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2 of Jim Kaat's best seasons were with the White Sox?

Jim Kaat

When we think of Jim Kaat, we think of him as being a part of the Minnesota Twins, right? The former left-handed pitcher was in the majors for 25 years, and he pitched 15 of those seasons with the Minnesota organization.

In fact, the Twins were the Washington Senators when Kaat first broke into the bigs in 1959. The Senators became the Twins in 1961, and Kaat pitched in Minnesota until 1973. He collected 190 of his 283 career wins with Washington/Minnesota.

Kaat was elected to the Hall of Fame on Sunday by vote of the Golden Days committee. After these votes, sometimes it's fun to go back and examine the careers these players had.

Looking at Kaat's life in baseball, I knew he had pitched for the White Sox during the 1970s, but I had no idea he was so good during his relatively brief tenure on the South Side:

1974: 21-13, 2.92 ERA, 42 games, 39 starts, 277.1 innings and a Gold Glove award

1975: 20-14, 3.11 ERA, 43 games, 41 starts, 321 innings (!), an All-Star appearance and a fourth-place finish in the Cy Young voting

Kaat was 35 and 36 years old during those years. He moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1976, but those two years with the Sox might have been the best of his career. 

You learn something new every day.

White Sox great Minnie Minoso elected to Hall of Fame

Minnie Minoso

It's never too late to do the right thing. White Sox great Minnie Minoso should have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame years ago. He should have been able to enjoy the honor while he was still alive.

Minoso, who died in 2015 at age 89, at long last was voted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday by the Golden Days committee, along with Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat and Gil Hodges. Buck O'Neil and Bud Fowler also were elected to the Hall by vote of the Early Days committee.

Minoso was a two-time All-Star in the Negro Leagues before he became the first Black player to play for the White Sox in 1951. He was the first Black Cuban to play in the majors, and it's not uncommon for Spanish-speaking players -- past and present -- to refer to Minoso as the "Latino Jackie Robinson."

I don't think Minoso has ever received proper credit for being the trailblazing player that he was. And given that it took him this long to be elected to the Hall, it's probably true that, up until this point, he has never received proper credit for being a great baseball player. Minoso was without a doubt one of the best players in the American League during the 1950s.

Minoso made the All-Star team seven times between 1951 and 1960. He batted .302 or higher eight times, led the American League in stolen bases three times and won three Gold Gloves. He finished in the top-five of MVP balloting on four occasions, and was second in the Rookie of the Year vote in 1951.

It's worth noting that Minoso led the league in being hit by pitches in 10 of the first 11 seasons he played. Was that a product of the racial tension of the times? Quite possibly.

In 1951, his first season in the American League, Minoso finished fourth in the MVP voting, but somehow didn't win Rookie of the Year. The man who won Rookie of the Year, New York Yankees infielder Gil McDougald, was ninth in the MVP voting. That's an anomaly I've always found bizarre. Why would Minoso finish ahead of McDougald for MVP, but behind him for Rookie of the Year?

I would also argue that Minoso should have been American League MVP in 1954, when he again finished fourth in the voting. Look at the numbers, and good luck convincing me I'm wrong.

Once Minoso's playing career was over, he became known as "Mr. White Sox." He was a fixture with the organization; a great ambassador for the team, the city of Chicago and baseball as a whole; always willing to sign autographs and tell stories for the fans.

Everyone associated with the Sox is thrilled to see No. 9 finally get the respect he is due with induction into the Hall of Fame.

Hopefully, that day will also come for Dick Allen, who won the AL MVP as a member of the Sox in 1972. When Allen died, I wrote that he deserved induction into the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, he fell one vote short in this balloting. A player needed 12 votes out of 16, or 75%, to be elected. Allen got 11 votes. Unfortunate.

Rick Hahn's makes uninspiring comments hours before lockout

Rick Hahn

The lockout has begun in Major League Baseball. The sport is now in the midst of its first work stoppage in 26 years. 

I personally don't have a lot of interest in blogging about collective bargaining. It's exhausting listening to both sides try to win a public relations war, and like most fans, I just want it resolved so we can have a 162-game season in 2022.

There was a free agent frenzy in the days leading up to the lockout, with a lot of big names agreeing to contracts: Corey Seager (Rangers), Max Scherzer (Mets), Marcus Semien (Rangers), Robbie Ray (Mariners), Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays), Javier Baez (Tigers), Marcus Stroman (Cubs), Starling Marte (Mets) and Chris Taylor (Dodgers), to name a few.

Noticeably quiet during the activity ... the White Sox, who retained utility player Leury Garcia and added reliever Kendall Graveman to the bullpen. Serviceable moves. Both Garcia and Graveman are useful, but neither is the type of player who makes you believe the Sox have a higher ceiling than they've had in the past.

As the lockout begins, and rosters are frozen, the Sox still have gaping holes at second base and in right field. They could probably use another starting pitcher and another relief arm, knowing that Carlos Rodon and Ryan Tepera are free agents. Those two productive pitchers are likely to sign elsewhere, whenever the lockout ends.

General manager Rick Hahn held a press conference Wednesday before the lockout began, and he came off as rather defensive about the lack of a marquee move.

“You can't lose sight of the fact we have a damn good team,” Hahn said Wednesday afternoon on a Zoom call. “We are in a position to compete for a championship next year and beyond by what we have been able to do over the last several years. We have MVP and Silver Slugger candidates throughout that lineup. They are all controllable for an extended period of time thanks to some foresight and proactive work on our end. We also have Cy Young candidates throughout that rotation."

