I'm still struggling to recapture a firm writing schedule -- did you know babies can disrupt the way a life used to be lived? -- so I'm al little overdue when it comes to your P.O. Sox questions. Thank you for your patience. And questions.
TorpedoJones asks:
Given that most of our recent key prospects have graduated to the majors, I'm curious how much trade value we have left in the minors currently. Which of our minor leaguers, if any, would represent sufficient sweetener to unload the entire Kimbrel deal and net a legitimate everyday 2B or RF option? That would seem like a useful alternative to including money with Kimbrel given the uncertainty around Reinsdorf's willingness to truly go "all in" with the budget.
Standing alone, I'd say they have enough for change-of-scenery players, or enough to get a Todd Frazier-type deal done, in which they acquire the last year or two of an increasingly expensive arb-year player, especially if a team really buys into Jake Burger's bat. Regarding Kimbrel's contract, it still seems like money would have to be sent, or the Sox would have to accept an inefficient contract in return, whether it's somebody good (like Jean Segura), or not so much (like Wil Myers).
But that's also under baseball's current economic setup. Post lockout, if MLB institutes something resembling a salary floor, I can see Kimbrel being a whole lot more intriguing. If he can find anything close to the form he showed with the Cubs, he can be turned around and traded again, which is easier to say about him than Dallas Keuchel.
RogerRoger asks:
Can you discuss the US curling team chances at the Olympics. Other than the Canadians, who should we watch?
John Shuster's team won gold for the United States last year, and he returns with three-quarters of his team intact after running the table against the rest of the country's top teams. It might not feel like he's established enough to consider a favorite, but he's officially Capable Of Anything. The women's team, now skipped by Tabitha Peterson, also was clearly a cut above the rest of the field, so the U.S. is sending its two strongest.
Outside of Canada, Sweden is the power. Anna Hasselborg's team won it on the women's side last year, and Niklas Edin's team is shooting for gold after winning bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018, losing to Shuster in the gold medal match. Switzerland upset Canada for a bronze last time around on the men's side, and while I imagine Canada is motivated enough to regain a spot on the podium after a real disappointing showing last year, I think the rest of the world is a lot better at keeping them honest.
Kory asks:
What are your thoughts on testing out something like Anderson in the outfield, Vaughn at second more, or even Moncada at second again? last season, the White Sox had enough of a cushion in the standings that they could have tested these (like the Dodgers testing Joc Pederson at first base in 2019) for a week or a couple games, but the White Sox never felt like a team that valued positional versatility in their star players, or even experience at other positions if needed.
Generally speaking, I'm for trying players at different positions for the reasons you stated. I've never quite understood the aversion to playing Yoán Moncada at both infield positions he's had experience, or Tim Anderson occasionally in the outfield. Moncada might not be a good second baseman, but for a game at a time he's a better option than Leury García, at least most of the time.
The good news is that they've been a lot bolder with Andrew Vaughn, Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets than I ever envisioned. Part of that's because first base/DH is so entrenched, but perhaps that's a case where the Sox just prefer to see the warts in the minors than in the majors. I'd say it's also a Tony La Russa thing, and maybe he can also be credited with being OK about playing rookies out of position, but it seems driven more by the organization, and the pile-up at one infield corner.
The hope is that Vaughn's decent play in left -- and Burger's bat not being affected by the defensive experimentation -- is enough to open minds for other players who already may be established. I'm skeptical, but at least there's progress where there was none before.
Mark asks:
Why did the Sox backload the long term contracts for Anderson, Jimenez, Moncada & Robert instead of front loading (or more evenly distributing) when the sox weren't competitive and free agent acquisitions weren't a consideration?
There's the general idea that a dollar today costs more than a dollar tomorrow, so front-loading deals makes the total cost of a contract way more expensive than a gently back-loaded deal. Beyond standard inflation considerations, I think there's a general aversion to go nuts with the earlier dollar figures because fourth-year through sixth-year salaries of arbitration-eligible players are determined in part by what players with comparable service time are making, so most teams adhere to a gentle salary trajectory through those years. Luis Severino's contract extension with the Yankees is the only contract I can remember that's particularly front-loaded through those seasons.
But even if the Sox were unusually open to front-loading contract extensions for players years away from free agency, I think they wanted to use the lower early salaries of the players you mentioned to accommodate Yasmani Grandal and Dallas Keuchel's figures (and Zack Wheeler's, had he accepted). It also wouldn't surprise me if the White Sox had an optimistic view of their own abilities to produce replacements in house that would make hole-filling less expensive that it currently seems.
Right now, it seems like only typical free agents are up for front-loading contracts, whether it's with real actual frontloading like Eric Hosmer's deal, Max Scherzer's heavy deferrals, or Liam Hendriks' unusual buyout. Their average annual values don't systematically affect the salaries of others around the league, so there are more ways to shape contracts to meet the needs of both team and player once they're free from arb-year considerations.
striker asks:
The Sox were weak at scouting, drafting and developing. That led them to a talent gap that they felt kept them mired in mediocrity. They traded big names for prospects, but have they improved with their scouting, drafting and development? A comparison of Sox top prospects in 2017 (minus trade acquisitions) versus 2021 (minus top 10 picks from tanking) doesn't look promising. Not a single one 45 or higher.
