A week ago, I questioned whether there were any players in Charlotte who could help the Chicago White Sox other than maybe a few pitchers.
Since then, however, the White Sox have won just a single game and the situation has grown dire. The season hangs on by a thread and it begs the question: is it time to throw caution to the wind and see if some assets in Charlotte can help address some of the Sox’ multiple issues?
One big problem is the lack of offense in the bottom third of the White Sox batting order with Sosa (.151), Colas (.211) and Andrus (.206).
Now, for the record, I’m very much on the Sosa and Colas bandwagons. If the White Sox are sellers at the trade deadline, I wouldn’t take these two young hitters out of the lineup for the rest of the season. Both are going to be solid major leaguers one day, but I’m not sure now is the time to let them earn their spurs.
The White Sox have stocked the Knights with several MLB veterans, especially outfielders, including Victor Reyes, Stephen Piscotty, Jake Marisnick, Billy Hamilton and Clint Frazier. The idea presumably is to hope one or more guys catch fire and provide a spark to the major-league squad.
And one of those guys, Victor Reyes, is indeed off to a strong start, leading the Knights in hitting (.293) and RBIs (18). His power numbers are down just a bit from where I thought they’d be, with just five doubles and three homers in 92 ABs. But he seems to be making solid contact.
No, Reyes might not move the needle much in Chicago, but he’d add a bit of depth to a lineup that sorely needs it.
Do The White Sox Also Need A “Glue Guy?”
It is hard to put a finger on it, but the White Sox team seems to lack passion, baseball IQ and plate discipline. I’m not sure exactly what the issue is, or more importantly how it can be fixed given that two very different managers, Tony La Russa and Pedro Grifol, can’t seem to get through to this squad.
But tell me if you think the White Sox need more players like this: high baseball IQ, solid fundamentals, good plate discipline, the ability to play multiple positions and can grind out at bats. The Knights have a guy like that and his name is Zach Remillard.
If the team needs a baserunner in a close game, he finds a way to get on base. If a baserunner needs to be advanced, he’s your guy. No one pushes himself harder, or cares more. He currently leads the Knights in walks (16) and OBP (.414).
Perhaps it is time to find out how Remillard’s game translates to the major leagues. If not now, when?
Meanwhile, the news that Davis Martin has been moved to the IL is poorly timed given the pitching issues in Chicago.
But the hottest arm in Charlotte right now is reliever Sammy Peralta. The 24-year-old lefty with the filthy change-up pitched four scoreless innings this week, including a three-inning, three-strikeout stint on Wednesday when he needed just 29 pitches, followed by a nine-pitch, two-strikeout inning on Sunday.
Adding Peralta, Remillard and Reyes to the roster is unlikely, of course, given that none are on the 40-man roster and the maneuvers required to get them on it would be gargantuan.
But it is food for thought because there’s nowhere else for the White Sox to turn except Charlotte.
I like the Remillard suggestion, especially if your description of his game is accurate. I’m under no illusions that the .890 OPS will translate to Chicago. But if he can be a fundamentally strong guy with some flexibility and a guy who can work counts, I’m interested in seeing what he can do. Maybe it’s worth giving him a look before Hanser finished his “rehab assignment.”
Waive Gonzalez and bring up Remillard. Send any number of relievers down and bring up Peralta. Next man up. Haseley deserves to stay and see what he can do but if he falters then bring up Reyes. I love how Hamilton plays but we have enough guys not getting on base. Send Colas down and bring up Frazier. I like Colas but he needs to get his bearings.
I’m tired of the Lopez-Bummer connection. Maybe once they get Crochet and Hendriks back the rest settle into place but if we’re not out of time yet then it’s very close.
I read that 23 of the next 26 are against division foes and the 3 games is the Reds. Time to make up some serious ground.
Neither Frazier nor Reyes are on the 40 man. Nor is Peralta.
That’s why I said there were cuts to be made like Gonzalez or Sheets. I’d like to see Sheets stay but…………………Pitching wise Foster and/or Diekman.
Your enthusiasm for Sosa is commendable but not shared. That’s 3 trips up without breaking .160.
That’s a little deceiving. His “3 trips up” total 88 AB’s. Given that he’s shown a propensity to struggle just after promotion only to really get it together after a bit, that’s a quick hook. With only 53 AB’s this season, I’d like to see the kid through June and let him get comfortable. There’s no one in the organization with more upside at 2B.
Well, depends if you see Ramos as a 2B, and if Chapellí can play 2B + his power-filled start to stateside ball is real, since that’s the major concern with his bat
I didn’t know that Chapelli was being considered as an IF prospect also. I thought the plan for Ramos was the heir to Moncada at 3b?
Some of the prospect writers think Colson Montgomery may ultimately be destined for 3B, so if they both pan out, it would be worth exploring some positional versatility to see if either he or Ramos could handle 2B.
