Showing posts with label San Francisco Giants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Francisco Giants. Show all posts

Monday, January 22, 2024

White Sox add John Brebbia to uncertain bullpen mix

Over the weekend, the White Sox agreed to terms with right-handed relief pitcher John Brebbia, according to various reports.

Brebbia, 33, will make $4 million in 2024, with a $6 million mutual option for 2025 that includes a $1.5 million buyout. So, in effect, Brebbia is guaranteed $5.5 million over one season.

The veteran has pitched for the San Francisco Giants in each of the past three seasons. He led the National League in appearances in 2022 with 76, going 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA over 68 innings.

A lat strain limited Brebbia to 40 appearances in 2023, during which he went 3-5 with a 3.99 ERA across 38.1 innings.

If you look at his numbers, you'll notice Brebbia started 11 games in 2022 and 10 games in 2023. That's because the Giants used him as an opener. He's basically a one- or two-inning guy, and he's been used as a setup man throughout a good chunk of his career.

Newly hired White Sox senior pitching adviser Brian Bannister came from the Giants, so he's no doubt familiar with Brebbia. The main qualification for players joining the Sox this offseason seems to be familiarity with team brass, whether that's the manager, the GM or someone else ranking high in the organization.

At this point, hey, Brebbia might be a candidate to close.

Gregory Santos finished last season as the Sox closer, on the rare occasions they needed one, but he got injured at the end of the year, and I haven't heard any updates.

The only other addition to the Sox bullpen this offseason has been situational left-hander Tim Hill, who knows manager Pedro Grifol from his days with the Kansas City Royals.

Right now, here's a best guess at the eight relievers in line for jobs in the Sox bullpen:

  1. Santos
  2. Brebbia
  3. Hill
  4. Jimmy Lambert
  5. Tanner Banks
  6. Matt Foster
  7. Jordan Leasure
  8. Jesse Scholtens

Other possibilities: Deivi Garcia, Shane Drohan (Rule 5 pick), Lane Ramsey, Sammy Peralta.

Yeah, it's a roll of the dice with spots 5-8. Who really knows?

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Hanser Alberto pitches again as White Sox makes fools of themselves

Utility infielder Hanser Alberto has made two appearances as a relief pitcher in the first three White Sox home games of the season.

That's not a good sign. The San Francisco Giants pounded the Sox, 16-6, on Thursday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field to take two of three in the series.

The Giants totaled 20 hits, including five home runs, and capitalized on a terrible start by right-hander Lance Lynn (0-1).

The veteran was lucky to last until the fifth inning, and he probably shouldn't have been allowed to pitch that long. In 4.1 innings, he allowed eight runs on nine hits -- three home runs -- while striking out five and walking three.

Things didn't get much better with Jose Ruiz (2 ER), Gregory Santos (2 ER) or Alberto (4 ER) on the mound.

As you might recall, the Sox lost Monday's game, 12-3, so a San Francisco team that is expected to be middle-of-the-pack in the National League had no trouble padding its numbers.

For the three-game series, the Giants totaled 31 runs on 38 hits. They drew 22 walks, and out-homered the Sox, 13-1.

The 13 home runs marked the most the Sox have EVER given up in a three-game series at home. They've been playing ball on the South Side of Chicago since 1901, so that's saying something. What we saw this week is nothing short of historical ineptness.

Through seven games this season, the Sox have issued a league-high 40 walks. They've also surrendered a league-high 15 home runs. Given that, they are fortunate to be 3-4. This is not a recipe for success of any sort, short term or long term.

Are we enjoying this alleged "championship window" yet, Sox fans? From what you've seen so far, do you feel as though this team has any chance to win in 2023? It's early, but it's been a brutal first week.

The Sox now go on the road for six games, three in Pittsburgh over the weekend and three at Minnesota from Monday to Wednesday next week. 

We know the Pirates are not contenders, so if they bomb the Sox pitchers too, we know we've got bigger problems than we thought.

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Eloy Jimenez to injured list; White Sox top Giants

Eloy Jimenez
Remember 15 or 20 years ago when White Sox fans would (rightfully) mock Cubs fans, who started every season by saying, "If Prior and Wood are healthy ..."?

Mark Prior and Kerry Wood were never healthy, and as a result, the Cubs of that era never lived up to the massive amount of hype they received in the local press.

Well, Sox fans, I hate to tell you this, but we are exactly like the Cubs fans of the Prior-Wood time frame right now. All we do is talk about how awesome our team would be if "they could just stay healthy," when the fact of the matter is the Sox are never healthy.

They haven't been healthy in three years, and there's no reason to believe players who are always getting hurt will stop getting hurt. 

Eloy Jimenez is the first core player to be sidelined this year. The 26-year-old designated hitter was injured running the bases during the seventh inning of Monday's loss to the San Francisco Giants. He is expected to be out 2-3 weeks with a hamstring strain, but with Jimenez's injury history, you have to be concerned that this will linger for longer than that.

Injuries limited Jimenez to only 55 games in 2021, and 84 games in 2022. The guy is a prodigious offensive talent, but sad to say, you can't trust him to be ready to play. He's made of glass. Always injured. 