Hahn seems to be in love with his own creation. He thinks the team is better than it is, and it's disappointing that the Sox haven't acted yet to give themselves an improved chance of not only "competing" for a championship in 2022, but also actually winning it.

MVP and Silver Slugger candidates throughout the lineup? Ehh, spare me. The Sox did not have a single player win a Silver Slugger in 2021. And Jose Abreu was the only player to receive an MVP vote -- he finished 14th after appearing eighth on one ballot and ninth on another for a total of five points.

Cy Young candidates throughout the rotation? Well, let's be fair to Hahn -- the pitching was good in 2021, at least during the regular season. Lance Lynn was third in the Cy Young voting, Rodon fifth, Liam Hendriks eighth and Lucas Giolito 11th. 

So, while there may not be Cy Young candidates "throughout the rotation," there are two of them there in Lynn and Giolito. But I don't expect to see Rodon in a Sox uniform next season. I like Michael Kopech, but I'm not convinced that he'll finish in the top five of the Cy Young voting, as Rodon did. It will, after all, be Kopech's first season in a major league rotation.

And Hendriks, yeah, he's the best reliever in the American League, but the concerns in the bullpen are more along the lines of setup relief. The closer situation looks good.

There is really only one thing I can agree with Hahn on right now: The Opening Day roster does not need to be submitted Dec. 1, a fact the GM noted during his press conference. True enough. There are still good players out there in free agency, although none of them play second base. There still could be trades to be made before the season begins.

But as a Sox fan, it's hard to have faith in this regime, which has a history of half-measures, whether it's owner Jerry Reinsdorf not being willing to open up the checkbook, or Hahn not allocating his resources wisely, or leaving gaping holes in the lineup and hoping for the best.

We've been told as a fan base that we should expect October parades. That's all fine and dandy, but I'm still waiting for the day when I look at the Sox roster and truly feel like the team has a legitimate chance to win it all.

Former Cy Young winner LaMarr Hoyt dies at 66

LaMarr Hoyt

Some sad news to report: Former White Sox pitcher LaMarr Hoyt died of cancer Monday at age 66.

I always think of Hoyt as the ace of the first Sox team I remember -- the 1983 American League West Division champions. That team won 99 games, and Hoyt won the Cy Young award that season, going 24-10 with a 3.66 ERA in 36 starts.

(I was 7 years old in 1983). 

The Sox won only one game in the American League Championship Series that year, and it was Hoyt's 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, the Orioles won the next three games and went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1983 World Series.

I always wonder what would have happened if the Sox had won Game 4 of the ALCS at old Comiskey Park -- they lost that game in 10 innings. Had they won it, Hoyt was lined up to pitch Game 5, and at that point in time, you always liked your chances when Hoyt was on the mound.

In total, Hoyt pitched six seasons (1979-84) with the Sox and went 74-49 with a 3.92 ERA in 178 games (116 starts). He was traded to the San Diego Padres in December 1984, as part of a seven-player deal that brought longtime shortstop and future manager Ozzie Guillen to the Sox.

Hoyt had one good season in San Diego. He won 16 games in 1985, made the All-Star team and was the winning pitcher in the midsummer classic.

But substance abuse problems derailed his career, and after a poor season in 1986, he never pitched in the majors again.

Nevertheless, Hoyt created fond memories for Sox fans of a certain age. He was the best of the bunch in a strong starting rotation that included Richard Dotson and Floyd Bannister in 1983, and that's the way we'll remember him.

White Sox bring back Leury Garcia on 3-year contract

Leury Garcia

The White Sox just can't quit Leury Garcia, can they? 

Garcia, a 30-year-old utility player who has been with the Sox since 2013, has agreed to a three-year deal to return to the South Side of Chicago, according to multiple reports.

The Sox signed relief pitcher Kendall Graveman to a three-year, $24 million contract, but they've yet to address their glaring holes at second base or in right field.

Bringing back Garcia is not a bad move, per se, as he plays multiple positions somewhat competently and can fill in all over the diamond in the event of an injury to a starting player. He also switch-hits, which is a nice bonus.

The problem is, the Sox seem to see him as more than that. He played in 126 games in 2021 and took 474 at-bats, finishing with a .267/.335/.376 slash line with five home runs and 54 RBIs. Basically, the team treats Garcia like a starting player, and manager Tony La Russa has said as much.

Garcia, of course, should be a bench player on a team with championship aspirations. He shouldn't be starting in the playoffs at second base, or in right field, but that's exactly what he was doing in the 2021 playoffs. 

I wouldn't mind it if the Sox had brought Garcia back on a one-year deal. But the three-year deal makes me believe the team intends to make him the starting second baseman. That's especially true given that some of the other viable options at the position are off the board:

• Marcus Semien signed with the Texas Rangers.
• Eduardo Escobar signed with the New York Mets.
• Adam Frazier was traded to the Seattle Mariners
• If the Sox wanted to reunite with Cesar Hernandez for less money, no sale. He signed with Washington.

The terms of the Garcia deal have not yet been disclosed. It will be interesting to see whether he got starter money. Then that calls into question whether the Sox are allocating resources properly. There is still time, of course, for the Sox to adequately address holes. But this start to the offseason has that here-we-go-again feeling.

