Pregame notes: Garrett Crochet talk rules day, even after three-team trade

It's a testament to the intrigue of Garrett Crochet's trade market and his camp's conditions for pushing past workload restrictions with a potential new club, that White Sox GM Chris Getz's open disappointment with the situation feels more newsy than the immediate reactions from a three-team, seven-player trade.

Such is life, especially when two of three players the Sox received for parting with Erick Fedde, Tommy Pham and Michael Kopech are headed to Low-A Kannapolis.

"The communication had been very strong between Garrett and I, and his agency," Getz said. "And I was a little surprised and taken back by how they went about it, considering I had a conversation with his agent the night before.

That’s not exactly the tactic I would have taken, even being a former player quite honestly. Just because the dialogue had been so honest and real and careful and mindful of his career because I’ve known him since we got him.

I was a little surprised by it. I was. I think most fans and even players without knowing everything, it makes sense. We understand why a stance would be taken. Now how you go about expressing that is what was a bit hurtful, quite honestly, considering I felt like we could have handled it a little bit differently and still I think everyone accomplished what they wanted to accomplish.

But Garrett is a very talented arm. He’s just getting his starting career going. And he’s looking out for his long-term well-being. We fully understand and support that and we will continue to do so. The belief we didn’t have his best intentions in mind I think was what I was a little surprised by, with how it was handled.

But Garrett and I are fine, we are good. I’ll continue to be one of his top supporters. In regard to how it affects the coming days, tough to tell."

It's tough to tell with any precision, but it certainly sounds like this affair affected Crochet's trade market, and the relationship between his camp and the White Sox quite a bit.

"I think it created some questions, in which some times I’m able to combat some of that just because of the relationships I have with other clubs," Getz said of the affect on Crochet's trade market. "But it definitely created some questions that short-term and long-term consequences are unknown."

It speaks to the unwieldy history of White Sox decision-making that Bob Nightengale's report on A.J. Pierzynski as a strong managerial candidate probably deserves second-billing. Pierzynski himself had already done what he could to muffle the flames.

Getz did not profess to have enjoyed watching people discuss it.

"I quite honestly haven’t paid too much attention to it," Getz said. "I understand the speculation considering the state of our major league club at the moment. Right now we are focused on the trade deadline and Pedro [Grifol] is focused on winning a game tonight.

So, rumors are rumors. It sounds like names have been thrown out there, which it’s pure speculation. Nothing more than that. I’m sure those won’t slow down. But I’d like to think we are both professional enough that we just focus on what we have to do that day to either help the short-term or long-term health of the Chicago White Sox."

Technically, neither of these comments are denials of the possibility of Pierzynski managing being considered at the ownership level, which is where it counts the most.

As for the actual trade, which Getz said has been in the works for 7-10 days and combined multiple pieces to maximize the return, Miguel Vargas is the headliner. The White Sox are touting Vargas as a middle of the order hitter, and have already added to the active roster even though he appeared to not be in the building yet by batting practice Monday.

The 24-year-old was signed out of Cuba by White Sox assistant hitting coach Mike Tosar, back when he was working in the Dodgers international scouting department, and has spent many a day hitting at Tosar's house. It had admittedly been a while since we had talked about that offseason Romy Gonzalez and Oscar Colás spent hitting at Tosar's house.

"He hasn't gotten a clear runway at the major league level," Getz said of Vargas' time with the Dodgers. "He's one of the younger, brighter bats in our game. And the way he puts together at-bats, his zone awareness, his contact ability, his power potential, we're a team that ranks at the bottom offensively and so our focus was to find bats through our acquisition process here at the trade deadline and we'll continue. To be able to inject three offensive players into our organization is a wise move."

The criticism that Vargas lacks a defensive home doesn't have a ready rejoinder from the White Sox, who will try to turn it into a feature, rather than a bug. They definitely view him as a bat-first profile, and it helps that his .239/.313/.423, 108 wRC+ line in 30 big league games this year--which would merely instantly make him the best offensive regular on the Sox roster--is backed up by a more boffo .290/.440/.566, 149 wRC+ performance in Triple-A. Getz said both outfield corners, first base and DH are in play for Vargas, and Grifol threw in mentions of his past history at second and third base.

Gavin Sheets is getting the first crack at right field in Pham's absence, but Dominic Fletcher was recalled from Triple-A. Since Sheets is in the midst of one the worst offensive stretches of his career and Fletcher was slugging under .400 at Charlotte, neither has a birthright to everyday reps in right.

Davis Martin will slide into the regular rotation with the departure of Fedde, who made the most substantive changes of his career elsewhere, but got his first lesson on how to attack major leaguers with his new arsenal with the White Sox.

"The first meeting we had in spring training, is this is what we're looking at and how we want you to attack hitters, it might take some time to learn," Fedde said. "But I felt like I was able to jump on it quickly and that's something that as of right now I plan on doing for the rest of my career. So I'll always be thankful for that."

"Not everybody had to believe in me or give me the shot, so they gave me a great offer. I came here, tried to make the best of it, and I hope all the guys they get in return for me are well worth it."

Pham had already departed by the time media arrived, but Kopech was still boxing up his things and compiling his memories of eight seasons in the White Sox organization. It was more promise than production, but fans would have done well to connect with Kopech during this time, if only because he would have mirrored their emotional investment. Few players earnestly wore their heart on their sleeves as much as him, and the peaks of exhilaration and valleys of disappointment that we all feel watching this game were openly shared by him as he experienced it.

"The struggles we’ve gone through the past couple of years, I felt all of them," Kopech said, assessing his time with the White Sox. "Up and down, as far as performance. There’s some games that I played there that I’ll never forget. A lot of games, very meaningful and pivotal in my career. What I’m going to look back on the most, I felt like I grew up here. Came here as a young player and I’ve got a family now and a little bit of a different perspective on the game. I’m leaving a different man than I was when I came here. Very appreciative of my time here. Won’t ever forget it, for sure."

Kopech mentioned Game 3 of the 2021 ALDS specifically as "the coolest game I’ve ever been a part of."

Touki Toussaint was selected back to the 40-man roster, and Sammy Peralta has also returned to the majors to fill the gaps. Neither is as direct replacement for Kopech's role, but the Sox would readily acknowledge they're fresh out of ready-made high-leverage relievers at the Triple-A level.

"You lose players like Fedde and Pham and Kopech, you're talking about our No. 2 starter, our 1, 2 or 3-hole hitter and our closer, so any time you lose three guys like that in one pop, obviously it's going to affect any team, especially a team that is struggling to win games the way we have," said Grifol.

Buckle up!

At least the playoff-bound Kannapolis Cannon Ballers are getting reinforcements, as both Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus (great name) are headed there, though Albertus was placed on the IL by the Dodgers three days ago. Getz did not feel that acquiring two 19-year-olds at the lowest full-season affiliate level--and in Albertus case, he had recently earned a promotion there after torching the complex league--was indicative of the White Sox return to contention timeline.

His reasoning was less about raw optimism, and more pointing out that they could wind up being trade capital for a team that's ready to win in the majors sooner than they are. That also requires optimism, but the point stands.

"It’s purely trying to find the best talent we can regardless of what level they are at," Getz said. "Prospect capital is valuable for a lot of different reasons. There’s a chance that all of these players come up and become part of the Chicago White Sox moving forward but you could use that to acquire future talent to help the Major League needs as well. We are looking to acquire the highest ceiling type players we can."

First pitch: White Sox vs. Royals

TV: NBCSCH

Lineups: