another matter altogether. When he is on he is virtually unhittable. In 2018, it was Lopez who looked to be the best SP prospect from the Adam Eaton trade and not Lucas Giolito.
The hope in 2021 is that new pitching coach Ethan Katz, Giolito’s mentor since high school and a key reason why he became a TOR in 2019, will have a similar impact on Lopez and the other young White Sox arms. Katz has been working with Dylan Cease all winter through video chats as well as offering advice and instruction to the likes of Michael Kopech and Garrett Crochet.
Its been evident for some time now that former pitching coach Don Cooper just wasn’t ‘connecting’ with many of the younger White Sox arms. Katz is far more analytically inclined and much more modern with his hands-on mechanics.
Nope even when Lopez was putting up better stats it was a mirage. He wasnt any better in terms of k/bb in 2018 than in 2017 or 2019. His 2018 FIP was very similar to his 2017 production. He’s just not good.
@priggs Of course Renteria is more “at fault” than Rodon for using him last year. But the reason that anybody who is objective and honest can see is that he does not appear to have much left as a major league pitcher. This isn’t a guy who was hurt a couple years ago coming back from an injury. He has been hurt each of the past 4 years, with an ERA that has climbed every year during that time along with loss in velocity. He was like a batting practice pitcher last year. He hasn’t had a healthy and productive season in FIVE years! And this year is going to be different, because of a new pitching coach, and wishing and hoping?
Look, I wish the guy well. He’s been through a lot as a human being. The physical pain, the rehab, the disappointment each year. Seeing his career as a major league pitcher possibly over. A comeback would be a great story. I’m just a Sox fan, and a logical, objective human being. An average major league 5th starter on a good team has an ERA probably in the high 4’s. The reality is that Lopez and Rodon combined for an ERA of close to 6 the past two years. The probability of success from either of them is very low at best, and much closer to zero than likely. I’ve seen them go for cheap players for decades, it almost always turns out the same. It’s the main reason why they have one championship in the past 50 years (or 100 for that matter). I’ll bet anybody anything they want that neither Rodon nor Lopez has an ERA under 5 if they are healthy enough to pitch at least 50 innings.
They had a payroll that I believe was dead last in all of MLB in 2017 or 2018, which fans tolerated because of the money they would be able to save and put to use once their young players showed something. They are now 15th, in a year when they should be going for broke like the Padres are doing. No team with a payroll under 12th has won a championship the past decade. Reinsdorf is the 10th richest owner. Any justification or defense for his cheapness is the stuff of blind, obedient sheep who will believe anything, like Rodon or Lopez being likely to succeed this year, or that the only reason they don’t have better options is anything other than Reinsdorf being a cheapass whose word means nothing.
You are right though, it should not be important because they have Kopech. Once they realize that he is the only viable option they have, and that most guys come back strong a year earlier from a surgery he had 2 1/2 years ago and are not held to under 100 innings or something, he can go 4 or 5 and hand it over to a rested bullpen and they will be more than fine. But until then, I picture Rodon/Lopez being 0-5 with an ERA of over 6 by early May. I hope for the sake of fans who want this year to be different that they come to their senses by then and use Kopech even if it is for 3 or 4 innings initially, followed by Crochet or whoever. The mediocre innings you speak of are going to need to come from Kopech, not two guys who are probably not even mediocre level major league pitchers. Why they would decide that Rodon is the 5th starter before any spring games are even played is ridiculous beyond belief. What if Kopech looks lights out, and Rodon/Lopez terrible this spring? How long can they pretend or hope with Rodon/Lopez, ignoring the past 2 seasons? Windows of opportunity don’t last forever. Lynn is gone after this year among other things, so I hope they face reality sooner than later and use the best players they have in the smartest way possible.
Exactly.
If the White Sox knew that neither Kopech nor Crochet were locked for the rotation, they owned it to the team to find another solution for the back end of the rotation, especially since Cease, even if the works out, could be a 5 and done type starter.
Right now, the 5th starter is between a pitcher who hasn’t been healthy in five years, and arguably the worst starting pitcher in the league over the past two seasons.
And because of Cease, and because both Keuchel and Giolito have missed starts over the past few years due to fatigue, that fifth starter will absolutely matter, even with a deep bullpen.
If salary is a concern, maybe they shouldn’t have wasted money on EE last season, since it looks as if they are going to go with the solution they could have last season — a platoon involving Mercedes and Collins — when the chances of them being a contender were less likely.
