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3 PECOTA, flubota – Cubs are still among the best teams in baseball CHICAGO – I understand the value of sabermetrics and advanced data in Major League Baseball today. It can be very helpful. But when it comes to using those metrics to predict the performance of an entire team over a full season, while metrics like PECOTA may be great fodder for sports talk radio or a gabfest around the water cooler, their accuracy is beyond suspect. So for all of you Cubs fans out there who lost your lunch or worse when you heard this year’s Baseball Prospectus PECOTA projections suggest the Cubs will win 79 or 80 games and finish last in the NL Central, take a deep breath, grab yourself a Budweiser and let’s relax. Bottom line, in 2018 Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections had 96 wins for the Boston Red Sox (won 108), 65 wins for Tampa Bay (90), 80 wins for the Oakland A’s (97) and 84 wins for the Brewers (95). PECOTA predictions for other
Cole Hamels is also 35, but his 2.30 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 2.5 WAR with the Cubs were the best numbers of his 13-year career. teams were more accurate, Kyle Hendricks has been but I think you get the a Cy Young candidate and point. still hasn’t peaked, Jose Baseball is played on Quintana at 30 is also still fresh cut grass and dirt, in his prime and approachnot computers, and from ing his ceiling, and if Yu top to bottom this year’s HUB ARKUSH Darvish is healthy and reCubs are once again as or EXECUTIVE EDITOR verts to form it is extrememore talented as any team @Hub_Arkush ly defensible to project the in the National League. Cubs with the best starting pitching Last year’s Cubs lost 429 days to in baseball. the disabled list from Yu Darvish Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and (138), Brandon Morrow (83), Kris BryJavier Baez all are legitimate MVP ant (54), Brian Duensing (46), Carl Edcandidates. Which other NL Central wards (38), Jason Heyward (28), Mike team can match that trio? Montgomery (14), Addison Russell Jason Heyward is the best defen(11), Anthony Rizzo (9) and Ben Zosive outfielder in baseball, and he, brist (8), plus another 468 days from Baez, Rizzo and Albert Almora give lesser players. the Cubs four solid Gold Glove candiThey still tied the Brewers for the dates who could be joined by catcher most wins in the National League Willson Contreras. with 95. Most intriguingly, Bryant, Baez, Yes, John Lester is 35, but last year Contreras, Kyle Schwarber, Almora, was his second-best of his four as a Ian Happ and the troubled Russell are Cub with 18 wins – the third-highest all just approaching their primes. total of his 13-year career – and a 3.32 Even Zobrist, with 13 big-league ERA.
seasons under his belt at at 37, is coming off a fantastic bounce-back year in which he complied a career-best .305 batting average and third-best .377 OBP. The back end of the bullpen is a huge question mark, no doubt about it, but all the arms leading up to it could form one of the best ‘pens in baseball, as it was last year. The coaching staff has been retooled and is an unknown, and I am not a fan of Joe Maddon the game manager. But I am a huge fan of Joe Maddon the team manager, with a ring and the best record in baseball over the past four seasons to his credit. On top of all that, is it fair to say that President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein and General Manager Jed Hoyer have more than earned the benefit of the doubt? Be doubters, naysayers and glasshalf-empty folks if you must, but from where I sit, I just can’t see how we’re looking at anything but another MLB title contender and great year of baseball on the North side. And that’s before we’ve even had our second Bud!
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4 Entering the last year of his contract at age 37, Ben Zobrist says he and his teammates are eager to make the most of the 2019 season. AP PHOTO
Cubs’ focus in 2019:
URGENCY
AP PHOTO
5 CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
Theo Epstein
Joe Maddon, left, and Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo AP PHOTOS
Cubs enter season looking to prove they’re still MLB elite By
Bruce Miles DAILY HERALD
@BruceMiles2112
It seems like only yesterday Cubs President Theo Epstein and General Manager Jed Hoyer were scrounging through the shelves of a Publix grocery store trying to find a suitable bottle of wine with which to woo Joe Maddon to be their manager. They found a cheap bottle, but it was good enough to get Maddon to Chicago on a five-year contract. The rest is Cubs history, as Maddon helped to change the clubhouse culture that led the Cubs to four
straight postseason appearances and their first World Series title in 108 years, in 2016. Now entering the final season of his contract, Maddon finds himself on the hot seat, and Cubs players themselves have been put on notice that there is a new urgency, that it’s time to focus on production over potential as the 2019 season beckons. Stung by last year’s late-season collapse, which saw the Cubs win 95 games but lose Game 163 of the regular season to the National League Central champion Brewers and the wildcard playoff game to the Rockies, Epstein has put everybody on notice. Call it the new urgency. Maddon and his players seem accepting.
