Former White Sox outfielder AJ Pollock headed to Seattle

AJ Pollock

Former White Sox outfielder AJ Pollock has agreed to a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners worth $7 million, according to recent reports. 

You may recall that when the offseason began, Pollock's future was one of the big questions surrounding the Sox. Would the veteran accept his $13 million player option to remain in Chicago? Or would he opt out and take a $5 million buyout?

Pollock opted out and entered free agency. From a purely financial standpoint, he cost himself $1 million with that decision. He's got the $5 million from the Sox. Add the $7 million from Seattle, and that's a total of $12 million -- which is less than $13 million.

But from Pollock's perspective, perhaps the chance to choose his own team was worth giving up the $1 million. He never asked to come to Chicago -- the Los Angeles Dodgers traded him to the Sox for Craig Kimbrel last spring training, in a deal that really didn't pan out for either side. 

Had Pollock opted in with the Sox, there's a pretty decent chance he would have been traded to parts unknown this offseason. He could have ended up on a non-contender in 2023, or in a place where he would have had limited playing time.

After posting a career-worst .681 OPS in his age-34 season with the Sox in 2022, it's not unreasonable to think Pollock wasn't part of Sox GM Rick Hahn's plans for this season.

He probably knew that, so he opted out to keep control of his fate, even if it cost him some money. You can make a case that it worked out for everybody: Pollock chose his landing spot and signed a contract with an AL West contender in Seattle. The Sox saved $8 million when Pollock walked away, and that money was used to sign Andrew Benintendi, an outfielder that appears to be a better fit on the South Side at this time.

We'll see how it plays out as 2023 moves along.

White Sox place Reynaldo Lopez on 15-day injured list

The White Sox on Thursday placed relief pitcher Reynaldo Lopez on the 15-day injured list with a lower back strain, retroactive to July 25.

It's getting thin in the bullpen for the Sox, who are already without Aaron Bummer (lat strain) and Garrett Crochet (torn elbow ligament). It's also possible Joe Kelly is going to hit the injured list, as he left Wednesday's game in Colorado with a right biceps injury.

The Sox said they would announce who would take Lopez's place on the roster before Friday's series opener against the Oakland Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field.

It would come as no surprise if the Sox actually had to add two pitchers -- one to replace Lopez and one to replace Kelly.

The lack of an immediate roster addition makes one wonder whether the Sox are trying to swing a trade. General manager Rick Hahn has already identified the bullpen as his "biggest need" at Tuesday's trade deadline.

While I disagree with Hahn that the bullpen is the biggest need, there is no question that it is among the needs.

Personally, I would prefer to see Hahn shop at the Ryan Tepera level of relievers, not the Craig Kimbrel level.

As you might recall, Hahn made two deadline deals with the crosstown Cubs last season to acquire relief help. He sent A-ball pitcher Bailey Horn to the Cubs in exchange for Tepera, and that was a move that worked out just fine for the Sox. Tepera worked effectively as a middle-inning reliever the last two months plus of the 2021 season.

Hahn also traded off his major league roster, sending Codi Heuer and Nick Madrigal to the North Side for Kimbrel. That move proved to be a disaster for all, as Heuer and Madrigal have been nothing but injured since joining the Cubs, and Kimbrel was worthless to the Sox in 2021 before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the start of this season.

The lesson here: Don't swing big to get relief help. Smaller moves can help. There are guys out there who can pitch the sixth and seventh innings effectively who can be acquired without giving up high-end prospects and players on the major league roster. 

Even with all the injuries, the Sox have the eighth (Kendall Graveman) and ninth innings (Liam Hendriks) covered. They do need a little help building the bridge from the starting pitchers to their high-leverage relievers.

But what the Sox really need are legitimate solutions at corner outfield and second base. They still need that left-handed power bat that we've been coveting but not getting for years. 

If the Sox are going to trade high-end prospects at this deadline, they should trade them for a position player who solves a need both this season and in years to come. 

With a record of 49-49 on July 28, it's kind of silly to think a couple of relievers is all this team needs to get over the hump. Sure, relief help is needed -- no one who is paying attention would deny that. 

But the Sox are also operating two bats short, and I'd like to see an acquisition that can make an impact on a daily basis -- and that means a position player. After all, even the best relievers only pitch three or four times a week.

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.

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.

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 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.

