This is Hell

Hell is being a White Sox fan, seeing your team with a 22-34 record on Memorial Day and, worst of all, realizing that a teardown is irrelevant if the same people who built this roster are allowed to do the next. Oh, Rick Hahn can get fired, but, as long as Jerry Reinsdorf owns the team, meet the new GM, same as the old GM. Luis Robert Jr. is back to striking out, fanning twelve times in his last twenty-seven at-bats. Yoan Moncada strikes out less while grounding out more, as evidenced by a .167 BA over his last seven games. At some point, the front office will admit Moncada is hurt, some combination of back and oblique problems, put him on the IL and offer that rest should resolve the problem. It won’t. Moncada will never be the player Rick Hahn dreamed he was acquiring, along with Michael “I like homeruns and strikeouts” Kopech, in exchange for Chris Sale. Tim Anderson? Come June 23, he’ll be on the wrong side of thirty, and he’s giving a preview of what that’ll look like. The erstwhile minister of fun hasn’t homered in 153 at-bats so far this season, and there’s no reason to think he’ll heat up anytime soon. Defense was never Anderson’s strength, which makes his lack of power—think six extra-base hits going into June—so worrisome. Break up the team? Why bother? Hahn or whoever replaces him will want to hold onto Robert and Moncada until they have virtually no value, and probably Anderson, too. I’d trade all three, today if not sooner, and build the team around Eloy Jimenez. An injury waiting to happen, yes, but an extraordinary hitter and someone who exudes a joy missing in the other three. It's also worth noting that Hahn stinks when it comes to acquiring minor leaguers in-season. During the 2016-17 seasons, the Sox GM traded away Zach Duke; Todd Frazier; Dan Jennings; Tommy Kahnle; David Robertson; and Anthony Swarzak. In return, he got six prospects, plus Tyler Clippard. Of those six, only Ryan Cordell and Charlie Tilson made it to the majors. Let’s just say their impact on the South Side was minimal, and leave it at that. Of course, I could be wrong, and things will turn around. Excuse me while I go feed our pet unicorn.