My modest suggestion for improving the ghost-runner rule

The ghost-runner rule is here to stay, sources say.

In all extra inning games -- at least during the regular season -- a runner will be placed on second base to begin the 10th inning, and in every extra inning after that, until a winner is determined.

Am I a fan of this rule? No. 

Unlike a lot of folks, I think it's fun on those rare occasions when a game would last 14, 15 innings or more. One of my favorite baseball memories came in July 2006, when I attended this 19-inning game between the White Sox and the Boston Red Sox. It's a little sad to know there's almost no chance I'll ever be at a game such as that again. The odds of a game lasting 19 innings in this era are almost nil.

This rule was first instituted to preserve pitchers' arms during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020. How big of an impact has the rule had, you ask?

Well, here are the numbers: In 2019, the last season before this rule was implemented, 37 games went 13 innings or longer. Eight games went 15 innings or longer. Last season, in 2022, there were only 11 games that lasted 13 innings or longer. A game lasting 15 innings or longer? Ummm ... those are extinct.

And, of course, the run-scoring increases quite a bit in extra innings under this rule. How often have you seen a game go to extra innings with the score tied at 3, and the final score ends up being 7-6? Happens all the time now, right? So, yes, this rule is fundamentally changing the game.

While I might not be a fan, the rule is definitely here to stay. Front offices like it because it eliminates the roster juggling that becomes necessary the day after a game that goes 15 innings or more. Players like it because it eliminates five-hour games and the like. Pitchers, in particular, like it because getting games over reduces wear on their arms.

So, everyone likes it except curmudgeons like me. However, here's my modest suggestion: I think I would be OK with this rule if the ghost-runner started the inning on first base, not second. The odds of the offense scoring are still increased, but it creates a little more of a challenge.

At minimum, the offensive team would more than likely have to get at least one hit in the inning to score a run if the runner starts on first. Also, if the runner starts on first, that puts the stolen base and the hit-and-run more in play for the offensive team's manager. Those are plays that I would like to see more often in baseball.

I'm just looking for a middle ground here. I know nobody wants to hear an old man yelling at clouds, trying to switch things back to the way they used to be. So, I'm accepting change as inevitable. I'd just like to see a different kind of change than the one that's being implemented.

Let's look back at a 2017 trade between White Sox, Yankees

David Robertson

Whenever veteran players are traded for prospects, we always say we have to wait four or five years until we can fully judge the trade.

Well, more than five years have passed since the White Sox swung a seven-player deal with the New York Yankees on July 19, 2017.

New York received:

• 3B Todd Frazier
• RHP David Robertson
• RHP Tommy Kahnle

White Sox received:

• OF Blake Rutherford
• RHP Tyler Clippard
• OF Tito Polo
• LHP Ian Clarkin 

Ugh. You can see where this is going. It will probably go down as one of Sox GM Rick Hahn's worst deals. This trade has been in the news recently, because Rutherford recently signed a minor-league deal to join the Washington Nationals. Now that he has left the Sox, all the players they acquired in this trade are gone from the organization.

Here's a look at how each player involved in this trade has fared since that day in July:

Frazier. The veteran third baseman played 66 games with the Yankees and hit 11 homers while batting .222. That's similar to the performance he had with the Sox -- good power, but not much average. He eventually signed a two-year contract with the New York Mets and hit a combined 39 homers for them in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Frazier split time between the Texas Rangers and Mets in 2020, batting .236 with four homers in the pandemic-shortened season. He played briefly with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021, but he was done at that point. He was released and retired.

Robertson. The relief pitcher did well for the Yankees, going 5-0 with a 1.03 ERA in 30 games after joining them in 2017. He appeared in 69 games for the 2018 Yankees. He went 8-3 with a 3.23 ERA and five saves. Robertson has bounced around the league since then -- Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, the Cubs, then back to Philadelphia again. He pitched four scoreless innings with one save for the Phillies during the 2022 World Series. This offseason, he signed a free-agent deal with the Mets.