White Sox notes: Dallas Keuchel, Lance Lynn, Craig Kimbrel, Liam Hendriks

Dallas Keuchel

The numbers were pretty ugly for White Sox left-hander Dallas Keuchel in 2021. 

The 9-9 record wasn't so bad, but the 5.28 ERA -- including a 6.82 ERA in the second half -- the 1.531 WHIP and 1.61 strikeout-to-walk ratio, those weren't so good.

Keuchel pitched so poorly that his veteran presence and World Series experience were deemed unnecessary in the playoffs. He was left off the postseason roster.

But as a consolation prize, he collected the fifth Gold Glove Award of his career, as the best defensive pitcher in the American League. He totaled 41 assists and 12 defensive runs saved. He committed only one error, and thanks to his excellent pickoff move, opponents were only successful on two of six stolen base attempts all season.

That's saying something, because opposing teams generally had a lot of success running against the Sox.

Keuchel joins Mark Buehrle (three-time winner), Jim Kaat (three-time winner) and Jake Peavy as Sox pitchers to win an AL Gold Glove.

Lynn a finalist for Cy Young

Lance Lynn won't be winning any Gold Gloves, but he is one of three finalists for the AL Cy Young Award.

In 28 starts and 157 innings this season, Lynn went 11-6 with a 2.69 ERA. He struck out 176 while walking only 45. He pitched a complete-game shutout in the Sox's home opener against the Kansas City Royals on April 8. 

The other finalists for the award are Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees and Robbie Ray of the Toronto Blue Jays. In other words, expect Lynn to finish third in the balloting. However, being named a finalist is a nice accomplishment for Lynn, and it proves that the trade last offseason to acquire him from the Texas Rangers was a worthwhile one.

The AL Cy Young winner will be announced Nov. 17.

Sounds like Kimbrel's getting traded

Check out this story from Scott Merkin that includes this quote from general manager Rick Hahn on relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel, who recently had his $16 million contract picked up.

“What we have to figure out is whether it makes the most sense to have Craig in a White Sox uniform going forward or is there a better use of that spot and him via trade,” Hahn said.

Hahn is famous for saying absolutely nothing, so when he says there's a possibility that a guy is getting traded, that guy is getting traded.

Here's to hoping Hahn knows there is a market for Kimbrel's services. If the Sox can't get anything of value in return, then they should have just declined the contract option. One thing you don't want to see is the Sox having to eat money to get rid of Kimbrel. We'll see what happens in the weeks ahead.

Hendriks honored

In a surprise to absolutely no one, Liam Hendriks was named the 2021 AL Reliever of the Year.

The Sox closer totaled a league-best 38 saves, while going 8-3 with a 2.54 ERA in 69 appearances. Hendriks struck out 113 batters in 71 innings. He allowed only 45 hits and just seven walks -- resulting in an incredible 16.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

He posted a 0.73 WHIP, and opponents batted just .174 against him.

Carlos Rodon does not receive qualifying offer from White Sox

Carlos Rodon

Left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodon did not receive an $18.4 million qualifying offer from the White Sox on Sunday, meaning he will become a free agent.

Rodon, 28, had the best season of his career in 2021, going 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA in 24 starts. He was selected to the All-Star Game for the first time in his seven-year career and pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians on April 14.

Sox general manager Rick Hahn said during his end-of-season press conference Friday that the team would like to find a way to bring Rodon back, but clearly, that $18.4 million price tag is too high for a pitcher with Rodon's injury history.

Even in this, his best season, shoulder problems limited Rodon to 132.2 innings -- and that was the most innings he's pitched since 2016. If he had been 100% healthy at the end of the season, he probably would have been the Sox's Game 1 starter in the ALDS. Alas, the balky shoulder kept him off the mound until Game 4, and he went only 2.2 innings in a season-ending 10-1 loss to the Houston Astros.

Educated guess here: Rodon will be elsewhere in 2022.

That's because Hahn also stated Friday that Michael Kopech will be moving into the starting rotation next season. Kopech would join Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease and Dallas Keuchel. Unless there's a trade in the works, there's no room for Rodon.

A few other notes and thoughts from Hahn's press conference:

What to do with Vaughn and Sheets?

According to an article from James Fegan in The Athletic, Hahn said, "We feel very bullish on the futures of Andrew Vaughn and Gavin Sheets. We envision them playing significant roles on multiple White Sox clubs going forward. We will spend some time over the next few months figuring out what is the best fit for them in 2022. Could be DH possibilities, right-field possibilities. They’re both natural first basemen and we’ve seen how quickly Andrew acclimated to left field. They provided us with good options and flexibility.”

Let me say this: I don't mind Vaughn and Sheets rotating with Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez in some sort of time share at first base, designated hitter and in left field.  

Abreu is entering his age-35 season, and if we're being honest, he ran out of gas in 2021. He homered only twice after Sept. 1, and dealt with numerous nagging injuries. It would be beneficial for him to DH more. He should still play every day, but fewer games at first base are in order. Vaughn and Sheets can fill in.

Vaughn has shown me that he's better in left field than Jimenez. I have no problem whatsoever giving Vaughn some starts in left and using Jimenez as a DH.

BUT, I don't want to see a right field time share involving Vaughn and Sheets. I don't think either of them are good defenders at that position, and Sheets is downright poor. The Sox have ignored defense far too often over the course of my lifetime.

Sign an actual outfielder to play right field, please.

