“Oscar Colas is going to be given every opportunity to” become an everyday right fielder, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said in a recent interview on 670 The Score’s Inside The Clubhouse show (partial transcript here). This doesn’t mean that Colas has a clear path to a starting job, however, as Grifol said Gavin Sheets, Jake Marisnick, Leury Garcia, and even Eloy Jimenez will also be competing for time in right field. In Jimenez’s case, he’ll still be Chicago’s primary DH, but Grifol said Jimenez could appear in right field “a day or two a week if possible and keeping him athletic and keeping him working on the defensive side, because I know that helps on the offensive side as well.”
Given Jimenez’s injury history and his subpar glovework as a left fielder, it is clear he’ll be taking a back seat on the outfield depth chart, as the Sox would love to see Colas emerge at the big league level. A highly-touted signing out of Cuba, Colas didn’t play anywhere in 2020-21 but hit .314/.371/.524 with 23 homers over 526 combined plate appearances with three different White Sox affiliates. That includes only a seven-game stint at Triple-A, but the White Sox seem confident that Colas will be ready for the majors possibly as soon as Opening Day.
More from around baseball…
- With contract opt-outs becoming more of a trend around the league, the Giants are no exception, as NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic notes that most of the club’s biggest offseason moves contain the potential for early exits. Michael Conforto, Ross Stripling, and Sean Manaea can all opt out of their two-year deals next winter, while Mitch Haniger can opt out of his three-year contract following the 2024 season. “It just so happens that a lot of players that we’ve talked to feel like they have another level of performance in them,” president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said, downplaying the idea that the Giants are focusing only on shorter-term candidates. “I think that speaks to players believing in our development and our ability to help guys maximize their abilities. They want to come here and get another bite at the apple, and a lot of times that’s in our best interests, too, for players to be motivated along those lines and to be better.” San Francisco has had a lot of success in finding bounce-back players during Zaidi’s tenure, and it isn’t as though the club has shied away from longer-term offers, given what the Giants were prepared to give Carlos Correa or Aaron Judge. However, Pavlovic notes the negatives of this strategy, including how the opt-out tends to push the risk onto the team’s side of a contract, and also how even in the best-case scenario of a player performing well, an opt-out leaves the Giants churning the roster yet again to fill that hole.
- 2023 is the last guaranteed year of Kyle Hendricks’ contract, as the Cubs hold a $16MM club option (with a $1.5MM buyout) on the veteran righty’s services for the 2024 season. After two underwhelming years and an injury-shortened 2022 campaign, Hendricks doesn’t look at the moment like a good bet to get that option exercised, but he is confident that he has a rebound coming. “I just want to get healthy and go in and (contribute)….By doing that — if I’m able to be who I am — then I think things will end up taking care of themselves after the season,” Hendricks told The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney. “Obviously, the goal would be to stay here. I’ve loved everything about it. I would love to ride it out as long as I possibly can.” Hendricks had some solid-to-excellent numbers with Chicago from 2014-20, and will be 34 on Opening Day 2024, so on paper it isn’t too late for the right-hander to have a bit of a revival. A big portion of Hendricks’ offseason work has included learning how to rehab and manage the capsular tear in his right shoulder, and his type of injury doesn’t usually require surgery. If Hendricks did regain any of his old form next season, the Cubs would face an interesting $14.5MM decision, and the chips might fall in Hendricks’ favor given the high price of starting pitching around the league.
Sheets for Zeke Duran?
Jimenez at 2b. He’s not very good at catching fly balls, let’s see if he’s any better chasing ground balls.
Take Pepto
You’re really selling people on Duran having made one top 100 at one point in time by trying to propose he be traded to every team in the league.
Fine, Owen White.
Jarren Duran and Ezequiel Duran should be on the same team for the sole sake of forming Duran Duran.
No mas! No mas!
Geez, Farhan Zaidi spent a boatload of Money on a bunch of Broken Toys….Guys who haven’t been able to stay on the field or perform consistently.
It’s gonna be a stretch for this mediocre group to finish 3rd in the NL West. Arizona is a more talented team. And way younger
How many times are you going to post the same comment? Did you just learn what control C and control V do?
Yesh
Stripling was a huge reason the Jays even made the playoffs last year, he’s supposed to have been depth for the last 3 years and basically held the #2 spot last year, over performed by a long shot, so if he’s penciled in as your 4 or 5 you could be doing worse.
