2024 Pre-season Sox activities

[Mingo]

That's one of those roll-of-the-dice ifs. I agree Cease's trade value would likely increase if he returns to his '22 form. But if he resembles this past season or prior to '22, then his value will no doubt diminish. And this is assuming he remains healthy thruout. I'm fine with Getz holding out for maximum value at the present, but if he's hellbent on trading Cease, and all reports indicate this to be the case, then I'm hoping he gets it done before camp opens.

Look what you did - you got me agreeing with Iddy. LOL

Let's assume the White Sox - not the White Sox of recent past - but the current White Sox crew - actually believe in the direction they are taking the team - better defensively and more athletic. The belief is good fielding - in general produces good pitching.

So, the Sox - believing that they know what they are doing have these points on their side:

1) With Maldonaldo at Catcher - DeJon at SS - Lopez at 2nd and Robert in CF - the Sox are strong defensively - up the middle. This will save some runs - give away far few bases to base runners - and result in less runs scored by opponents - ergo - better pitcher numbers.

2) One of Cease's great abilities so far is a string of years with 25 or more starts of at least 5 innings. He would seem to be less likely to be hurt - performing at his strength.

3) Sox staff job descriptions- Under Uncle Jerry - if you are the pitching coach - then you would be the guy to scout the player film on a guy they could sign or acquire. Fix minor league pitchers - who have promise -anything under that category. Bannister's arrival takes that all away from Katz - as it is Bannister's job to do those things now - and Katz can now concentrate on MLB pitchers already up with the Sox. Conceivably, an undistracted Katz can have a beneficial effect on Cease's consistency.

4) Cease has his own incentives for performing well. His big FA contract as a top pitcher is looming just two years away. Pitching well is one way he can get himself sent to a playoff team and maybe the exposure of a WS champion season and ring.

The trading deadline has a whole different psychology to it than trades at the Winter meetings time. At the winter meetings acquiring teams have rosters of guys they acquired and all will become very good players - those players appear more valuable than they actually are - because some will get injured and others may have other problems. At the trading deadline - teams out to acquire a player have got the fever - and want to prove how smart they are - will trade more loosely than at the winter meetings time.

 

[idseer]

Look what you did - you got me agreeing with Iddy. LOL

oh the horror!

 

[Jiddy]

oh the horror!

Wait…What happens if I agree with THIS post?!?

 

[idseer]

Wait…What happens if I agree with THIS post?!?

total ban?

 

[Mingo]

Wait…What happens if I agree with THIS post?!?

You win a prize - funded by the ever-generous Iddy himself.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Look what you did - you got me agreeing with Iddy. LOL

Let's assume the White Sox - not the White Sox of recent past - but the current White Sox crew - actually believe in the direction they are taking the team - better defensively and more athletic. The belief is good fielding - in general produces good pitching.

So, the Sox - believing that they know what they are doing have these points on their side:

1) With Maldonaldo at Catcher - DeJon at SS - Lopez at 2nd and Robert in CF - the Sox are strong defensively - up the middle. This will save some runs - give away far few bases to base runners - and result in less runs scored by opponents - ergo - better pitcher numbers.

2) One of Cease's great abilities so far is a string of years with 25 or more starts of at least 5 innings. He would seem to be less likely to be hurt - performing at his strength.

3) Sox staff job descriptions- Under Uncle Jerry - if you are the pitching coach - then you would be the guy to scout the player film on a guy they could sign or acquire. Fix minor league pitchers - who have promise -anything under that category. Bannister's arrival takes that all away from Katz - as it is Bannister's job to do those things now - and Katz can now concentrate on MLB pitchers already up with the Sox. Conceivably, an undistracted Katz can have a beneficial effect on Cease's consistency.

4) Cease has his own incentives for performing well. His big FA contract as a top pitcher is looming just two years away. Pitching well is one way he can get himself sent to a playoff team and maybe the exposure of a WS champion season and ring.

The trading deadline has a whole different psychology to it than trades at the Winter meetings time. At the winter meetings acquiring teams have rosters of guys they acquired and all will become very good players - those players appear more valuable than they actually are - because some will get injured and others may have other problems. At the trading deadline - teams out to acquire a player have got the fever - and want to prove how smart they are - will trade more loosely than at the winter meetings time.