Carlos Rodon picks up victory in return from injured list

Carlos Rodon

White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon returned to the mound for the first time since Aug. 7 on Thursday, he was effective.

Rodon (10-5) went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits, and picked up the victory as the Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 10-7, in the finale of a four-game series and a seven-game road trip.

Even though Rodon was not overpowering -- he struck out only three -- he was reasonably efficient. He tossed 67 pitches, 46 of them for strikes. When Rodon left the game, some fans on social media were upset that he wasn't allowed to continue.

Personally, I was fine with pulling Rodon. The score was 9-2 in favor of the Sox at that point, and I didn't see any point in wasting Rodon's arm on this particular game, especially coming off the shoulder soreness he experienced after his previous start.

You would like to think the bullpen would handle those 12 outs with a big lead fairly easily, but this is the Sox bullpen we're talking about, and somebody new fails every day.

This time, it was Michael Kopech's turn to fail, as he was pounded for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. That brought the Blue Jays within two runs at 9-7, but things stabilized for the Sox from there. Ryan Tepera, Garrett Crochet and Craig Kimbrel all worked scoreless innings to close it out, with Kimbrel getting his first save since joining the Sox.

But the bigger story was the Sox offense, which was productive for the first time in a long time. The Sox are 33-5 in games where they hit two home runs or more, and they hit four in this game -- Cesar Hernandez, Luis Robert, Jose Abreu and Eloy Jimenez went deep.

Tim Anderson went 3 for 5 with two RBIs, and Leury Garcia was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Garcia, who just returned from the concussion IL, gave the Sox a lift with a 6-for-11 series against the Blue Jays.

The Sox are 74-55. They finish this 14-game stretch against winning teams with a 7-7 record. Their AL Central lead is nine going into a weekend series with the crosstown Cubs.

Lance Lynn forgets to throw a shutout; White Sox lose in Toronto

Lance Lynn

Before Monday's game between the White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays, I texted friends and said, "I hope Lance Lynn remembers to throw a shutout. He'll have to if he wants to win this game."

Well, Lynn forgot to throw a shutout. Oh, he was very good, providing seven innings of one-run ball against a tough Toronto lineup. Unfortunately, the Sox offense was once again a near no-show, and the Craig Kimbrel trade continues to look like a terrible move. 

The Blue Jays scored the go-ahead run on a Kimbrel wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning and beat the Sox, 2-1.

However, the big story continues to be the lack of offense from the Sox, especially in the past three games while Tim Anderson has been sidelined by "leg soreness."

I'm starting to get concerned about Anderson, because he hasn't played in four of the past five Sox games. It's not a coincidence that the Sox only win in those five games came the one time when Anderson was in the lineup.

They've been held to five runs combined in their past three games, all losses. During Monday's broadcast, it was noted that the Sox average 2.38 runs in innings where Anderson scores a run, and 0.43 runs in innings where he does not.

In other words, he's in the middle of most of their offense. The Sox are 61-43 when Anderson starts, 11-11 when he does not.

We hear a lot about the Sox allegedly having a "stacked lineup," but often, if Anderson is either not playing or in a slump, the offense goes right in the ditch. It's concerning that so much seems to hinge on one guy for a team with championship aspirations.

The Sox are 72-54 and have a nine-game lead in the AL Central.

But again, as we've stated, they've done little to erase some of the season-long criticisms that have been levied against them. The Sox are 13-20 in one-run games, 7-16 on the road against winning teams. Uninspiring.

If the White Sox only win the AL Central, does that qualify as a good season?

Tim Anderson

The White Sox's performance in Tampa Bay over the weekend didn't exactly convince me that this team is bound for October glory.

Admittedly, winning one out of three on the road against the team with the best record in the American League is hardly a disaster. In fact, it was probably an expected result.

However, watching these three games, I just didn't like *how* the results unfolded in this three-game series.

The Sox made it difficult on themselves in the one game they won -- a 7-5 victory in 11 innings Friday night. They got seven quality innings from Lucas Giolito and took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth.

That's when the super bullpen that is supposed to help carry the Sox in the playoffs is supposed to appear, right? 

Nope. Not this time. Craig Kimbrel and Aaron Bummer combined to give up three runs and send the Sox into the ninth inning facing a 5-4 deficit.

That's when Tim Anderson put on his Superman cape. He homered in the top of the ninth to tie it. Then he singled in the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th and scored an insurance run to make it 7-5.