That’s mostly been centered on, let’s see if he can maintain it at every level for SS. While there’s been chatter about him potentially moving to third, that’s a backup plan and so far, I believe the consensus is that he’s shown the skills to stay at SS. There’s never anything wrong with exploring versatility… Wait…. Except maybe Andrew Vaughn at 2b 🙂
I totally agree. I say let both Colas and Sosa play, unless they think it is hurting their confidence too much. They don’t have alternatives likely to be better than totally crappy anyway. I mean the season is toast, they can’t keep changing the roster every few games as if good players are magically going to wind up on the roster eventually.
They are going to have several players who suck. At least play the ones with a future. I’m not convinced that more AAA time benefits anybody within this organization, it’s not like there is a history of great coaching and development down there anyway.
Right now is still a high-pressure situation as the team tries to turn it around. Later in the season, if the team throw in the towel, Sosa can get called up for reps with the pressure off which could be better for him.
He always looks to struggle in his first 100 PA at a level, as he adjusts to that level. He is still not to 100 MLB PAs.
Remillard, Romy, Hanser etc are why most teams don’t give long-term guaranteed deals to players like Leury Garcia.
I am interested in seeing Remillard. (And this is from a guy who thinks Leury may have been a better bet to start the year than Hanser and Romy).
I don’t know what Hahn’s purpose is signing all those ex MLB outfielders because none can play in Chicago without someone being knocked off the 40 man. Is he stockpiling for trades? Is someone with a big contract going to be DFA’ed? What’s the plan? Is there a plan?
Gonzalez would be my first choice and then Sheets. Pitching wise I’d have no problem DFAing Diekman or Foster. I don’t know the rules on Foster being injured and all but the dudes time has passed. So has Diekman’s.
Foster is already on the 60-day IL, so he doesn’t count against the 40 man limit.
Ok, thanks.
They should bring Zach Remillard up. This team has been horrible and anyone on the team offended by a shakeup is insane.
roster flexibility wont be much of a problem by june/july with the pace the sox are on, in the short term I think remillard for romy would be a good swap out, and with anderson due back I imagine Sosa goes back to AAA he still has a lot to work on with his swing
I agree, a lot of players to move before they can do anything significant. Hopefully Getz or someone not named Hahn is assessing the value of their MLB roster against the teams looking to deal. If the Sox are willing to eat a lot of salary, there are many teams with top farm talent in contention. A lot of low cost operations who will need arms and bats: TB/BAL/PIT/MIL. Should be a good market for the White Sox fire sale.
Hopefully the someone evaluating is outside this dumpster fire organization, not someone who’s led and up-and-down awful player development operatoin.
Their minor leagues are ranked 26th, the answers they need are not down there. It’s all musical chairs of completely inadequate players, like we’ve seen for an utterly stupid amount of time.
They need to get at least a couple of good prospects via trade before the deadline. Grandal/Giolito would both have value to somebody, among those who are soonest to leave. Start shopping them now. Esp Grandal, before he hits the DL.
I have been clamoring for at least a weel that the White Sox FO should give Remillard a chance.
Take a number. I kept asking why Haseley wasn’t being given a chance since last year.
That too. I mean, Romy’s presence has 0 justification. Almost anybody else would be an improvement.
He hurt Mendick, that is why he lost chances.
Not really true, he wasn’t getting chances before that. TLR had him gathering dust on the bench. And speaking to that, the collision happened due to lack of supposed communication, yet Roberts continued lack of communication hasn’t cost him one iota.
They also kept Haseley and let Mendick walk.
I think that had more to do with Mendick coming off ACL surgery than anything else. I thought it was a mistake to let him go.
Not expecting help from the guys who weren’t deemed good enough to make the worst Sox team since the Dewey Beats Truman headline.
That implies meritocracy and there isn’t one in baseball. High draft picks and FA’s get preferential treatment and more looks, it’s simply the way it is. Scouts, Mgrs, FO staff, owners, all have reputations and egos and they get in the way of “deemed good enough” everyday.
I guess I’m the only guy that doesn’t want to see Remillard. Romy should get sent down when TA comes back. At that point Andrus is the infield utility guy, and I don’t think they really need Alberto or anyone else. I think they need to commit to giving Sosa 200 AB’s or so before they think about sending him down.
How the team handles Sosa might be a good gauge of their expectations going forward. If the FO still believes the season is salvageable, they can’t continue to rely on players with sub-.200 OBPs, even if that means rostering Remillard.
But if they see the writing on the wall then I agree, no use throwing the towel in on the org’s most viable 2B prospect.
It sounds like the former. Jim’s other article has Fegan reporting that Sosa was seen packing his bags.
I don’t think anyone here wants to see Remillard. I think the question is more like, “which player do you not want to see least?” I’d rather see neither, but I’d prefer Remillard over Alberto, at least for a few weeks.