“For me, urgency is about present tense,” the manager said at the Cubs’ spring training headquarters in Mesa, Arizona. “We talk about that all the time. It’s one of those, ‘You can’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today’ kind of things. When you lack a sense of urgency, you’re kind of OK with the thought or the theory that, ‘This may occur tomorrow, and I don’t really have to push for today.’ “I think it really emanates from that thought. So when you talk about a sense of urgency, to me, that’s really what we talk about all the time. That’s, ‘You’ve got to stay in the present tense. Today counts. Every day counts. Every moment matters.’ “Whenever you get away from that moment, you can be accused of lacking a sense of urgency. But I just want to continue to really promote now.” Maddon had T-shirts with “Own It Now” printed, and the Cubs are run-
ning with that as their theme for 2019. In other words, there is no time like the present. “That’s what the ‘Own It Now’ situation is,” he said. “That is all about this moment we’re talking right here.” The Cubs largely stood pat in the off-season, making no significant changes to their roster while other teams in the NL Central seemingly improved. For the Cubs, who had been active in big-money acquisitions in previous years, that meant sitting out the bidding for free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. That has led to some grim predictions, such as Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA system having the Cubs at around 80 victories. There are some legit questions about the Cubs. They will be without closer Brandon Morrow for perhaps the first month of the season as he recovers from an elbow cleanup last (Continued on Page 6)
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
6 (Continued from Page 5) fall. Starting shortstop Addison Russell will begin the season on the suspended list for violating Major League Baseball’s policy on domestic violence, but the Cubs actually will be better off at short with Javier Baez. The so-called smart money is on the Brewers to repeat in the Central, with the Cardinals hanging tough and the Reds being much improved. That might provide a little extra motivation — as if the Cubs need any more — but it seems most in Cubs camp weren’t paying it much attention. “You’re always looking for motivation, the stuff, the bulletin-board (material),” Maddon said. “Again, it’s really entertaining stuff. There’s so much content necessary to fill all the hours in the day anymore, so people start writing things like that. If somebody enjoys it, that’s fine.” Veteran infielder-outfielder Ben Zobrist, MVP of the 2016 World Series, echoed his boss’ sentiments. “It’s good motivation, bulletin-board material for us,” he said. “I think it will be something we’ll use for our benefit.” But the 37-year-old Zobrist has been around the basepaths a few times and the clock is ticking on his own career. So he knows “urgency” when he sees is or hears about it from Maddon, Epstein
You’ve got to stay in the present tense. Today counts. Every day counts. Every moment matters. That’s what the ‘Own It Now’ situation is. That is all about this moment we’re talking right here.” Joe Maddon, General Manager and Hoyer. “Everybody feels excited to just move beyond where we’ve been, even beyond the last few years and kind of take the next step in progression as far as the organization goes, get back to the top of that mountain,” he said. “I think everybody, without looking back too much, ... recognized immediately in the off-season there was a lot of work to be done and we believe that everybody’s kind of dedicated themselves to that end, and we’re going to get out there and get after it. “We can’t wait to prove that we can be back there again.”
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Managing millennials no problem for Cubs skipper BRUCE MILES
It’s like any other group. You get to know people. You treat people well. You treat people with respect, and it all turns out.”
bmiles@dailyherald.com Whether millennials are familiar with the word “groovy” or not is a story for another day. But Cubs manager Joe Maddon is familiar with millennials, and he says he knows how to manage them. Over the winter, Maddon said he had been reading the book, “Managing Millennials for Dummies.” How did he find it? “It’s very groovy,” he said during spring training. “I figured out I’ve got a millennial baseball mind. I was born around 1981. So I think I understand where they’re coming from. It’s been great. It’s really been wonderful.” Maddon is one of the most progressive-thinking managers in the game, and even at 65, he seems to relate well to millennials and other young people. Nevertheless, Maddon sought to brush up on his skills as he and the Cubs face pressure to get back to the postseason in 2019. By being “born around 1981,” Maddon was talking about his coaching and managerial career, which began in the Angels system.
Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs Manager AP Photo
Cubs manager Joe Maddon Maddon said he has learned one thing about millennials, a generation generally defined as people born between 1981 and ‘96. “They’re no different from anybody else,” he said. “Other stuff regarding personality traits, which, a lot of them can be derogatory when you read people’s descriptions about millennials, I don’t buy into that stuff. It’s a technological group. They like to communicate via cellphones, emails, texts. Fine. I do, too. “It’s like any other group. You get to know people. You treat people well. You treat people with respect, and it all turns out.”