Coaches back, but Allen Thomas is not

Manager Tony La Russa will return in 2022, along with his entire coaching staff. However, the Sox have parted ways with director of conditioning Allen Thomas, who had been in that role for 18 years. Thomas worked for the Sox for a total of 27 years.

The Sox seemingly lead the world in hamstring injuries -- Tim Anderson and Adam Engel had multiple issues in 2021. And Luis Robert and Nick Madrigal suffered catastrophic leg injuries performing the simple act of running out a ground ball.

Hahn said the Sox would be "reimagining" the strength and conditioning department this offseason. I don't know what the hell that means, but in the abstract, I endorse taking a hard look at training techniques after long-term injuries to key players threw a wrench in the season for the Sox.

Catching situation

I wasn't happy with the backup catchers on the Sox roster this year. Seby Zavala can't hit, and while his pitch calling and framing are decent-to-good, his pitch blocking is terrible. Zack Collins is supposed to be a hitter, but he's yet to prove that to me. And I don't have anything nice to say about his defense, frankly.

The Sox really had some problems when Yasmani Grandal had to sit in July and August with a knee injury.

Here's what Hahn said, again in an article from Fegan on The Athletic:

“(Collins and Zavala) both grew from the experience and they both are viable options next year. Obviously with Yasmani as valuable as he is offensively, as well as when healthy, what we get out of him from a defensive standpoint behind the plate, you want to do what you can to protect him and to have him viable over the course of the entire six months, much less into October. So having a backup that we have confidence in and can be a suitable sub for Yasmani when the needed breaks arise, would be of good benefit to us. Certainly have the internal options, we think they’re going to continue to get better and we’ll see how the offseason unfolds.”

Not to be a jerk, but these "internal options" stink. Sign a backup catcher this offseason.

White Sox make flurry of roster moves

Craig Kimbrel

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn finally met the media Friday for his season-ending press conference, and I'll have some reactions and takeaways from that before the weekend is over.

But first, let's go over the roster moves that were announced:

Pitchers Evan Marshall, Jimmy Cordero and Jace Fry were outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte. All three become free agents.

Marshall hasn't pitched since June 29 and will need Tommy John surgery in the offseason. There's some chance the Sox will bring him back on a one-year deal with a club option, if they think he can help them in 2023. The veteran right-hander faces an uncertain future.

Cordero missed all of 2021 after having Tommy John surgery. The hard-throwing reliever was famously overused by former manager Rick Renteria during the 2020 season, and no one was surprised when he ended up injured. It wouldn't be a shock to see the Sox sign him to a minor league deal and take a look at him in spring training.

Fry has never been able to throw enough strikes to stick in the major leagues. I would not expect him back with the Sox in 2022 under any circumstance.

Left-hander Anderson Severino, 27, was added to the 40-man roster before he became a minor league free agent. Severino split his 2021 season between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. He struck out 53 batters over 45.2 innings combined at the two levels. In effect, he replaces Fry as the left-handed reliever who could get called up from Charlotte in the event of a bullpen injury.

Outfielder Brian Goodwin was outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte. He is a free agent. He batted .221/.319/.374 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 72 games for the 2021 Sox. Goodwin's production dried up the second half of the season, and a back injury kept him off the playoff roster. He likely does not figure in the 2022 plans.

In an expected move, the Sox declined the $6 million contract option on second baseman Cesar Hernandez. After being acquired in a midseason trade with the Cleveland Indians, Hernandez struggled both with the bat and with the glove. In 53 games with the Sox, he batted .232/.309/.299 with three home runs and 15 RBIs.

Hernandez fell out of favor with manager Tony La Russa to the point that he did not start either of the first two games of the playoffs. That was a clear indicator that he would not be asked back for 2022.

Finally, the first part of the Craig Kimbrel debate is over. His $16 million contract option has been exercised for 2022. The veteran reliever, who was acquired midseason in a deal with the crosstown Cubs, was a huge disappointment with the Sox.

He had a 5.09 ERA in 24 regular-season games on the South Side, and a 9.00 ERA in his three playoff appearances. The poor performance came after Kimbrel posted a dominant first half of the season on the North Side, where he had a 0.49 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 39 games and 36.2 innings.

Does that mean Kimbrel is part of the 2022 Sox bullpen? Don't count on it. He's likely to be shopped in the offseason, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels among the teams who could be interested.

This series of moves leaves the Sox's 40-man roster at 33 players.

Thursday notes: Nick Castellanos, Tucker Barnhart, Buster Posey

Nick Castellanos

Cincinnati Reds right fielder Nick Castellanos is now a free agent after exercising the opt-out clause of his contract on Thursday.

Castellanos, 30, batted .309/.362/.576 with a career-high 34 home runs, 38 doubles and 100 RBIs in 2021. He had two years and $34 million remaining on the four-year, $64 million contract he signed with Cincinnati before the 2020 season.

The contract had two opt-out clauses in it, but Castellanos decided to stay put after the 2020 season. This offseason, coming off his first All-Star appearance and perhaps the best year of his career, he's deciding to test the market.

Castellanos will be the best available right fielder in free agency this offseason. The White Sox, of course, have a well-documented hole at that position.

Will they bid? They should, but don't hold your breath. The Sox have yet to show a willingness to shop at the top of the market for anything other than relief pitching, so we'll see if they can do anything to quiet that criticism this winter.

Tigers acquire Barnhart

The Detroit Tigers on Wednesday acquired catcher Tucker Barnhart from the Reds in exchange for infield prospect Nick Quintana.