The Sox recalled infielder Jake Burger from Triple-A Charlotte to take Jimenez's place on the roster. I would expect Burger to form the right-handed half of a designated hitter platoon while Jimenez is on the shelf. I would expect Gavin Sheets to be the left-handed half of the platoon.

Speaking of which, Sheets got the start at DH on Wednesday, and he went 2 for 4 with two singles and three RBIs to help the Sox to a 7-3 win over the Giants.

Dylan Cease (1-0) struggled with his command, walking five over five innings pitched. But he also struck out eight and limited the Giants to one hit -- a solo home run by J.D. Davis.

Luis Robert Jr. also had a good game for the Sox, going 3 for 4 with an RBI double, two singles and two runs scored.

The Sox are 3-3. After last season's 81-81 campaign, that's pretty much on brand, right?

Monday, April 3, 2023

White Sox embarrass themselves in home opener

Once upon a time, the day the White Sox began their home schedule was one of my favorite days of the year. Today, however, was just another Monday. Nothing more, nothing less. I never considered attending today's game.

I wasn't interested in going. I'm sick of the organization. I'm sick of all the big talk and no results. I don't like the owner. I don't like the front office. I don't like the players. I'm not excited about the season. I'm completely ready to move on from this era of Sox baseball. 

There was no reason for me to take a day off work to watch more slop, especially because the home opener is about a $200 investment. 

Sitting this one out was a good decision, as the San Francisco Giants pounded seven home runs and embarrassed the Sox, 12-3, at Guaranteed Rate Field.

I'm really happy I chose not to light $200 on fire by going to this game.

Michael Kopech pitched a terrible game for the Sox. He went 4.2 innings and allowed seven earned runs on eight hits, including five homers. He gave up four home runs in the top of the fifth inning alone. He exited the game trailing 7-0.

The Sox got two runs back in the seventh, highlighted by Andrew Vaughn's RBI double. They made it 7-3 in the eighth on Luis Robert Jr.'s second home run of the season.

However, the Giants put it away by blasting reliever Jose Ruiz for two more homers and five runs in the ninth. We've heard a lot of talk this spring about Ruiz pitching well for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, and how he's "ready" for more high-leverage work.

Well, right now, Ruiz is so bad that he's a candidate for release. He's given up seven earned runs in two innings across three appearances so far this season. The guy is 28 years old, and he's been with the Sox since 2018. Let's be honest about who he is: He's the 12th or 13th guy on a pitching staff on a mediocre team. Don't expect him to suddenly morph into a trusted relief option.

The ninth inning got so bad, in fact, that utility infielder Hanser Alberto had to come off the bench to pitch and record the last two outs.

That's right: The Sox had a position player pitching because they got their asses totally kicked in their home opener.

The game did not sell out, and you can't blame fans for not showing up.

The Sox are 2-3 so far this season.

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

OK, now Carlos Correa is going back to the Twins (pending a physical)

Carlos Correa
Is the never-ending saga of the 2022-23 offseason finally ending? Carlos Correa is not going to the San Francisco Giants on a 13-year, $350 million deal, nor is he going to the New York Mets on a 12-year, $315 million agreement.

Both those contracts fell apart, because both clubs had concerns about Correa's right leg, which was surgically repaired after an injury he suffered when he was 19 years old.

Now, apparently, Correa is going back to where he was last season -- the Minnesota Twins. The deal is worth six years and $200 million. The contract can max out at $270 million, with vesting options for four additional years.

Physical pending. Of course.

For White Sox fans, it's not great news to have Correa staying in the AL Central. After Correa reached his previous agreements, I was pleased to see the Twins left out in the cold in the derby for premium free agent shortstops. Now, by a stroke of good luck, they have their guy, and they are a better team than they were yesterday.

Physical pending. Of course.

All that said, are the Twins are better team than they were in 2022? They had Correa last season, too, yet they only won 78 games and finished third in the mediocre AL Central. In fact, the godawful 2022 White Sox won three more games than the Correa-led 2022 Twins.

In Minnesota, some feel they've addressed their two greatest needs, shortstop and catcher. Correa and Christian Vazquez are slated to fill those two spots. Perhaps that's correct, but I still have serious questions about Minnesota's starting rotation and bullpen.

Here's their projected rotation: Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, Joe Ryan, Tyler Mahle and Bailey Ober. Is that good enough to win the AL Central? I don't think so. Maybe the Twins pass the Sox by if they finally get a healthy season from Byron Buxton, and they find some answers in their bullpen, but I don't see them making up the 14-game gap that existed between them and the Cleveland Guardians in 2022.

It's worth noting that the Twins stunk last season, despite Correa's overall excellence.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

So, Carlos Correa is actually going to the Mets

Carlos Correa
This is a new one for me. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this before. All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa agreed to a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants earlier this month.

But on Tuesday, the Giants canceled a press conference during which Correa was scheduled to be formally introduced. Apparently, something came up in Correa's physical that held up the deal.

So, Correa reopened his free agency late Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning, he had a 12-year, $315 million deal with the New York Mets. He'll no longer be a shortstop, because the Mets already have Francisco Lindor. Instead, he'll play third base.

On Wednesday, I saw an estimate that said the Mets' payroll would be an estimated $384 million, with luxury tax penalties totaling $111 million. Add it all up, and that equals $495 million.

