Random Thoughts 2.2

[idseer]

so, who should our manager be next year? it's apparent to me that cairo is in over his head (letting harrison k instead of bunting robert to third makes this clear) and they'd be even more foolish to let tlr come back. any ideas? i'm sure he has to be cheap whoever it is. maybe 1st woman manager?

 

[Mingo]

Elvis Andrus wants to return for 2023 - 3rd base would be a nice spot for him.

 

[podsox]

If the Sox were in any other division do they win 70 gms this yr

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

If the Sox were in any other division do they win 70 gms this yr

Probably not, but the bigger question at the moment is are we going to win another game this season?

 

[idseer]

Probably not, but the bigger question at the moment is are we going to win another game this season?

that's not a bigger question. it's just a question. the question in question is how would the sox do in another division? i think it'd be about the same because they've stunk against their division. they've a losing season vs the central down 1 and against the east down 2 and they've beaten the west up 2. plus they've won in interleague play up 1.

 

[podsox]

that's not a bigger question. it's just a question. the question in question is how would the sox do in another division? i think it'd be about the same because they've stunk against their division. they've a losing season vs the central down 1 and against the east down 2 and they've beaten the west up 2. plus they've won in interleague play up 1.

They would've been 10+ gms out of most divisions at the all star break. This team has a lot of quit it in as we've seen this week

 

[idseer]

They would've been 10+ gms out of most divisions at the all star break. This team has a lot of quit it in as we've seen this week

yes they'd have been further out ... but still just about a .500 team.

 

[podsox]

 

[idseer]

wonder why ticket sales for next year wouldn't fall drastically. this whole season was a major disappointment but coupled with this ending must leave a bitter taste in the mouths of fans that they may not get over anytime soon. i wonder if the dumbass in charge will have learned anything this season. what am i saying??? of COURSE he won't!
really sucks to be a sox fan. what did we all do to deserve a shit like this for an owner?

 

[idseer]

off season ... moncada for chris sale. thoughts?

 

[Mingo]

We finally found something these Sox are good at: playing dead!

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

We finally found something these Sox are good at: playing dead!

I'm still in semi-shock as to how the Sox just laid down like dogs in these final games. What's particularly perplexing is just prior to the collapse it seemed we were finally heading in the right direction and even had some momentum going. Then suddenly a total shit show.

I don't know. On the one hand, you'd think why waste our time next season with primarily the same cast. Of course all teams make changes over the offseason, but obviously I'm talking about all the key players here, especially the ones under contract for the foreseeable future. I mean, these guys played like bums for much of the season and when it mattered most, they really bit the bone. So why not just blow up this bunch and start from scratch.

Then again, there is some real talent here. I've said it many times, but I hate using injuries as an excuse because all teams incur these. Still, it does seem like our team has been hit extra hard with multi-week injuries and it's largely been at the expense of our key starters, certainly on the positional side of the ball. I said a couple weeks back that once, just once I'd like to see how this club could perform if our bigger names could manage to play an entire season relatively healthy. We might still end up sucking, but at least we'd know once and for all.

 

[Mingo]

I don't know what happened - the talent was there even with injuries. I don't see it as Captain Abreu's fault either. However, I have real questions about Moncada's effort and commitment and some suspicions about Luis Robert's effort and commitment. TLR's reliance on Leury Garcia was a total bust this year as well.

In addition, the scouting is suspect - as the Sox didn't seem to be able to get the bottom third of the batting order out and rookie and relatively new pitchers had great success against the Sox. The Conditioning effort doesn't seem to know how to prevent soft tissue injuries.

The power outage is also deeply suspect for this year - and I have to blame the hitting coach for that. It shouldn't hit every power hitter at the same time - unless it is something the Sox are coached to do.

I'm more than ready for a house cleaning and fumigation.

 

[Mingo]

Moncada inks 5-year extension with White Sox

MESA, Ariz. -- Congratulations were plentiful for Yoán Moncada Friday morning in the White Sox clubhouse at Camelback Ranch. And these pats on the back or handshakes coming from teammates such as Carson Fulmer, Alex Colomé, Nomar Mazara and Reynaldo López arrived about one hour before Moncada’s...

www.mlb.com

The Sox owe Moncada a crap load of money the next two years before they can buy out his 2025 season with $5 million bucks. I don't think you can trade this contract to anyone. Same problem with Grandal too. Uncle Jerry desperately needs to change his Sox.

 

[Jiddy]

I'm still in semi-shock as to how the Sox just laid down like dogs in these final games. What's particularly perplexing is just prior to the collapse it seemed we were finally heading in the right direction and even had some momentum going. Then suddenly a total shit show.

I don't know. On the one hand, you'd think why waste our time next season with primarily the same cast. Of course all teams make changes over the offseason, but obviously I'm talking about all the key players here, especially the ones under contract for the foreseeable future. I mean, these guys played like bums for much of the season and when it mattered most, they really bit the bone. So why not just blow up this bunch and start from scratch.

