Saturday, May 31, 2025
Enough Already
Another game, another bunch of strikeouts for White Sox centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. Yesterday, Robert racked up three more in a 2-1 Sox loss to the Orioles.
If you go by at-bats, Robert is striking out 34.6 percent of the time; by total plate appearances, it’s a slightly less egregious 30 percent. Oh, and he’s batting .187 with five homeruns; 20 RBIs and 24 runs scored. The major-league leading 20 stolen bases hardly make up for any of the other stats.
If the Sox and Robert were ever in sync, that ended a long time ago. The situation is so bad right now that Robert can’t do the one thing he needs to for a change of scenery, and that’s hit. Not many teams will trade for a player having the kind of season Robert is.
Check that, the onetime projected cornerstone could get a change of scenery another way. All it would take is for the front office to DFA him. Unfortunately, that’s looking more and more likely.
Friday, May 30, 2025
She's Not Going to Like This
Clare called me yesterday to say MLB is partnering with the new Athletes United Softball League. AUSL is another attempt at a pro softball league.
According to a story posted on mlb.com yesterday, “The investment, which is part of MLB’s ongoing commitment to supporting the growth of softball at all levels, will include joint sales and marketing efforts, extensive promotional support and broadcasts on MLB Network and MLB.com to raise the visibility of the AUSL and its athletes.” Hmm.
Notice how there’s no dollar amount attached to this “investment.” Also no mention of how this investment would help women interested not in pro softball but baseball. Without some nod in that direction, this all strikes me as more Negro League “separate but equal.”
I know my daughter will disagree, but that’s how I see it.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Recalculating
In the not-so-distant past, I’ve dissed Miguel Vargas, Lenyn Sosa and Mike Vasil. Time to un-diss.
Vargas hit all of .217 in April with one homerun and seven RBIs. In May, he has seven homers and seventeen RBIs to go with a somewhat misleading .275 BA. By “misleading,” I mean the 25-year old is hitting .310 over his last 30 games. And he has fifteen doubles, including one yesterday in the White Sox 9-4 win over the Mets.
Sosa didn’t do too badly, either, with three hits on the day plus an RBI. Also 25, Sosa is hitting .280—and .340 over his last fifteen games—with seventeen RBIs. Not bad.
So, let me regrade them as solid-B prospects with this caveat—they have to stay at one position, Vargas at third and Sosa at second. If and when Colson Montgomery gets a crack at shortstop, that will mean Chase Meidroth slides over to second. Not good for Sosa, but I wouldn’t try to turn him into a utility player to take advantage of his bat; he’s just not that good of a fielder. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I have my doubts Montgomery will ever play an inning on the South Side.
On to Vasil. Now, this is a guy I find intriguing. In seventeen appearances out of the pen, Vasil—yup, he’s 25, too—has pitched two or more innings eleven times and three innings six times, including three scoreless innings yesterday. Talk about a throwback player.
Vasil has pitched 34.1 innings on a still-young season. I’m guessing I like him better than the analytics’ crowd because he only has 24 strikeouts. In other words, he pitches to contact. But, if people catch the ball, who cares? And, given his 2.10 ERA, it looks like people are catching balls.
The Sox move onto Baltimore for a weekend series with the disappointing Orioles. Here’s hoping the three 25-year olds keep it up.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Feel the Excitement
If the White Sox win today and salvage a game against the Mets, they’ll have eighteen wins on the season. That would be three better than at the same point last season. You can feel the excitement.
I mean, today’s lineup has just two players—Josh Rojas (.154) and Michael A. Taylor (.196)—hitting under .200 and two more—Andrew Benintendi (.216) and Joshua Palacios (.222)—hitting under .223. The Sox lineup totals 86 RBIs to the Mets’ 190. A tip of the cap to Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames.
This time last year, the Mickey Mouse-led Sox were in the midst of a fourteen-game losing streak. Right now, New-Mickey Venable is working on a three-gamer. So, of course, I’m optimistic.
Just kidding.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Whatever
I’m supposed to get excited because Adrian Houser is the fourth White Sox pitcher ever to go six-plus scoreless innings in each of his first two starts for the team. Wow. If he keeps that up, GM Chris Getz should be able to flip him for a mid-level prospect at the trade deadline.