According to reports late Wednesday, the Mets are trading struggling catcher James McCann to the Baltimore Orioles, so that sheds some payroll. Still, this is one expensive baseball team.

Here are the contracts the Mets have doled out this offseason:

That's a total of $806.1 million. 

We've talked about the White Sox giving $75 million to Andrew Benintendi, and how that's the richest deal in team history. For the Mets, $75 million would only be the fifth-highest deal they've handed out this offseason. Forget team history.

No wonder Jerry Reinsdorf voted against allowing Steve Cohen to buy the Mets.

Friday, December 16, 2022

Carlos Rodon joining Yankees on 6-year contract

Carlos Rodon
Former White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon on Thursday agreed to a six-year, $162 million contract with the New York Yankees.

My first thought was, "Didn't Rodon always pitch well against the Yankees?"

The answer to that is, yes, he did, especially at Yankee Stadium. As pointed out by Chris Kamka on Twitter, Rodon has made four career starts in the Bronx. He's 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA.

But perhaps his most memorable outing was his no-decision, which came on May 21, 2021. Rodon went six shutout innings, allowing only two hits. He struck out 13(!) and walked none. Of course, the Sox found a way to lose that game, 2-1, because neither Michael Kopech nor Evan Marshall pitched well in relief.

That particular game served notice that Rodon was healthy and operating at his peak power, and he's been mostly good ever since. His one season in San Francisco turned out well -- 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA in a career-high 31 starts. He finished sixth in the 2022 NL Cy Young voting.

Of course, health will always be the question with Rodon. When he pitches, he's good. However, he's probably a bad bet to make it through a six-year contract without landing on the injured list a few times.

That said, if Rodon makes it to October 2023 in one piece, the Yankees finally have a legitimate No. 2 starter to pair with Gerrit Cole. That increases their odds of finally getting past the Houston Astros in the American League playoffs.

I would call this move "high-risk, high-reward" for the Yankees, but given their position, it's the right gamble to take.

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Carlos Correa signs 13-year deal (!) with San Francisco Giants

Carlos Correa
The San Francisco Giants swung and missed in their attempt to sign Aaron Judge, who was the biggest free agent on the market this offseason.

Give the Giants credit. They dusted themselves off and took a big swing at the second-biggest free agent available. This time, they converted, reeling in All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa with a 13-year, $350 million contract.

Thirteen years!

Correa is 28 years old, a superstar in the prime of his career. I don't doubt for one second that Correa is going to be tremendously productive during the front half of that contract. The back half? We'll see. The deal takes him through his age-40 season. He might not be so good by then, but if the Giants win the World Series while Correa is still an elite player, I'm sure they can live with it.

The thing about Correa is, he was a free agent last offseason, too. He signed with the Minnesota Twins for three years, $105 million -- with an opt out after each season. After one season with Minnesota, he opted out and bet on himself. Now, he's cashed in big.

I've heard that Correa was looking for a 10-year deal last year. The Cubs were among the teams interested, but ultimately, nobody was willing to give him that length of contract. Had a team offered him that, they'd probably have Correa under contract for nine more years at this point.

Instead, he went back on the open market and got himself 13 years, after two other prominent shortstops signed for 11 years -- Trea Turner in Philadelphia and Xander Bogaerts in San Diego.

It just goes to show that the price for these elite players only tends to go up. Some of these teams that are waiting for the price to come down to levels they are "comfortable" with, that's just a failing strategy.

Now, Dansby Swanson is the top remaining shortstop on the market. He's a good player, but he's not a franchise changer like Correa or Turner.

However, I won't be surprised if some team gives Swanson the contract that Correa should have gotten last season.


Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Cleveland Guardians address need for designated hitter

Josh Bell
The Cleveland Guardians won the AL Central Division title in 2022, but it wasn't because they received good production from their designated hitters.

In fact, Cleveland DHs combined to bat .217/.276/.309 with only eight home runs and 57 RBIs last season. That's poor, given that whichever player you put in that spot in supposed to be able to hit.

The Guardians moved to address that weakness Tuesday, signing veteran switch-hitter Josh Bell to a two-year contract worth $33 million. The deal includes an opt-out clause after the 2023 season.

Bell split time between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres last season. He was traded to the Padres midseason as part of the blockbuster Juan Soto deal.

He finished 2022 with .266/.362/.422 slash line, with 29 doubles, 17 home runs and 71 RBIs.

In other words, he performed better than all the Cleveland DHs combined. So, yes, I think this is a smart move by Cleveland.

I saw a lot of my fellow White Sox fans melting down on Twitter after this signing was announced. The reaction is somewhat understandable because, hey, the team that whooped your ass in the division last season just got better.

That said, it isn't like the Sox should have bid on Bell. They don't need anymore 1B/DH types, and while Bell is a good player, he wouldn't fit on the South Side of Chicago from a positional need standpoint.

I commend the Guardians for getting better. Of course, the problem from my perspective isn't what Cleveland is doing. The problem is what the Sox aren't doing. So far, Sox GM Rick Hahn gives the impression that he's sitting around watching the world go by.

