Baseball is Back

 

April 7, 2022

After weeks of acrimonious negotiations, baseball finally has a collective bargaining agreement. The major disagreements between billionaire owners and millionaire players were about money. Baseball is a multi-billion dollar industry so there should plenty of money for both sides. After the previous agreement ran out the owners locked out the players and didn’t come to the negotiating table until a month later. I think all along owners wanted a late start where they could deduct money on a per game basis. They wanted the players to agree to 16 teams making the playoffs, getting TV money to broadcast mediocre teams. A 16 team playoff format dilutes the importance of the 162 game season. Thankfully the players countered and the owners accepted a 12 team format.

Last season the only chance the Sox would have had against the Astros, was home-field advantage. Outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert each played less than half a season. Catcher Yasmani Grandal, was the hottest hitter on the team when he got injured and missed a month. However, the most crucial injury was to catalyst shortstop Tim Anderson. He only played 123 games and was in and out all of September. Without these injuries, they probably would have had home field advantage.

So the key for the upcoming season is to stay healthy. Things were going smoothly this preseason and then the injury bug popped up. Reliever Garrett Crochet is going to have Tommy John surgery leaving Aaron Bummer as the only lefty in the bullpen. Lance Lynn has a knee injury that requires surgery and will out approximately 8 weeks. I expect Dylan Cease to have a break out year and Lucas Giolito can be very good. After that it’s a crapshoot. Dallas Keuchel needs to turn things around from his worst year and they need about 150 innings from Michael Kopech The Sox did sign free-agent reliever Kendall Graveman another link to all-star closer Liam Hendriks.

The White Sox have one of the best line-ups in baseball and score plenty of runs. They added one time all-star and contact hitter Josh Harrison to fill the hole at second base. The Sox traded reliever Craig Kimbrel for right fielder A.J. Pollock. I prefer seeing Andrew Vaughn playing right field. He is capable of having a monster season.

Cubs President Jed Hoyer said the Cubs have the resources to sign free agents. He signed mediocre pitcher Wade Miley, not exactly the monster move their fans were looking for. Hoyer then was able to persuade Marcus Stroman, one of the best free-agent pitchers available. Hoyer has to be commended for signing a 5-tool outfielder Seiya Suzuki from Japan. It may take some time but once he gets acclimated, he will a cornerstone of the rebuild. Suzuki will lay right field with Jason Heyward moving to center. It is time for the Cubs to eat his contract. They have to find out about 27 year olds Clint Frazier and Michael Hermosillo.

Second year players, first baseman Frank Schwindel and third baseman are both 29 years old. In only 328 at bats Wisdom hit 28 homers. He will probably hit at least 30 this year. Problem is, he struck out 187 times. Schwindel hit .342 with 13 homers 

The offense may put up runs but maybe not enough to cover pitching deficiencies. Kyle Hendricks had a few hiccups last year. He has to regain the form that made him elite. Marcus Stroman is an excellent number two.  Wade Miley was supposed but three but he is currently injured. I would venture to guess that next up are Alec Mills and Justin Steele. The Cubs will have to monitor Steele so as not to overwork him in his first year. In two years he will be their number one. Keegan Thompson may slide into Miley’s spot. This is much better than trotting out Jake Arrieta. The starters can be very good but the bullpen is full of questions. It will be a bullpen by committee with no definitive closer.