The White Sox haven’t released their Opening Day roster yet, but one of the position battles has been resolved, and another one roped in a guy who was completely off the board.
At catcher, Zack Collins won the backup catcher job, so much so that Jonathan Lucroy asked for and was granted his release. It’s possible that Eloy Jiménez’s injury also changed the White Sox’s calculations for the job, because Yermín Mercedes has reportedly made the roster as well to provide Tony La Russa more offensive options.
Collins’ addition could be expected, and Mercedes didn’t quite register as a long shot himself. The out-of-nowhere addition is Jake Lamb.
Lamb had been competing for a job with the Atlanta Braves, but lost out on the backup corner infielder job to Pablo Sandoval.
At his peak, Lamb hit 59 homers and posted a 113 OPS+ for the Diamondbacks across the 2016-17 seasons. He injured his shoulder in April of 2018, and hasn’t been the same since, although he had a brief resurgence with Oakland last year.
He doesn’t fill a need on the depth chart, because he’s only logged time at third and first base over his MLB career. Then again, outfield experience is no longer a prerequisite for White Sox left fielders, Lamb does hit left-handed, and he overlapped with Tony La Russa during La Russa’s time as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chief Baseball Officer, so those would theoretically be the reasons why he’s here. Also, the White Sox don’t have much in the way of help if Yoán Moncada were to miss time, God forbid.
Should Billy Hamiton also make the Opening Day cut, then he, Andrew Vaughn and Lamb would all need spots on the 40-man roster, which would explain why official word is delayed. Eloy Jiménez would open one by going to the 60-day injured list, and the out-of-options José Ruiz would be another candidate.
(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)
A Garcia/Hamilton (not sure which will be the starter assuming Hamilton makes the roster), Collins, Mercedes, Lamb bench seems a little bizarre.
James Fox says Vaughn opening day LF, Collins opening day DH, thus the three catchers. I guess with Leury and Hamilton on the bench they have two pinch runners/OF defensive replacements so the bench is more conventional and the starting outfield less
I wonder if they’ll leave Vaughn in LF every day while Engel is out. There was an odd hole with Engel and Eloy out against LHP, as they’d probably not want to bat Collins vs. LHP, and Eaton vs. LHP is not ideal. Billy Hamilton can’t hit anybody, but especially can’t hit lefties. Instead, they could leave Vaughn in LF and put Mercedes as DH vs. LHP until Engel is back. Once Engel is back, I assume Garcia and Engel will start in LF/RF vs. LHP with Vaughn at DH to give Vaughn a break from the field and put better defense out there.
Well…that bench lacks punch
Really? I think it’s a pretty good bench, assuming Hamilton never gets a chance to hit.
I don’t think it is a good bench. One guy is pretty much a DH, two guys can’t hit, and there is Leury. I can see Hamilton being a defensive replacement later in games and pinch runner. As long as Moncada is healthy, Lamb is pretty much useless. It is a bad bench.
He won’t even when he will.
You gotta love Leury. His versatility is a crazy safety net.
Really nice that Collins went out and took that job from the older veteran. Always a wet fart when they pick the old guy who is out of gas since everybody else just failed to take the position.
That says a lot.
I am not sure this statement has changed a lot.
Lucroy winning the job would have been the most White Sox thing ever, so this is very surprising.
The Lamb addition is odd if he replaces Mendick on the roster. I know Mendick had an awful spring with the bat, but he at least can backup the middle infield. With Eloy out, Garcia should be playing more outfield (starting against LHP), which would leave them without a backup for 2B/SS. I guess they’d have enough other outfielders that they can just move Garcia to infield if there’s an injury.
No current OF or IF depth in the farm system – that’s why you get moves like this.
If/when Grandal is sidelined for three weeks, I have concerns about this team’s ability to cope with Collins and Mercedes as the only catchers.
Wouldn’t any team be concerned if they lost their starting catcher?
The defensive gap between Grandal and the Collins/Mercedes duo is not the usual gap between a starter and the backup. Grandal is arguably the best defensive catcher in the game, and in the positional rankings for catcher, Fangraphs has the White Sox #1 in baseball because of him.
Of the remaining backup options, that report also concluded:
Sox can always make a change later if they need to. But there’s definitely no excuse for either of these guys having so little MLB experience with the bat or behind the dish.
I’ll stake my claim that I think Collins is going to be playable as a catcher this season, however that is measured.
So where’s Tyler Flowers? I guess he’s even more suspect than Lucroy at this point
Let’s roll out the youngsters and plug in the geriatrics later on if need be – they’ll be around.