Bellinger, Haniger also sign

A couple of free agent outfielders signed with new teams Tuesday. Cody Bellinger is joining the Cubs on a one-year, $17.5 million deal. Mitch Haniger is now with the San Francisco Giants after agreeing on a three-year, $43.5 million contract.

These signings also contributed to Sox fan angst, as we all know the Sox need outfielders. Obviously, these moves mean there are two fewer options available on the board, although I'm not sure either one of these two guys would have fit on the South Side.

Bellinger is still a good defensive outfielder, and he could help any club on that side of the ball. He will certainly make the Cubs a better defensive team. The question mark is his bat. Bellinger won the 2019 National League MVP award as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he's not been the same hitter the past three years after suffering a shoulder injury. He had a .654 OPS and 78 OPS+ plus last season, meaning he was 22% below league average.

Injuries limited Haniger to 57 games last season with the Seattle Mariners, and again, I'm not a huge proponent of signing injured guys -- although Haniger's production was fine when he was healthy. He had a .736 OPS and a 114 OPS+, meaning he was 14% above league average as a corner outfielder. 

Mainly, I look at these deals and come to the conclusion that it's going to take anywhere from $14 million to $20 million per season to sign a competent starting corner outfielder. The Sox need to do that this offseason, but until proven otherwise, I'm bracing to hear that they "weren't comfortable" going to those lengths for any of the available players.

If that's the case, the Sox should get "comfortable" with finishing second or third in the AL Central again next season.

Friday, March 11, 2022

Carlos Rodon signs two-year deal with San Francisco Giants

Carlos Rodon
Left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodon officially parted ways with the White Sox on Friday, agreeing to a two-year, $44 million contract with the San Francisco Giants.

Rodon, 29, is coming off the best season of his seven-year career, all of which has been spent with the Sox. In 2021, he went 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA in 24 starts, earned the first All-Star appearance of his career and pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians on April 14. He finished fifth in the AL Cy Young Award voting.

Still, injuries plagued Rodon, limiting him to just seven starts (including one in the postseason) after Aug. 1. Health has been a problem for the veteran left-hander throughout his career. He pitched 132.2 innings last season, which doesn't seem like a lot, but it's actually good by Rodon's standards. That was his highest total of innings pitched since 2016, when he threw a career-best 165 innings.

Perhaps it was those durability concerns that led the Sox to not offer Rodon the one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer before the start of the lockout.

Turns out, that decision by the Sox worked in Rodon's favor, as he received more on the open market. The Giants will pay him $21.5 million in 2022, and $22.5 million in 2023. The deal has an opt-out clause that can be activated after this season.

My reaction: I'm glad Rodon did not sign anywhere else in the AL Central, especially with the pitching-starved Minnesota Twins. I'm also glad he did not sign with the crosstown Cubs. History tells us he will deal with injuries again, but when he's healthy enough to pitch, he can be very effective.

Last season, he was the best pitcher in the AL the first half of the season. It won't be easy to replace those 132.2 quality innings. But, with Rodon in San Francisco, Sox fans can still cheer for him if he does well, because any success he has in the NL West is unlikely to bring harm to the Sox.

No doubt, the Sox front office will receive some criticism for not tendering Rodon a qualifying offer, as the team now will not receive any draft pick compensation.

Right now, the Sox rotation looks like this: Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease, Dallas Keuchel and Michael Kopech. If anyone gets injured, Reynaldo Lopez is the next man up. We'll see if there are any further additions now that the lockout has been lifted.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Yolmer Sanchez returns to White Sox on minor-league deal

Yolmer Sanchez
Infielder Yolmer Sanchez is returning to the White Sox on a minor-league-deal, reports say.

Sanchez, 28, recently requested his release from the San Francisco Giants in order to "pursue other opportunities." He won an American League Gold Glove Award as the Sox's primary second baseman in 2019, but he was nontendered during the offseason because his bat isn't nearly as good as his glove.

Sanchez slashed .252/.318/.321 with only two home runs, 20 doubles and 43 RBIs last season.

However, it didn't work out for him in San Francisco, and the Sox find themselves in need of infield depth. Second baseman Nick Madrigal remains on the injured list with a separated shoulder, and all-purpose player Leury Garcia is done for the year after tearing ligaments in his thumb on an ill-advised dive into first base.

Danny Mendick has filled in admirably at second base, but third baseman Yoan Moncada has been laboring around the field, grimacing every time he has to run out a ground ball and struggling to play his position. Clearly, Moncada is operating at less than 100%, but he needs to be on the field because with Madrigal and Garcia out, the next-best infield option is ... Ryan Goins. (Gulp.)

Enter Sanchez, who despite his weaknesses with the bat is a capable fielder no matter where you put him on the infield. He's a switch-hitter, and he is better offensively than the journeyman Goins.

I expect Sanchez to get some reps in at the Sox's alternate site in Schaumburg, and then eventually replace Goins on the 28-man roster.

So, let's welcome Sanchez back to the Sox organization with our traditional song:


Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Yolmer Sanchez is headed to San Francisco

Yolmer Sanchez
On Friday night, a fan at SoxFest asked general manager Rick Hahn if "GOLD GLOVE WINNER Yolmer Sanchez would ever wear a White Sox uniform again."

