2018 White Sox

[ILL in IA]

So as the season is officially over I'm pretty torn on how I feel about it all. Hitters in the minors I feel good about as long as they stay healthy. Moncada I don't know about now. I want to think Palka is a thing but could see him barely hit 200 next season too.

Anderson was the bright spot. Put a good line up around him and have him hit 20 hr and steal close to 30 bags, and that might be something. Most importantly, the glove looked great in the second half. LIke Hahn eluded to, with Anderson's glove coming on, and Madrigal coming up, Moncada may need to look at 3rd or a spot in the outfield.
Pitching as a whole I don't know what to think. The Kopech stuff still blows.

Countdown till pitchers and catchers report is on. Can't wait to see Eloy up after 2 weeks in the minors.

 

[Bailey]

So as the season is officially over I'm pretty torn on how I feel about it all.

Full disclosure; I fully checked out after the Kopech injury. It more or less torpedoed any chance that I would feel positive about the 2018 season, and I was pretty much hanging on by a thread at that point anyway.

Things I'm not worried about:
Moncada - somehow still, I think the tools come together to resemble some sort of an oft-thrilling/frustrating uber-talent in the vein of Jurickson Profar. Or, possibly best case, an Upton. It is maddening to watch a player so clearly need to acknowledge one small adjustment - widening the zone with 2 strikes and using your superhuman hand strength to extend an at bat.

Gio - Made tangible adjustments and saw results progress from Todd Ritchie to Jon Garland, before settling in the Gavin Floyd territory. Still believe in him as a #3 starter on a contender.

Things I'm worried about:
The farm - It's been a pretty rocky ride for nearly every top prospect bat not named Eloy. Robert's a baby but has the sort of durability issues that turn a lot of uber prospects into Jorge Soler. Collins has a hole in his swing. Rutherford's pop disappeared. Ditto for Madrigal, minus walks. Adolfo and Burger round out the top tier, and each battled career-shifting injuries.
Similar case for the arms not named Cease. Hansen is suddenly way too old for where's he's at in his development with absolutely nothing positive to draw from this season besides ostensibly steady health. Regarding Dunning, I've said before that history suggests once a UCL sustains damage, it's borderline naive to think Tommy John isn't inevitable. So big ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ there. Fulmer has diminished to borderline non-prospect and we all know what happened to Kopech. That rounds out our once lauded farm. Brutal, really.

Anyway, who's doing Spring Training? I'll probably mosey on down there for a long weekend.