Anderson went 3 for 6 with four runs scored and basically won the game for the Sox. Great for him, but I would have preferred to see the bullpen lock up a nice, clean 4-2 win.

On Saturday, Dallas Keuchel made a start in his personal house of horrors. Lifetime at Tropicana Field, he's 0-5 with a 6.44 ERA in six starts. In this game, he gave up six runs on nine hits over five innings. He dug the Sox a 6-1 hole in an eventual 8-4 loss that was only somewhat competitive.

Keuchel's approach of throwing sinkers to induce ground balls just doesn't work on the turf in Tampa Bay. Those grounders were shooting past the Sox infielders all afternoon.

But if you thought Saturday was noncompetitive, you should have seen Sunday, when the Sox lost 9-0. Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer left after two innings with a hip injury, but four Rays relievers covered the last seven innings with astonishingly little difficulty. It took the Sox until the sixth inning to get a runner to second base.

Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez was mediocre -- he allowed three runs over four innings -- but he would have had to give up negative runs to have any chance of winning this game. It was ugly in all facets.

So, where does this series loss leave the Sox? Well, they are 72-53, still 9.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central.

Barring a historic collapse in the final 37 games of the season, the Sox will win their division and go to the playoffs. And if they do, the achievement is not insignificant -- the Sox haven't won their division since 2008.

The question is, if the Sox win the AL Central, then make a quick exit in the AL Division Series, does that still qualify as a good season? 

It seems as though that's the most likely outcome. The Sox are certainly better than the Cleveland Indians or anyone else in their division, but they would be clear underdogs in a five-game playoff series against Tampa Bay, the Houston Astros or the New York Yankees.

I mean, two or three years ago, every Sox fan would have killed for the opportunity to win the division and go to the playoffs. So, if you're happy about the way the season is going, you have every right to that joy.

But is that enough for this team? I'm going to say no. I'm not going to be happy if this team fails to win a playoff round, and it's because of the comments we've heard coming from the White Sox themselves, and others affiliated with the team.

The players, the front office, the broadcasters, they have all basically indicated that anything less than the World Series would be a disappointment. Hell, the GM said as much on the first day of spring training.

The Sox didn't hire Tony La Russa as manager to bow out in the first round of the playoffs, nor did they make a major move to acquire Kimbrel at the trade deadline to make a quick October exit.

This team expects to compete for a championship, and you cannot blame fans who hold them to that standard.

Unfortunately, the Sox are 7-15 on the road against winning teams this season, and this latest series against Tampa Bay was a kick-to-the-groin reminder that we're still waiting for the Sox to make that step forward from being a nice little team to being a legitimate title contender.

Reminder: Liam Hendriks is still the White Sox closer

Liam Hendriks

A closer controversy on the South Side of Chicago? Give me a break.

The White Sox closer is Liam Hendriks. And he reminded everyone of that Wednesday, retiring all five men he faced to secure a 3-2 win over the Oakland A's.

Newly acquired Craig Kimbrel was not available for Wednesday's game, and Aaron Bummer got into a jam in the top of the eighth inning.

Bummer gave up back-to-back singles with one out. Hendriks entered and cleaned up the mess, retiring Mitch Moreland on a grounder to first base and Mark Canha on a routine fly to center field.

Hendriks then had a dominant ninth inning, striking out Starling Marte, Matt Olson and Jed Lowrie in succession. That's not an easy save -- those are the 2-3-4 hitters in the Oakland batting order, and the A's are a contending club.

I've seen a lot of chatter online about Kimbrel possibly supplanting Hendriks as the Sox closer, and Hendriks did not help himself with back-to-back poor outings against the New York Yankees last week.

However, Hendriks leads the American League with 28 saves, and a couple of bad games doesn't erase four months of effective relief work.

Not to mention, the Sox are committed to Hendriks for at least three years. He chose to sign with the Sox last offseason when he could have gone elsewhere. There's a long-term commitment made by both parties there, and I think that matters. Hendriks isn't going to lose his job that easily.

There's also this: Kimbrel hasn't pitched that well since joining the Sox. He has a 4.70 ERA in 7.2 innings and eight appearances since coming over from the Cubs. I wouldn't say he's forcing the Sox's hand here.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Kimbrel is used in a closing opportunity if one arises Thursday. Hendriks probably isn't going to work back-to-back days after recording five outs Wednesday. But make no mistake, he's the closer.

