Podcast: Catcher, First Base, and Second Base 2020 Season Preview

Josh and Jim breakdown Aaron Bummer’s contract extension while previewing the upcoming 2020 season for the catcher, first and second base positions.

  • Could Yasmani Grandal be a Top 10 position player?
  • Will Nick Madrigal be the Opening Day starter at second base?
  • Can Jose Abreu slow down the decline phase of his career?  

They explore each of those questions and answer yours in P.O. Sox:

Andrew Segall

Are there any injury situations that you are monitoring either with concern or with optimism?

Bill Wiggins

In the last two years, Tim Anderson has had a great first half with stolen bases but very poor second half. How come? With his speed, I think he should hit leadoff until Robert or Madrigal prove capable.

Patreon Bonus P.O. Sox Questions

Trooper Galactus

Do you expect Gavin Sheets to start the season in Charlotte, and how do you think the White Sox will shuffle their 1B/DH logjam if he has a breakout season? Encarnacion would likely not be retained, but that would still leave Vaughn, Abreu, and Collins, in addition to potentially Grandal. Who stays, who goes?

Amador M.

Assuming the rotation looks good when Rodon is healthy again, does he become the prime trade piece for the Sox if they are in the hunt near the trade deadline? Even with his injury history, do you think a package of him and someone like Mercedes could get anything of value?

Presented by Clear. Visit www.clearme.com and receive two months free using promo code SOXMACHINE.

Click play below to listen:

Patreon version of the show (15 extra minutes of content): https://www.patreon.com/posts/34288957

Take a second to support Sox Machine on Patreon
16 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
dwjm3

Nice to see Madrigal got a hit right out of the gate yesterday

tdogg

Gotta love (not) Keith Law. Somehow Madrigal is not a Top 100 prospect. Yeah, yeah, I know he marches to his own tune for these things, but that one is kinda ridiculous.

BobbySouthSide

He’s never been a fan of Madrigal. Previously stated that he thinks he’s a David Eckstein clone, but a worse runner and fielder. He’s on an island leaving him off a top 100 ranking.

MrStealYoBase

Eckstein didn’t debut til 26 but was a 4 win player for a couple years there. If Madrigal is an Eckstein clone (with better AVG, worse feilding) the Sox have a heck of a valuable player considering his age and production during control years.

Imo, Law values upside to the point that it’s almost laughable. He’ll rank a player with a 2% chance of becoming a superstar, but a 50% chance of being nothing well ahead of a guy who has a 80% chance of becoming at least an average regular.

HallofFrank

If Madrigal is Eckstein, sign me up. For a full season, that’s probably a 1.5 fWAR floor and 4.5 fWAR ceiling? A median outcome of probably 2.2-2.5 fWAR? I’ll take that. 

lil jimmy

On Keith Law’s just released Top 100- Nick Madrigal is nowhere to be found….
Perhaps there was a height requirement.

As Cirensica

I think he is both pessimistic on Madrigal and optimistic in many other guys.

Maybe Madrigal will come up in his list of “prospects I thought weren’t good, but I was wrong”…he used to do that at ESPN, maybe he will continue it in The Athletic. Chris Sale was in that list one year.

Lurker Laura

Before listening, I am going to compile my own curling team and compare to Jim’s.

Lead – doesn’t need to be flashy, but does need to be very consistent and reliable. In future years, I’d hope to be saying Nick Madrigal, but he’s not on the 26-man yet, so I’m going with Dallas Keuchel.

Second – a little power required for the take outs. Some flash wouldn’t hurt, as this is otherwise a position the casual watcher doesn’t notice. Give me Timmy and his broom flips.

Vice – need a lot of different skills here, both physically and mentally. Lucas Giolito.

Skip – strong strategist and able to make big shots in pressure situations. I’ll take Yasmani Grandal.

BobbySouthSide

I’m no expert, but I believe curling accommodates all shapes and sizes. The bigger hurdle is probably being able to slide down the ice gracefully after a shots of scotch and a case of molson.

Lurker Laura

In league settings, curling is indeed played by all physical types. At the competitive level of the Brier, there is more requirement for actual physical fitness. I have not researched the Brier line-ups to know how tall they are, I admit.

Jim Margalus

We only overlapped at one position, but the thought process was the same.

Lurker Laura

I legit want to watch TA flip a curling broom.

Eagle Bones

Hey guys and gals, had a quick MiLB related question I was hoping someone could give me some insight into. Has anyone here ever attended a game at McCormick Field in Asheville, NC (where the Rox A ball team plays)? We’re currently investigating options for a buddy’s bachelor party and Asheville has been mentioned (along with Charlotte). Just wondering how the park is since it appears to be on the older side (how it feels, concessions, beer offerings, etc.), how close it is to downtown and local breweries / watering holes and how it compares to Charlotte (for anyone who has also attended a game there). Any insight would be appreciated!

Jim Margalus

It’s an older park, but in the good way. Classic feel. It’s not right downtown, but it’s walkable from there. I don’t recall the beer/food situation because we ate/drank before and after. They drew pretty well the game I went, so you might want to figure out the ticket situation in advance.

Eagle Bones

Thanks for the info jim!