Yes, it was nice that Houser shut out the Mets for six-plus innings yesterday at Citi Field. Too bad the bullpen couldn’t hold a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the eighth. Instead, Franciso Lindor hit a walk-off sacrifice fly for a 2-1 Mets’ win.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, New-Mickey Venable offered his dumbest comment yet, and that’s saying something. Venable complimented catcher Korey Lee for the numbers he’s putting up during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte. Not that a .302 BA and eight RBIs in eleven games necessarily means Lee will be back on the South Side anytime soon.
You see, “Korey’s in a good spot down there. He’s feeling really good and continues to play well. Happy with everything he’s done this whole year.” [quote from story in today’s Tribune] I’ll bet you Lee is anything but happy that he’s still down there.
Triple-A catcher Kyle Teel has also been on a tear, and Venable is “[s]upper excited” for what he’s done. Again, not that Teel will be called up to play first base or the outfield to get some big-league at-bats. Better to keep playing musical chairs in the infield.
Funny, Tim Elko and Andrew Vaughn get sent down so they can clear their heads and have a reset, but not Luis Robert Jr. (.191 BA) or Josh Rojas (.140). I’m sure there’s a reason for that. Whatever.
Monday, May 26, 2025
How Bad Teams Lose
It starts with a manager who is either crazy or dumb because he keeps doing the same thing while expecting different results. In this case, it’s White Sox manager New-Mickey Venable calling on Jordan Leausre to protect a one-run lead going into the ninth of yesterday‘s game against the Rangers.
Leasure did as I thought he would, which was to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. First, he hit Josh Jung, on an 0-2 pitch, no less. Then, third baseman Miguel Vargas paid a price for choosing not to play on the line for pull-hitter Jake Burger, who promptly hit a hard grounder past Vargas for a double. Wait, there’s more, but don’t forget we could be talking about two out and nobody on right now.
Instead, with one out and runners in scoring position, infield in, Kyle Higashioka hit a shot to Vargas, who couldn’t field the ball cleanly to get the runner at the plate. So, Vargas did the next best thing and threw to first base, where Lenyn Sosa was a good two-three feet off the bag when he caught the ball. Usually, a first baseman wants to have a foot on the bag in order to record the out. Wait, there’s more.
Venable decided to keep Leasure in the game to face Adolis Garcia. How did that go? Garcia doubled in two runs for the lead. Wait, there’s more. Edgar Quero left off the bottom of the ninth with a double and scored on a one-out double by Michael A. Taylor. Sox down a run, 5-4. Guess who got picked off of second base? Final score, 5-4.
Leasure is 0-4 on the season with three blown saves. At Triple-A Charlotte, the Sox have Wikelman Gonzalez, who’s 5-0 with a 1.42 ERA in seven appearances, all in relief. Gonzalez came over in the Garrett Crochet deal. You’d think the Sox would want to see what they have in him. Oh, and James Karinchak 3-1 with a 3.13 ERA in nineteen relief appearances. Karinchak used to embarrass the Sox when he pitched for Cleveland. Apparently, no one wants to see if he can do the same for the South Side.
Double-A Birmingham has three relievers worth a look: Peyton Pallette, eight saves and a 3.43 ERA; Zach Franklin, 1.96 ERA in fourteen games; and Andrew Dalquist, 1.16 ERA in fifteen games. The Barons also have starters Noah Schultz and Grant Taylor, their #1 and #7 prospects, respectively. They can’t pitch out of the pen?
Now, it’s on to New York for three games against the Mets. I hear Juan Soto is slumping; facing the Sox should help. He might consider hitting the ball to Vargas or Sosa. They’re both playing different positions today. We wouldn’t want them getting used to playing just one position adequately, now would we?
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Which Proves What, Exactly?
The White Sox beat the Rangers 10-5 yesterday. It’s always nice to win a game or, in this case, two in a row. But to what end?
The Sox are in full rebuild, or not. Only one true prospect, Chase Meidroth, and two possibles, Miguel Vargas and Lenyn Sosa, started in a lineup populated by the likes of Michael Tauchman; Joshua Palacios; Matt Thaiss; and Josh Rojas. Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr., two people Chris Getz would trade in a heartbeat for any prospect with a hint of upside, also got the nod.
