Guilt By Association

Another start for Garrett Crochet, another bunch of strikeouts, eleven Rockies over seven innings yesterday in an eventual 14-inning 5-4 White Sox loss. Did I mention Crochet didn’t issue a walk? Not that it matters. According to Bob Nigthengale in yesterday’s USA Today, the Sox had “brief contract extension talks” with Crochet, but nothing happened. What, Crochet wouldn’t take a lowball offer from his overlords? For shame. Just because he has 140 strikeouts (vs. 20 walks) in 101.1 innings with a .93 WHIP and .198 opponents’ batting average, who does this guy think he is? Especially using CAA Sports to represent him. These are the people who signed Shohei Ohtani to a record contract, and Jerry Reinsdorf announced to the world last August he wouldn’t be going after Ohtani. If not Ohtani, then not Crochet, even if he just turned 25 and could be the foundation of a kiddie corps with Jonathan Cannon, Drew Thorpe and some intriguing minor-league pitchers. Nope, Reinsdorf is a person of firm beliefs and budgets who won’t pay market value for a pitcher any more than he would a new stadium. Lucky us.