That doesn’t mean Maddon hasn’t had to make adjustments in the way he does things. “Probably the biggest, and it’s really not a bad method for any generation, I’m not really into meetings all that much,” he said. “But when you have to, it’s like jabs. What we try to do in these meetings is keep them short. Get to the point. Move on. “I think that’s a good method regardless. Any time anybody has to have a meeting with the guys, I encourage them to keep it short, to get to the point. That’s probably one of the main takeaways.” He also has learned a few things about himself along the way, particularly in the way he consumes informa-
tion and data. It’s much like his players consume it. “My biggest takeaway is to understand the ability to concentrate, which we all lack these days,” he said. “I don’t even read books anymore. I read blurbs. I read all the time, but I’m reading blurbs. The speed of information and the way we process information is sped up so much that we don’t want to take time to read, even a full article.” That’s not something Maddon necessarily likes. “I’m into a lot of different things right now, so I’m disappointed in myself for not reading books,” he said. “But I’m reading all the time. It used to be that I read novels all the time. Now I’m reading blurbs. I read snippets. I think that’s part of where we’re at. “When we interact, we want it to happen quickly. I think that’s part of where this group is at. So I understand that. “So my job is to present information clearly, quickly and get to the point and move on to the next thing. If you do that, you have your best opportunity to communicate with this group. Not a bad way.”
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CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
ROAR DOWN THE TRACKS ON THE
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
10
2019 CUBS PLAYER PROFILES
Willson Contreras #40
Anthony Rizzo #44
Javier Baez #9
Addison Russell #27
CATCHER AGE: 26 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 210 | THW: R | BAT: R
FIRST BASE AGE: 29 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 240 | THW: L | BAT: L
SECOND BASE/SHORTSTOP AGE: 26 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 190 | THW: R | BAT: R
SHORTSTOP AGE: 25 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 200 | THW: R | BAT: R
After a disappointing August and a downright awful September, it’s easy to forget that Contreras made his first All-Star appearance in 2018. With the Cubs front office mostly standing pat this offseason, it signaled a hope that some of its struggling young players would revert to previous heights at the plate. Contreras is one such player the Cubs need to see improvement from.
Rizzo put together his fourth 100RBI season in a row despite hitting .149 with a home run and nine RBIs in April. He also won his second Gold Glove at first base. At 29, the Cubs’ slugger is in his prime and could be poised for another big season. He has clubbed 20 or more home runs in each of the past six seasons.
How does Javier Baez follow up 2018, when he finished second in NL MVP voting? That’s something every Cubs fan is keeping an eye on. Baez was electric and downright fun both with the bat and with the glove. Yes, he still struck out a career-high 167 times, but when he makes contact, good things happen for the Cubs.
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 153 566 | 74 25 101 | 6 | .283 .376 .470
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 160 606 | 101 34 111 | 21 | .290 .326 .554
The shortstop is suspended through April for violating MLB’s domestic abuse policy. Russell has not matched his 2016 season (when he hit 21 home runs and drove in 95 runs) in either of the past two years. He is one of the hitters the Cubs hope to see improvement from at the plate. His glove is good enough to keep him in the lineup.
David Bote #13
Kris Bryant #17
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 1 38 474 | 50 10 54 | 4 | .249 .349 .450
Victor Caratini #7
INFIELD AGE: 29 | HT: 5-11 | WT: 180 | THW: R | BAT: L
THIRD BASE AGE: 27 | HT: 6-5 | WT: 215 | THW: R | BAT: R
Caratini returns to the backup catcher role in 2019, where his time will be limited as long as Willson Contreras is healthy. Still, Maddon likes to give his catchers ample days off during the course of the year, so Caratini should have his share of chances to start behind home plate. Caratini hit .232 last season, driving in 21 runs.
The feel-good story of the 2018 Cubs returns and will be fighting for playing time with Kris Bryant expected back in the lineup. Bote, virtually unknown before 2018, seemed to rise to every occasion last season, notably with a walkoff grand slam against the Nationals in August. He played every infield position at one point or another and will look to fill in wherever he can in 2019.
The Cubs missed Bryant’s bat in the lineup for stretches last season while he nursed a shoulder injury. If the third baseman is healthy, his power numbers should improve over last season’s 13 home runs and 52 RBIs. The Cubs were not in the free agent mix for Bryant’s buddy, former NL MVP Bryce Harper, but the Cubs are banking on their own former MVP returning to form.
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 76 200 | 21 2 21 | 0 | .232 .293 .304
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 74 184 | 23 6 33 | 3 | .239 .319 .408
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 102 389 | 59 13 52 | 2 | .272 .374 .460
CATCHER AGE: 25 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 205 | THW: R | BAT: S
Yu Darvish
AP PHOTO
Addison Russell
AP PHOTO
Ben Zobrist
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 130 420 | 52 5 38 | 4 | .250 .317 .340
Ben Zobrist #18
INFIELD/OUTFIELD AGE: 37 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 210 | THW: R | BAT: SH
Zobrist’s four-year contract, which ends after this season, has been worth every penny for the Cubs. In 2018, he hit over .300 for the first time in his 13-year career. He will turn 38 years old this season, but still proves valuable in almost any position Maddon asks him to play. The Cubs hope Zobrist can keep defying the odds for at least one more year.
