Podcast: Critical road trip for White Sox visiting Cleveland and Minnesota

Rundown

Intro: Dylan Cease All-Star Snub

8:15: Weekend recap

14:10: Bob Nightengale’s report

21:52: Michael Kopech’s nagging problems

29:33: Gavin Sheets turning it around

34:09: Cleveland series preview

47:40: AL Playoff Picture

52:55: P.O. Sox

Steve Griffin

Many of us are critical of Tony for his handling of the pitching staff, but how much of the blame should be placed on Ethan Katz? He gets all the credit for ‘fixing guys’, so how much responsibility does he have for decisions like pitching changes, what relievers gets certain innings, etc?

Michael

Did the White Sox miss out on a chance to be competitive in 2019? With great years from Moncada, Giolito, and Anderson (plus being .500 in June), it feels like this window that may be shutting quickly could’ve been opened sooner.

Joe Meckl

Where is the accountability for this team? While I agree with releasing Dallas Keuchel, he is the only one to suffer any consequence for a poor performance this season. The rest of the players, coaching staff and front office seem to get a pass. It’s incredibly frustrating as a fan to see mistake after mistake made and zero repercussions for anyone making them.

69:27: Bonus P.O. Sox

Rob Leadaman

Should Chicago trade the White Sox for the Montreal Canadians?

AJ Mithen

Guys I know he’s a popular dude but do we have a Lance Lynn problem? He’s getting lined up more often than not and we really need him to start missing bats…

Mark Hope

A hypothetical: it’s November 15th and we’ve somehow gotten what we want: a new owner and a new front office made up of the best and brightest minds in MLB. When this new front office steps in, with their outsider perspective, do they conclude that this roster is closer to sustainable success or closer to needing a rebuild?

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upnorthsox

TA has seemed subdued all year, not sure what its from (play, contract, conflict, strike) but its been noticeable.
Jose is stoic by nature but I’m wondering if his pending departure is preventing him from leading.
There is no one else really, at least without their own poor performance getting in the way.
So yea, if TA isn’t going to take the reigns then it really falls on TLR but how is that possible with the whole Fire Tony thing going on.

jhomeslice

There were rumors a few weeks ago about a woman (not his wife) being pregnant and TA being the father. I have no idea if true but even if not, the rumor and conflict it might have created at home could weigh on him in a big way. Social media has a really nasty side to it.

upnorthsox

I hadn’t heard that, now I wish I could unhear it.

jhomeslice

Again it’s only a rumor but if you google “Tim Anderson cheating on wife” you’ll find several links. Have no idea if true and won’t speculate, but even false rumors have consequences. If they are false, the people who create such things are truly the scum of the earth.

Qubort

Josh Donaldson defenders create such things.

upnorthsox

Speaking of Bruce Bochy, would he be considered a good hire to replace LaRussa? He could takeover right now as he’s not doing anything but tending his parched garden. I say this as he’s an older HOF caliber manager and do we really want to jump from one HOFer to another?

upnorthsox

The Angels are 11-18 since firing Joe Maddon but at least they placated the Fire Joe crowd.

I disagree with the whole Hahn wont be fired and Tony can’t be fired mantra as I believe that’s exactly what will happen at the end of the season.
Now Tony will be given the opportunity to walk away instead and he’ll do it because he doesn’t want the job anymore but he is not going to be asked back so its academic.
Hahn imo was almost let go at the end of last season and what has happened since is all negative. The only question left is if KW will be the one to do it or will it be a complete cleaning of the house.
Could it happen sooner? Sure, everything between Rick and Tony could spill out into the open and make it untenable or the Sox could go on an extended losing streak which could bring everything to a head but it would require Hahn to have to openly address his own failures and I don’t believe he’s willing to do that.

Jim Margalus

I’m referring to in-season action when I say that TLR can’t be fired.

Why did you think that Hahn was almost let go?

upnorthsox

Mostly because of the Kimbrel trade which, irrelevant of whether it worked or not it, was a bad trade to make and imo and I’m sure that JR thinks that, and he told Hahn exactly that and that he’d be held responsible for it. Add to that the fact that the 4 years of losing was sold as a way to contain costs and yet we would go into the 2nd year of contention with a payroll twice what it normally is, where’s the savings? And you trade away the only tangible asset acquired for one of those years (Madrigal)? Then there’s the friction between the FO and the dugout and the long delay between the end of season and his news conference and it points to someone who’s fate was in limbo.