Barnhart, 30, appeared in 97 games for the Reds in 2021, batting .247/.317/.368 with seven home runs and 48 RBIs. However, the veteran catcher is being acquired for his defensive reputation -- Barnhart is a two-time Gold Glove winner (2017, 2020).

Detroit is building its team around a trio of promising young pitchers -- Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning -- and there's really no question the Tigers needed an upgrade behind the plate. Barnhart's experience should help these pitchers in their development.

Are the Tigers, who finished 77-85 and 16 games behind the Sox in 2021, ready to take a step into contention in 2022? It depends on how active they are in free agency. I'm not prepared to call them a threat in the AL Central yet, but it's reasonable to assume they will improve.

Posey retires

Citing a desire to spend more time with family, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey announced his retirement on Thursday.

The decision comes as a bit of a surprise, as the 34-year-old Posey was still playing good baseball, and the Giants were holding a $22 million contract option on him for 2022.

San Francisco won 107 games in 2021, and Posey was an important part of that success. He had his best offensive season in several years, batting .304/.390/.499 with 18 home runs and 56 RBIs in 113 games.

There's been some debate over whether Posey will eventually be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I would argue in favor of his induction. 

In 12 seasons, he made the All-Star team seven times and won three World Series with the Giants (2010, 2012, 2014). He was the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year and the 2012 NL MVP. He won a batting title, four Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove award. I think that's enough to qualify him.

Happy anniversary, White Sox fans!

 16 years ago today ...

Might as well enjoy it. Never know if it will ever happen again.

Will we hear from the White Sox GM this week?

Anyone else find it odd that White Sox general manager Rick Hahn hasn't yet given his end-of-season address to the media? 

The season ended Oct. 12, and today is Oct. 25. Thirteen days, and we've not heard a word from the front office on what they thought of the ALDS loss to the Houston Astros.

By way of comparison, last year, Hahn addressed the media 10 days after the Sox lost to the Oakland Athletics in the wild card round. And what an address it was, as former manager Rick Renteria and former pitching coach Don Cooper got fired.

Given that major changes were announced, that delay was understandable. But this year, there's little reason to believe any firings are forthcoming. Maybe I'm wrong, but I guess you never know.

Now, to be fair to Hahn, the league office often frowns upon teams that are no longer playing making news while the playoffs are going on. Maybe league etiquette is the cause of the silence to this point.

However, the World Series matchup is set now. Houston is going to play the Atlanta Braves, starting Tuesday night. Monday will be a slow news day for MLB. Will we hear from Hahn? 

Were the 2021 White Sox a success? Or a failure?

Jen and I before Game 3

At least we got to attend two playoff games at Guaranteed Rate Field this October, right? That hadn't happened in 13 years. The 2021 White Sox won the American League Central Division championship, and that's at least something.

But after the Sox lost the American League Division Series to the Houston Astros, 3 games to 1, how do we define this season? Was it a success? Was it a failure? 

There's a case to be made either way, but I'm going to vote "failure." Those who would argue that this was a "success" would correctly point out that 93 wins and a division championship are pretty rare in the totality of Sox history. You go back, two, three, four years ago -- even eight or nine years ago -- and Sox fans could only dream of such success.

However, the problem for me is this: The Sox were outscored 31-18 in the four-game series. They took Game 3, 12-6, but in the other three games, they were outscored 25-5. They were soundly beaten by a far superior Houston team.

This is a failure by the expectations the Sox set for themselves. From the first day of spring training, we were hearing about parades, October glory, and how nothing short of getting to the World Series would be considered acceptable. Well, the Sox fell well short of that. They overpromised and underdelivered.

Since the series ended, I've had several people offer me their "condolences" on the loss. Thing is, I wasn't upset about the outcome of this series, because I knew the Astros were better. In fact, I selected Houston to win in four games, and told my girlfriend Jen, "I just hope they win a game, and hopefully it's one we go to." 

Indeed they did win a game that we attended, so in that regard, no complaints.

All the things that upset me about the Sox were things that happened throughout the season, and dating back to last offseason. I don't think general manager Rick Hahn adequately addressed lineup holes, and sure enough, the Sox ended up with Leury Garcia starting in right field in the playoffs. And they were relying on rookies to man the designated hitter spot.

Those holes remained unfilled at the trading deadline, as Hahn worked to load up his bullpen. Turns out, Craig Kimbrel was a total bust, and the combination of big free-agent acquisition Liam Hendriks and Kimbrel at the back end of the bullpen turned out to be a nonfactor, because the Sox weren't strong enough to have a lead after seven innings in three of four games.

The Sox were sloppy, arrogant and complacent throughout much of the year, as they went unchallenged in the AL Central. Many of us criticized them for not winning on the road, failing to beat good teams, playing poor defense, grounding into too many double plays, not holding base runners on, and issuing too many walks and wild pitches.

The team's defenders assured us it would be different in the playoffs. It was not. We saw all those weaknesses come to the forefront, in fact, and now the Sox have to reevaluate. They were dominated, punched right in the face.

Now, how do they react this offseason? Can they be honest with themselves and admit they have some significant roster holes? Can they admit that details matter, and that they need shore up some of these things that will give them wins on the margins? 

If I'm angry, it's because the front office sent the team into a gunfight with a knife. They didn't have a deep enough roster to beat the Astros. They weren't prepared enough to beat the Astros. The loss itself was inevitable; it was fait accompli.

