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Mazara - he could be a star-a

Mingo

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I've enjoyed kicking Mazara around since his acquisition. As soon as he was obtained - everyone was - hey who is he going to platoon with in RF. Now we come down to the realization that the White Sox fully intend to play Mazara everyday in RF.

But - just for a moment - what if we actually believed the following:

1) Here's a kid - still 24 years old playing a game his veteran teammate Encarnacion wasn't good at it until he was 29.
2) 24, but with 4 years of MLB experience.
3) Hit a ball 535 feet for a HR - against the White Sox
4) Mazara when healthy last year did show improvement - at the bat.
5) The Sox have a new batting instructor and a new analytics program - designed to fix problems like Mazara has shown. If the last hitting coach got fired for having a batting champion - the new guy ought to be able to fix this.
6) Nobody expects him to do anything but hit 20 hrs - so where is the pressure in that?
7) No matter where Mazara bats - this Sox lineup will have guys on base for him drive in (ducks on the pond).
8) Mazara is now old enough to do the math - if he puts up good numbers in the next couple of years -he will snag a very nice contract to continue playing the game - and still be younger the EE was when he got good at 29. He, therefore, has every incentive to listen to his coaches and take the instruction seriously.
9) The veteran presence of Arbeu and EE will help a guy like Mazara - put the game in perspective and feel supported.
10) The unexpected happens in baseball all the time - that's why it is so much fun to follow.

We may look back on the acquisition of Mazara later and realize this was the smartest move the Sox made all off season.
 

Lake Shore Drive

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Good post, good information, and I hope with your final sentence that you are 100% correct. The Mazara trade to date has been the only offseason move the Sox made that I flat out disliked. But he deserves a chance to showcase his talents and we owe him that much to see how he pans out. I hope he succeeds.
 

richig07

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There's some validity to what you are saying and we're only a couple of years removed from most people believing that Mazara would be a big name. And like I've said... it isn't like he has been without flashes.

But for every EE there's many forgotten busts who stayed busts. EE is an exception, not the norm. We do have to keep that in mind.
 

Mingo

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Go Sox! I can't wait for Spring Training. Certainly - the biggest question mark is going to be the starting pitching.
 

Mingo

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The ChiSox are a sentimental AL fave for me.

I loved Old Comiskey. Went there a few times.

Good luck this year!

As I understand it - we will see you in the World Series and then have a parade.

Thanks for the response - Good luck to you - as well.
 

Mingo

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You realize - the plus or minus of the entire White Sox season may come down to the Mazara question. If he is consistently better than expected to much better than expected - the Sox will have one of the premier lineups in baseball.

I was laughing the other day - that in past White Sox season's the trade for Mazara would be the single off season move. We would all just hope he turned more into Richie Zisk, or Paul Konerko and less into Adam Dunn, or Claudel Washington (Washington slept here).

I have an almost Brooklyn Dodgers (Da Bums!) affection for the rich history of White Sox characters who have paraded through.
 

Lake Shore Drive

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I have an almost Brooklyn Dodgers (Da Bums!) affection for the rich history of White Sox characters who have paraded through.

I grew up on the Go-Go White Sox, who did a lot of winning, but never brought home a ring. I also have fond memories of the South Side Hitmen and then that incredible '83 squad, which IMHO was the best 25 man squad of them all, even better than the '05 WS champs. Unfortunately, they ran into a very experienced Baltimore Orioles in the playoffs, who went on of course to win the WS.
 

Mingo

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I grew up on the Go-Go White Sox, who did a lot of winning, but never brought home a ring. I also have fond memories of the South Side Hitmen and then that incredible '83 squad, which IMHO was the best 25 man squad of them all, even better than the '05 WS champs. Unfortunately, they ran into a very experienced Baltimore Orioles in the playoffs, who went on of course to win the WS.

I'll just add the 96 strike shortened season as one of the great teams - that coulda/shoulda been.

Gogh Sox!
 

ChiSoxFan

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The White Sox have had their eye on Mazara for a few seasons now. Hopefully this pans out. I'm hoping it does, obviously. I was literally just reading a Bleacher Report article on every team's biggest regret this offseason (obviously very subjective). For the Sox, it was trading Steele Walker. Hope Mazara was worth it!
 
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Lake Shore Drive

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The White Sox have had their eye on Mazara for a few seasons now. Hopefully this pans out. I'm hoping it does, obviously. I was literally just reading a Bleacher Report article on every team's biggest regret this offseason (obviously very subjective). For the Sox, it was trading Steele Walker. Hope Mazara was worth it!
Some diehard Southsiders may not realize that many draft analysts had Walker rated as the 2nd best pure hitter in the '18 draft. With all the FA OFs out there, including a couple of lefty bats, it's understandable that some folks, including yours truly, felt there was no need to surrender such draft capital for the RF spot. But like you and most of us on this board, we need to get on board the Mazara Express and wish nothing but good things from him. There's no doubting his still-unproven potential can end up making this a no-brainer trade.

Oh, and who was graded as the best pure hitter in the '18 draft? Nick Madrigal.
 

Mingo

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Where have you received this info from?

It's an inside White Sox joke - Rick Hahn said he will discuss the White Sox capabilities "after the parade."
 

richig07

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You realize - the plus or minus of the entire White Sox season may come down to the Mazara question. If he is consistently better than expected to much better than expected - the Sox will have one of the premier lineups in baseball.

I was laughing the other day - that in past White Sox season's the trade for Mazara would be the single off season move. We would all just hope he turned more into Richie Zisk, or Paul Konerko and less into Adam Dunn, or Claudel Washington (Washington slept here).

I have an almost Brooklyn Dodgers (Da Bums!) affection for the rich history of White Sox characters who have paraded through.

I don't know. Most lineups, even for playoff teams have a weaker link. I think it's much more the pitching situation beyond Giolito. Will Kuechel be the dependable vet we need him to be? Does Gio still have enough left to be a reliable #4 or #5? When will Kopech come up and how rusty will he be? What will Reynaldo Lopez do in his make or break season? When is Rodon back and how will he fair? Etc.
 

Mingo

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I don't know. Most lineups, even for playoff teams have a weaker link. I think it's much more the pitching situation beyond Giolito. Will Kuechel be the dependable vet we need him to be? Does Gio still have enough left to be a reliable #4 or #5? When will Kopech come up and how rusty will he be? What will Reynaldo Lopez do in his make or break season? When is Rodon back and how will he fair? Etc.

I think you are exactly correct - on the team's biggest uncertainty. There seems to be a lot riding on when various guys get back from Tommy John surgery. Fortunately - the guy furthest along in recover seems to be Kopech. However, the next wave of pitching prospects in the minors are a year or more away (with the best prospects 3 years away).
 

richig07

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I think you are exactly correct - on the team's biggest uncertainty. There seems to be a lot riding on when various guys get back from Tommy John surgery. Fortunately - the guy furthest along in recover seems to be Kopech. However, the next wave of pitching prospects in the minors are a year or more away (with the best prospects 3 years away).

Kopech is pretty much ready. But we're 100% going to keep him down to manipulate service time at the beginning of the season and it's pretty infuriating.

I also forgot about Cease. He had some real nice flashes but was mostly all over the place. He would usually have one blowup inning per outing. If he can eliminate that - he can take a step forward. But... he needs to show something. There's no shortage of talent.
 
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