Whew, you gave a lot to chew on, LOL. So I'll just respond to the bolded parts. On bold #1, I don't doubt Cease will WANT to perform better, be it incentives-based or to enhance his future contract value. But wanting, hoping, intending, expecting, insert your verb of choice here, does not equate to doing. We all hope Cease has a killer spring and summer if he's still still a Good Guy. That would indeed enhance his value even more than it's at now. But what I previously stated stands correct. Getz is rolling the dice if he waits until the trade deadline. We don't have a crystal ball to project if Cease slays it or on the negative side, either continues with his less-than-stellar performance from last year or worse yet, suffers a lengthy injury. As you already indicated, he hasn't shown such to date, but again there's that crystal ball in play here.

As for bold #2, I'll agree that teams in the thick of the race who feel they are now just a proven starting pitcher away from making a needed jump might offer a bit more in trade capital. However, I also think the offseason is where a GM will receive the broadest interest. Because there are more teams still in the race, so to speak, being there hasn't been any games than at the deadline when the field is narrowed down a bit.

 

[idseer]

i fucking hate these shit headlines trying to make it look like the team is really on the rise. they really think sox fans are this stupid (and maybe they are !).

White Sox to land top international 3B prospect​

do they know what top means? read the article and it turns out he's ranked 11th (which incidentally also means nothing) ... and that he has a body like pujols. as if that means he's the next pujols.

 

[Jiddy]

i fucking hate these shit headlines trying to make it look like the team is really on the rise. they really think sox fans are this stupid (and maybe they are !).

White Sox to land top international 3B prospect​

do they know what top means? read the article and it turns out he's ranked 11th (which incidentally also means nothing) ... and that he has a body like pujols. as if that means he's the next pujols.

If the White Sox say we're landing the next Albert Pujols....

...We're landing the next Albert Pujols!!!

ONWARD WITH THE DYNASTY!

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Sox looking for new digs?

White Sox in ‘serious’ talks to build stadium in South Loop’s ‘The 78’

The team is considering building a stadium at the Clark Street-Roosevelt Road site, sources say. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf would say only, “We met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team’s ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago…

chicago.suntimes.com

This article provides a bit more detail as to the sweet deal Reinsdorf received for the then new ballpark:

White Sox Reportedly In 'Serious Talks' To Land New Home In South Loop

The White Sox are reportedly in “serious talks” about building a new stadium in the South Loop at Clark Street and Roosevelt Road.

www.sportsmockery.com

No wonder he built the stadium where he did.

 

[Jiddy]

Sox looking for new digs?

White Sox in ‘serious’ talks to build stadium in South Loop’s ‘The 78’

The team is considering building a stadium at the Clark Street-Roosevelt Road site, sources say. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf would say only, “We met to discuss the historic partnership between the team and Chicago and the team’s ideas for remaining competitive in Chicago…

chicago.suntimes.com

This article provides a bit more detail as to the sweet deal Reinsdorf received for the then new ballpark:

White Sox Reportedly In 'Serious Talks' To Land New Home In South Loop

The White Sox are reportedly in “serious talks” about building a new stadium in the South Loop at Clark Street and Roosevelt Road.

www.sportsmockery.com

No wonder he built the stadium where he did.

Jesus Christ my mind replaced Clark with York and now I'm recanting 25 year old car dealership commercials...

"WHERE YOU ALWAYS SAVE MORE MONEY!!!"

 

[Mingo]

At Guaranteed Rate the deal was to keep the Sox from having to pay rent for the use of the stadium - where the Sox can play virtually free and Chicago visitors pay for the upkeep. What we are looking at here is the White Sox turning it into a profit-making experience as they can rent the field out for concerts - and book plenty of them. Also -if Uncle Jerry owns the land and stadium - he can build his own restaurants and bars - or have established bars and restaurants pay him rent for being in such a cozy spot.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

At Guaranteed Rate the deal was to keep the Sox from having to pay rent for the use of the stadium - where the Sox can play virtually free and Chicago visitors pay for the upkeep. What we are looking at here is the White Sox turning it into a profit-making experience as they can rent the field out for concerts - and book plenty of them. Also -if Uncle Jerry owns the land and stadium - he can build his own restaurants and bars - or have established bars and restaurants pay him rent for being in such a cozy spot.

