Garrett Crochet (Creative Commons: Photo by Baumology)
Despite overwhelming odds, the Chicago White Sox still have a shot at losing more games than that gold standard for bad baseball, the 1962 Mets. But because I’m such an optimistic guy and I have an indomitable spirit as evidenced by the fact I still root for Chicago sports teams; I will look for reasons for hope.
Even though the odds are near impossible of me finding something.
After squinting really hard, and turning over every rock, here are some things I came up with:
Maybe Jerry Reinsdorf has a sense of shame
The White Sox have dropped ticket prices for the upcoming 2025 season. At least that’s an acknowledgement of the on-field atrocities. Recognizing there’s a problem is a start. However, I’m afraid Jerry can’t recognize he’s the problem. Plus, with reduced ticket prices, Jerry might blame a terrible team on a lack of revenue.
Pedro Grifol is no longer the manager
While Pedro might be a nice guy, he was clearly in over his head as White Sox manager. His in-game decisions, as well as his leadership was questionable. The Sox have been a rudderless ship for a long time now.
The Sox’ starting pitching is legit
And that’s a great place to start. If Garrett Crochet is durable, they have an ace. Jonathan Cannon and Drew Thorpe have also had their moments with the White Sox. In addition, the Sox have highly regarded prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith waiting in the wings. Both are hard throwing lefties.
Luis Robert Jr. can’t be this bad, can he?
Sure, Robert Jr. missed a chunk of this season with an injury, but he has to be better than a .209 hitter with an OPS of .682. I suspect a fresh start, and a new manager cold make a huge difference with this guy.
Edgar Quero may be the best bat in system
Quero is a 21-year-old switch hitting catcher currently in AAA. No, not the auto club. He’s currently hitting .313 in Charlotte and has hit 16 home runs combined in AA and AAA. If he has the defensive chops to play behind the plate, he could be ultra valuable.
There is hope for other guys in the lineup.
Andrew Benintendi used to be a decent MLB player. He has been one again lately. Rookie middle infielder Brooks Baldwin may yet to be a decent hitter. His defensive metrics rate him as a good defensive player, though the eye test isn’t as kind.
The bullpen has been an absolute atrocity
So, how is that a silver lining? Because the chances of the bullpen being this bad are slim. Bullpens are probably the most volatile unit of a baseball team. Their success is also somewhat random. I would think the Sox pen should be better next season, even if it’s almost by accident.
The White Sox record is even worse than it should be
Various formulas indicate the Sox record should be 5-10 games better than it is. Part of this might be the Grifol Effect. That effect won’t be present next season.
