Where the White Sox left off before the pandemic

Rick Hahn speaking at SoxFest 2020 town hall (Photo by Josh Nelson)

At the start of spring training, the biggest problem facing Major League Baseball was the ghastliness of its spring training caps.

Now, if and when the White Sox and other teams return to the field to start a second spring training in the middle of the pandemic, the caps will still be godawful. It’ll also be the least of their problems.

The White Sox will start their spring training on July 3, so there are still several days to savor pleasingly normal transactions and roster speculation before any complications from physical proximity start to present themselves.

To that end, Rick Hahn and Rick Renteria participated in a Zoom call with White Sox beat reporters, in which that sentiment hung in the air.

“It’s just going to be good to have baseball back, man,” Hahn said.

Ricks: They’re just like us!

At the point spring training stopped, the White Sox had some loose ends that were supposed to be resolved over the coming weeks. Some of them were injuries, and the hope was that time will do its healing thing.

Injuries

  • Michael Kopech, Tommy John surgery recovery
  • Carlos Rodón, Tommy John surgery
  • Dane Dunning, Tommy John surgery recovery
  • Lucas Giolito, chest muscle strain
  • Yasmani Grandal, calf strain
  • Gio Gonzalez, stiff shoulder

Kopech and Giolito were each able to make their first appearance after a short delay, and both threw a scoreless inning with no adverse effects. Grandal also joined the fray in the last week of the March program, catching three games and DHing in another.

Gonzalez remained the only Opening Day roster member who hadn’t yet come off the sidelines, and he had supposedly been ramping up to an appearance before getting interrupted. His availability won’t be so crucial if a guy like Kopech is ready for working every five days, and if Rodón and Dunning can potentially be factors toward the start of the season, rather than the back half of it.

Position battles

With the roster starting at 30 before drawing down to 28 and 26 after a fortnight in between, a guy like Yermín Mercedes should be able to find a spot on the roster, especially if he picks up where he left off (1.409 OPS, four homers over 22 plate appearances).

Setting aside the customary contests for the last bullpen spot, the only positional battle of note was second base, where Nick Madrigal had to prove that he was immediately worthy of unseating Leury García and/or Danny Mendick. A guy like Mendick should benefit from the same situation as Mercedes, as they’re both older prospects who just need roster access however it happens.

Madrigal, who is not yet on the 40-man roster, faces the standard set of service-time manipulation concerns.

Hahn carried over his stance on Madrigal to the other side of the pandemic:

“Nicky, we only got to see him for a handful of games up in Glendale, but he’s been, for the portion of big league camp we’ve had so far, as advertised and certainly is a consideration for breaking with us,” Hahn said, “if not immediately then certainly helping us at some point over the course of this summer.”

Setting aside service time, it makes sense for Hahn to let Madrigal demand consideration. The White Sox have credible options at the position to open the season, so if Madrigal comes into the second spring looking overmatched or not 100 percent, the White Sox aren’t in a position of having to retract something they’ve promised, and they’d have a roster spot available for a more pressing matter.

That said, it’ll sure be disappointing if the Sox let service time dictate their action even if Madrigal is the best option available. I mean, it always sucks, but Hahn would essentially be tapping his own words on the shortened season and draining them of meaning.

New rules

The White Sox won’t have to decide on their 26th man until four weeks into the season, so we can table that particular concern. The Sox also seemed better prepared for the three-batter minimum, although Renteria anticipated more intentional walks.

Renteria now has an extra twist thrown on his plate — extra innings starting with a runner on second. If you expected Renteria to welcome a situation in which a bunt is often a defensible call, he refused to indulge your caricature.

“Late-inning strategies might change now, (with a) runner on second in a tie ballgame. That’s something I’m sure everyone is excited about trying,” the White Sox manager said Thursday. “I’ll be honest, I’m not.

“I’ll just lay it out there. I’m glad everyone is going to enjoy something new. ‘We want to tie in some excitement.’ I’m more of a traditionalist.”

Yet Renteria’s stance wasn’t entirely traditionalist. He understands the value of keeping games short, but he’s OK with ties.

“My own opinion is — and I put this out there years ago and I’ll get myself in trouble — just play an 11-inning game and figure out some way of creating a point system if you’re tied after that. You use a mechanism that gives you the ability to create something that gives you some form of differentiating yourself from other clubs that end up having the same type of record or whatnot.

“Then we just play the game and it ends when it ends.”

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joewho112

I am with Renteria on ties. I prefer ties in the regular season to gimmicks.

With the runner on second, is it the last hitter from the previous inning?

itaita

Probably determined by the mid inning multi-ball.

I agree i hope this running on 2nd stuff is just this season. Id rather have ties then some meme rule.

carbiner

Basically everything new in the shortened season is something the owners wanted to have happen eventually and it was just a convenient way to prove that it works.

shaggy65

I would much rather avoid ties. As my dad puts it, ties are like “kissing your sister.”

And while I appreciate the traditional, I’m actually fine with free runners in extra innings. If I’m being honest, most 13-inning affairs are boring and I mostly just want them to end so I can go to sleep. This way I still get the exciting finish, without the long delay.

lil jimmy

I could see Gio Gonzalez being a three inning opener. Followed by Lopez. Talk about a change of pace!

phillyd

I’m still not sure Gio Gonzalez will ever be allowed to pitch for the Chicago White Sox.

joewho112

Do y’all think that this new rule will lead to someone signing Micah Johnson? Extra bench spot. Additional high leverage situations for pinch runners.

Shingos Cheeseburgers

Just start the inning with one out and a runner on third. But that runner has to be the mascot.

asinwreck

As my local team is the Mets, I enthusiastically support this rule change. Also, since the Yankees have no mascot, they should not be allowed to play for wins in tied games.