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 139 455 | 67 9 58 | 3 | .305 .378 .440
AP PHOTO
11 Jason Heyward #22
Tyler Chatwood #21
Kyle Hendricks #28
OUTFIELD AGE: 24 | HT: 6-2 | WT: 190 | THW: R | BAT: R
OUTFIELD AGE: 29 | HT: 6-5 | WT: 240 | THW: L | BAT: L
STARTING/RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 29 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 185 | THW: R | BAT: R
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 29 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 190 | THW: R | BAT: R
Fans like to complain when Almora’s not in the lineup, but he wound up playing in 152 games in 2018, hitting .286 along the way. If that’s not enough to be considered an “everyday player,” what is? Maddon said this spring that he believes Almora is poised for a big year. He’s out to prove that he can hit right-handed pitching. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 152 444 | 62 5 41 | 1 | .286 .323 .378
Last season was Heyward’s best offensively in a Cubs uniform. So long as he remains the Cubs’ best defensive outfielder, Heyward will continue to start. The five-time Gold Glove winner was just productive enough at the plate to silence some fans’ complaints. At this point, it’s probably too much to ever expect him to match his 27-homer season in 2012. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 127 440 | 67 8 57 | 4 | .270 .335 .395
Now in the second year of a threeyear, $38 million deal, Chatwood knows he has to earn his innings. The righty starter led MLB with 95 walks allowed in 1032/3 innings in 2018. Still, he is in the mix in the bullpen, and he could be a candidate to start games if needed. His stuff has always been there – it’s just a matter of locating it. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 24 20 | 4 6 0 | 103.2 | 85 5.30 1.80
A minor mechanical issue earlier in the season resulted in a rough June for Hendricks last season. Still, he righted the ship and led the Cubs with a career high 199 innings pitched, while compiling a 1.79 ERA in September. If Hendricks can pick up where he left off at the end of last season, he’ll be in good shape in 2019. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 33 33 | 14 11 0 | 199.0 | 161 3.44 1.15
Yu Darvish #11
Jon Lester #34
Ian Happ #8
OUTFIELD / SECOND BASE AGE: 24 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 205 | THW: R | BAT: SH
Don’t be surprised to see Happ at second base again, where he started 28 games in 2017. With Daniel Murphy gone and Addison Russell suspended through April, the 24-year-old Happ sees an opportunity. A bounce-back season at the plate wouldn’t hurt either. Happ hit .233 last season and led the Cubs in strikeouts (with 167, also matched by Javier Baez). 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 142 387 | 56 15 44 | 8 | .233 .353 .408
Kyle Schwarber #12
OUTFIELD AGE: 26 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 235 | THW: R | BAT: L
Schwarber’s walk rate and batting average both rose in 2018 and he put together his best defensive season in left field so far. The slugger can no doubt still hit home runs, particularly against righties. Of his 26 homers in 2018, 25 came against right-handed pitching. Anytime a righty takes the mound, expect to see Schwarber in the lineup. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 137 428 | 64 26 61 | 4 | .238 .356 .467
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 32 | HT: 6-5 | WT: 220 | THW: R | BAT: SH
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 35 | HT: 6-4 | WT: 240 | THW: L | BAT: L
If Darvish returns this season and is anywhere near his old self, it could make a huge difference for the Cubs’ rotation. His 2019 season couldn’t be much more disappointing than 2018: eight starts with an ERA near five. He appears to be healthy this spring – hitting 96 on the radar gun – after injuries to his elbow and tricep derailed 2018. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 8 8 | 1 3 0 | 40.0 | 49 4.95 1.43
Lester isn’t interested in hearing about PECOTA win projections, pitch clocks or how pitchers decline in their 30s. The 35-year-old has started 32 games each of his four seasons in a Cubs uniform. He has logged 180 innings or more in each of those seasons. and grown his reputation as a big-game pitcher in the postseason. The Cubs need that to continue in 2019. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 32 32 | 18 6 0 | 181.2 | 149 3.32 1.31
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CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
Albert Almora Jr. #5
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
12 José Quintana #62
Cole Hamels #35
Mike Montgomery #38
Pedro Strop #46
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 30 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 220 | THW: L | BAT: R
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 35 | HT: 6-4 | WT: 205 | THW: L | BAT: L
STARTING/RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 29 | HT: 6-5 | WT: 215 | THW: L | BAT: L
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 33 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 220 | THW: R | BAT: R