I hope your next comment is Belt won’t survive the AL east.
I actually think Manaea, Conforto and Haniger are going to have good years. Conforto and Haniger 25-30 HR and 90-100 RBI and Manaea back his old Oakland form. I would have been happy if the Tigers had added Manaea and one of the OFers. Stripling I’m not so sold on with one really good year
Name me one pitching reclamation project in recent years that the Giants have failed at garnering a near career or at least a decent year out of?
27chumpy, As usual, you’ve glossed over the insightful to focus on the obvious, tossed in a few unnecessary pejoratives and inaccuracies, only to arrive at a faulty conclusion.
With former Giants retreads like Bum and Longo they aren’t as young as you think, nor are the Giants as old as you think. Last season the D’backs pitching staff was older than the Giants’ staff. Last season the average team age of AZ was 28.58, and it was 29.31 for SF. The Giants’ team will probably be older still in 2023, but the difference isn’t that great. AZ is certainly not “way younger”.
AZ does have a lot of exciting young talent, but they haven’t done much to improve the rotation. Last season they were 6 points of ERA+ below league average. They have some prospects to promote, but depending on young pitchers doesn’t always work. Until they improve that rotation, I don’t know that you can pencil them in as finishing above the Giants.
Good year or not Cubs wont extend/excercise Hendricks 16mill
Not with Brown and Wick knocking on the door and outside shot Kilian turns it around.
Wick’s no threat. He’s not gonna be a starter and with as continually up and down as he’s been, he’s lucky he’s still on the 40 man.
Rondon—I’m going to make an educated guess that he means Jordan Wicks (with an “s”), the first round pick from a couple years ago.
I assume he means 2021 1st round draft pick Jordan Wicks – 3.80 ERA IN 94 innings between high A and AA last year – and not journeyman reliever Rowan Wick, nor recovering from injury and heart problem Brad Wieck.
Not that the confusion isn’t understandable.
He means Jordan Wicks..not Rowan Wick..Jordan Wicks is the number 6 lefty pitching prospect in all of mlb..he has a NASTY changeup.
Hendricks time with the Cubs is coming to an end and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was released to make room for a younger arm.
I would love to see Kyle get his one hundredth win as a Cub though.
I like what the Giants have done this offseason, If one or two of the gambles work out better than hoped for, and the others do just okay, I could see SF challenging for a spot in the playoffs.
Playoffs? Remember the Phillies only finished third in the NL East last year but still made it all the way to Game 6 of the World Series. So SF can finish third in the NL West and make the playoffs, too.
I say that because I only see one team from the NL Central making the playoffs, and that will be the division winner.
Don’t give up on SF too quickly. They have a lot of good players.
If Kyle Harrison continues to develop as he has, he could be a beast for them come second half of the season too…I think he’s part of the reason why they didn’t extend Rodon.
Agree. But the opt-outs after this year is an awful way to build a team. I don’t buy Farhan’s explanations. The Giants need to stop the churn, bite the bullet, and take a chance that a player might crater (and SF stuck with a bad contract in year #2).
If the Giants believe in Conforto ($18M/yr is not chump change), Haniger, Stripling, etc al, they need to show some cajones and drop the damn opt-out.
Is it possible that the opt outs are less for team financial security and more for the player betting on himself that he will bounce back and secure a larger guarantee? It benefits both sides, but I am not sure that it’s more the players seeking bigger future markets than Giants being extremely risk averse and/or cheap.
“The player betting on himself” is the way the Giants frame the decision to give opt-outs. I don’t buy it. Any player coming off injury or a poor season is going to give it their all. A two or three year deal may be a danger to the team, but the upside is that the team—if the player produces—can build with that player.
As it is, Farhan’s way sure looks like what you say—Giants being risk averse. And for fans and the future of the franchise, it is a poor way to construct a roster.
There are basically 3 options: a long-term lower AAV deal, a short-term higher AAV deal, and an opt-out deal. What I like about the opt-out deal is it’s a short-term deal, but without the usual high AAV that is typical with short-term deals.
Every deal has risk, and it’s probably the long-term deal that carries the greatest risk. With the opt-out, the risk is the player signs elsewhere after being really good, like Rodon. But the Giants have as good a chance as any team at re-signing a player that opts out.
