White Sox Reportedly Nearing Deal With Edwin Encarnacion

[richig07]

30+ dongs 8 years in a row.

I like it.

But he's 37 so anyone that didn't like Abreu...my condolences.

Strikes out a lot. That's how we like 'em I guess.

Even if he regresses some, there's no doubt we are like +5 in the win column minimum on just the DH position alone.

You can live with the K's from your power hitting 1B/DH. The knock against Abreu is that he never walks and has a low OBP. Encarnacion walks a lot.

The White Sox are also locked into Abreu for 50 million and 3 years. The commitment to Encarnacion is only 1 year for 12 million.

It's a very different situation.

 

[msgkings322]

When Madrigal and Robert come up...

Madrigal
Robert
Eloy
Moncada
Abreu
Grandal
Encarnacion
Anderson
Mazara

That's a suuupper rough draft that I put zero thought into. A very legit lineup.

Then...

Giolito
Kuechel
Kopech
Gio Gonzalez
Cease

With Rodon back at some point as well.

With Rey Lopez filling in if we shutdown Kopech or Rodon is delayed.

I mean, wild to say... but a couple bullpen pieces and I don't see how we fall short of being a respectable big league team.

The Sox are making at least the wild card game this year, bookmarket. As always, pending reasonable injury luck.

And depending on the Twins own luck, they have a shot at the division. They rebuilt and now are making the FA moves. That's how the Cubs did it, that's how the Stros did it.

 

[richig07]

The Sox are making at least the wild card game this year, bookmarket. As always, pending reasonable injury luck.

And depending on the Twins own luck, they have a shot at the division. They rebuilt and now are making the FA moves. That's how the Cubs did it, that's how the Stros did it.

Yeah, Twins look good for a while, unfortunately. They just need the pitching to get them over the hump.

Man, this is the most excited I have been for baseball in a long time.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Yeah, Twins look good for a while, unfortunately. They just need the pitching to get them over the hump.

Man, this is the most excited I have been for baseball in a long time.

I don't think the Twins did much of anything to improve themselves, but then again, they haven't really suffered any major losses either. I don't think they're gonna be a 100 win team this year, so the question is how many wins do they lose vs how many we gain. A hell of a lot of ground to make up.

And I'm far from ready to count out the Indians as well. Yeah, they traded Corey Kluber, but we have to remember the Tribe won 93 games last year with Kluber being a complete non-factor. There are a few free agents like Kipnis and Puig which might weaken them somewhat if they sign elsewhere. My take is if/when they trade Lindor and perhaps Clevinger, only then will I believe they've waived the white flag and are retooling, which would place them in the Tigers/Royals camp. But until them, I think they need to be taken quite seriously.

 

[Jiddy]

I won't be excited until we actually win some games consistently. Been there done that far too many times with shoulda coulda woulda type teams over my lifetime. However, I do think we won't be utter dumpster fire garbage, so that's nice. I'm so f*cking tired of being one of the worst teams in baseball.

 

[msgkings322]

I won't be excited until we actually win some games consistently. Been there done that far too many times with shoulda coulda woulda type teams over my lifetime. However, I do think we won't be utter dumpster fire garbage, so that's nice. I'm so f*cking tired of being one of the worst teams in baseball.

That's how rebuilds work. It's all going according to plan.

 

[richig07]

That's how rebuilds work. It's all going according to plan.

It's funny how people all are happy to say that now. But a year ago everyone was jumping off of bridges because we weren't winning baseball games with Manny Banuelos pitching. It's like "yeah, we're not supposed to".

Hell, you can just look a page back on this forum. People rolled their eyes at me for suggesting such a thing.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Rebuilds usually take time, often 4-5 years before they start producing solid results, and that's if they produce at all. I realize the 'success' of this offseason is on paper only at this point. But I think we have a really good core group and the approach Hahn took in obtaining veterans to help strengthen the roster has really gone as well as one could reasonably expect. We were never going to sign the big money names. I said a ways back that we should model this offseason after the approach Minny took last year, with a bunch of plug-n-plays. And that's what he's done. Obviously we now have to see how this all plays out, but color me excited for at least thinking we're finally on the upswing.

 

[msgkings322]

It's funny how people all are happy to say that now. But a year ago everyone was jumping off of bridges because we weren't winning baseball games with Manny Banuelos pitching. It's like "yeah, we're not supposed to".

Hell, you can just look a page back on this forum. People rolled their eyes at me for suggesting such a thing.

My dad was like that, I kept telling him it takes 3 years before they will try to win. He said "I may not live that long!"

 

[richig07]

My dad was like that, I kept telling him it takes 3 years before they will try to win. He said "I may not live that long!"

My dad passed in 09. In 05 when Uribe tossed the final out over to Konerko - I went totally ape shit. He just stood there taking it in. Total disbelief. lol

I was (and still am) very happy he got to see it happen.

 

[msgkings322]

My dad passed in 09. In 05 when Uribe tossed the final out over to Konerko - I went totally ape shit. He just stood there taking it in. Total disbelief. lol

I was (and still am) very happy he got to see it happen.