Quintana’s 2018 season was up-anddown. He walked more hitters than ever in his seven-year big league career and his strikeout-to-walk ratio was the lowest it had been since his rookie season. Still, he remains durable, with at least 32 starts in six consecutive seasons. He can certainly log innings and keep the Cubs in ballgames 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 32 32 | 13 11 0 | 174.1 | 158 4.03 1.32
The Cubs were quick to pick up the $20 million option on Hamels’ contract almost as soon as the offseason began last fall. After the Cubs acquired him mid-season from the Texas Rangers, Hamels was one of the most consistent starting pitchers down the stretch last season. In 761/3 innings in a Cubs uniform, he struck out 74 hitters and had a WHIP of 1.10. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 32 32 | 9 12 0 | 190.2 | 188 3.78 1.26
The Cubs’ do-everything lefty had a slow start to spring training while nursing shoulder stiffness. Montgomery proved a valuable asset last season, filling in for numerous starts with Yu Darvish injured and Tyler Chatwood struggling. If the starting rotation can stay healthy and Montgomery returns to the bullpen, he should provide a reliable boost. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 38 19 | 5 6 0 | 124.0 | 86 3.99 1.37
Strop had a career year last season, which is saying something for a righty reliever who has had an ERA below three in five consecutive seasons. His 2.26 ERA was his lowest in four years. Strop will vie for the closer’s role while Brandon Morrow is out. Strop proved capable a year ago, saving 13 games in Morrow’s absence. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 60 0 | 6 1 0 | 59.2 | 57 2.26 0.99
Carl Edwards #6
Brandon Morrow #15
Steve Cishek #41
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 29 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 185 | THW: R | BAT: R
The lanky righty appeared in a whopping 80 games in 2018, completing 70 1/3 innings. He was one of Maddon’s most valuable weapons out of the bullpen, and Maddon used him accordingly. Right-handed batters hit .165 against Cishek last season. Lefties didn’t fare much better at .218. Cishek rarely walked hitters and surrendered only five home runs those 70-plus innings. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 80 0 | 4 3 4 | 70.1 | 78 2.18 1.04
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 27 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 170 | THW: R | BAT: R
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 34 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 205 | THW: R | BAT: R
The wiry right-hander was streaky in 2018. When he was on, he was on. When he wasn’t, Cubs fans were quick to voice their displeasure. At his worst, Edwards walked 12 of the 38 hitters he faced in September. He has added a pause to his delivery (similar to Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen), which Edwards believes will help him find the strike zone more consistently. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 58 0 | 3 2 0 | 52.0 | 67 2.60 1.31
The biggest question mark in the bullpen is the $9-million-a-year closer, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his elbow and will be out until May. The Cubs doled out big bucks for Morrow last year, and for half of the season, it paid off. The club is hoping he can return to form as a pitcher who converted 22 of 24 save attempts before going down to injury. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 35 0 | 0 0 22 | 30.2 | 31 1.47 1.08
Brandon Kintzler #20
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 34 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 194 | THW: R | BAT: R
A mid-season acquisition from Washington, Kintzler struggled in a Cubs uniform after coming over from the Nationals (14 earned runs in 18 innings). Still, he was a 2017 All-Star and the Cubs hope he can get back to that level. A former 40th-round draft pick who has been doubted every step of the way and traded in each of the past two seasons, Kintzler isn’t going to back away from a challenge. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 70 0 | 3 3 2 | 60.2 | 43 4.60 1.47
Welington Castillo #21
Tim Anderson #7
Yoan Moncada #10
Yolmer Sanchez #5
CATCHER AGE: 31 | HT: 5-10 | WT: 220 | THW: R | BAT: R
SHORTSTOP AGE: 25 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 185 | THW: R | BAT: R
SECOND/THIRD BASE AGE: 23 | HT: 6-2 | WT: 205 | THW: R | BAT: S
SECOND /THIRD BASE AGE: 26 | HT: 5-11 | WT: 185 | THW: R | BAT: S
Castillo inked a two-year contract with the Sox last offseason, but didn’t make it through May before getting suspended 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance. Injuries meant the veteran catcher wasn’t particularly effective even when in the lineup. Castillo finished 2018 with only six home runs and 15 RBIs in 49 games. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 49 170 | 17 6 15 | 1 | .259 .304 .406
Anderson appeared to finally be getting a handle on the strike zone during the first half of 2018. But he drew just seven walks over his final 77 games to finish with a .281 onbase percentage. With 20 homers and 26 stolen bases, Anderson’s upside remains tantalizing, but his chance to reach his full potential is declining. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 153 567 | 77 20 64 | 26 | .240 .281 .406
