Grandal

[Jiddy]

BTW, the one casualty of the Grandal signing was Daniel Palka, who was designated for assignment by the Sox in order to free up a roster spot. Too bad, I always liked him - I could go as far as saying he was my second favorite player on the '18 club. But he really fell to earth fast this past season. Wish him well.

You might be on an island missing that dude. I'll send you a volleyball for company if you promise to name it Palka.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

You might be on an island missing that dude. I'll send you a volleyball for company if you promise to name it Palka.

LOL, hey don't get me wrong. He deserved to get the boot. My point was he had an almost magical season in '18, and I honestly thought that maybe next to Abreu, he was the Sox MVP of that year. Then '19 came around and showed why he really doesn't belong in the bigs, at least not at this point in time. No, I liked and rooted for him, but I have zero problems sending him off with a one way ticket to Adiosville.

 

[Jiddy]

i see nothing great about this signing. he's on the down-side (especially for a catcher), isn't a hitter, and had the worst dwar (-0.4) in baseball last season for catchers. doubt very much he'll be worth what the sox gave up for him.

and those walks? first time he's come close to the figure he had last year. that's not his average! his obp? highest since his first year. that's not his average! you guys .... always looking at the best possible scenario. this signing does nothing toward making this team a contender imo.

The move was overall good. Anyone peddling that it's going to be some gamebreaking type move is Kool Aid drinking pretty hard cuz even though some will downplay batting average...a career .240 hitter is what he is. The points about his being a good catcher for pitchers makes up for it some. It's all up to our core players and making sure we don't have any f*cking absolutely debilitating positions like last year in RF/DH/SP. So far so good. We need more though. Keep it coming Rick and Jerry.

 

[Jiddy]

LOL, hey don't get me wrong. He deserved to get the boot. My point was he had an almost magical season in '18, and I honestly thought that maybe next to Abreu, he was the Sox MVP of that year. Then '19 came around and showed why he really doesn't belong in the bigs, at least not at this point in time. No, I liked and rooted for him, but I have zero problems sending him off with a one way ticket to Adiosville.

If I could make gifs...I would make one of thelma and louise going off the cliff with palka and trubisky's heads. Alas, my powers of technology are...lacking.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

But back to Grandal, what's everyone's thoughts on where he'll bat in the lineup? It's quite likely that we're not through signing players, but for the moment and assuming the status quo, where do you see him batting. I was mildly surprised to see a couple of analysts on the MLB channel placing him at cleanup. Personally, I like him where he primarily batted for the Brewers, second in the order. Granted, his BA isn't that great, but he has some serious pop in that bat and knows how to work the count and get on base, especially with those all-important walks. Hitting behind Anderson and in front of what will likely be either Abreu or Moncada, he should receive some choice pitches in this spot. But maybe there's an argument for batting him at cleanup or a bit lower in the order.

 

[GNG]

Grandal was a nice signing but some folks here are overrating him.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Grandal was a nice signing but some folks here are overrating him.

For a Brewers fan, you sure seem to be quite concerned about Grandal's signing with the Sox. I suspect that when he was playing for your team you had a ton of praise for him. But now that he's no longer with your club, suddenly the negatives start to dominate. Where I come from we call that sour grapes.

 

[GNG]

For a Brewers fan, you sure seem to be quite concerned about Grandal's signing with the Sox. I suspect that when he was playing for your team you had a ton of praise for him. But now that he's no longer with your club, suddenly the negatives start to dominate. Where I come from we call that sour grapes.

Who said I am a Brewers fan? I'm just expressing my honest opinion about Grandal. You Sox fans get triggered whenever someone does not heap praise on him.

 

[packerzrule]

For a Brewers fan, you sure seem to be quite concerned about Grandal's signing with the Sox. I suspect that when he was playing for your team you had a ton of praise for him. But now that he's no longer with your club, suddenly the negatives start to dominate. Where I come from we call that sour grapes.

I don't think he is a Brewers fan. If he was, he would understand that Grandal was an integral part to their success last year.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Who said I am a Brewers fan? I'm just expressing my honest opinion about Grandal. You Sox fans get triggered whenever someone does not heap praise on him.

Oh please, give it a break. You forget G&G that I also hang out on the main NFL board, where for who knows how long you tried pretending you were a Cowboys fan until dozens of regulars on the board successfully pointed out that all long you've been a closet Packers fan. Why you feel you needed to hide that you're a Packers fan is beyond me. But that's for psychiatrists to evaluate. The point is, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that if you're a Packers fan, it would stand to reason that you're also a Brewers fan. And why is it you never posted on the Sox board until we signed Grandal, and now suddenly you're Johnny Regular in here? You fool no one my friend, so you might as well quit pretending otherwise.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I don't think he is a Brewers fan. If he was, he would understand that Grandal was an integral part to their success last year.