Sosa had a bases-clearing double to go with two hits; he’s now batting .284 with sixteen RBIs. He’s a C+/B- talent in my eyes, and you shouldn’t want anybody under a B in the lineup, not if you’re serious about winning (see below). Sosa might be the real deal with his bat, not so much his glove. He’s average at best playing second, and he’s at first base today. What’s the plan here, guys? Say Colson Montgomery gets his callup next month and Meidroth moves to second, where he belongs. Sosa is not the answer at first base.
Maybe Vargas is at third, but right now I’d put him in that same C+/B- category; he’s also seeing time at first. Why? And right now Bryan Ramos is starting to heat up at Charlotte. Shouldn’t he get a shot? Somebody’s got to go here, and just shuffling people around merely delays the inevitable. Unless—
You put some of the borderline prospects in the outfield; better that than retreads on the corners, like yesterday. I’d do that because the Sox cupboard is bare of major league-ready outfielders. Way to go, Rick (Hahn) and Chris. The Sox just released Oscar Colas, by the way.
Did I mention they used four pitchers yesterday? Only Mike Vasil looks to be a keeper. The minor league-system is full of both starters and relievers. If they don’t get the call now, then when? Unless, of course, Getz and pitching coach Ethan Katz see something in Miguel Castro and Brandon Eisert that escapes my untrained eye.
Did I mention Manager New-Mickey Venable is starting 28-year old Vinny Capra, with a .103 career BA for four teams, at shortstop today? Why, exactly?
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Clown Show
Something clicked last night for White Sox starter Sean Burke, who actually managed to pitch six innings throwing under a billion pitches. But a 4-1 win can’t hide the clown show on 35th and Shields.
Before the game, not only did the team send down rookie first baseman Tim Elko, they optioned incumbent Andrew Vaughn as well. GM Chris Getz told reporters that Vaugn needed “[s]ynching up his lower half and upper half” while Elko had to “[t]ighten up the strike zone, [and] there was some chase [of pitches out of the zone].” [quotes from story in today’s Tribune] Apparently, Triple-A Charlotte is just the place to make it all happen. Or not.
Charlotte’s hitting coach was a career .257 hitter during a four-year career that peaked at Double-A (no RBIs at that level, though). And he’s going to tell Vaughn, what, exactly? This is how I worked through it? The same holds for Elko, who pretty much through force of will made it impossible for the team to ignore him any longer. What does the coach who had all of 30 at-bats in Double-A tell the rookie who’s already had 31 at-bats in the majors?
Once upon a time, the White Sox employed the likes of Bill Buckner Gary, Ward and Greg Walker—bona fide major leaguers all—as hitting coaches. Now, it’s pretty much any guy with access to tech. Maybe there are more and better gizmos in Charlotte than the ball mall.
Oh, and did I mention that third baseman Miguel Vargas is now first baseman Miguel Vargas? Or that Getz replaced two first basemen with two outfielders, Mike Tauchman and Andrew Benintendi? Or that Joshua Palacios and Vinny Capra are still on the team? Those two don’t need a Triple-A reset, I guess.
Friday, May 23, 2025
With an Asterisk
I just finished reading an op-ed piece in the Tribune slamming Commissioner Rob Manfred for reinstating Pete Rose and, in particular, Shoeless Joe Jackson. You’d think the writer was the second coming of Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Save the bluster for the living, friend.
Yes, I think Jackson was in on the fix of the 1919 World Series, just as I think being banned for 100+ years is punishment enough. If a HOF veterans’ committee wants to vote Jackson in, that’s fine by me. Just make sure all the evidence pointing to his guilt gets included on his plaque.
Same goes for Rose, a few years after if and when Jackson wins admission. Why? Because Rose was a jerk who’d make Ty Cobb blush over his excesses. In addition, there’s a good chance Jackson is enshrined well before a plaque listing all of Rose’s transgressions could be ready. The one that especially bothers me concerns the allegation he had sex with a minor in the 1970s. Pointing out the age of consent in Ohio—where Rose admitted a sexual relationship occurred, though not with a minor—was sixteen at the time hardly constitutes a defense in the court of public opinion.