It's something I've been concerned about for years, and what I was kinda getting at with my post about Sheets, Romy González and José Rodriguez. It's a double-edged assessment, in that the successes of those players are 1) welcome and 2) too rare for a team that aimed for sustainability. There should've been at least one or two of those stories in each of the last few seasons, so it's hard to consider this more than an aberration. There's a little bit of reason to be optimistic, but it seems like they're still hesitant to invest in unpolished tools.
peter asks:
I've been considering this question for a while and with the lockout upon us it seems like a good time to finally ask it. What should the Sox do with their visual identity, particularly uniforms? They've had essentially the same core uniform set since 1991. In recent years they've incorporated elements from both the early 1980's set and the late 1980's set. As a child of the 80's I don't dislike these additions, but I do think they've muddied the overall Sox identity. Would you like to see the Sox re-commit to the core set, keep the status quo, or go in a different direction potentially using other elements from their past or something entirely new?
As somebody whose business involves branding based off the White Sox's visual identity, I wouldn't mind having a signature color involved, rather than black/white and navy/red. But it also seems like the White Sox's two looks have a lot of oomph outside Chicago. Obviously we know about the widespread adoption of the black Sox cap, but I'm amazed at how many college/travel ball teams have modified some form of the batter man/doubleknit looks. I'm not a huge fan of the look myself, or at least I think it's run its course, but it seems like the world is telling them that they should maintain ownership of it.
I think it's especially fair to see what it looks like when their logos are worn by a team that's a postseason threat multiple years in a row. That they've been able to establish themselves stylistically with so few players of note makes it hard to imagine the ceiling of their reach if, say, Luis Robert becomes one of the best players in baseball.
I, like many Sox fans, was disappointed at the lack of impact moves before the lockout. What are some realistic options for the White Sox via trade or free agency at this point?
Based on the safe distance the White Sox maintained from the top of the free agent class, it's harder than it was at the start of the offseason to imagine the Sox being involved in the next best remaining, like Kris Bryant or Nick Castellanos. But I can still see Michael Conforto holding enough appeal for the reasons they signed Adam Eaton last year -- left-handed, an actual right fielder, with his stock damaged enough to settle for a rebound contract.
I just sapped all the excitement away from the idea by likening him to Eaton, so here's where I note that Conforto would be moving to baseball's friendliest park for left-handed home runs, and he seems more likely to make that fact a fun one.
As for trades, I'll be covering those as I round up all the ideas from the Offseason Plan Project, because crowdsourcing >>> me guessing. Stay tuned.
I'm an international fan of the White Sox and I am planning a trip to Chicago in the near future. What do your recommend to do/eat/visit in or around Guaranteed Rate Field?
(I sent this one to Josh, and he sent a Rick Steves guide to Bridgeport back.)
Franco's Ristorante: There's not a bad dish on the menu in this classic Italian neighborhood joint.
Riccobene's: One of my favorite sandwiches in the world is Riccobene's Breaded Steak. Come hungry and bring the Tums, this sandwich is a beast.
Punky's Pizza: I'm a big fan of their thin crust with sausage and giardiniera.
Freddie's on 31st: A bit of everything is served at Freddie's, including CBD treats. It's a casual fast food joint but the quality is good. Also home of the former Yerminator Burger.
Pancho Pistolas: Right across the street from Freddie's is Pancho Pistolas and they have the best carne asada in Chicago. No matter what dish you order, make sure it comes with some steak.
Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream /Kimski / Maria's: Maria's Packaged Goods is a long-standing dive bar in Bridgeport, but in the Summer they have this fantastic beer garden atmosphere. While you get drinks from Maria's, they are happy if you bring in food from Kimski and Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream.
Kimski's is a Polish/Korean fusion stand, and while you raise an eyebrow of that cuisine combination, I'm telling you it works. Get a polish sausage with fresh kimchi or their Korean steak sandwich.
Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream serves three food items. Yup, you guessed it. Thin crust pizza where the toppings really stand out, fried chicken either in a sandwich or tenders, and ice cream bars.
Antique Taco: Off 35th and Morgan, some of the most creative and delicious tacos in Chicago are found at Antique Taco. It's a straight shot from the stadium heading west.
Wings & Rings: If you're looking for a sports bar with a good beer selection and chicken wings, Wings & Rings is your place. We've hosted a few events at this location and they always deliver on an enjoyable experience. Great pregame spot.
Being so close to Chinatown, and maybe this is me being a bit biased, but Bridgeport has the best selection of Asian restaurants. I highly recommend Bonchon (Fried Chicken) and Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings (Also known as QXY Dumplings locally). Other excellent choices are Potsticker House, La Mom Kitchen, and Shinya Ramen House off Halsted which is closer to the stadium.
After the game hangout spot: Cork & Kerry. If you want to mingle with other fans and folks from White Sox blogs/podcasts, Cork & Kerry is the place to be after games.