There are reasons to be optimistic about Moncada, including the former top prospect’s walk rate, exit velocity and overall defense. Strikeouts, however, are becoming a concern the Sox hope will improve with a move to third base. Moncada has the tools, but will have a hard time reaching his potential if his strikeout rate continues to be north of 30 percent. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 149 578 | 73 17 61 | 12 | .235 .315 .400
There isn’t anything that really stands out in his game, but there’s something to be said for Sanchez’s versatility and reliability on a roster full of question marks. Sanchez split time between second and third base in 2017, then started 139 games at third last season. He could settle in at second base this year with the Sox testing out Moncada at third this spring. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 155 600 | 62 8 55 | 14 | .242 .306 .372
James McCann #33
Jose Abreu #79
Yonder Alonso #17
Nick Madrigal #92
CATCHER AGE: 28 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 225 | THW: R | BAT: R
FIRST BASE AGE: 32 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 255 | THW: R | BAT: R
The Sox were rumored to be interested in catching upgrades this winter – even making an offer to Yasmani Grandal – but they ended up with McCann, who spent his first five seasons in the majors with the Detroit Tigers. He likely will see limited action if Castillo remains healthy and could lose his spot if Zack Collins or Seby Zavala are deemed ready. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 118 427 | 31 8 39 | 0 | .220 .267 .314
Abreu’s streak of four straight seasons with at least 25 homers and 100 RBIs ended in 2018 after emergency groin surgery followed by a hospital stay for an unrelated infection limited him to 125 games. Abreu’s average also fell to .265, but his .295 BABIP – more than 30 points below than his career average – likely means the dip was more a matter of bad luck. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 128 499 | 68 22 78 | 2 | .265 .325 .473
FIRST BASE AGE: 31 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 230 | THW: R | BAT: L
SHORTSTOP AGE: 22 | HT: 5-7 | WT: 165 | THW: R | BAT: R
Known to White Sox fans as Manny Machado’s brother-in-law, Alonso arrived in Chicago this winter via trade with the Cleveland Indians. He had never hit more than nine home runs in a season before 2017, but clubbed 28 that year and followed it up with 23 last season. Alonso and Abreu should split time at first base and designated hitter. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 145 516 | 64 23 83 | 0 | .250 .317 .421
The No. 4 overall pick in last summer’s draft, Madrigal won’t make the trip north to start the season. There are signs, however, that the former Oregon State standout could reach Chicago this summer. Madrigal’s dominant performance in Class A ball last summer earned him an invitation to big-league camp this spring. 2018 MINOR LEAGUE STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 43 155 | 25 0 16 | 8 | .303 .353 .348
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CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
2019 WHITE SOX PLAYER PROFILES
13
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
14 Adam Engel #15
Daniel Palka #18
Nicky Delmonico #30
Lucas Giolito #27
OUTFIELD AGE: 27 | HT: 6-2 | WT: 210 | THW: R | BAT: R
OUTFIELD AGE: 27 | HT: 6-2 | WT: 220 | THW: L | BAT: L
OUTFIELD AGE: 26 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 230 | THW: R | BAT: L
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 24 | HT: 6-6 | WT: 245 | THW: R | BAT: R
Engel has managed to hold down a roster spot for two seasons now thanks almost entirely to his top-rate defense in center field. He did improve somewhat offensively between 2017 and 2018, boosting his average from .166 to .235 and his on-base percentage from .235 to .279. He’s going to need to show considerably more improvement if he hopes to retain a starting role with the Sox in 2019. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 143 429 | 49 6 29 | 16 | .235 .279 .336
Palka exploded out of nowhere to club 27 home runs and knock in 67 runs in just 417 at-bats as a 26-yearold rookie last season. Remarkably, he still managed to barely crack replacement level with a 0.6 WAR due to a .294 on-base percentage and woeful defense. The power is legit, but a high strikeout rate and his struggles against lefties likely leaves Palka in a platoon role. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 124 417 | 56 27 67 | 2 | .240 .294 .484
Can Delmonico hit at the majorleague level? The jury is still out. He showed some pop in the minors and got off to a good start with the Sox after being called up in August 2017. Delmonico struggled in ‘18 as pitchers exploited his weakness against off-speed pitches. Hand, neck and shoulder injuries didn’t help Delmonico’s cause as his average plummeted to .215. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 88 284 | 31 8 25 | 1 | .215 .296 .373
A former top-five prospect, Giolito’s career has fallen far short of expectations thus far. Disaster is about the only word to describe the righty’s 2018 season. Not only did Giolito struggle to keep the ball in the park, he also led the majors with 4.7 walks per nine innings. That’s not a good combination for a pitcher who continues to see his strikeout rate decline. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 32 32 | 10 13 0 | 173.1 | 125 6.13 1.48
Jon Jay #45