That said, all that included (plus maybe a video of the sucker punch of a shoulder into Ray Fosse at the 1970 All-Satar Game), let ’im in.
Thursday, May 22, 2025
How Bad Teams Lose
The White Sox are a bad—make that very, very bad—team, so inept they may come close to breaking their own record for losses (121) in a season. Witness yesterday afternoon.
With the score tied at four, rookie Chase Meidroth hit an opposite-field single to die for or, in this case, to score the go-ahead run. That put runners on the corners, one out. Miguel Vargas, on his way to an 0-for-4 day, then struck out. With runners on second and third after Meidroth stole second, Matt Thaiss also fanned. So, the Sox settled for a 5-4 lead.
Which lasted all of four pitches, until reliever Mike Vasil could give up a single and two-run homerun, the latter to Leody Taveras, the #7 hitter; it was Taveras’s second homer in 123 at-bats. The 25-year old Vasil is on his fourth organization since December, by the way.
Andrew Vaughn singled to open the bottom of the ninth, but, being a very, very bad team, the Sox failed to score. Nothing says “train wreck” better than being 20 games under .500 going into Memorial Day weekend.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Dirty
With child #2, Clare is up all hours of the night. In a way, softball helped prepare her for that. Hit the road at 6 AM during the travel season, up past midnight for practice in college. God knows how long my daughter had been up when she walked into the kitchen this morning.
Wednesdays, we watch Maeve, grandchild #2. If 7:45 AM seemed a tad early for Grandpa, not so for mother and daughter. Luckily, they were both in a good mood, which probably had something to do with adequate amounts of sleep. Anyway, my daughter had just enough time to talk about the White Sox before she was out the door for a from-here-to-eternity commute to work in north-suburban Evanston.
“I know their record doesn’t show it, but at least this year they have people who look like they want to play,” she offered. Because her parents taught her well, Clare had an example in mind, rookie second baseman Chase Meidroth. “I don’t want to call him ‘scrappy’ but ‘dirty,’” by which I think she meant the usual condition of his uniform after the second inning.
Last night, Meidroth had two of his team’s seven hits and scored the only run…of the ballgame. Only run for the Sox you expect, but for the ballgame with just-signed journeyman Adrian Houser making his first start of the season—this after being released by the Triple-A Round Rock Express—that, you don’t expect. But a tip of the hat to Houser for throwing six shutout innings followed by three more from four Sox relievers. Cam Booser managed not to give up an eighth inning grand slam in back-to-back games and Jordan Leasure actually recorded a save. Oh, my.
As for Meidroth, he opened the bottom of the third with a single and then stole second base. He scored on a one-out single from Joshua Palacios. By then, his uniform was already dirty.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Me, Not Me
If I’m White Sox starter Travis Martin, I’m either throwing stuff in the dugout after leaving last night’s game with one out in the eighth inning or counting down the days to free agency. Heaping praise on my catcher for good pitch-calling wouldn’t factor into it.
But that’s what Martin did after going a career-high 7.1 innings. At the time of his exit, Martin had given up just one run on four hits and a walk. Of course, the Sox were down 1-0, but still, there was hope. I mean, a runner on first and one out. What could go wrong? Oh, right, Cam Booser could give up a walk and a single before tossing a big, fat cutter to Julio Rodriguez for a grand slam. Mariners 5 White Sox 1.
Martin has a 3.49 ERA to go with a 2-5 record. Sox starters have a 3.85 ERA, tied with the Astros and Giants for sixteenth best in baseball. They’re within striking distance of thirteenth, held by the Pirates with a 3.81 ERA. But the Pirates don’t hit, either. In fact, they’re last in all of baseball with 142 runs scored.
The Sox are sixteen better than that, but another one-run performance by the offense could put them behind the Rockies for second-to-last. Yup, that’s something to hang your cap on for a rebuild.
Me, I’m the manager, I’m ticked off and showing public displeasure, especially at my offense. New-Mickey Venable prefers rainbows and unicorns. He praised the “really good fastball” of Mariners’ starter Luis Castillo and mentioned “a couple of hard-hit balls early” by Sox hitters. [both quotes from today’s Tribune story online].
Me, I’m the team owner, I’d want to avoid a repeat of 2024 at all cost. But Jerry Reinsdorf..well, it’s hard to say exactly what Reinsdorf thinks because he doesn’t deign to talk to the media. Me, I take that as a message in itself.
