Random Thoughts 2.4

[Bearsfan81]

Color me super pessimistic, but I believe Cease’s 2024 will look closer to 2023 than 2022.

 

[idseer]

Color me super pessimistic, but I believe Cease’s 2024 will look closer to 2023 than 2022.

pessimism is frowned on around here.

 

[Jiddy]

Color me super pessimistic, but I believe Cease’s 2024 will look closer to 2023 than 2022.

pessimism is frowned on around here.

Counterpoint: He means Cease will pitch sh*tty for a DIFFERENT team.

*Hulk flex*

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Color me super pessimistic, but I believe Cease’s 2024 will look closer to 2023 than 2022.

Sadly, the numbers might back you up. Only two seasons has Cease resembled that of a frontline pitcher, '21 & '22, especially '22. His other years have been more similar to 2023. Altho in fairness, both '19 and '20 were partial seasons. He's healthy and he does give his team innings, so that's always a plus to a GM looking for a dependable starter. I really hope he returns to his 2022 form, assuming of course he's not traded before the new season starts.

 

[Mingo]

If the Cease over and under for ERA - this year over last is set at last year's number - I'll take the under. He will have better defense behind him and a better catcher to catch him. Katz's life has become much less complicated now that Bannister has been hired - now Katz only has to perform as the pitching coach and that will also help Cease. Team's playing the White Sox next year - will find it hard to get up to play a 100-loss team - those teams will need to overcome their own complacency. However, Cease figures to have increasing focus on his job as his next contract starts to come into focus.

 

[idseer]

If the Cease over and under for ERA - this year over last is set at last year's number - I'll take the under. He will have better defense behind him and a better catcher to catch him. Katz's life has become much less complicated now that Bannister has been hired - now Katz only has to perform as the pitching coach and that will also help Cease. Team's playing the White Sox next year - will find it hard to get up to play a 100-loss team - those teams will need to overcome their own complacency. However, Cease figures to have increasing focus on his job as his next contract starts to come into focus.

this assumes katz is any good. i'm not convinced.

 

[Mingo]

this assumes katz is any good. i'm not convinced.

No, this assumes you and I can agree on the definition for "good." LOL

 

[idseer]

No, this assumes you and I can agree on the definition for "good." LOL

by 'good' i mean proven success! for more than one season. by 'good' i mean better than average!

who has blossomed under him? to me it seems every sox pitcher who seemed to have really good potential turned to shit under katz. what kind of competence is that?

what's your definition of 'good'?

 

[Bearsfan81]

I don’t get Getz playing hardball with a player who will likely lose value this year. Cease’s attraction is the potential to return to 2022 form and multiple years of cheap team control. If he doesn’t return to form this season he’ll be viewed as just another solid starter, and he’ll be looked at more as a rental as his contract runs out.

Maybe Getz was already getting lowball offers this off-season, but it’s not hard to imagine someone made a decent offer with the number of teams reportedly interested.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

What's your guys take on this possible new stadium for the Sox:

MLB Commissioner weighs in on talks of new White Sox stadium

Talks of a new White Sox stadium appear to be reaching higher levels, garnering support from even MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

www.nbcsportschicago.com

This isn't any time soon, but it does sound like there's something in the wind down the road.

 

[idseer]

couldn't care less.

 

[Jiddy]

The only thing that excites me about the new stadium talk is that it was possibly in the background a few years back and Hahn and Jerry were like "Ok...Now we're gonna start winning and then BAM...Hit 'em with the new stadium baby."


...and now it just looks like a sh*tty team with a greedy, whiny owner...or as we call it in Chicago...A regular day.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here are a few renderings showing what the new ballpark and the surrounding digs would look like:

Here’s what a new White Sox ballpark in the South Loop could look like

New details have emerged of the plan for a new South Loop stadium, as well as what the team’s current Bridgeport home, Guaranteed Rate Field, would look like if converted to a soccer stadium.

chicago.suntimes.com

Of course renderings always give any potential project a gloss, but if the stadium fairly resembled the drawings, it would make for a pretty cool place.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Our contention window is closed???????????

Spring brakes: White Sox enter spring training with contention window closed

But “we’re excited to come back and prove to this league we’re capable of doing some good things,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “I just feel it.”

chicago.suntimes.com

Of course this beckons the obvious retort, what contention window?

 

[Mingo]

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ontapsportsnet.com

So, Grandal gets $20 million from the Sox last year - and signs for $2.5 million at Pittsburgh. And - yet - I pity the Pirates for this deal.

 

[Jiddy]

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ontapsportsnet.com

So, Grandal gets $20 million from the Sox last year - and signs for $2.5 million at Pittsburgh. And - yet - I pity the Pirates for this deal.

2.5 million for that dude's sh*t play...Goddamn I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque in my life.

 

[podsox]

https://x.com/bnightengale/status/1757965397889069518?s=46&t=bOTTfHy34yhai7omo4YUxQ. Keeps getting funnier

 

[Mingo]

I'm full adios on Yoan Moncada - I don't care what kind of season he has. The last fun thing about Moncada I can recall was in 2019 - when the Sox teammates staged a "dress like Moncada Day."

I think the Sox can contend in this division - if enough of the Sox brass's pitching bets come through and if Eloy Jimenez and Andrew Vaughn up their offensive contribution to the level, we have all expected. Eloy would have to be very stupid not to understand he needs to rip homers - from the DH spot and prove he can do that prior to getting as next big contract. In one more year Tim Elko will be presenting his credential to for the Sox 1st base job - so Andrew Vaughn needs to get off his butt and contribute more at the plate.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'm full adios on Yoan Moncada - I don't care what kind of season he has. The last fun thing about Moncada I can recall was in 2019 - when the Sox teammates staged a "dress like Moncada Day."

I think the Sox can contend in this division - if enough of the Sox brass's pitching bets come through and if Eloy Jimenez and Andrew Vaughn up their offensive contribution to the level, we have all expected. Eloy would have to be very stupid not to understand he needs to rip homers - from the DH spot and prove he can do that prior to getting as next big contract. In one more year Tim Elko will be presenting his credential to for the Sox 1st base job - so Andrew Vaughn needs to get off his butt and contribute more at the plate.

It's not so much that Vaughn has been bad at the plate, but he certainly hasn't lived up to his pre-draft potential. He's still relatively young, going into his age 26 season, but I do agree that he needs to take it to the next level. He should easily be a .280/30/100+ type of hitter. Might be hard to make the RBI numbers this year even if his other stats are good. We're simply not gonna have a ton of runners for him to drive home.

 

[Mingo]

It's not so much that Vaughn has been bad at the plate, but he certainly hasn't lived up to his pre-draft potential. He's still relatively young, going into his age 26 season, but I do agree that he needs to take it to the next level. He should easily be a .280/30/100+ type of hitter. Might be hard to make the RBI numbers this year even if his other stats are good. We're simply not gonna have a ton of runners for him to drive home.

Vaughn's strikeout percentage has gone up every year - while his power has gone down - not a good trend. Though - I haven't given up on him.

In terms of RBIs the Sox acquisitions - all have decent OBP numbers - which means - they'll take a walk.