Yes, he really did shout "Gold Glove winner" for emphasis. Hahn, of course, talked like a lawyer, didn't rule it out, and said that the organization has a high opinion of Sanchez.

Well, that fan is going to be disappointed, because Sanchez reportedly has a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants.

Sanchez apparently turned down a couple of major-league offers, because he doesn't want to resign himself to backup status. He believes he can win a starting job in San Francisco. Can't blame a guy for wanting that.

Certainly, Sanchez is a fine defensive second baseman. I always appreciated his quick hands turning the double play. But, I also agreed with the Sox's decision to non-tender him because of his weak bat and increasing price tag. It was believed Sanchez could earn as much as $6 million this season in arbitration.

Sanchez batted .252/.318/.321 with two home runs and 43 RBIs during the 2019 season. He struck out 117 times and posted an OPS+ of 73. Yuck. Not worth the money.

We all know Nick Madrigal is going to get an opportunity to play second base for the Sox at some point this season. That made Sanchez expendable. If the Sox want a stopgap until Madrigal arrives, they should sign someone who can hit and provide a bench bat later in the season.

Maybe it would be worthwhile to kick the tires on Brian Dozier.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Corey Kluber headed to Texas; Madison Bumgarner signs with Arizona

Corey Kluber
Two big-name pitchers changed teams Sunday. The Cleveland Indians traded two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers, while longtime San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner agreed to a five-year, $85 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kluber was limited to seven starts in 2019 because of a broken right forearm and a strained oblique muscle, but despite those injuries, the return in this deal seems underwhelming for the Indians.

Texas gave up outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. and relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase. DeShields, 27, has played 106 or more games in four of the past five seasons with the Rangers, and he's a speedy player and solid defender in center field. However, he's never become much with the bat. Last season, he batted .249/.325/.347 with four home runs and 32 RBIs in 118 games. Not impactful.

Clase, 21, appeared in 21 games with Texas last season and went 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA in 23.1 innings pitched. I had never heard of him until Sunday.

I like the deal for the Rangers, even though Kluber is 33 and coming off an injury-plagued year. He joins a Texas rotation that includes Lance Lynn, Mike Minor, Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles. The latter two were signed as free agents this offseason.

Credit the Texas front office for moving to fill the holes in its pitching staff. I wish a certain team that plays on the South Side of Chicago would do something similar. The Rangers have five big league-caliber starters now, and that gives them a chance.

Meanwhile, Bumgarner is staying in the NL West and joining the Diamondbacks. The 30-year-old is a three-time World Series champion with a career record of 119-92 with a 3.13 ERA. He's known for his postseason excellence; he's 8-3 with a 2.11 ERA in the playoffs, including 4-0 with a 0.25 ERA in five career World Series games.

He joins Robbie Ray, Luke Weaver, Mike Leake and Zac Gallen in the projected Arizona rotation, although Ray is entering the last season of his contract and could be traded before the offseason is over.

The price for Bumgarner seems reasonable in this market, five years and $85 million. The top two remaining free agent pitchers are Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dallas Keuchel, neither of whom should command as good a contract as Bumgarner got.

Maybe the White Sox should sign one of these guys, no? It would be better than starting the season with Dylan Covey and Carson Fulmer in the rotation, you know?

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Carson Fulmer continues to struggle in White Sox rotation

The White Sox are wish-casting with Carson Fulmer.

There is plenty of evidence that the 2015 first-round draft pick is not ready to be a major league starting pitcher, but the Sox continue to push forward with the idea that everything will be OK with Fulmer if we just remain patient.

I don't buy it.

Fulmer was handed a golden opportunity to get his first victory of the season Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics. Yoan Moncada's first career grand slam highlighted a five-run second inning that staked Fulmer and the Sox to an early 6-1 lead.

Alas, the right-hander never recorded an out in the bottom half of the inning. The Sox ended up using a franchise-record 10 pitchers in a 12-11, 14-inning loss.

Fulmer's final line: 1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BBs, 0 Ks.

His season ERA has swelled to 7.59. His WHIP is a hideous 2.156. He has walked nine batters and struck out nine in 10.2 innings pitched over three starts. This is not a recipe for success, friends, and we shouldn't be surprised.

Yes, I know. Fulmer had three good starts in September of last season. But let's remember, those three outings came against the last-place San Francisco Giants, the last-place Detroit Tigers and a Cleveland Indians team that already had secured its playoff positioning and had nothing to play for.

Before that, Fulmer had a struggling season at Triple-A Charlotte. He went 7-9 with a 5.79 ERA in 25 starts. We would expect numbers such as those from veteran journeymen such as Chris Volstad. You'd like to see better from Fulmer, but it's just not there.

Spring training didn't go well for Fulmer either. He didn't throw strikes, walking 13 men over 10.2 IP in the Cactus League. The end result was an 11.81 ERA, 17 runs allowed, 14 of them earned.

The Sox, for some reason, seem to be ignoring the rough season Fulmer had overall in 2017. They also seem to be ignoring the terrible spring he had, instead choosing to believe that good results in three 2017 games against uninterested opponents are going to translate into success this season.