The Sox are 71-50. They have a 12-game lead in the AL Central.

Tony La Russa wisely gives Dallas Keuchel hook after five innings

Dallas Keuchel

Dallas Keuchel has an 11.77 ERA in the sixth inning during the 2021 season. 

White Sox manager Tony La Russa finally discovered the solution for this problem: Give Keuchel the hook after five innings.

The result? A 5-2 White Sox winner over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

In this game, Keuchel had a hiccup in the second inning, when he gave up two runs. But he settled in after that and got through five innings with a 3-2 lead. To be honest, that's all you can expect from Keuchel at this point in his career.

The Sox bullpen has been shaky lately. Liam Hendriks got lit up twice in the last week by the New York Yankees, and Craig Kimbrel hasn't lived up to the hype since he was acquired from the Cubs.

But this time, the relief pitching was excellent. Michael Kopech worked two scoreless innings, striking out three. Kimbrel pitched out of a second-and-third, one-out jam and recorded three strikeouts in the eighth inning. Hendriks struck out the side in the ninth for his 27th save in 33 opportunities. 

Keuchel is 8-6 on the season. His ERA stands at 4.48.

Luis Robert continues to look good since returning from the injured list. He went 3 for 4 with three runs scored, a stolen base and his third home run of the season in Monday's win. He's batting .328 with an .880 OPS.

Seby Zavala went 2 for 3 with two singles, a run scored, two RBIs and a successful safety squeeze that scored Robert. 

The Sox are 69-50 this season.

Do networks know the Boston Red Sox aren't going to make the playoffs?

Dave Dombrowski

The Boston Red Sox on Monday fired Dave Dombrowski, their president of baseball operations.

The move comes only 11 months after the Red Sox won 108 games and claimed the 2018 World Series championship. Boston has won the AL East the past three seasons, but it will not be repeating this year.

While the Red Sox were a respectable 79-64 entering Monday's play, they were 17.5 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East. And, they were eight games out of a wild-card spot with two teams to pass. With only three weeks left in the regular season, they need a miracle to qualify for the 2019 postseason, and we don't believe in miracles here at The Baseball Kid.

So, Dombrowski was fired, because he's handed out some big contracts that didn't net Boston ownership a good return on investment, and he is no longer seen as the right guy to lead the Red Sox moving forward. Standards are high in Boston, and the tolerance for losing is low.

I can recite the Red Sox's problems chapter and verse:

1. Chris Sale has been a combination of injured and bad all season. He's out for the year with elbow inflammation.
2. Injuries have limited David Price to 22 starts this season.
3. Rick Porcello has had a terrible year, with an ERA up near 6.
4. Postseason hero Nathan Eovaldi was given a big contract as a reward, but he too has been injured and ineffective.
5. Craig Kimbrel and Joe Kelly, key Boston relievers a year ago, left the team via free agency. And while neither man has had a great season for their new teams, the Red Sox haven't had a reliable back end of the bullpen. No current Boston reliever has more than 11 saves.

Why do I know all this about the Red Sox? Because they are on TV all the time! On any day of the week, you can find Boston on one of the networks, and the announcers will inevitably touch on the five bullet points listed above.

The Red Sox are completing a four-game series Monday against the Yankees, and literally all four games were televised here -- in Chicago. MLB Network had the New York-Boston game on Friday Night Baseball and Monday Night Baseball.

The Saturday Game of the Week on FS1? Yep, New York at Boston.

Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN? Yep, New York at Boston.

Meanwhile, there were four weekend series in Major League Baseball that were more compelling and more vital to the playoff races: Indians-Twins, Nationals-Braves, Brewers-Cubs and Phillies-Mets.

I know the Red Sox are defending champions. I know they play in a big market. I know they are a TV draw. But can't these networks flex to some other games? This is September, and there is plenty of meaningful baseball being played, and this year it just doesn't involve Boston.

If the Red Sox were in it, Dombrowski probably wouldn't be getting fired.

Time to read the season previews ...

Hey, guess what I'm doing this weekend? Time to read some season preview magazines and see what the "experts" think of the upcoming season.

One thing I'm thinking: The folks who produce these magazines must not have been too happy about the slow free agency period this offseason.