Monday, May 19, 2025
Karma
The older I get, the more I tend to believe in reincarnation if for no other reason that it would explain my being a White Sox fan. I must’ve been very bad in a pervious life.
At 14-33 after yesterday’s 6-2 loss to the Cubs, this team is not one game better than last year’s disaster was after 47 games. In three games at Wrigley Field, the Sox scored all of eight runs, vs. the 26 they ever so generously provided the home team in their sweep of us. How the Rockies and Pirates have managed to score fewer runs than we have is a mystery to me.
This year’s team is supposed to be better defensively; you could’ve fooled me and most of the Western Hemisphere over the weekend. Yesterday, Brooks Baldwin dropped a ball that led to a run, and Luis Robert Jr. failed to catch a ball hit by Pete-Crow Armstrong that turned into a leadoff triple and the first run of the game. All weekend, Armstrong offered a master class on playing the outfield and hitting at the top of the order. But I doubt Robert was paying attention.
Last season, this kind of game would’ve generated all sorts of excuses from ex-manager Mickey Mouse. It’s no different this year. Manager New-Mickey Venable continued his habit of praising the other side—just like old Mickey did—while making excuses for his players. Mickey 2.0 told reporters after the game, “I think with the elements, that added a layer of plays, probably four or five, that left us leaving here feeling like we played worse than we probably did in most areas.” [quote in today’s Tribune] If those aren’t weasel words, I don’t know what are.
I promise to lead a better life from now on. I can’t go through this again in my next go-around.
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Explain Two Things to Me
First, what’s up with Sean Burke, and how are they going to fix it? Unless New-Mickey Venable and his staff are happy with a starting pitcher who walks five batters in 4.2 innings while giving up five earned runs in a 7-3 loss to the Cubs. Oh, and the rookie righthander needed 97 pitches to do it.
You either throw strikes or perish in baseball, a message that has to be sent fast and clear. Yesterday, neither catcher Edgar Quero nor pitching coach Ethan Katz was able to do that. And it doesn’t help to have Venable offer up one of his milquetoast observations, that “We’ve just got to get him back on track and competitive in the zone.” Ya think? Now, tell us exactly how you’re going to do that, New-Mickey.
While you’re at it, why don’t you call out your right fielder, Joshua Palacios, who did a middle-school impersonation yesterday of a major-league right fielder? What I don’t need is milquetoast gibber about the conditions at Wrigley Field and “Just one of those things where you’ve got to battle, do everything you can and hope you’re able to make plays.” [both quotes from today’s Tribune] Hope doesn’t get the ball caught, New-Mickey.
The second thing I’d like explained to me was Venable’s decision to pinch hit for Tim Elko in the ninth inning. Elko was 1-for-2 with a homerun and a walk. Why not see what he could do against right-hand reliever Porter Hodge? If anybody deserves to be lifted for a pinch hitter, it’s Luis Robert Jr. Unless the manager and his staff are OK with another 0-for-4 performance that included two strikeouts, that is.
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Sliding Back into…
Nothing cures delusions of progress like a 13-3 humiliation, which was what happened to the White Sox yesterday at Wrigley Field. Outside of Miguel Vargas going 4-for-4 with two homeruns, there was precious little evidence of a major league team at work.
And maybe starter Shane Smith, who gave up six runs in five innings and still saw his ERA go down to 2.05. In other words, somebody caused five unearned runs to score. That would be you, catcher Matt Thaiss.
In the bottom of the second, Thaiss had two chances to record outs at the plate; the first time he missed the tag, the second time he dropped the throw. Hold onto the ball and five runs don’t score. Not to harp, but if Edgar Quero is the or one of the catchers of the future, Thaiss really shouldn’t be spending all that much time behind the plate, especially with a .213 BA. But what do I know?
Me, I’m looking to build a bullpen and checking on any talent in the minors. Chris Getz, he’s looking for warm bodies. Four pitchers followed Smith, and not one of them was developed by the Sox. In fact two, Miguel Castro and Yoendrys Gomez, were acquired last week in separate transactions. Castro and Gomez allowed a combined five runs to score.
