Jose Quintana is finally going to an All-Star Game. Along with most of you reading this, I think he should’ve been chosen as one of the initial crop of five starters, but a nice thing about the ballooning of All-Star rosters is that it has decreased the likelihood that guys who really deserve to make […]
Author: Frank Firke
Skepticism about the White Sox process
One of the things you hear all the time in baseball analysis, especially from people who think of themselves as “data-driven” or “analytical,” is that the appropriate way to judge people and decisions is on the process, not the results. Smart moves don’t always pay off, and bad ones turn out just fine sometimes, so […]
An (Art) Historical Perspective on the White Sox Season to Date
Imagine that, for whatever reason, someone lined up a number of famous artists, living or dead, and asked them to represent the 2016 baseball season. Andy Warhol might make a silkscreen of a dozen Noah Syndergaards. Caravaggio, with his penchant for depicting dramatic scenes with intense lighting, would probably paint a high-leverage at-bat from a […]
Todd Frazier’s bid to lead the White Sox in more than just home runs
When Todd Frazier was acquired, what was expected was that he’d provide power and good defense at third base. With an MLB-leading 17 home runs, he’s certainly delivered on the first part; his defense hasn’t been quite as good as in years past, but it certainly hasn’t been bad. He hasn’t done things in exactly […]
What’s the Precedent for Releasing John Danks?
In light of his gophertastic start on Thursday, there was a general consensus among White Sox fans on Twitter (and on this site) that John Danks’ left shoulder has finally run out of useful bullets, and so its owner needs to go. Given that Danks is due a prorated $15.75 million for the rest of […]
LaRoche’s retirement lays bare White Sox need for bats
Per WARP, the White Sox were at or below replacement level at three positions last year: 2B (-1.6 WARP), 3B (-0.8), and DH (0.0).* This year, PECOTA (before Adam LaRoche’s unexpected retirement) projects a WARP total of 1.9 at 2B, 2.3 at 3B, and 1.9 at DH.** Acquiring Brett Lawrie and Todd Frazier filled the […]