The fact that Rodon signed elsewhere is not a problem for me, since that deal with NY is unappealing. SF could have re-signed Rodon if they were willing to take on a lot of risk, but decided against it. And had the initial Rodon deal with SF been for multiple years, that would also have a carried a lot of risk. I just don’t see why an opt-out deal is any worse than any other when IMO it’s preferable, since the risk just isn’t as great.
tad2b13 – It made sense with Gausman and Rodon because both players had serious medical/history concerns—the first time around. But when they showed they could be masterful and healthy it required a level of faith and big dollars.
As you say, all players (especially pitchers) come with injury concerns, but at some point that has to be built into the equation, particularly when a team is dependent on a talent not easily found. The Giants would be significantly better with a Gausman or a Rodon than a Manaea.
I’m hopeful Kyle Harrison can be that kind of talent but that is speculation.
And why not tie up Haniger and Conforto for three or even two years without an opt-out? I find it hard to believe that (a) those players wouldn’t sign if the price was fair, and (b) the Giants can’t afford it.
I hope you’re right, that if the players produce the Giants will re-sign those players. But—as much as I’ve been a cheerleader for Farhan from the beginning—the opt-out madness is starting to wear on me.
Pete, You correctly say that the injury risk has to be factored into the equation, which is precisely my point. The opt-out minimizes the level of injury risk. Admittedly it increases the risk that the player moves on. But that still leaves options for retaining the player.
It seems to me though there’s a element of hindsight involved here. Sure it’s tough to lose Rodon, but what if FZ had signed him for 3-4 years, without an opt-out, and he was injured a lot and terrible when he wasn’t? I remember a lot of negative comments, and predictions of doom when FZ initially signed Rodon.
The other thing for me is that we don’t know how the Gausman and Rodon deals will play out over the long haul. Sure, both would have been good to have in the rotation, but those deals could turn sour. I have high hopes for Conforto and Haniger, but there’s still risk that they’ll be injured a lot, and/or unproductive. Should that be the case we’ll be happy that FZ didn’t sign them to longer deals.
I think the number of opt-outs are going to increase. The Giants aren’t the only team using them, and I think more teams will employ them, given the reduced risk from injury. Especially since some teams also seem to like the short-term deals better than the longer ones.
And yet, I don’t see how a team can expect sustained success without a core of good-to-great players, which isn’t likely to happen when opt-outs are the rule rather than the exception.
I’m just hoping the Giants get beyond the opt-outs and make some long-term commitments, even with the risks involved. Because risk is always involved.
Pete, You might be right about the sustainability of using opt-outs, but personally I want to see how it works over a longer term. I don’t think we have a good picture yet, since the 2 players that have opted out were pitchers, and we all know how FZ feels about long-term deals for pitchers. If either Conforto, or Haniger have big years, opt-out, then move on and help another team, on a market rate deal, then I’ll agree with you.
I also think, since opt-outs are strictly a tool for FAs, it isn’t sustainable in that regard, since you can’t build a team by signing FAs only.
In Jimenez’s case, he’ll still be Chicago’s primary DH, but Grifol said Jimenez could appear in right field “a day or two a week if possible and keeping him athletic…”
What is wrong with the people running this organization? They’re all completely delusional.
His work the past two years has resulted in a combined -2 OAA, which is below average, but not terrible. Vaughn was terrible.
I’m not saying Eloy should play in the field again barring a string of injuries, but if it comes down to him or Vaughn, I’d put Eloy out almost every day.
@chisox
Comon now. There’s nothing wrong with giving the fans a little excitement and humor at the same time. I love watching Eloy try to play the outfield.
I think its just to keep Eloy happy until the reg season where they have him DH every day. If his bat shows up you cannot risk putting him in the field at all.
I think ndr has it. In Eloy’s mind, he thinks he’s as good as Robert in the field. If you saw his comments elsewhere, Eloy said he expects to play RF a lot.
Agree you can’t risk Eloy getting injured. Keeping him off the field reduces that risk considerably.
Additionally, they’ll let him work out in the outfield in order to keep his weight down. A little extra exercise wouldn’t hurt him. Taking away his Dunkin Donuts card wouldn’t hurt either.
But as soon as the regular season starts, you hide his outfield glove.