Yeah I was born in Chicago and was a Sox fan from birth thanks to my dad. We got to watch 2005 together too. I've lived in SF since 1988 so if I'm being honest I'm more of a Giants fan now, but it's more like 1A and 1B

Very little interaction between the two clubs, outside of the White Flag trade and AJ

 

[msgkings322]

One cool thing about 2005, totally off topic.

You guys probably remember the ALCS that year. The Sox lost game one to the Angels. And then something happened that will never happen again until the Sun engulfs the Earth.

They won the next 4 in a row...with each game the Sox pitcher going the distance. No relief pitchers used. I forget the order but it was Beuhrle, Contreras, Garcia, and Garland

Won't ever happen again
Shoot, the way they use pens in the playoffs two in a row is extremely rare.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

One cool thing about 2005, totally off topic.

You guys probably remember the ALCS that year. The Sox lost game one to the Angels. And then something happened that will never happen again until the Sun engulfs the Earth.

They won the next 4 in a row...with each game the Sox pitcher going the distance. No relief pitchers used. I forget the order but it was Beuhrle, Contreras, Garcia, and Garland

Won't ever happen again
Shoot, the way they use pens in the playoffs two in a row is extremely rare.

Yeah, it was the pitching that got us thru most of that season and the playoffs as well. I'll tell you, in my lifetime the best overall team I thought we ever had was the '83 Sox. That team had it all - pitching, hitting, power, defense, bench. But unfortunately, the second best team in baseball that year happened to be the Orioles, and they simply took it to us in the playoffs.

 

[msgkings322]

Yeah, it was the pitching that got us thru most of that season and the playoffs as well. I'll tell you, in my lifetime the best overall team I thought we ever had was the '83 Sox. That team had it all - pitching, hitting, power, defense, bench. But unfortunately, the second best team in baseball that year happened to be the Orioles, and they simply took it to us in the playoffs.

Winning Ugly!

 

[Jiddy]

Yeah...I watched the 05 series with my old man as well. He's gone now...but I'll never forget Pauly's granny and his reaction.

He was chilling laying on the couch as obviously the game went pretty late.

"He hit a grand slam"

He got up and paced after that granny until the very end of that game...It was funny. He just was so worked up he couldn't sit down again.

LOL...Memories.

 

[Jiddy]

Yeah, it was the pitching that got us thru most of that season and the playoffs as well. I'll tell you, in my lifetime the best overall team I thought we ever had was the '83 Sox. That team had it all - pitching, hitting, power, defense, bench. But unfortunately, the second best team in baseball that year happened to be the Orioles, and they simply took it to us in the playoffs.

I still have my program handed down by my old man somewhere in my memorabilia closet with the 05 stuff, the Bears stuff from 06 and 85 and God knows how much Bulls stuff from the 6 championships.

 

[Jiddy]

One cool thing about 2005, totally off topic.

You guys probably remember the ALCS that year. The Sox lost game one to the Angels. And then something happened that will never happen again until the Sun engulfs the Earth.

They won the next 4 in a row...with each game the Sox pitcher going the distance. No relief pitchers used. I forget the order but it was Beuhrle, Contreras, Garcia, and Garland

Won't ever happen again
Shoot, the way they use pens in the playoffs two in a row is extremely rare.

It's sad that this is actually not more well known...

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

It's sad that this is actually not more well known...

My personal single best memory of that Angel series was Pierzynski's dropped strikeout in Game 2, which resulted in him ending up at first base. That play really seemed to rattle the Angels for not just that game, but the remaining losses as well. My absolutely favorite A.J. moment, for a player who provided us many good moments.

 

[Jiddy]

My personal single best memory of that Angel series was Pierzynski's dropped strikeout in Game 2, which resulted in him ending up at first base. That play really seemed to rattle the Angels for not just that game, but the remaining losses as well. My absolutely favorite A.J. moment, for a player who provided us many good moments.

Thank goodness there wasn't replay yet. : D

 

[richig07]

One cool thing about 2005, totally off topic.

You guys probably remember the ALCS that year. The Sox lost game one to the Angels. And then something happened that will never happen again until the Sun engulfs the Earth.

They won the next 4 in a row...with each game the Sox pitcher going the distance. No relief pitchers used. I forget the order but it was Beuhrle, Contreras, Garcia, and Garland

Won't ever happen again
Shoot, the way they use pens in the playoffs two in a row is extremely rare.

Game 2 was Buehrle and Game 5 was Contreras. That's 5000% because I was at Game 2 and then the image of Paulie jumping into Contreras arms after the final out of Game 5 is etched into my mind forever.

I also remember thinking about how beautiful sports are in that moment. I mean, how often is a 28 year old white boy from the US suburbs going to jump into the arms of a gigantic 40 year old Cuban who doesn't speak English? Before the guy carries him and nearly spins him around like a feather as they both grin ear-to-ear. I almost guarantee those two never had an interaction before that. lol... Just one of those unique life observations I had at that time.

I believe Freddy was Game 3 and Garland Game 4. Almost positive there, but not quite as sure as the other two.