Eloy Jimenez #74
Ivan Nova #46
Ervin Santana #54
OUTFIELD AGE: 34 | HT: 5-11 | WT: 195 | THW: L | BAT: L
OUTFIELD AGE: 22 | HT: 6-4 | WT: 205 | THW: R | BAT: R
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 32 | HT: 6-5 | WT: 250 | THW: R | BAT: R
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 36 | HT: 6-2 | WT: 175 | THW: R | BAT: R
The veteran outfielder signed a one-year deal with the Sox during the offseason and could see playing time at all three outfield spots. Other than providing a modest on-base percentage (.330 between Kansas City and Arizona last year), nothing stands out about Jay’s game. Still, he should get regular at-bats, particularly during the early portion of the season. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 143 527 | 74 3 40 | 4 | .268 .330 .347
The man every Sox fan is waiting to see arrive on the South Side. Fans will almost certainly have to wait at least a few weeks into the season as the Sox massage their top prospect’s service time. Jimenez had 22 homers and 28 doubles in 446 at-bats between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte last season. A 13.2 percent strikeout rate at Charlotte also is a major reason for optimism. 2018 MINOR LEAGUE STATS GP AB | R HR RBI | SB | BA OBP SLG 108 416 | 64 22 75 | 0 | .337 .384 .577
With Michael Kopech set to miss all of 2019 following Tommy John surgery and James Shields gone, the White Sox needed a veteran to eat innings. The Sox hope Nova, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates this winter, can fill that role. He is entering his 10th big-league season. Over the past three seasons, Nova has started 86 games with a 4.16 ERA in 510 innings pitched, compiling a 32-31 record. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 29 29 | 9 9 0 | 161.0 | 114 4.19 1.28
A non-roster invitee, Santana isn’t a lock to crack the team’s Opening Day roster, but the 14-year veteran comes with plenty of intrigue. Injury wiped out nearly all of Santana’s 2018 season in Minnesota, but he was fantastic as recently as 2017, when he finished with a 16-8 record and a 3.28 ERA. The Sox hope Santana can return to form and help mentor their younger pitchers. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 5 5 | 0 1 0 | 24.2 | 16 8.03 1.62
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15 Kelvin Herrera #41
Jace Fry #57
Juan Minaya #37
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 26 | HT: 6-3 | WT: 235 | THW: L | BAT: L
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 29 | HT: 5-10 | WT: 200 | THW: R | BAT: R
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 25 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 190 | THW: L | BAT: L
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 28 | HT: 6-4 | WT: 210 | THW: R | BAT: R
The results were initially encouraging when Rodon returned from offseason shoulder surgery last June, but the wheels fell off in September as the lefty went 1-5 with a 9.22 ERA in six starts. Rodon has a plus fastball and wipeout slider, but walks remain a problem due in part to the lack of a consistent changeup. Rodon likely will be the Sox’s starter on Opening Day. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS G P GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 20 20 | 6 8 0 | 120.2 | 90 4.18 1.26
Herrera began last season as the closer for the Kansas City Royals, but moved into a setup role after being dealt to the Washington Nationals. Herrera appears destined to fill the setup role for the Sox, although, he could close if Alex Colome, another offseason bullpen addition, falters. The Sox eased Herrera into action this spring after he underwent foot surgery during the winter. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 48 0 | 2 3 17 | 44.1 | 38 2.44 1.20
The closer’s role will almost certainly go to Colome or Herrera to start the season, but don’t be shocked if Fry is taking the mound in the ninth inning by September. The youngster, a third-round pick by the Sox in the 2014 draft, finished 2018 with a 4.38 ERA, but a mark of 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings hints at a much higher ceiling. He’ll need to cut down on walks to reach his potential. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 59 1 | 2 3 4 | 51.1 | 70 4.38 1.11
Minaya undoubtedly ranks up there among the most divisive relievers in recent White Sox history. He has had mixed results in a three-year stint on the South Side, with 2018 combining the best and worst he has to offer: massive strikeout potential with an unsightly walk rate. Struggles with control have persisted some in Cactus League play, but Minaya’s versatility means his job is probably safe for now. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 52 0 | 2 2 1 | 46.2 | 58 3.28 1.46
Alex Colome #48
Nate Jones #65
Manny Banuelos #58
Reynaldo Lopez #40
STARTING PITCHER AGE: 25 | HT: 6-0 | WT: 185 | THW: R | BAT: R
Lopez finished his first full season in the majors with a 3.91 ERA and mixed results. He was excellent in April (1.78) and September (1.09), but struggled throughout the summer. A 5.22 xFIP also indicates that Lopez was lucky to finish with a sub-4 ERA. Lopez’s best best for success is to do away with the curveball and rely more on his slider, which is his top strikeout pitch. His experience having a full MLB season under his belt may help as well.