I always wondered why back in the day Reinsdorf didn't relocate to the burbs when he had the opportunity. There's little doubt the yearly attendance would have been better, maybe even much better. But it's apparent that he would have never received the sweet deal he got for building across the street from Old Comiskey. And it also explains why he's never really needed to spend big on free agents in order to make the team more competitive. Of course it resulted in lower attendance, but this never mattered, as he was making major coin regardless.

 

[idseer]

any wonder so many fans hate this owner? worst thing that could have happened to the sox 43 years ago ... and it's not going to get better. i am now a fan of a team that no longer exists.

 

[podsox]

Everybody getting super excited about a new stadium with an awesome view of the skyline. That’s nice but The stadium they currently have is fine. Just put a roster out there that can contend. Nah

 

[Bearsfan81]

That does it - Cease isn’t going anywhere now.

 

[Jiddy]

That does it - Cease isn’t going anywhere now.

Nah son...We'll get ours at the trade deadline...and David Goddamn Putney too.

Well..unless he shaves the stache...Then we'll get like $3 and a handful of pocket lint.

 

[Mingo]

Nah son...We'll get ours at the trade deadline...and David Goddamn Putney too.

Well..unless he shaves the stache...Then we'll get like $3 and a handful of pocket lint.

Don't discount the p*rn value of the Stash.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

What's your take on this trade:

White Sox trade Gregory Santos to the Seattle Mariners: reports

The South Side acquired right-hander Prelander Berroa, outfielder Zach DeLoach and the 69th pick in the 2024 draft

www.nbcsportschicago.com

Actually, there's two of them in this article, but the one I'm mostly referring to is the Santos trade. Received some decent potential in return, but I thought Santos might have the makings of becoming our closer or at least the main set up guy this year. Another immediate step backwards for our team, altho hopefully just temporary with respect to who we received in this trade and that we benefit in the long run. Oh, and until recently I had no idea that 'competitive balance' draft picks were tradeable. I'm assuming 'competitive balance' pretty much means compensatory, yes?

 

[Mingo]

What's your take on this trade:

White Sox trade Gregory Santos to the Seattle Mariners: reports

The South Side acquired right-hander Prelander Berroa, outfielder Zach DeLoach and the 69th pick in the 2024 draft

www.nbcsportschicago.com

Actually, there's two of them in this article, but the one I'm mostly referring to is the Santos trade. Received some decent potential in return, but I thought Santos might have the makings of becoming our closer or at least the main set up guy this year. Another immediate step backwards for our team, altho hopefully just temporary with respect to who we received in this trade and that we benefit in the long run. Oh, and until recently I had no idea that 'competitive balance' draft picks were tradeable. I'm assuming 'competitive balance' pretty much means compensatory, yes?

The Christian Mena for Fletcher trade is more significant - IMO - as Fletcher would figure to start in RF and hit Lefty. Fletcher also has the defensive ability and can play CF. Christian Mena was a valuable Sox minor league piece as he was fairly well established in AAA as a 21-year-old kid. He doesn't have lights out stuff but has control and consistency. I think trading Mena is a sign the Sox are pretty happy with their pitcher acquisitions and consider Mena surplus. Fletcher comes from the Diamondbacks organization that new Sox Asst GM Barefield would figure to know pretty well.

Santos was one of those guys the Sox signed last off season, and he did well in stretches last season. A lot of people considered him the Closer in this bullpen. I think the return the Sox got on Santos was pretty good - a pitching prospect - a AAA OF and like a high 3rd round pick in the draft.

Getz is showing himself to be fairly shrewd in his dealings IMO. He didn't get suckered into trading Getz cheaply and has made these marginal trades that do support what he said he was going to do = build the team's defense and athleticism.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Santos was one of those guys the Sox signed last off season, and he did well in stretches last season. A lot of people considered him the Closer in this bullpen. I think the return the Sox got on Santos was pretty good - a pitching prospect - a AAA OF and like a high 3rd round pick in the draft.

Yeah, on paper in the longer term it does appear that we benefitted from the trade, but only down the road. I'm not sure if Santos would have ended up as the closer, the top setup guy, whatever. But he at least showed he belongs on a roster and likley would have been in the mix in some capacity. It just looks like we got a bit weaker, but hopefully not for too long. Like I've previously stated, at least we go into this season with zero expectations and I mean z-e-r-o. We can just kick back and appreciate the rare times when we resemble a good team!