Kahnle. Would you believe it if I told you that Kahnle is still a Yankee? He's on his second stint with the team. He pitched in 129 games for New York from 2017-20. He was 6-3 with a 4.01 ERA over that time, working mostly in middle relief. Elbow surgery sidelined him for all of 2021, but he resurfaced with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. He pitched 13 games (2.84 ERA), did enough to prove he was healthy and signed a one-year deal to return to the Yankees in 2023.

Clippard. The veteran reliever is the only one of the four players the Sox acquired in the trade to play for the major league club. He pitched in 11 games for the 2017 Sox, recording two saves. After roughly three weeks in a Sox uniform, he was traded to the Houston Astros for cash considerations as part of a waiver deal. He's since bounced around the league -- Toronto, Cleveland, Minnesota, Arizona, Washington. The Nationals let him go last August. At age 37, his career is likely over.

Polo. By 2019, Polo was out of the Sox organization. He was in Double-A Birmingham in 2018, where he batted .245. The last time he was in affiliated ball was 2019, at Triple-A Tacoma in the Seattle organization. Since then, he's been playing for assorted teams in the Mexican League.

Clarkin. The left-hander last pitched in the Sox organization in 2019, at Class-A Winston-Salem. The Sox designated him for assignment and tried to sneak him through waivers, but he got claimed by the Cubs. For the past two years, he's pitched in the Colorado organization. He had a 8.77 ERA last season in 17 games at the Triple-A level.

Rutherford. The left-handed hitting outfielder was a consensus top 50 prospect at the time of this trade, and hey, at least he hung around in the Sox organization through 2022! Unfortunately, he wasn't good enough defensively to cover center field, and he never developed the pull-side power necessary to be a good corner outfielder. Rutherford, who turns 26 this May, simply lacks a carrying tool that will lift him about Quad-A status. In two seasons at Triple-A Charlotte, he batted .260/.298/.416, but he hit only 24 homers despite playing in a notoriously hitter-friendly park. Without question, the Sox have had a need at corner outfield over the past few years, but Rutherford was never good enough to merit a look. That about says it all.

In the final analysis, the Sox accomplished little with this trade other than offloading a bunch of salary. Frazier, Robertson and Kahnle were all assets to varying degrees, and it's unfortunate the Sox didn't get any production from the players they received in this deal.

How does White Sox bullpen shape up heading into spring training?

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn famously said at the start of the offseason that the trade market would be "more fruitful" for the team than free agency this winter.

To this point, that statement is false. The Sox have not made any impact acquisitions via trade this offseason, but they did swing a minor deal over the weekend. The South Siders picked up right-handed reliever Franklin German from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for relief pitching prospect Theo Denlinger.

German, 25, was Boston's Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season. He made a combined 43 relief appearances between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, going 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA, seven saves and 64 strikeouts in 49.2 innings. 

He was rewarded with a late-season audition in Boston, which did not go so well. He allowed eight earned runs in four innings over five appearances. German was designated for assignment in late January. The White Sox likely put a waiver claim in on him, and that led to this trade.

Scouting reports say German is a fastball-slider pitcher, with his heater topping out around 97 mph. This is a depth acquisition. It wouldn't be a surprise if German spends most of the season at Triple-A Charlotte, while getting a recall at some point when the big league club needs an extra arm.

So, how does the Sox bullpen look going into spring training? We know Liam Hendriks will be missing. He's out indefinitely while he undergoes treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We should also expect Garrett Crochet to miss the start of the season as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery.