Chase Meidroth managed two hits, and Quero got one from the DH spot. On a day that saw three homeruns, Tim Elko sat so Thaiss could catch. New-Mickey Mouse is as New-Mickey Mouse does.
Friday, May 16, 2025
Tell Me Why
First off, why pitch Bryse Wilson and his 4.88 ERA if you want to sweep the Reds? If there’s some gibber answer about how well Wilson did in his previous start (five innings, one run against the Marlins), then why run out the lineup you did, New-Mickey Venable?
I mean the lineup with Jacob Amaya (.102 BA going into the game, .097 BA in 62 at-bats after going 0-for-3 on the day) starting but not Chase Meidroth, Tim Elko or Edgar Quero. News flash: Lenyn Sosa is not a first baseman.
Wilson went 5.1 innings, giving up seven earned runs on ten hits. Sox “hitters” managed three singles and a double in a 7-1 smackdown of a loss. Will it be any better today, against the Cubs in Wrigley Field? Well, Meidroth and Quero are slated to start, but not Elko. Yeah, we wouldn’t want a slugger getting his first look at the Friendly Confines, now would we?
Thursday, May 15, 2025
More, More, More
Last night in Cincinnati, Davis Martin took his cue from Jonathan Cannon the night before. Cannon threw six shutout innings on 96 pitches; Martin went 6.2 innings, giving up one earned run on 95 pitches. The White Sox spoil Pete Rose Night, topping the Reds 4-2.
Meanwhile, Andrew Vaughn must be channeling his inner Satchel Paige, who advised against looking back, unless you want to see something or somebody gaining on you. In Vaughn’s case, that would be first baseman Tim Elko. Vaughn has three RBIs in the four games Elko has played since being called up. Nothing like a little healthy competition.
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Like That
Last night, Jonathan Cannon threw five more pitches than Sean Burke did the day before, and it got him through six shutout innings. He would’ve won the game but for reliever Steven Wilson grooving a full-count, 82.5 mph blah of a sweeper to Elley De La Cruz to tie the game at one in the bottom of the ninth.
Fear not, because the Sox scored four in the tenth to win 5-1 over the Reds at Great American Ballpark. Chase Meidroth whacked a 1-2, shoulder-high fastball through the right side for a run-scoring single ahead of a three-run homer by Miguel Vargas. How odd to write that.
Supposedly, Vargas has “tweaked” his stance, something about where/how he holds the bat. Whatever. If it works, great. William James—look up “pragmatism,” in case you’re wondering—may have been the greatest hitting coach of them all.
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
The Good and Bad of It
On Sunday, White Sox rookie righthander Sean Burke gave up one run over four innings, which is a good thing. But to do that Burke needed to throw 91 pitches, and that, my friends, is a very bad thing.
I watched enough of the game to see that Burke had no idea where his pitches were going. How ironic that all the pitching gizmos teams use now for developing pitchers can’t help them with location. If I make a comment like that, you can pretty much guess what I’m going to say next—that young man needed a good talking-to.
And the people to do it should’ve been his catcher, his pitching coach and, maybe, his manager. A pitcher has to get into the mindset that he’s going to throw strikes. Catcher Matt Thaiss needed to get Burke there, even if it meant letting Burke call his own game. That message needed to be repeated by pitching coach Ethan Katz. Manager New-Mickey Venable would’ve been a last resort.
I will say this for Venable: He didn’t lose the game, and he didn’t burn his bullpen winning it. Venable actually had reliever Mike Vasil pitch three innings. If Venable makes more decisions like that, I may even give him his first name back.
Monday, May 12, 2025
Three's a Charm?
The White Sox blew it with Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets. Maybe they’ll hold onto Tim Elko.
The 26-year old rookie recorded his first major-league hit in the bottom of the sixth inning of yesterday’s game against the Marlins, a three-run homerun that proved the difference in a 4-2 win. We’ll save the insanity of Sean Burke needing to throw 91 pitches to get through four innings for another day.
Elko stands 6’3” and weighs a sculpted 250 pounds. He kind of swatted at a curveball from 2022 Cy Young award-winner Sandy Alcantara down in the zone in a way that reminded me of Mark McGwire, who stood two inches taller and weighed 35 pounds less. But I’m willing to bet Elko’s muscles, which allowed him to drive the ball 381 feet into the left-field stands, are not the science project that McGwire’s were.