I just don't see it. Fulmer doesn't belong in a major league rotation now. Maybe someday he will, but that day isn't today. For the good of his development, send him back to Triple-A to work on his control. Only bring him back when he's demonstrated that he can throw strikes on a consistent basis.

The Sox seem to be forcing Fulmer into the rotation, hoping and praying that all that has been invested in him now will start to pay off. It isn't working.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Andrew McCutchen trade makes little sense for Pittsburgh or San Francisco

Andrew McCutchen
Is anyone else confused by this trade between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants?

San Francisco acquired former league MVP Andrew McCutchen from the Pirates in exchange for right-hander Kyle Crick, outfield prospect Bryan Reynolds and $500,000 of international money.

Do the Giants really believe they can win this year with this move? They are coming off a 98-loss season. They finished 40 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, and oh yeah, that division produced three playoff teams last season -- the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies were the NL wild-card teams.

I know the Giants added Evan Longoria this offseason, too, but he's similar to McCutchen -- still a good player, but a veteran on the downside of his career. McCutchen will be a free agent after the 2018 season, so this is very much a win-now move. But to me, San Francisco is going to have to hope other clubs in its division take big steps backward. The Giants look like a 75-win team to me, at best.

And what about the Pirates? That isn't a very good return for McCutchen. I had never heard Reynolds' name until he was included in this deal. Apparently, he's a switch-hitting outfielder who was drafted 59th overall in the 2016 draft. Good for him.

Crick is entering his age-25 season. He broke into the big leagues last year and compiled a 3.06 ERA in 30 relief appearances for the Giants.

Good for him, too, I guess, but if I'm a Pirates fan, I'm saying, "That's all we got for the player who has been the face of the franchise for the past five or six years?"

Yuck, all the way around.

Pittsburgh obviously is entering a rebuild phase. The Pirates traded Gerrit Cole to the Astros, too, in a move that makes a lot of sense for Houston.

The Astros are the defending champs, and they just added another guy who is top-of-the-rotation material in an effort to boost their chances of repeating. Unlike the Giants, the Astros have legitimate hopes of "winning now."

What did that cost Houston? Its fifth-best prospect in infielder Colin Moran, plus pitchers Joe Musgrove and Michael Feliz and an outfield prospect named Jason Martin.

You make that deal in a second if you are the Astros. If you are the Pirates, well, you got some guys in exchange for Cole and McCutchen, but I'm struggling to find any names in those trades that project as future franchise cornerstones. And make no mistake about it, Cole and McCutchen were franchise cornerstones for the Pirates.

There might be some tough years ahead in Pittsburgh, and in San Francisco, too, for that matter.

Monday, September 11, 2017

Jose Abreu becomes first White Sox player to hit for the cycle since 2000

Jose Abreu
What are the odds that slugging White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu will hit a triple in any given at-bat?

Not high, you say? Well, you are correct.

Abreu has appeared in 596 career games through Sunday, and he has made 2,582 plate appearances. He has 11 career triples, which means he triples once in every 235 plate appearances.

So, when Abreu stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday night needing a triple to complete the cycle, I doubt too many people thought he would actually do it. His odds got even worse after he fouled a ball off his leg in that at-bat, and the game had to be delayed briefly while manager Rick Renteria and trainer Herm Schneider checked on him.

Wouldn't you know, Abreu got back in the box and lined the very next pitch into the right-center field gap. Sore leg and all, the race was on, and somehow the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Abreu lumbered into third base to complete the cycle.

He went 4 for 5 with three RBIs in the Sox's 13-1 win over the San Francisco Giants.

I had the good fortune of attending Saturday's game, and it was the first time I've seen a Sox player hit for the cycle in person. That part is really not surprising, because cycles have been rare in club history. There are only six of them, and Guaranteed Rate Field isn't what you would call a triples park - with its short power alleys and symmetrical design.

Here are the other cycles in Sox history:

Jose Valentin: April 27, 2000 vs. Baltimore
Chris Singleton: July 6, 1999 vs. Kansas City
Carlton Fisk: May 16, 1984 vs. Kansas City
Jack Brohamer: Sept. 24, 1977 vs. Seattle
Ray Schalk: June 27, 1922 vs. Detroit

I think the Sox should give free admission to an upcoming home game to anyone who was actually alive when Schalk hit for the cycle.

As for Abreu, he continued his torrid hitting Sunday with two home runs in an 8-1 win over the Giants. The Sox took two out of three in the series after losing 9-2 on Friday night.

The .300/30/100 watch continues for Abreu. He's got 31 home runs now, so the "30" part is secure. He's at 90 RBIs, which means he needs 10 more in the remaining 20 games. The batting average sits at .302 entering Monday's action.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Giants don't have anybody who can close games; Cubs capitalize

Bruce Bochy
Seventy-five percent of MLB's final four is now complete after the Cubs scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday to defeat the San Francisco Giants, 6-5. With the victory, the Cubs win the NLDS, three games to one.

For all the talk of the Giants' success in even-numbered years, no amount of hocus pocus was going to allow them to overcome their weaknesses against the Cubs. The most glaring San Francisco weakness? There isn't a single relief pitcher on that roster that can be counted upon to close games.