I think one has to presume that both Zack and Yermin showed TLR, Katz and veteran pitchers enough to justify believing their defense has improved significantly. Fangraphs has to be relying on evaluations from 2019. From the little I’ve seen, Collins still looks a bit awkward catching on one knee but the results seem fine. And Mercedes appears to have a rocket arm. Also the Sox seem to have a couple of defensively adequate catchers in the minors.
This is the same team that convinced themselves that Daniel Palka and Dayan Viciedo were capable defenders. Never mind the litany of defensive train wrecks they’ve employed at catcher over the last five years.
Same team but not the same manger or coaching staff. OF on a rebuilding team is one thing; catcher on a contending team is something else. I still say they don’t roll with Collins and Mercedes unless the pitching staff and pitching coach is on board with that.
They basically have no other options unless Grandal can catch 162 games. And this is the same GM who jettisonedTyler Flowers and signed Dioner Navarro with zero input from Chris Sale or Jose Quintana. Hahn has been a horrendous judge of talent in this regard.
I think the Sox would sign a guy like Lucroy if Grandal misses significant time. I think it is hard to not give Collins his shot after he did all that they asked for him. Releasing Lucroy is a decision that can be essentially undone.
I’m more concerned that Hamilton is a luxury the bench can’t afford. I’ll feel much better about this roster when Engel returns.
On more infielder’s news, R. Odor didn’t make the team (Texas)…He is actually worse than Yolmer.
But he will always have that punch to Bautista to hang his hat on.
If he landed the punch on Josh Donaldson’s face in that same brawl I think that would be the one we would remember.
What a lovely backloaded deal he has.
Jake Lamb vs RHP –
2018: 184 PA, 90 wRC+
2019: 198 PA, 63 wRC+
2020: 79 PA, 71 wRC+
I saw some people on twitter saying that he can hit righties…well based on how he has fared over the last 3 years, I’d say no he cannot.
Brad Miller signed for $3.5M to be the super utility for the Phillies. Sox should have signed him for that price before Eloy got hurt. I’d feel a lot more comfortable with Brad Miller out in LF and Vaughn at DH in Eloy’s absence.
Yeah, I was surprised when I saw that twitter commentary. Lamb is just another Conor Gillespie. Miller made a lot more sense.
The only reason I can think of for them signing Lamb to a major league contract and putting him on the roster is:Tony La Russa was with the Diamondbacks when Lamb was pretty good (2016-2017), and left the Diamondbacks before Lamb was bad (after 2017).
Please don’t remind me of LaRussa’s involvement with the Diamondbacks. I think little enough of him as it is.
The final piece of the puzzle!!
It wouldn’t be a “competitive” White Sox team without a 30+ veteran lefty who can walk, but who can’t hit enough to take advantage of his power.
Hello Geoff Blum
For those who have worried about ESPN 1000 reception, does this help?
It looks like I’m equidistant from WMVP, Aurora and Rockford. So I guess it will depend on which way the wind is blowing.
I’m in Aurora. Looks like I’ll have to program a preset on the car radio for AM 1280!
I’m not sure I’d call that “spanning” 3 states. My ESPN 1000 reception is ok and better than ok in the car where I’m most likely to be a radio listener.
I spent a decade in Urbana in my youth and reception for then flagship WMAQ-670 (a stronger signal than ESPN 1000) could really spotty and it was tough. This wasn’t for a game but I particularly remember driving around late at night on June 30, 1988 till just before midnight (although my watch was off and read a few minutes after midnight) trying to tune in WBBM-780 to get news updates.
(I won’t reveal what city I currently live in but it starts with a J and is one of the 5 largest cities in Illinois.)
Jockford? Japerville? Jurora? This is hard – I give up.
Please respect my privacy by not trying to guess what city I live in.
Jonesboro must be larger than I remember.
I am mid way between Davenport and Ames. Just tried the two options on the van radio. No reception for me
so your username is appropriate
Big Sublime fan, maybe?
Nice. Helps me in DeKalb.
I am mid way between Davenport and Ames. Just tried the two options on the van radio. No reception for me
Sounds like Grinnell…
Neal ElAttrache is the surgeon who will reattach Eloy’s pectoral tendon.
Thank goodness. He’s one of my 3 or 4 favorite pectoral surgeons.
Dr. Reattache – it’s in his name even!
I’m a fan of his earlier work.
No idea who he is but a quick google shows he used to work for the LA Rams so that seems good.