Colas is interesting. I have a hard time believing Gavin Sheets, Jake Marisnick or Leury Garcia are any threat to playing time long term, but is Colas ready? Outside of seven games, his development time in Japan was all in the JPWL, which is their minor leagues. He didn’t play ball for two seasons during the season of the virus and then his defection from Cuba, so he lost two key development seasons, and last year his pro experience was all below AAA outside of a handful of games. Reports indicate poor range in the OF, although I’ll assume he has a good arm since he was a former pitcher. Is he better than Jimenez out there? Feels like it’ll take a great Spring for him to break camp with the Sox and that he’s more of June forward call up. Curious what White Sox fans hear. This is more a fantasy baseball-related question as I prep for my auction draft. Colas feels like he could end up being both overrated and underrated in drafts. There’s talent and a path to playing, but there’s also red flags.
LordD90. Agree. interesting. An international player that because of his home country origin was not available to be drafted at 16/17 years old. I’m pulling for him.
I’m an Os fan. Cesar Prieto, also from Cuba and 23, through defection arrived late to the scene as well. A 2b. Saw him play at AA Bowie last year. A very professional plate discipline. I was impressed. Possibly a “wild card entrant” in that log jam of infield prospects jockeying for playing time?
Prieto is interesting. Good bat, although short on power. I wonder if he’ll start at AA again and stay there for another month or two, or go straight to AAA? We should have a better read on him next year, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he inserts himself into the O’s prospect conversation.
Supposedly, he makes up for below average speed with good reads and can get to most balls. Agreed that he could be either a steal or a bad pick. Naturally, I’m hoping for the former. Considering how well he adjusted to his promotions last year, I think he’ll struggle at first, then be better than expected. Good enough that the Sox use Sheets only to give guys off days.
Plus with AB in LF and Robert in CF, both good runners, Robert can cheat over to RF a bit and lessen the space Colas has to cover. You are right on the arm; it’s as strong as you’d expect from an RF.
If Hendricks can’t learn to throw junk like Rich Hill his career is over. His lack of velocity is so much of a liability that his accuracy can’t make up for it. As a Cubs fan it would be nice to see him regain lost velo and be a mid/backend of the rotation type. Personally, I don’t have faith that he will find something to make him viable going forward. I could see the Cubs releasing him mid-season if he doesn’t produce.
Kyle Hendricks is at the end of his rope with the Cubs. He will he in the rotation to prove he overcame his shoulder injury. If he pitches well the Cubs may trade him at the All-Star break for a decent haul..1 good prospect. Time will tell!
Because Eloy has mastered the art of left field, he is being promoted to right field? New manager but the idiotic ideas from the dugout remain, though it could well be that the idea came from JR and Hahn in the form of no RF help from outside.
Eloy should not be playing the OF under any normal circumstances.
It sounds like Colas is being handed the job in RF whether he is ready or not. Whether it is the right strategy or not is debatable at this point, but it is certainly the cheapest approach.
Your reading comprehension skills are appalling. You’ve twisted the post in a manner to allow for the greatest amount of whining. Follow a different team.
I was hoping the Sox would sign Conforto or Belli for RF on a prove-it deal. Give Colas time to develop in AAA and get his shot in the majors while perhaps getting a bargain on a reclamation project. Obviously didn’t happen because money. Now I can only hope that Colas plays closer to his ceiling than his floor.
I don’t know about reclaiming someone off the scrap heap but it’s good to have a back up in the wings. I’d like to see what Sheets could do on a hot team.
I’ll take an Oscar Meyer weiner and two Coca-Colas. Enjoy your Oscar Colas.
Sox already signed Coca and Pepsi Cola just in case…
At one point, they had Jace Fry, as well as Jake Burger. Fans wanted them to trade for Seth Beer. Colas works.
Childish
Zaidi sounds a bit naive. These guys, to some extent, believe in SF jump starting their “next level of performance” and then want to GTFO of dodge.
If anything sounds naïve, it’s thinking players would go to a place, where they believe they can take their game to the next level, and then want to leave when they did. One might question the intelligence of a player wanting to leave the place that gave him the platform to increase his value.
And this is why Farhan’s opt-outs are becoming more BS than necessary.
Well Pete, we’ll just have to disagree on this. I think it’s like an incentive clause. So far it’s gotten good performances out of Gausman and Rodon, both of which have deals that might not look so good a couple years from now. And if players like them, and FZ is willing to give them, then players will want to sign with SF.
