Official Offseaon Thread for your 2023 Chicago White Sox

[brett05]

It’s impossible to know how many bases out OF trio of Eloy, Vaughn, Sheets gave up. They had just about everything bad you’d want in an OFer. They were slow, so rounding and cutting off balls was strike 1. Covering ground in general was piss poor. None of them had good OF arms or quick releases or accuracy. In general they weren’t really threats with their gloves at all, and any ball at the warning track or wall was more likely a miss then a good catch with any of those 3 on the corners. Even the good catches they make are likely routine for OF with even decent speed and coverage. They were all below average in that department. So when you throw Benintendi and Colas out there, I think it’s gonna make a huge difference.

You are making a case for something no one is arguing against. To get more wins we need to know what they cost us. The two examples given had nothing to do with Eloy, Vaughn, Sheets. So to say that Colas gives them more wins than last year we need to know the games that were lost because of that Trio in the OF.

[brett05]

He didn’t really start off great on defense but I did admit late last year that he started playing pretty good on defense. I’ll take a prime Benintendi over an oft injured aging Pollack any day of the week though. Pollack would have been a perfect 4th OFer for us this year.

And again, not one of the three (Eloy, Sheets, Vaughn).

[brett05]

This team as it is now, will be better defensively than last years.... Because it's virtually impossible to be worse!

Don't make the 2023 team hold their beer

[Muttman73]

Yes, it wasn't any of our "outfielders" that made that error, it was Adam Engel.

Adam Engel "Defensive Specialist", starting that night in place of whoever, he is by trade, an outfielder.


Adam Trevor Engel is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 19th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, and made his MLB debut with them in 2017.

[Bainsy]

Based on how they spoke about Lopez as our future at closer, this seems like it’s figured out. The question will be how he handles it?

Our OF on paper is infinitely better than last year. Eloy at DH full time is a blessing. Catcher, 2B, SP are our issues in that order of importance. I’m not worried about the rest.

I don't see Lopez as a closer....It means nothing now, but we will see how it plays out?

[dabears34ft]

I don't see Lopez as a closer....It means nothing now, but we will see how it plays out?

You don't see them using him as the closer or you don't think he has the goods to do it?

[Bainsy]

I don't think he has what it takes to be a closer....

[Bainsy]

Obviously the Hendriks situation took everyone by Suprise (shock), but for us not to be trying and adding a proven arm is unsettling...

[dabears34ft]

OF Starters last year:

LF
Pollock 77
Vaughn 40
Eloy 30
Leury 5
Payton 5
Hasely 2
Sheets 2
Harrison 1

CF
Robert 89
Engel 33
Pollock 35
Leury 2
Haseley 2
Payton 1

RF
Sheets 78
Vaughn 39
Engel 27
Pollock 11
Leury 5
Haseley 1
Romy 1

That's a lot of games on the corners with subpar defenders starting. Of the 324 starts in LF and RF combined last year, 189 were well below average OF's. Below average arms, below average fielding, below average speed, below average range, pretty much below average everything defense. If we could get at least 130 each from Benintendi and Colas in LF/RF, our defensive upgrades will make a difference.

Problem is, our downgrade at 1B might be pretty bad, and depending who plays the majority at 2B, that might not look great either. We already know we will be getting **** defense at Catcher and most likely SS.

I'm not down on Moncada's Defense at 3B. He had 5 errors there last year in 98 starts. Funny that some in here back Burger as an adequate defensive 3B. That's the same Burger who had 6 errors in 36 games last year. Tim Andersons 12 in 79 games was pretty pathetic as well. I can't see that getting much better without Abreu saving half of his errant throws.

[dabears34ft]

Obviously the Hendriks situation took everyone by Suprise (shock), but for us not to be trying and adding a proven arm is unsettling...

Our BP is deep. Lopez/Gravemen/Bummer/Kelly/Crochet/Lambert/Diekman were all going to be in the BP to start the year barring injury. Ruiz lucks back into the 8th man, which he's not terrible at. Not many BP's have a guy like Ruiz as their last man. Would it be nice to add one? Sure why not, but we have way more urgent needs that need to be addressed. Catcher, 2B, 5th Starter are all more important then BP right now.

[Bainsy]

Let's try "way to early" lineup for fun.....
TA
Benintendi
Robert
Jimenez
Grandal
Vaughn
Moncada
Colas
Jose Rodriguez (I'm predicting he will win the 2nd base job)

[Bainsy]

Our BP is deep. Lopez/Gravemen/Bummer/Kelly/Crochet/Lambert/Diekman were all going to be in the BP to start the year barring injury. Ruiz lucks back into the 8th man, which he's not terrible at. Not many BP's have a guy like Ruiz as their last man. Would it be nice to add one? Sure why not, but we have way more urgent needs that need to be addressed. Catcher, 2B, 5th Starter are all more important then BP right now.

Not one name on your list has proven he can close games consistently....I have never liked "closer by committee)...

[Bainsy]

I agree.............Catcher is our biggest need or worry at the moment.