They probably had to go to press before Manny Machado signed with the San Diego Padres and before Bryce Harper signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Heck, Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel still don't have contracts, and both could be difference-makers in the pennant race. If someone ever signs them ...

Next time someone tries to tell you baseball is boring ...

Dallas Keuchel -- still looking for work ...

... hand them a tape of Sunday's Super Bowl, in which the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 13-3.

What a snooze fest. But, hey, some guy on the Rams set a Super Bowl record by unleashing a 65-yard punt! That probably was the highlight of the game for Los Angeles.

But seriously, the one thing I like about Super Bowl Sunday is that it means it's almost time for pitchers and catchers to report. The NFL is out of our way now. No more experts droning about about "the football," and we can move on to watching a more interesting sport that doesn't result in its players contracting CTE.

Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 12 for the White Sox, as they do for many teams around the league. I'm excited to see spring training get going.

Now, if only some of these 130 remaining free agents could get contracts between now and then.

There's some pretty good players on that list, beyond just the obvious. (Manny Machado and Bryce Harper)

Mike Moustakas, Dallas Keuchel, Craig Kimbrel, think any of those guys could help your favorite team? I'll bet they could.

Heck, I wouldn't mind seeing the Sox take a flyer on someone in the second tier of pitchers to fill out their starting rotation. Gio Gonzalez or Ervin Santana anyone?

Report: White Sox make formal offer to Manny Machado

Manny Machado

As of 9:40 p.m. Thursday, the lead headline on mlb.com reads, "Report: White Sox make formal offer to Machado."

For this blog, I've tweaked that headline a little bit, just in case anyone out there believes the Sox are trying to sign Dixon Machado. (You can never have enough utility infielders, right?) Or maybe the Sox are trying to bring back Robert Machado as a roving catching instructor or something.

Nah, this article actually talks about the Sox's interest in superstar free agent Manny Machado. I believe the report because it comes from USA Today's Bob Nightengale, who has more credible Sox information that most national reporters.

Nightengale reported the long-term offer is serious, but closer in value to $200 million over the life of the deal than $300 million. If that's the case, then maybe Bruce Levine's report that the Sox want to give neither Machado nor Bryce Harper more than seven years is accurate.

Personally, I still think it's going to take a 10-year offer worth $300 million to lure Machado to the South Side, and I won't believe that the Sox are willing to do that until I see it. If the Sox are going to offer only seven years, then they will finish third in the pursuit of these high-end talents.

Robertson to Philadelphia

Former Sox closer David Robertson has signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal is worth $23 million and contains a club option for $12 million for 2021 with a $2 million buyout.

Robertson probably becomes Philadelphia's closer at this point, unless the Phillies decide to add either Craig Kimbrel or Zach Britton. Of course, Philadelphia also is in the running for both Machado and Harper, so I'd be surprised if the Phillies do anything else significant before they get an answer from the two superstars on the market.

Astros, Dodgers move on to the next round

Alex Bregman

The Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers are the first two teams to advance to the League Championship Series.

Houston defeated the Boston Red Sox, 5-4, on Monday afternoon to win the ALDS, 3-1. Later Monday, the Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1, to complete a three-game sweep in the NLDS.

The Houston-Boston game probably was the most interesting of the four playoff games played Monday, because both teams had their respective aces, Justin Verlander and Chris Sale, on the mound by the fifth inning.

Houston starter Charlie Morton lasted 4.1 innings. Boston starter Rick Porcello worked only three innings. I found it interesting that neither manager was desperate enough to start his ace in a Game 4, but both managers were desperate enough to use their ace in a relief role.

I was especially surprised to see Verlander on the hill.  The Astros, after all, led the series 2-1. Had they lost, they had a Game 5 in Houston to fall back on, and I would have liked their chances to win with Verlander starting that game.

But Houston manager A.J. Hinch had other thoughts. He pushed his chips to the center of the table to win Game 4, and win it he did.

I wasn't as surprised to see Sale work in relief because, well, it was do-or-die for the Red Sox. If you're gonna die, die with your best on the mound.

Verlander entered in the fifth inning with his team leading, 2-1, but he lost the lead quickly by giving up a two-run homer to Boston left fielder Andrew Benintendi. That ended up being the only hit Verlander allowed over his 2.2 innings of relief, but for a time, it looked as though he was going to take a 3-2 loss.

