Tap the Brakes

In 2023, the 61-101 White Sox employed Yasmani Grandal (.234 BA and 33 RBIs in 363 at-bats); Seby Zavala (.155 and sixteen RBIs in 161 at-bats); and Korey Lee (.077 and three RBIs in 65 at-bats) behind the plate. Wait, there’s more, or less, depending how you look at things. In 2024, the 41-121 Sox used Lee (.210 and 37 RBIs in 377 at-bats); Martin Maldonado (.119 and eleven RBIs in 135 at-bats); and Chuckie Robinson (.129 with zero RBIs in 70 at-bats) to do the catching. Then, mercifully, things got better. Last season, rookies Kyle Teel (.273 with 35 RBIs in 253 at-bats) and Edgar Quero (.268 with 36 RBIs in 365 at-bats) did the bulk of the catching after the great Matt Thaiss experiment (.212 with eight RBIs in 85 at-bats) came to an end in late May. And now there are rumors Teel or Quero could be traded. What’s the rush? Once upon a time, the Sox had two young catchers in Earl Battey and Johnny Romano, only for Bill Veeck to trade both of them away so they could make nine All-Star teams between them elsewhere. Veeck thought it was a good idea to go with 35-year old Sherm Lollar as his primary catcher. Trade Teel or Quero too soon, and you risk a repeat of that kind of mistake. Figure out what you’re going to do at first and third base, first. Do Miguel Vargas and Lenyn Sosa stay or do they go, or do you keep one? For the first time in a long time, catching on the South Side is just fine. Hands off, I’d say.