Carlos Rodon's velocity is absent, but his results were good

Carlos Rodon

What do we make of Carlos Rodon's start Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds? If you look at his pitching line, you can't help but be pleased.

The White Sox left-hander worked five shutout innings in a 6-1 victory. He allowed only one hit, while striking out four and walking two. And he was efficient, needing only 69 pitches to record 15 outs; 43 of those pitches were strikes.

However, this was a depleted Cincinnati lineup. The Reds were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday, and their two best players -- Joey Votto and Nick Castellanos -- received a day off Wednesday.

The big concern from a Sox perspective ... Rodon's velocity just wasn't there. For the season, his fastball has averaged 96 mph, and topped out at 99. In this game, his average fastball velocity was 90.9 mph. He topped out at 92.7 mph.

Velocity comes from the shoulder, and we know Rodon has been dealing with nagging shoulder soreness.

Rodon also threw more changeups that he normally would, and strangely, the velocity on his change (82 mph) was a tick higher than the average velocity on his slider (81 mph). But he did get three swinging strikeouts with his slider. 

You can't argue with Rodon's results. He shut the Reds down with good command, good sequences and changes of speed. The question is whether that's going to be enough in the postseason against a strong Houston Astros lineup.

But assuming Rodon is healthy coming out of this start, he has earned the right to pitch a playoff game. He's 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA this season -- without a doubt his finest campaign as a member of the Sox.

He's made 24 starts, and the Sox are 16-8 in those games. I think we're going to see Rodon on the mound in either Game 3 or Game 4 of the ALDS against the Astros, and we'll see if he can find a way, just as he did Wednesday against the Reds.

Here's how I would align the White Sox rotation for the playoffs

Lucas Giolito

Carlos Rodon will start for the White Sox on Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds. Of the four games remaining in the regular season, this is probably the most important one for the Sox -- because it should give us some clue about whether Rodon will be healthy enough to contribute in the playoffs.

His velocity on both his fastball and his slider have been noticeably down, even with nine or 10 days in between starts, as he deals with shoulder fatigue. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 20, so once again, nine days of rest. We'll see what he has.

The Sox (90-68) beat the Reds, 7-1, Tuesday night behind two home runs from Luis Robert and six innings of one-run ball from Reynaldo Lopez (4-3). This marks the first time the Sox have reached 90 wins since 2006, and it's certainly nice to win. But right now, most of the discussion is looking ahead toward the first round of the playoffs.

How will manager Tony La Russa set up his starting rotation, knowing that Rodon likely isn't going to be fully operational?

Well, here's one man's suggestion, that man being me:

Game 1: Lucas Giolito

Game 2: Lance Lynn

Game 3: Dylan Cease

Game 4: Rodon, if healthy, otherwise start Michael Kopech. Regardless of who starts, send Giolito to the bullpen, and have him ready to work in relief on three days' rest.

Game 5: Lynn

The off days in this series are as such that the Game 2 starter could work on regular rest in Game 5, should the series take that long. 

Why am I choosing Giolito for Game 1 starter? It's actually nothing against Lynn. I trust Giolito and Lynn equally. It's just that we know Lynn is dealing with a balky right knee, and he's admitted that he won't be 100% for the rest of this season.

Giolito is the younger and healthier of the two pitchers, so I'm more inclined to give him the short-rest, Game 4 relief assignment.

Give Lynn his usual increment of rest, and you'll likely get more out of him.

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping Rodon can go. He's pitched very well against the Houston Astros this season. The Astros will be the Sox's AL Division Series opponent. 

In fact, Rodon's start on July 18 vs. Houston was one of the best pitching performances we've seen from a Sox pitcher in 2021. In two games against the Astros, Rodon has worked 14 innings, and allowed only one run on four hits -- with 18 strikeouts. Of course, he was healthy then.

Dallas Keuchel and Lopez are the other guys in consideration to make a start if Rodon can't go. But Keuchel, for me, just hasn't pitched well enough, despite his veteran experience. His season ERA is 5.13. I can't trust him. 

I'd actually trust Lopez over Keuchel, but Kopech is the better option to get you through a lineup one time, or maybe twice. 

My plan for Game 4 would be to use Giolito as the first man out of the bullpen, behind either Rodon or Kopech, and you hope that gets you through the sixth inning. Then you go to your usual complement of high-leverage relievers from the seventh inning on.

The White Sox are AL Central champs for the first time since 2008

Tim Anderson

The White Sox are American League Central Division champions for the first time since 2008. Even though they have been in first place since May 7, and even though this outcome has been looked upon as an inevitability for weeks, it's not something we should take for granted.

I turned 45 years old this summer. I attended my first Sox game at old Comiskey Park in August 1981, just over 40 years ago. I've been a Sox fan for a long time, and this is only the sixth season in my lifetime in which the Sox have won their division.

It's never happened two years in a row. It hasn't happened in 13 years, and you should never assume it will happen again next year, or the year after that -- despite the general optimism around the team and the talk of "competing for multiple championships."

Tomorrow is not promised, so enjoy the accomplishments of today.

The Sox clinched the division with a 7-2 victory in Game 1 of a doubleheader Thursday against the second-place Cleveland Indians.

Give Tim Anderson a lot of credit. He hit a solo home run three pitches into the game to give the Sox a lead, and he added a 3-run homer in the second inning that turned a 3-0 Sox lead into a 6-0 advantage.