Sale was brutal in a Game 1 defeat, but he was dealing in the middle innings Monday. The Astros did not get a single hit off him in the fourth, fifth or sixth innings. Sale fanned six and did not walk a batter over his 4.2 innings of relief.

However, the Astros broke through with a two-run eighth inning. Alex Bregman tied it with a home run off Sale to start the inning. Evan Gattis singled sandwiched in between two outs, and Sale was removed from the game with two outs in the top of the eighth and the score tied at 3.

Boston closer Craig Kimbrel was ineffective. He walked the first hitter he faced, George Springer, then gave up an RBI single to Josh Reddick that put the Astros ahead, 4-3. Houston added another run off Kimbrel in the ninth, which proved to be key. Rafael Devers had an inside-the-park home run for the Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth to make it 5-4, but it was not enough.

Give the Astros credit. I always say you're not going to win championships beating up on chump pitchers. You have to go through people, and Houston went through two All-Stars -- Sale and Kimbrel -- to score three late runs Monday.

As a result, they await the winner of the series between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians, which is tied at 2-all. Game 5 is Thursday night.

Braves smartly investing in young core

A tip for frugality that gets passed around from time to time is to shop in your pantry for dinner instead of buying all new ingredients for that night's meal. Find something you can use that you've already got, and work from there.

Andrelton Simmons tells reporters
how awesome it is to be rich.

The Braves have decided to do something similar this offseason. Instead of focusing on the free agent market, they've instead worked to sign some of their young players to big contract extensions to keep them in Atlanta for years to come.

The latest in the line of extensions was the seven-year, $58 million deal for young shortstop Andrelton Simmons. The Braves decided to go all-in on the 24-year-old after only one full season in the big leagues.

This move came after locking up closer Craig Kimbrel (4 years, $42 million, plus a team option), first baseman Freddie Freeman (8 years, $135 million) and starting pitcher Julio Teheran (6 years, $32.4 million, plus a team option).

These are all big investments in players already on the Braves' roster, and looking at each one individually, each also has its risks.

Simmons is pretty light on experience and hasn't even shown he's an average hitter yet. Freeman has posted only one monster season, his most recent, yet his contract was among the biggest given to a player with his service time. Teheran and Kimbrel are both pitchers who could get hurt. Teheran, like Simmons, also only has one full year of experience, and as good as Kimbrel has been, he's still only a closer expected to throw around 70 innings a year.

Atlanta is definitely agreeing to fork out more money the next few years than it would by going year-to-year, renewing the contracts and taking these players to arbitration when they accrue enough service time for that. 

But here's the way I look at these deals, and I'm sure how the Braves do, too:

Simmons is already an amazing defender and a nonzero with the bat. If he never gets any better, the Braves will get a good value out of this contract. If he makes adjustments and becomes an average or better hitter -- which his minor league track records suggests he can -- then this contract is a massive bargain.

Freeman's huge 2013 came after two good-but-not-great years for a first baseman. But it's hard to fault Freeman for being the best first baseman in the organization as a 21- and 22-year-old. Now just 24, he's already more accomplished than Mark Teixeira was at the same age. Unless something goes wrong, the Braves will be paying much less for the very best years of Freeman's career than the Yankees paid ($180 million) for Teixeira's last great year, three decent years, and what might be four awful, useless years.

The same goes for Kimbrel, who will cost less than other closers such as Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon, Francisco Cordero and ... hold your breath ... B.J. Ryan ... have cost teams on contracts signed over the last decade. Kimbrel could have even eclipsed this total by going to arbitration with his gaudy save and strikeout totals.

Having Teheran under control means not having to plug a rotation hole with an unproven or more expensive player.

And don't forget the pay scale in baseball is only going up right now.

The Braves do lose some flexibility with these deals. If any of these guys gets hurt, or just becomes awful, Atlanta can't just nontender them and walk away. But that's the case when teams choose to sign a player from outside the organization to a huge contract as a free agent. (Too keep it close to Atlanta here, don't you think the Braves wish they could flush Dan Uggla and B.J. Upton and the rest of their contracts down the memory hole?)

Even if the total dollars in these contracts seem eye-popping right now, they still pale in comparison to some of the deals given to players not under team control.

The Braves are climbing on the hook for some big paychecks here, but in return they're keeping the pantry stocked without paying free agent prices, which means they stand to put a good team on the field and save money in the long run.