The Giants bullpen couldn't close out regular-season games against losing clubs such as Colorado and San Diego. Why should we believe they could close out playoff games against the 103-win Cubs? San Francisco took the lead into the ninth inning in both Games 3 and 4. The Cubs rallied to tie in Game 3 before losing in extra innings, and they rallied to win and close out the series in Game 4.

Clearly, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy knew he didn't have any reliable options Tuesday, as he used five different relievers -- none of whom had any success -- to navigate a disastrous ninth inning.

I have some sympathy for Bochy, because there's a distinct possibility that nothing he could have tried would have worked, but I definitely think he was one step behind Cubs manager Joe Maddon tactically in this inning.

The Giants started the inning with a 5-2 lead. But Derek Law gave up a single to Kris Bryant. Javier Lopez walked Anthony Rizzo, and Sergio Romo gave up an RBI double to Ben Zobrist.

5-3 game, three pitchers used, runners at second and third, still nobody out.

At that point, San Francisco's margin for error was gone, and the chess match was on. Maddon fired the first shot with a curious move: He sent journeyman outfielder Chris Coghlan out to pinch hit for everyday shortstop Addison Russell.

I found it odd, because Russell is a more dangerous hitter than the left-handed hitting Coghlan. I sensed Maddon was trying to prod Bochy into replacing Romo with a left-handed pitcher, with the intent of sending Willson Contreras to the plate with the game on the line.

Bochy took the bait.

He brought in left-hander Will Smith to "face" Coghlan, only to see Maddon counter with Contreras, who is hitting .311 with an .854 OPS against left-handed pitchers this year. Bochy had to know Maddon was going to do that, right? He should have.

Contreras won the favorable matchup with Smith, delivering a two-run single to tie the game at 5. I couldn't figure out why Bochy was afraid to leave Romo in to face Coghlan. I even looked up the head-to-head numbers -- Coghlan is 0 for 2 lifetime with a walk in three lifetime plate appearances against Romo. Small sample size. No apparent reason for concern from a Giants perspective.

Who is the more dangerous hitter there? Coghlan or Contreras? In my book, it's Contreras. Bochy should have called Maddon's bluff and left Romo in the game. Make the journeyman Coghlan beat you.

In any case, Contreras ties the game, the inning continues, the Giants fail to turn a double play behind Smith, and the next critical decision arises. Man at second, one out, still tied at 5. Javier Baez due up.

Bochy brings in right-hander Hunter Strickland to pitch to Baez, who singles in the winning run. Hmmmm.....

The Giants had a base open. Did Bochy forget that David Ross was the on-deck hitter? Why not walk Baez and set up the double play? I realize that Ross had homered earlier in the game. I realize that Ross has become a folk hero on the North Side. But who cares? The guy is a .225-hitting career backup for a reason. You have to put Baez on first base and make Ross beat you in that situation.

If Maddon wants to send Miguel Montero or Tommy La Stella up to pinch hit for Ross there, he can be my guest. I would rather face any of Ross, Montero or La Stella in that spot as opposed to Baez. For the record, Ross grounded into an inning-ending double play after the hit by Baez.

Let's be clear: The Giants were overmatched, and they were probably going to lose this series to the Cubs one way or another. Heck, San Francisco's brilliant shortstop, Brandon Crawford, uncharacteristically made two throwing errors that cost his team two runs Tuesday night. That shows right there that it wasn't meant to be for the Giants. Even one of their strengths, up-the-middle defense, became a weakness in this series.

But ultimately, the lack of a real closer and some tactical mistakes that were the product of not having a reliable reliever sealed the Giants' fate in this series. They should have made Coghlan and Ross beat them. Instead, Contreras and Baez sent them home.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

'You don't use your closer in a non-save situation'? Nonsense

Buck Showalter (left) and Terry Collins
Biggest takeaway from the wild-card playoff games this week: One manager lost because he failed to use his closer in a non-save situation; another manager lost because he did use his closer in a non-save situation.

Countless times through the years, I've heard fans and even some media members remark that you're not supposed to use your closer in non-save situations. The argument for this is the idea that closers are successful only because of the adrenaline rush that goes along with a save situation, so they can't pitch effectively if that carrot isn't dangling in front of them.

Nonsense.

I'm of the school of thought that it's never a bad play to bring your closer, who is presumably your best or second-best reliever, into a tie game. Does it make sense to save your closer for a save situation that might never present itself? I don't believe so.

That means I will join the chorus of people who have criticized Baltimore manager Buck Showalter for bringing in Ubaldo Jimenez to face the top of the Toronto batting order with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning in a 2-2 tie Tuesday in the AL wild-card game.

Jimenez, he of the 5.44 ERA, needed just five pitches to blow the Orioles' season. Devon Travis and Josh Donaldson singled for Toronto, setting the table for Edwin Encarnacion to hit a three-run homer and send the Blue Jays to the ALDS with a 5-2 win.

Meanwhile, Zach Britton sat unused in the Baltimore bullpen. Britton is the best reliever in baseball this year, and he's a legitimate candidate for the AL Cy Young award. He was 47 for 47 in save opportunities, has a ridiculous 0.54 ERA, and has held right-handed batters to a .155 average this season. Travis, Donaldson and Encarnacion are all right-handed.