I can’t believe all the whining White Sox fans heading into a season with so much promise and optimism. You can’t get out of each others way trying to climb to the top of Mount Crushmore.
Instead of spewing all your cheap criticism consider spending a few dollars and subscribe to The Athletic so you can get a true picture of exactly what is transpiring with your favorite team through the eyes of White Sox beat writer James Fegan. In working for an independent publication he is certainly no corporate shill. Perhaps his shared optimism through in depth interviews with all the key White Sox personnel will help change your attitude heading toward opening day.
Btw: I’d also recommend becoming a subscriber to this site as well, especially since we are all more than happy to use it as our primary soapbox.
Aaron I directed my reply to another poster. Which was clearly not you. You’re not the only one who posts on this site, and you don’t own it. I can discuss things with other thoughtful people who don’t attack others who share different opinions that hold up to critical thinking. I told you politely, like an adult, that it is best that we ignore each other from now on. Chill out dude. Whenever I reply from now on, believe me nothing is directed at you, because I don’t want to discuss with you. It’s a free country, I’ll express whatever opinion I like. If you can’t handle that and want to lash out at anybody that contradicts the way you see things, get some help. It’s nothing personal but I do have a problem with people who turn discussion into petty and childish personal attacks for no reason. If you don’t like what I write, I really, really don’t care. Don’t read or reply then!!
My comment wasn’t directed at any one individual White Sox fan but rather at ALL of the persistent whiners here. I’ve never been one to reject constructive criticism and have dished plenty out myself including comments directed at my two favorite baseball teams and their respective fan bases.
The criticism I’m seeing here is over-the-top and unreasonable. I’m merely suggesting that some of you might do well with some additional perspective from highly informed pundits rather than consistently beating each other up with less apprized opinions.
WS >> Cubs
So sad Cubs fans can’t see the rebuild in front of them
Cub fans are a special group. They don’t understand when you continue to accept the lies that the Jed and the boys in the front office are telling you …. they will keep telling you lies. The Cubs are in a rebuild. They tried to trade Kris Bryant ….. nobody wanted him. Bryant is now “open” to an extension. Lol. What other options does he legitimately have? Nobody was willing to trade for that $19 million for 2021. Which gives you a pretty good idea of the number of suitors there will be at that price for multiple years. Zero! This guy needs the Cubs to pay him for his franchise icon status. They don’t want to do it because they are in a rebuild. Lies from Jed. They were really able to spin to the fan base that the Yu Darvish trade wasn’t because they were rebuilding, but because it just made so much financial sense, and how their numbers said it was the right time to do it. Guy finishes 2nd in Cy Young voting. Finally gives you good starts after a disaster Cub beginning. He is making $20 million. A budget deal these days. Cy Young winner just got $40 million. But hey, they are still trying to win and contend. Why are the Cubs “acting” like they are still contending with guys like Joc Pedersen? Because they have literally purchased ALL of the Bars and Real Estate around Wrigley Field. Hotels …. Completely corporate! They plunked down a fortune and are taking a financial pandemic beating. Fans don’t want to hear that. They know how much cash is coming in and they know Cub ownership is completely taking advantage of them right down to making them pay to watch Cub games on the Marquee Network.
Very Barry1 hour ago
Cub fans are a special group. They don’t understand when you continue to accept the lies that the Jed and the boys in the front office are telling you …. they will keep telling you lies.
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Yup, Cubs fans are like that. So long as they come in 1st every year, they don’t feel the need to complain. Funny group.
Come in first, or lose to the Marlins at home in a wildcard game.
Post too long. Head hurts
Anybody know for certain when Kopech is a free agent? With his TJS and opt-out I’m unclear.
google spotrac kopech contract.
As for the comments on TLR there are a lot of people out there throwing stones when they themselves have driven impaired and been lucky enough to not get stopped. He’s made his mistakes but how do they effect his ability to manage? The Sox are young and extremely talented but haven’t proved anything yet. My guess is they go as far as their starters take them. I’m betting that’s pretty far
Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong. My posts keep multiplying
It’s almost spring and you are already in bunny mode!
White Sox will be the biggest bust this year. The old drunk with the massive ego will not work with the younger players. La Russa is also a known supporter of PED use and was the first manager to steal signs using video. Just didn’t get caught. Good luck.
Hey Dogbone!