That's the very reason I think he is. I think he does understand Grandal's value to the team and why he's upset with him for signing with the Sox. Again, it's called sour grapes.

 

[Jiddy]

Grandal was a nice signing but some folks here are overrating him.

P'shaw.

Next time you're gettin' freaky with the ladyfriend(s)...Make this move:

"Hey baby, I hit .240 in the majors last year"

*cold shoulder*

"Easy there sweet thing...Lemme tell you 'bout my sweet pitch framing"

*panties drop*

 

[Jiddy]

Well, let’s see … in ’59 the sox had sherm lollar, john romano and earl battey.

‘81 to ‘93 they had fisk and it didn’t matter who else.

’13 to ’23 they had ray shalk and it didn’t matter who else.

So maybe 4th best … at best!

Pierzynski is Legend too until this guy proves himself better...which is gonna be a tall order.

 

[Jiddy]

Oh please, give it a break. You forget G&G that I also hang out on the main NFL board, where for who knows how long you tried pretending you were a Cowboys fan until dozens of regulars on the board successfully pointed out that all long you've been a closet Packers fan. Why you feel you needed to hide that you're a Packers fan is beyond me. But that's for psychiatrists to evaluate. The point is, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that if you're a Packers fan, it would stand to reason that you're also a Brewers fan. And why is it you never posted on the Sox board until we signed Grandal, and now suddenly you're Johnny Regular in here? You fool no one my friend, so you might as well quit pretending otherwise.

I find that hiding one's Packer fandom is the natural instinct, and those that don't have lost their way.

 

[Jiddy]

Alright...last one:

50 bucks to the guy who shows up at opening day and heckles this guy on his first at bat:

"You're no Karkovice!"

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Pierzynski is Legend too until this guy proves himself better...which is gonna be a tall order.

He had a few good seasons with the Sox, but no doubt his legend was set in '05 and especially in that playoff game against the Angels. Pierzynski was quite disliked by many of his peers, but my take was that yes, he may have been an asshole, but he was OUR asshole, especially in '05.

 

[Jiddy]

He had a few good seasons with the Sox, but no doubt his legend was set in '05 and especially in that playoff game against the Angels. Pierzynski was quite disliked by many of his peers, but my take was that yes, he may have been an asshole, but he was OUR asshole, especially in '05.

Dude sang Don't Stop Believing in Grant Park...

...He'd have to have gone full Palka to piss me off after that.

 

[idseer]

You're cherry picking to make an argument against signing him. For instance, you point out that his high walk rate last year was something of an anomaly, and to a point you are correct. His next highest number of walks was 72 the year before. But even when we omit those 109 BBs from this past season, the previous 5 years as a starter he's averaged 60 walks per season. You have more fingers on one hand than the total number of White Sox players who drew more walks in ANY of the past 5 seasons.

Then you cite his -0.4 dWAR for '19 to bolster your argument, but without stating that he's been in positive territory the previous 4 years. Plus you carefully omit his reputation as a pitch framer and his Runs Extra Strikes rating of +13, second highest in Baseball.

Guess my point is you obviously don't have to like the signing. But if you're going to use only stats that can boost your argument, then don't be shocked when we counter with stats to support his signing.

I'M cherry picking??? the cherry picking belongs to those only pointing to last year's stats!
your complaint about my post includes the admission i am correct. he's not going to walk over 100 times! i have no trouble saying he walks more than many (most) on our team, but that's not saying much is it? let's not suggest he's ted williams or even frank thomas for that matter when it comes to bb's.
the -0.4 dwar following 4 years (consisting of one year over 1 and three years just above zero) backs up my suggestion he's aging. he's not going to get better. you know what happens to catcher's legs? they get worse!
the pitch framing thing doesn't impress me. maybe it makes a small difference maybe it doesn't. these obscure stats, like "runs extra strikes" people pull out of their asses don't impress me either.
i don't like this signing because of the cost, not because i don't think he may help the team some.
your counter with stats someone devised in the last couple years isn't much of an argument to me. i mentioned real stats in my post while you bring up pitch framing. sorry ... not impressed. and i can almost guarantee you that you'll be disappointed after 4 years of this guy.

sox fans ... eternal optimists!

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Blah blah blah.

 

[idseer]

Blah blah blah.

lol ....