Then again, there is some real talent here. I've said it many times, but I hate using injuries as an excuse because all teams incur these. Still, it does seem like our team has been hit extra hard with multi-week injuries and it's largely been at the expense of our key starters, certainly on the positional side of the ball. I said a couple weeks back that once, just once I'd like to see how this club could perform if our bigger names could manage to play an entire season relatively healthy. We might still end up sucking, but at least we'd know once and for all.

We deflated like a balloon basically.

I'm over it, but it says a lot. These guys were full of themselves and when reality hit, they tossed it in. They're just human. But it says a lot about character. The only saving grace is they get lambasted for it (rightfully) and come out with a chip on their shoulder next season. We'll see.

 

[idseer]

We deflated like a balloon basically.

I'm over it, but it says a lot. These guys were full of themselves and when reality hit, they tossed it in. They're just human. But it says a lot about character. The only saving grace is they get lambasted for it (rightfully) and come out with a chip on their shoulder next season. We'll see.

if reinsdork still owns the team then you should start preparing for disappointment right about now.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

In the throes of what has become a total collapse, I have referred to this year as the most disappointing of seasons. Sure, we've had worse seasons with much worse records. And as one of our brethren pointed out, it's fast looking like we're about to end 8 of our last 10 years with a losing record.

But what makes this particular season so gut wrenching is the expectation that almost so many had for the Sox in '22. Just about everyone and his grandmammy had us at the very least winning the weak Central Division, with of course many others visualizing the Sox advancing deeper into the playoffs.

In the expectations sense of the word, I have this year ranked with '84 and '06 as the most disappointing seasons in not-so-recent memory. '84 was the year after we won the division and ending the year with the best record in Baseball. Yeah, we lost to a very talented and experienced Orioles team in the playoffs, but all signs pointed to another winner in '84, yet we collapsed that year in a fashion somewhat reminiscent of this one. And of course we all know that '06 followed our World Championship season. That one was not so much of a collapse, in fact we ended with a winning record, but no playoffs at all. Considering we were defending champions, that stung. So I'm placing this season in the same pot as those other two.

 

[Bearsfan81]

I’m not old enough to remember ‘84, but 2006 was at least a fun year. They got to run a victory lap as the defending champs, had a great first half, and while they faded down the stretch they still won 90 games. That team was in good shape and they ended up winning the division 2 years later.

This team might need to be blown up - and worst of all they might not actually do it for another 2 years. 2013 was the last time I felt so awful about the future prospects of this team, and it’s terrifying to think we might be 5+ years away from relevance again.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I suppose we should wait until the official end of this year's campaign before starting a new thread with respect to the '22-'23 offseason. But since our boyz have already been eliminated from the playoffs, in reality our offseason has already begun....which of course sucks. I think we'll have about dozen or two subjects for discussion when this commences, but perhaps the two most immediate questions are whether TLR returns and if Jerry & co choose to re-sign Abreu. Now these two issues might not be the most important ones facing the Sox this Fall & Winter, but it would help pave the road moving forward if they're both addressed earlier rather than later.

My immediate take #1 is to find any way possible to keep TLR from returning. Fire him, let him retire gracefully, whatever. Just stay home Tony, the game has passed you. Here is an article listing potential successors to the job. There may be others who aren't yet on the horizon:

Managerial candidates if White Sox’ Tony La Russa doesn’t return

Potential White Sox managerial candidates if Tony La Russa does not return in 2023.

sports.yahoo.com

My immediate take #2 is to re-sign Pito, but with a let's see approach. No doubt this was not amongst his finest seasons. Just from a numbers standpoint, it produced the lowest HR totals of his career and 2nd lowest in RBIs. When you factor in the lowest RBI total came in the pandemic-shortened 2020, this really was his worst run producing season. What magnifies it a lot is he always hits in a premium spot, almost always 3rd or 4th. Another minus for signing him is he was awfully inconsistent this year, featuring a very cold/hot first half/second half. We'd need a better balance of numbers from him.

So why am I on board with, if not signing Pito, to at least make a quick decision? Signing or not signing him will likely help chart the direction the Sox take with respect to Vaughn, Sheets, even Eloy. We simply have too many 1B/DH quality players on the roster, so letting Abreu walk will free up the 1st base spot at least to a degree. If we re-sign him, then there may have to be some conversations as to thinning out the 1B/DH logjam. Yet signing him has its advantages as well. He's still the best overall hitter on a team that did not hit well this season. And I think this year was more of an aberration then a sign of some downward trend. The man continues to play solid, if not outstanding, defensive. Plus, I believe he could be had for a relative bargain, considering his desire to remain a Good Guy for his entire career.

Sorry for this excessively long rant, but I feel better now!!!! It's so therapeutic!!

 

[Mingo]

Next Manager????

Based on past White Sox search criteria I'm guessing Willie Harris.

If the Sox want to throw a bomb into a chummy dugout - AJ Pierzynski

The Ventura solution would be Thome.

My favorite wild card candidate - Joe Espada - Astro's bench coach

Too much money to throw away on contracts to change the players - so changing the Manager is the best they can do.