Can I suggest actually listening to what these players say about the Giants.
And what prevents SF from signing them at market contracts after they prove themselves? Sure, there may be competition to get that done, but the players should be comfortable with SF/team after a year. And, if they can’t produce, the Giants are on the hook for only one more year for Conforto/Manaea/Stripling.
I second Markg8 2’s comment! You are 100% right @rec67 Giants get these dumpster reclamation projects because either that’s what the Giants want or that’s all they can get when it comes to hitters.
It seems like they can sign pitchers but they don’t get a discount because it’s a pitcher friendly park and they even seem to overpay sometimes. They can’t seem to even overpay to get top hitters because high end hitters want great numbers, they are not going to get them at Oracle Park.
Time to realize that Oracle is no longer a “pitchers park.” The numbers are there for all to see. At best it is considered neutral. You are behind the times.
@Peter’sView I agree that the numbers are there that make it appear neutral more recently but I would say that the perception must remain among hitters. See my post below…
Why do you think SF can’t sign top tier hitters? Interested in your opinion.
Deke, “Why do you think SF can’t sign top tier hitters? ”
Why do you assume top hitters won’t sign with SF? Because Judge decided to stay in NY? That’s hardly definitive. Judge turned down SD even though they offered even more that both SF and NY. And SD has been able to sign other top FAs. And regardless of how it played out, Correa did agree to sign with SF,
So far, Judge, Harper, and Correa are the only top FAs that FZ pursued, and one of them was willing. That’s very weak data to base any assumption on.
FA pitchers probably won’t sign with the Giants, but that’s due to FZ’s aversion to long-term deals for pitchers. But the Giants have the financial wherewithal to sign any player, and for most players that financial clout is what matters..
Bingo.
I’m a Giants fan but could we consider for a second that maybe the reason the Giants are signing players with opt outs that are looking to bounce back is because that is either what they want to sign or (when it comes to hitters) it’s all they CAN sign?
Time and time again top hitters sign elsewhere, and I’m convinced it’s because they don’t want to hit at Oracle Park. I mean, why would ya? Oh yeah I before people respond with the stats, yeah I know stats say it’s league average, but even though I don’t believe it, because I’ve been to plenty of games there and it’s where home runs go to die… there is still a perception.
I think they do it because there method is to have players as comfortable as possible in their environment, and then have the support and preparation around them that will give them the best chance of success. I think opt outs are about the comfort part. They provide total peace of mind for the player. They arrive and put up a career year, they know they can cash it in. They get hurt or under perform, they have the safety of another guaranteed year to right the ship. Nothing to worry about except going to work and putting in.
DEKE – You can believe what you want, but the stats are there. Oracle is a fine place to hit.
@Pete’sView – Which stats are you talking about? The Park Factors stat has Oracle Park at 100 which is average? By “fine” do you mean Home Runs or Batting Average?
The Giants led the NL in HRs in 2021, and were above league average last season as well. That’s telling me it can’t be all that difficult to hit HRs at Oracle.
@guynamedchris
Was that the year? I was looking into these stats yesterday because they are stats I don’t know well and at a high level Oracle comes out as neutral which didn’t seem right to me. But when I drilled into the data it ranked really low for HRs except for one year, but high for things like triples.
Check them out at the link below if you’re interested. Curious what you think. I really do not think it’s a good hitters park for home runs and if I am reading this right, the other numbers just bring it back to neutral?
baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/statcast-venue?…
I see the White Sox season is already off to a great start, first with the horrible news about Hendriks and now Clevinger’s news. I hope it’s not going to be another long frustrating year. Last year was bad enough.
As for Eloy, it’s not a bad idea to have him roam the field once in a while. It looks like Eloy and Sheets will just be keeping the RF seat warm until Colas is ready. Then again I thought that about Cespedes last year, and we see how that turned out. At least Colas looks promising right now, unlike Cespedes.
As for 2B, you can add me in the “trade to get back Madrigal” camp. He’s better than what they currently have at 2B, and he won’t cost a ton in return. It’s not like there’s a ton of quality 2B out there to be had for the Sox to pry away.
It’s still very early, but I have this sinking feeling there’s going to be a new opening in the rotation very soon. The bad news didn’t even wait until ST this year for the Sox.