One game does not a career make. But it gets one to dreaming…
Sunday, May 11, 2025
Pointless
A week ago today, Michele and I were walking up and down Montmartre, one of the nine hills of Paris, desperate not to lose sight of our guide. Let’s just say it was a very challenging 428 feet this way, then that; one crowded street, then another; right foot in, right foot out. At the end, we shook all about.
But at least our guide knew where she was going; the four-hour walk had a beginning, middle (with countless steps to the top, trust me) and end. With the White Sox, it’s more about walking in a meaningless circle.
Last night, they wasted six shutout innings from starter Shane Smith; talk about a find. Smith has a 2.08 ERA over eight starts spanning 43.1 innings. But this team doesn’t hit (as evidenced by their four hits total in a 3-1 defeat), and they have no real bullpen. Jordan Leasure picked up the loss. Wow, there’s a surprise.
The 2025 Sox under manager New-Mickey Venable have the same 11-29 record the 2024 team had under the original Mickey Mouse. Yes, the starting pitching is young and at times pretty good, with three more intriguing arms—Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz and Grant Taylor—putting up nice numbers at Double-A Birmingham. But winning depends on good pitching with at least a teeny assist from the offense. That’s not happening, and it doesn’t look like it will anytime soon.
These hitless blunders rank 27th out of 30 both in runs scored (135) and on-base percentage (.291). Their team batting average is a baseball-worst .214, and yet Marcus Thames stays employed as hitting coach.
Tim Elko went 0-for-3 last night, robbed of a run-scoring single in the seventh inning by Marlins’ second baseman Mario Sanoja. All I can do is hope Elko stays in the lineup and doesn’t panic. Oh, and stay as far away from Thames as possible.
The same goes for the other young Sox players, starting with Brooks Baldwin, Chase Meidroth and Edgar Quero. All three have shown flashes, though with Meidroth it comes with concerns he’s going to break down the way Nick Madrigal did. As for the one or two bats in the minors—Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery—take your time.
It's not like this team is going anywhere, except in circles.
Saturday, May 10, 2025
I Predict
Actually, I did almost two weeks ago, about the possibility of the Sox calling up slugging first baseman Tim Elko. Hitting .348 in Triple A didn’t hurt, and having Andrew Vaughn funking along at a .188 clip—including a homerun in last night’s 6-2 win over the Marlins—probably forced things, too. I just hope the guy can hit.
Promoting Elko to the major-league roster means someone has to go. I wonder if it’ll be Nick Maton, just recalled to take the spot of Andrew Benintendi. Maton is “hitting”.167 with four RBIs, stats which explain why the team outrighted him to Charlotte in late April. When he was called back up on Wednesday, manager New-Mickey Venable raved about Maton’s presence in the clubhouse.
I’m sure opposing pitchers feel pretty much the same way.
Friday, May 9, 2025
It's Official
It’s official—I’m back from Europe, and White Sox manager Will Venable is the new Mickey Mouse.
After 38 games played, the 2024 White Sox had a record of 10-28 on their way to a 121-loss season. The record of this year’s team? Yup, 10-28. The pitching’s better, the hitting’s worse. Again, hats off to Marcus Thames for being able to keep his job.
Yesterday, I got home from O’Hare in time to see the Hitless Blunders lose their fourth straight in Kansas City, 10-0 to the Royals. Starter Davis Martin gave up four runs in 4.1 innings on seven hits and a walk. Not a quality start.
Check that. Mickey Venable told reporters after the game that Davis “actually pitched OK, then in the fifth ran into some trouble trying to keep it close.” What does that even mean? Venable’s team was already down 2-0 when Davis gave up a walk and a single to start the fifth. The triple to Maikel Garcia came two outs later. Wait, there’s more.
The Blunders managed six hits on the day; that’s five shutouts and counting. But not to worry, New Mickey has a way out: We’ve just got to keep going. Just string as many quality at-bats together as we can. Leadoff guys in innings have done a good job. And just got to get consecutive good things to happen so we can score some runs.” [both quotes from story in today’s Tribune]
We just got to keep going through the chaff until we find someone who can manage.
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