Anderson, along with Jose Abreu, is the leader of this team, and he pretty much decided that the division race would end today. Anderson's second home run of the afternoon was part of a six-run outburst in the second inning that also included homers from Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez.

Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez had a 7-0 lead to work with by the time he took the mound in the second inning. He gave up a solo home run in the third, and another in the fourth, so manager Tony La Russa gave him a quick hook after 3.1 innings of work.

This was a seven-inning game, of course, and La Russa obviously sensed an opportunity to knock the Indians out. Even with a five-run lead, he used his high-leverage relievers -- Garrett Crochet, Aaron Bummer, Craig Kimbrel and Liam Hendriks -- and Cleveland managed only two hits over the final 3.2 innings and didn't score another run. 

I like the way La Russa managed the game. He wasn't going to let this one get away. He wasn't going to let clinching wait for another day.

The Sox lost the second game of the doubleheader, 5-3, as the lineup was full of bench players. Michael Kopech got the start and looked sharp through two scoreless innings. The Indians scored their five runs off the lesser relievers in the Sox bullpen -- Mike Wright, Matt Foster and Jose Ruiz.

No doubt, if the game had meant something, it probably would have been managed differently. But for once, the Sox and their fans can afford to not care about a loss.

The Sox are 86-67. The marathon is over. The playoff sprint will begin soon enough.

Carlos Rodon not looking good for the White Sox

Carlos Rodon

White Sox starter Carlos Rodon pitched only three innings Monday night against the Detroit Tigers. He didn't look good, allowing three runs in a 4-3 Sox loss.

He did strike out six, but he threw only 69 pitches, and his last pitch of the game was an 89 mph fastball. We know that's not Rodon. When he's right, he's throwing 95 or 96 mph, and he can ramp it up to 98 or 99 mph when he needs it.

We haven't seen that type of velocity from him at all in the past month, and it's concerning, because Rodon had nine days off in between starts. Even with extra rest, he can't seem to get right, and the playoffs are only two weeks away.

This is a problem, because starting pitching is the one advantage the Sox have over their American League rivals. Sure, the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays are better teams overall than the Sox, but with Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito and Rodon, they have a puncher's chance in a short series against any opponent.

Take away Rodon, and that starting pitching doesn't look so formidable.

After Monday's game, manager Tony La Russa said he thinks it's doubtful that Rodon will pitch next week against the Cincinnati Reds, as originally thought. La Russa said that Rodon "wasn't right" after the third inning and added that he was "concerned."

In his postgame remarks, Rodon described his issues as "normal soreness" and "nothing crazy." I wish I could believe that, but the quality of his stuff tells me otherwise. He just doesn't pass the eye test right now.

Another topic of concern is reliever Craig Kimbrel, who entered in a 3-3 tie the bottom of the eighth inning and coughed up a run on a HBP, a wild pitch and a single. That cost the Sox this game, and Kimbrel's poor performance is an ongoing problem.

But that might a topic to revisit another time. The story tonight is Rodon's health, and it's an ominous sign that this very important starting pitcher looks incapable of helping the Sox with the playoffs looming on the horizon.

The Sox are 85-65. Their magic number is 2. No worries about the AL Central race. The ability of this team to do anything in the playoffs, however, is a big question.

White Sox make six roster moves ahead of series with Angels

Lucas Giolito

The White Sox open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. Here are six roster moves that were made in advance of this series:

1. Pitcher Lucas Giolito has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list.
2. Shortstop Tim Anderson has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list.
3. Catcher Zack Collins has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
4. Outfielder Andrew Vaughn has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 10, with lower back inflammation.
5. Infielder Danny Mendick has been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.
6. Catcher Seby Zavala has been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.

Giolito is expected to be the starting pitcher Tuesday night. It's reasonable to assume Anderson will be in his customary leadoff spot for the series opener.

Vaughn was unavailable for the weekend series against the Boston Red Sox, and he's mired in a 4-for-50 freefall over his past 13 games. The rookie clearly needs a rest.

The Sox obviously want to take a longer look at Romy Gonzalez as a backup infielder. He's sticking on the roster over Mendick.

Why the catcher shuffle, you ask? Well, Collins was sent to the minors Sept. 1. As long as he was brought back within 21 days, the Sox would avoid burning his third and final option. So, he's back, and he'll still have an option remaining for the 2022 season.

Collins certainly did not distinguish himself during his two weeks in Charlotte. He batted .143/.211/.400.

Zavala, meanwhile, has only one hit in his last 22 at-bats with the Sox, so neither man is an inspiring option as a backup catcher.

Pray Yasmani Grandal stays healthy for the playoffs.

A walk-off home run by ... Leury Garcia

Leury Garcia

Give Leury Garcia credit for this: He has stepped up in Tim Anderson's absence. Not only has Garcia played a credible defensive shortstop, he's contributed to the White Sox with his bat, too.

Since Anderson went on the injured list on Aug. 29, Garcia has gone 14 for 40 with two home runs and seven RBIs. He homered in Saturday's 9-8 loss to the Boston Red Sox, and over the previous 14 days leading into Sunday, he was slashing .365/.407/.519.

But we hadn't seen anything yet.

With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth Sunday, Garcia stepped to the plate with two outs and nobody on against Boston reliever Garrett Whitlock. Garcia fell behind 0-2 in the count, and it looked like the game was going to extra innings.

Instead, Garcia jumped on the 0-2 pitch and launched it 430 feet over the wall in center field for a walk-off homer and a 2-1 White Sox victory.