There are eight spots available in the bullpen. Assuming good health (a big assumption with this group), here's how things look right now:

Roster locks (5)

• RHP Kendall Graveman
• RHP Joe Kelly
• LHP Aaron Bummer
• RHP Reynaldo Lopez
• LHP Jake Diekman

Likely to make the roster (2)

• RHP Jose Ruiz
• RHP Jimmy Lambert

Others in competition (7)

• RHP Nick Avila
• RHP A.J. Alexy
• LHP Tanner Banks
• RHP Matt Foster
• RHP Franklin German
• RHP Gregory Santos
• LHP Bennett Sousa

Non-roster invitees to watch (3)

• RHP Keynan Middleton
• RHP Jesse Scholtens
• LHP Nate Fisher

A few notes to bring up here: Ruiz is out of options, so he'll probably stick with the club unless he has a disastrous spring. Lambert had a strong season last year after converting from starting pitcher to reliever, but his historical inconsistency makes me reluctant to make him a "roster lock." That said, a decent spring should be good enough for him to break with the team.

If those top seven guys are all healthy and functioning, that leaves only one spot open. Avila figures to be the odds-on favorite, as he is a Rule 5 draftee. If he doesn't stick on the Opening Day roster, the Sox have to offer him back to the San Francisco Giants. The guess here is he'll be given every opportunity to stick.

Banks is the likely choice if the Sox decide they'd like a third lefty in the bullpen. Alexy is most likely going to be stretched out as starting pitching depth, but you never know. If he shows well enough, he could be kept on the roster as a swing man. 

We've seen Foster succeed sporadically in the past. He's split his time between Chicago and Triple-A Charlotte over the past two seasons. However, he may have been passed by on the depth chart with the offseason acquisitions of Santos and German.

This is one area of the roster where the Sox seem to have some depth. They will no doubt miss Hendriks and Crochet, who are the most dominant relief arms on the 40-man roster. But they have options to try if whatever their Plan A is doesn't succeed.

I've decided to skip White Sox Opening Day this year

It was a weird day for me. Today is the day that White Sox partial season ticket holders, like me, can purchase single-game tickets before they go on sale to the general public.

The Sox send you an email to make you aware of the designated time you can sign into your account, and they give you a password. For many years, I've logged on the second I could to secure my tickets for Opening Day, which is not a part of my 20-game ticket plan. 

But not this year.

Today, I simply deleted the email and went about my Wednesday afternoon as usual. It felt strange, but it was something I decided to do. 

You see, I'm not going to Opening Day this season, for a couple of different reasons. First of all, I'm going to be on vacation in Florida from March 27 to 31, which means I'm scheduled to return to work on April 3 -- the day of the home opener. And I have a deadline to meet April 4, so it seems like a big ask at work to have April 3 off after I'm on vacation for the entire week prior.

However, there's more to it than that. To be honest, the only reason I renewed my ticket plan this season is because I would miss going to baseball games with my family and friends if I didn't. I need to go to some games because it's good for my mental health.

It isn't because I'm excited about the season. As a matter of fact, I'm not excited at all about the 2023 White Sox, and I'm not particularly interested in giving them any more money than I already have. The price of the 20-game plan to sit in the 500 level at Guaranteed Rate Field is more than enough.

I have no plans to attend any extra games outside of my ticket plan, not even the home opener. The Sox just haven't earned that kind of support from me. It's sad to say, but every year I feel more and more disconnected from the team.

I know they don't care about their paying customers. That's just the way it is.

Former White Sox pitcher Gary Peters dies at 85

Gary Peters

Some sad news to report: Former White Sox pitcher Gary Peters died last week at age 85.

Peters played before my time, but if you talk to people who were around in the 1960s, they'll tell you that Peters is an underappreciated player from an underappreciated era of Sox baseball.

The left-hander pitched for the Sox from 1959-69, going 91-78 with a 2.92 ERA in 359 games, including 286 starts.

Peters only pitched in 12 games from 1959 through 1962, but he broke through to win American League Rookie of the Year award in 1963, going 19-8 with a league-leading 2.33 ERA.

