During the Town Hall Friday session at SoxFest 2020, Luigi from La Grange asked Rick Hahn when he was going to re-sign Yolmer Sanchez. Then Luigi followed up his questions by shouting "Gold Glove" loudly into the microphone. I'm assuming he was a big fan of Sanchez's. Yesterday was a bad day for Luigi as Sanchez signed with the San Francisco Giants to a minor league contract that promises an opportunity to compete for the starting spot at second base.
Early reports from San Francisco highlight Sanchez's 2019 Gold Glove, and how he would be a slight offensive improvement over Joe Panik. Competing against Sanchez for the starting gig will be Mauricio Dubon who started 21 games at second base last year for the Giants. Early analysis suggests that the new manager, Gabe Kapler, could have Dubon moved around the infield playing various positions. At the same time, Sanchez will get the majority of starts at second base.
Moving out to San Francisco concludes Sanchez's chapter with the White Sox that lasted ten years. He went to Instagram to thank the White Sox and fans for his time with the organization.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Yolmer Sanchez (@yolmersanchez5) on
The White Sox will visit San Francisco in 2020 May 8 - 10, and if things go well during Spring Training, it'll be Sanchez in the lineup facing his old teammates. Hopefully, there won't be any walk-off Gatorade self-baths by Sanchez in those three games.
Other news from the Majors:
Houston Astros close to hiring Dusty Baker as new manager
USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported yesterday that it was a done deal that the Astros would hire Dusty Baker to replace AJ Hinch. Other national outlets dispute that an agreement had reached, but acknowledge that Baker is the front-runner for the job. For a team trying to find a way to return to normalcy after being busted for cheating, Baker is an excellent choice for the role. In 22 years, Baker has a record of 1,863 - 1636 (.532 winning percentage) and, in his last position with the Washington Nationals, managed them to back-to-back NL East division titles.
The issue for Baker is his lack of postseason success in the last 16 years. Under his tenure, the Cincinnati Reds and the Nationals didn't win a single postseason series. Baker's lost series win was with the 2003 Chicago Cubs when they beat the Atlanta Braves in five games during the Divisional Series. Despite the black cloud hanging over the Astros, they still have a very talented roster to win another AL West division. That is if Baker can manage the clubhouse through the distractions.
Old Friend Alert: Mark Kotsay candidate for Boston Red Sox gig
Shortly after Midnight in Chicago, Masslive.com's Chris Cotillo reported that Mark Kotsay is a candidate for the Boston Red Sox managerial opening. Kotsay played with the White Sox during 2009 and 2010 in the twilight of his career, hitting .252/.318/.391 with a -0.7 bWAR in 141 games.
Kotsay was a bench coach in 2016 for Oakland and has been their quality control coach since. He's competing against current Red Sox coaches Ron Roenicke and Carlos Febles. It is unknown when Chaim Bloom will make an announcement. Still, he could also be busy trying to find a new home for Mookie Betts as it appears talks are getting more serious after the Starling Marte trade.
Sense is that Red Sox seem more serious than ever about a Mookie Betts deal, and rivals are starting to think a trade may happen. Dodgers and Padres are teams most often publicly linked though no sense yet who may be most likely.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 28, 2020
New Era "Team Describe" Caps for the White Sox
So Cubs and White Sox fans, what do you think of these new caps from @NewEraCap called “Team Describe,” that features the Chicago flag in the front and deep dish pizza in the back? @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/QFwevgXvqZ
— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) January 29, 2020
Have you ever looked at a White Sox cap and thought to yourself, "What would be a great look is adding the Chicago flag and a deep-dish pizza"? Well, you're in luck as New Era released a line of "Team Describe" caps for $39.99 plus shipping and tax. Might be a strong contender for weirdest, and worst, White Sox cap-style.