It was only his fifth home run of the season. Go figure. Unlikely hero.

Certainly, all Sox fans are looking forward to Anderson's return to the lineup, which reportedly will happen Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels. 

But Garcia has done his job in a backup role. During parts of nine seasons with the Sox, Garcia has played seven different positions on the field, including pitcher. When he first joined the professional ranks, he was a shortstop by trade, and honestly, it feels as though his most productive times at the plate have occurred when he's playing shortstop and filling in for Anderson.

He just must be most comfortable at that position, although he there's no chance he'll take Anderson's job. In the meantime, he deserves his props for a big hit Sunday.

The Sox are 82-61 after taking two of three from Boston. Their AL Central lead is 12. Their magic number is 9.

Will Yasmani Grandal end up with one of the most bizarre offensive seasons ever?

Yasmani Grandal

White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal's numbers are weird. His batting average coming into Wednesday night's game against the Oakland Athletics stinks -- .228 -- but it's hard to complain about his overall slash line of .228/.418/.529. 

Grandal's on-base percentage is the best among Sox players who are in the regular lineup, and his slugging percentage is second-best, only to Luis Robert (.539). 

His OPS is a team-best .947, and his OPS+ is 161, meaning he is 61% better than the league average among those who play his position.

But here's what is really weird about Grandal: He has only 47 hits all season, but he has 51 runs scored and 54 RBIs.

Never before in the history of baseball -- and that's a long damn time -- has a player with more than 40 hits had more runs scored and RBIs than hits in a single season.

It's something to keep an eye on down the stretch, although Grandal has 13 hits in eight games since returning from the 10-day injured list. During that time, he's raised his batting from .188 to .228, bashed five home runs and collected 17 RBIs.

He might actually be swinging the bat too well to continue this anomaly of a season.

White Sox win opener in Oakland

Grandal worked a bases-loaded walk in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Athletics, so he did get one RBI in a game in which he also collected one hit.

This victory was full of anomalies for the Sox. They had three run-producing hits, all against left-handed pitchers, and all by batters who have not done well against lefties.

Gavin Sheets is 1 for 14 against lefties this season, but the one hit was Tuesday night -- and RBI single in the fifth inning off A.J. Puk. Cesar Hernandez was 5 for 33 against lefties since joining the Sox -- until he delivered a two-run single in that same fifth inning that capped a three-run rally and gave the South Siders a 4-1 lead.

Brian Goodwin? He's 7 for 57 against lefties this season, but his broken-bat, two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning off Jake Diekman gave the Sox a 6-1 lead and effectively put the game away.

And, oh yeah, Jimmy Lambert pitched five innings of one-run ball for the Sox to earn his first career victory.

So, it was a night for surprises and anomalies, and one might argue that a Sox victory in Oakland is an anomaly in its own right. Before Tuesday, the last time the Sox won a regular-season game in Oakland was July 3, 2017, more than four years ago.

Whatever the Sox do for the remainder of this series, perhaps you can argue they've already exceeded expectations simply by winning a game in Oakland.

White Sox summon Jimmy Lambert as starting pitching crisis deepens

Dallas Keuchel

Lance Lynn is on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation. Lucas Giolito is on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.

Carlos Rodon is not on the injured list -- yet -- but he will be unavailable to the White Sox in their upcoming series against the Oakland Athletics because of "shoulder fatigue and soreness." Rodon was last seen Sept. 1, earning a victory against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates despite reduced velocity and less-than-his-best stuff.

Dallas Keuchel is reportedly 100% healthy, but his ERA is not. He's 1-5 with a 7.44 ERA since the All-Star break, and he got shellacked again Friday night in a 7-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Reynaldo Lopez has done a nice job for the Sox since he was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, but he showed some cracks Saturday in Kansas City. Despite being handed an early 6-0 lead, he couldn't make it through more than four innings. His velocity was down, and he allowed three runs. The Sox eventually won, 10-7, but it wasn't the best day for Lopez.

Dylan Cease is healthy and functioning, although he took the loss Sunday in Kansas City, 6-0. It wasn't a great game for Cease, as he gave up a 3-run homer in the first inning to Salvador Perez. But, unless he had found a way to give up negative runs, he was destined to lose that game anyway because of a lousy performance by the Sox offense.

It's too bad Michael Kopech doesn't seem capable of filling in. He was great for the Sox as a spot starter early in the season, but he has an 8.68 ERA since the All-Star break. He's having trouble getting through one inning, let alone multiple innings, and he's not the option he was back in May.

Suddenly, the Sox starting rotation, which has been the strength of the team all season, is lacking in options. With the start of the playoffs a month away, it's cracking at just the wrong time.

The series against Oakland on Tuesday night, Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon is going to be tough.

Jimmy Lambert has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to take the start on Tuesday night. He takes the roster spot of Matt Foster, who was optioned to Charlotte after Sunday's game.

Keuchel will pitch on regular rest Wednesday, but he's pitched a grand total of nine innings in his past three starts -- and given up 16 earned runs in that stretch. Doesn't sound promising.

Lopez will pitch on regular rest Thursday. Here's to hoping his fastball sits at 95-97 mph, instead of the 92-94 we saw Saturday in Kansas City.

Looking a little farther ahead, Cease will be ready on regular rest to face the Boston Red Sox on Friday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

But Saturday and Sunday against Boston ... welp, we better hope somebody gets healthy by then. The starting pitching crisis is deepening on the South Side of Chicago.