In the face of these facts, does anyone want to argue that Jimenez was the right choice? Does anyone want to argue that you don't use your closer in a non-save situation? I wouldn't think so.

Incredibly, Showalter's move is now conventional wisdom in the game. MLB Network's Brian Kenny had a useful discussion on the air Wednesday, where his research showed that managers used their closer in situations such as Baltimore's on Tuesday just 27 percent of the time in 2016. We're talking about spots where you're on the road, the game is tied in the ninth inning or later, and you need your pitcher to put a zero up in the bottom of the inning to force an extra inning.

So, 73 percent of the time, managers are using non-closers in those spots. That seems like a very high number, and to me, that's not smart baseball.

In contrast, I cannot blame New York Mets manager Terry Collins for his club's 3-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants in Wednesday's NL wild-card game.

The situation was a little bit different, of course, because the Mets were playing at home. The game was scoreless into the ninth inning, and there was no chance at that point for a save situation to arise for New York closer Jeurys Familia.

With everything on the line in the ninth, Collins wisely went to his best reliever, Familia, who screwed the pooch. Familia gave up a double to Brandon Crawford, a walk to Joe Panik and a three-run homer to former White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie.

That was all San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner needed, as the left-hander continued his postseason mastery by throwing a complete-game, four-hit shutout.

From the Giants' perspective, credit goes to Bumgarner and Gillaspie, and from the Mets' perspective, Familia is wearing the goat horns. Collins made the right move. It didn't work.

You see, I like to judge a manager's moves on the philosophy and logic behind the decision more than the result. Baseball is a game where the right move still can lead to a bad result, and sometimes a move that makes no sense comes up aces.

Philosophically, from my perspective, it's never wrong to use your best reliever with the game on the line. If that reliever fails, it's on him. However, it is wrong to leave your best reliever sitting in the bullpen while a lesser pitcher flushes your season down the toilet.


Monday, March 28, 2016

The White Sox's spring leader in RBIs? Avisail Garcia

White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia made several mechanical adjustments at the plate this offseason. He has lowered his hands. He's standing taller in the box, and his head position was changed in hopes of getting him a longer look at the ball.

We said at the start of spring Garcia was one of the players to watch in camp -- in fact, we had him No. 1 on our list -- to see how these changes would work. All the usual caveats about spring numbers being (relatively) meaningless apply, but I'd say Garcia has given the Sox reason for optimism.

He hit his fourth home run of the spring Sunday in a 13-9 win over the San Francisco Giants. He's posted a .333/.385/.708 slash line in 51 plate appearances this spring. Nine of his 16 hits have gone for extra bases. The four home runs are tied for the team lead, and his 16 spring RBIs are tops on the team.

Can it carry over to the regular season? Garcia will continue to be one of the players to watch as the games begin for real next week in Oakland.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Mat Latos vs. Jeff Samardzija: a side-by-side comparison

The White Sox created competition at the back end of their starting rotation last week with the signing of veteran right-hander Mat Latos.

We already know Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon will be the top three starting pitchers on the roster. That leaves Latos, John Danks, Erik Johnson and Jacob Turner to compete for the last two spots.

Being a cynic, I'll go ahead and assume Danks' place in the rotation is safe. He's the longest-tenured player on the Sox. He is the highest paid player on the roster, and money talks when it comes to the decisions the Sox make.

That would mean the Sox would have four of the same five starting pitchers they had in the rotation last year, with Latos, Johnson and Turner competing for the spot vacated by Jeff Samardzija.

If Latos is healthy, I think he gets the job. For the sake of argument, let's assume that's the case.

Will Latos be an upgrade over Samardzija? Let's do a side-by-side comparison with last year's numbers:

Category Latos Samardzija
W-L record 4-10 11-13
ERA 4.95 4.96
FIP 3.72 4.23
WHIP 1.307 1.294
H/9 9.3 9.6
HR/9 1.0 1.2
BB/9 2.5 2.1
K/9 7.7 6.9
K/BB 3.13 3.33

Clearly, these numbers are not impressive for either pitcher, both of whom suffered through the worst seasons of their respective careers.

But a couple things to note: Latos has the excuse of not being healthy. He made only 21 starts all year. Samardzija made all 32 of his starts.

People have excused Samardzija's poor season on the grounds that he had poor defense behind him with the White Sox. I can't disagree with that point, but isn't it interesting that Samardzija's FIP (fielder independent pitcher) was worse than Latos's?

The numbers suggest that Samardzija was responsible for many of his own problems.

Now, let's compare career statistics:

Category Latos Samardzija
W-L record 64-55 47-61
ERA 3.51 4.09
FIP 3.44 3.84
WHIP 1.183 1.278
H/9 8.0 8.5
HR/9 0.8 1.0
BB/9 2.7 3.0
K/9 8.1 8.2
K/BB 3.04 2.76

Latos is the superior pitcher in every category but one: strikeouts per nine innings. And the difference there is minimal.

Which pitcher would you bet on as a bounce-back candidate in 2016? There's a strong case for Latos.

And, remember, Samardzija signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. Latos comes to the Sox on a one-year deal worth $3 million.

I'd say the Giants are taking the far bigger gamble on Samardzija than the Sox are taking on Latos.