He made the All-Star team in 1964, when he led the league in wins with 20. Peters also led the league in ERA (1.98) in 1966, and he made the All-Star team for a second time in 1967. He ranks eighth among Sox pitchers all-time with 1,098 strikeouts.

Peters was a standout in the starting rotation during what might have been considered a golden era in the overall mediocre history of the Sox. From 1963 to 1965, the Sox won 94, 98 and 95 games, respectively. Unfortunately, they finished second in the American League behind the New York Yankees each season. That said, that three-year span marks the only time in the 122-year history of the team that the Sox have won 90 or more games three seasons in a row.

Also of note, Peters was one of the best-hitting pitchers of his era. His slash line with the Sox was .212/.240/.344, which doesn't seem like much, but it's really good for a pitcher. (Note: These were the days before the designated hitter.)

Peters hit 19 home runs in his career, including 15 in his 11 seasons with the Sox. He hit three homers in 1963 and four more in 1964.

It's too bad we don't hear more about this era of Sox baseball. Obviously, the Sox played in the 1959 World Series. But after that, people tend to fast-forward past the 1960s and talk about the 1972 team, or 1977, or 1983.

A lot of Sox players from the 1960s are either no longer with us, or are nearing the end of their lives. Let's hope their contributions to the history of the franchise are remembered.

I feel as though I should be doing something baseball-oriented this weekend ...

Me with Dylan Cease at SoxFest 2020

If only the White Sox hosted some sort of event where fans were allowed meet current and former players and ask questions of the manager and general manager ...

That would be fun, right? And it would get you excited for the start of spring training, no?

Instead, all the baseball discussion in Chicago right now centers around domestic abuse and child abuse allegations made against Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger. Disgusting and gross.

This sucks.

SoxFest better return in 2024.

White Sox sign 7 as international signing period opens

Major League Baseball's international signing period opened Sunday, and the White Sox have announced the signing of seven prospects from Latin American countries.

None of these guys are going to be familiar to fans in the U.S., so I won't pretend to have any inside information on any of them. The consensus seems to be that this group of seven players is a little underwhelming -- the Sox didn't sign any headlining prospects here -- but you never know when a diamond in the rough can be found.

Here are the seven players added, with their position, country and signing bonus:

1. Luis Reyes, P, Dominican Republic, $700,000
2. Abraham Nunez, OF, Dominican Republic, $700,000
3. D'Angelo Tejada, SS, Dominican Republic, $350,000
   
4. Rafael Alvarez, OF, Cuba, $300,000
5. Juan Uribe Jr., SS, Dominican Republic, $200,000
6. Albert Alberto, OF, Dominican Republic, $50,000
7. Denny Lima, P, Dominican Republic, $10,000

By all accounts, Reyes is the best prospect in the class. He's ranked No. 41 on the international Top 50 prospects list. According to an article written by The Athletic's James Fegan, who gets better information on these Latin prospects than most, Reyes is a 6-foot-3 right-hander with a "power fastball," slider and changeup.

The most recognizable name on this list is, of course, Uribe Jr. Yes, he is the son of former White Sox shortstop and World Series champion Juan Uribe. It is obviously way too soon to determine if he will be as good as his dad.

The Sox expect to add more signings in the coming weeks. Angelo Hernandez, a catcher out of Venezuela, is allegedly going to sign with the Sox for $500,000.

If Hernandez is added, the Sox are estimated to still have another $2.5 million to use in the international market. Those dollars can be spent anytime in 2023, or they could be traded to another club.

Worth noting: Sometimes these low-budget international prospects actually do amount to something. If you look at Baseball America's top 10 White Sox prospects right now, six of them come from the international pool -- outfielder Oscar Colas, third baseman Bryan Ramos, shortstops Jose Rodriguez and Lenyn Sosa, and pitchers Norge Vera and Cristian Mena.

As critical as I have been of the Sox in a lot of areas, international signings is one area where they've done a decent job -- despite their frugal ways.