mrridgman

Dude, much of this is pure speculation, e.g., JR “told Hahn exactly that and that he’d be held responsible for it.” It’s OK to speculate on this site, in fact, sometimes those are the most interesting parts; but probably best to so indicate you are speculating rather than reporting fact.
FWIW, I don’t think JR in general holds anybody accountable as long as the cash flow isn’t interrupted (and I don’t think JR is a total miser). Look at the history of this organization and it’s “leadership”.

upnorthsox

Dude, imo = in my opinion

mrridgman

“I’m SURE that JR thinks that”.
Sorry if you are offended by Dude.

jhomeslice

I really think the notion that the Madrigal trade was a big blunder is misguided. He just got hurt AGAIN in a rehab assignment. He’s played all of 30 games for the Cubs with an OPS about the same as Leury. He has been on the DL for like 2/3 of the time since he got called up as a rookie. Even Harrison might be better, at least he can play. I wouldn’t trade Sosa or Sanchez for Madrigal straight up with Madrigal’s injury history. I would trade Leury for him, however!

The Sox should lament not doing anything the past two winters, not trading a guy who so far this year would not have helped them even a little bit. He looks like one of those guys who is a good bet to wind up on the DL way too often to be counted on at all. The Sox have plenty of those already.

metasox

And Heuer had TJ surgery.

jhomeslice

Yeah I mean Kimbrel was beyond awful, and the Sox would have been far better not picking up his option than being stuck with Pollock for 10M next year. But they didn’t really give up much to get Kimbrel the way it looks.

metasox

As of right now, the net result looks like not a good pick for #4, but smart to move on.
But not sure what to make of Pollock. .892 OPS last season, .881 in the short season prior. Did not seem like the worst move.

Last edited 1 year ago by metasox
Torpedo Jones

My only quibble with the Madrigal trade was the thought that they could have potentially used him to land someone other than Kimbrel. At the time, it felt like we were giving up a lot for Kimbrel, especially given his inconsistency the last few years and his price tag. Perhaps other teams were lower than the Cubs in terms of Madrigal’s FV, though.

Qubort

I don’t think it was a bad trade and I highly doubt Jerry would be that upset in the name of Madrigal.

Also, the savings was the four years of losing. I’d be shocked that Hahn’s job was ever in jeopardy.

jhomeslice

On clicks and player leadership, I have to question why no player has publicly called out the sham of Tony continuing to manage this team. Maybe all ballplayers aren’t super smart but how bad Tony has managed can’t be lost on all of them.

I mean you’d think somebody would have the balls by now to say what 99 percent of fans have been thinking for a couple months when it is so obvious, and so toxic and detrimental to this team. I’d have a lot more respect for the players if one or more of them finally stepped up and said it.

Torpedo Jones

Meh. It’s hard for me to blame a player for not going nuclear on the situation at this point. Remember that the Sox are just two games under .500 and play in a division that is still very much winnable. If they were in a complete free-fall and the division was falling far out of reach, there’d be much less to lose by speaking up.

One other factor to consider is the possibility that some of the players may not be thrilled with the decisions that TLR has made, but may still have respect for his history and experience. Not saying that’s right or wrong, but I could see some players holding back a bit and hoping things will work out rather than having to publicly trash TLR.

FishSox

Colin Kapernick

Torpedo Jones

Apropos of nothing, did I see Yermin Mercedes listed as playing left field for the Giants? That sounds like a fun experiment….

Not that I’d judge since our front office loves to abuse the notion of corner outfield defense by shoving any old 1B/DH out there.

metasox

The Dodgers have been playing Jake Lamb in LF. So something the Sox have done seems to have caught on

Last edited 1 year ago by metasox
Augusto Barojas

He killed it at AAA for the Dodgers before getting called up, 15 homers and .900+ OPS. The Dodgers have won 90 games like the past 10 years, and have not had a top 20 draft pick in a decade I believe. And yet their farm system is still ranked like 5th.

They must have enormously, enormously better scouting and player development. If they are able to turn Jake Lamb into a useful player, that says a lot. If the Sox really want to get better, they need to poach some people from the LAD minor league system to see what things they are doing that the Sox people aren’t. It isn’t just the Sox, the Dodgers are obviously better at that than anybody. The intelligence of the Sox organization from top to bottom is woefully inadequate, they would be well served to pay attention to and learn from people who are doing it a lot better. Starting by hiring some of those people.

Joliet Orange Sox

Lamb is almost 32 years old and the Dodgers are his fifth MLB team. This seems more likely to be a hot streak than player development by the Dodgers.

Wasn’t he playing OF in Charlotte? I know that the Sox had him listed as an oufielder on their 40-man.