2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 32 32 | 7 10 0 | 188.2 | 151 3.91 1.27
Reynaldo Lopez
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 30 | HT: 6-1 | WT: 185 | THW: R | BAT: R
RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 33 | HT: 6-5 | WT: 220 | THW: R | BAT: R
STARTING/RELIEF PITCHER AGE: 28 | HT: 5-10 | WT: 215 | THW: L | BAT: R
Colome was terrific in the closer’s role for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016 and ‘17, but he was dealt to the Seattle Mariners early in the ‘18 season after a rough start. Colome regained his footing in a setup role for Edwin Diaz. The Sox acquired him in an offseason trade for catcher Omar Narvaez. Colome comes with a swing-and-miss stuff, which makes him the early favorite to lead the Sox in saves. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 70 0 | 7 5 12 | 68.0 | 72 3.04 1.18
There’s little doubt that Jones possesses the stuff to be a factor in the late innings. Jones’ career mark of 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings makes that case for him. The veteran reliever just can’t stay healthy, tossing more than 30 innings only once since 2013. The additions of Colome and Herrera should lighten Jones’ workload, and the Sox will hope he can stay healthy long enough to return to form. 2018 REGULAR-SEASON STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 33 0 | 2 2 5 | 30.0 | 32 3.00 1.43
Banuelos was once a top prospect in the New York Yankees organization. Almost a decade has passed and the 28-year-old has exactly six major league starts – all with the Atlanta Braves in 2015 – under his belt. The Sox acquired Banuelos through a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is competing for a role as the No. 5 starter, but failing that, the Sox could use him in a long relief role. 2018 MINOR LEAGUE STATS GP GS | W L SV | IP | K ERA WHIP 31 18 | 9 7 0 | 108.2 | 127 3.73 1.39
AP PHOTO
Tim Anderson
AP PHOTO
Yonder Alonso
AP PHOTO
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
Carlos Rodon #55
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
16
Storylines to watch from the Cubs in 2019 By
If he proves he can respond well after getting in a jam in the fifth inning, which he couldn’t do in 2018, it could be a sign he’s back to All-Star form.
Sean Hammond
3. MVP return
SHAW MEDIA
@sean_hammond
Cubs fans had plenty to talk about over the offseason, but President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein and the club’s front office provided few actual changes to the roster to discuss. As Opening Day 2019 nears, the focus turns inward for the Cubs. Epstein and the front office are banking on a number of the club’s young hitters rebounding from down seasons in 2018. Here are five storylines to watch in 2019:
A sore shoulder derailed Kris Bryant’s 2018 season. The 2016 NL MVP experienced a severe drop in power numbers, while playing in only 102 games. His slash line (.272/.374/.460) dipped in all three categories from the year before.
The Cubs lineup is much more intimidating when Bryant is at his best, and there’s reason to believe the slugging third baseman could be back to MVP form in 2019. A home run in his first spring training at bat was a positive sign. An offseason resting and working on his swing could provide a rejuvenated Bryant.
4. Help on the way? Epstein in October said the Cubs offense “broke somewhere along the lines,” then followed it up by essentially changing nothing. It’s easy to see why Epstein believes some hitters could rebound. But a big question mark for the Cubs will be whether or not the club makes a major move or moves midseason. If the offense shows it is still broken, does Epstein pull the trigger on a trade? The Cubs haven’t been willing to part with their glut of young outfielders – Albert Almora, Ian Happ, Kyle Schwarber – but could that finally change in 2019? How will the team’s place in the standings factor into the front office’s thinking come July?
Addison Russell AP PHOTO
1. What happens next with Addison Russell? The Cubs shortstop is suspended through April under MLB’s domestic violence policy. How will Cubs fans react when the 25-year-old former AllStar finally steps onto the dirt at Wrigley Field? That remains to be seen. The organization appears to be committed to Russell – for now. Off-the-field distractions aside, Russell hasn’t matched his 2016 offensive numbers (when he hit 21 home runs and drove in 95 runs) in either of the past two seasons. His glove remains a valuable asset, but Javier Baez proved more than capable of manning shortstop. Will the Cubs remain committed to Russell if his offensive numbers don’t improve?
Kyle Schwarber AP PHOTO
5. Maddon’s contract
2. New year, new Darvish? Gone is starting pitcher Yu Darvish’s interpreter. The 32-year-old Japanese starter says he is confident enough in his English to handle his interviews alone. He also showed confidence in his stuff during spring training. His velocity is back to the mid-90s and he’s out to prove his detractors wrong. Darvish pitched in only eight games last season, the first year of his six-year, $126 million contract, before elbow and tricep injuries sidelined him.
Kris Bryant, slugging third baseman could be back to MVP form in 2019.
AP PHOTO
Manager Joe Maddon’s deal expires after the 2019 season. It’s remarkable for a manager who has won 92 games or more in four consecutive seasons and led the team that ended the Cubs’ 108-year World Series drought. What exactly Maddon has to do to warrant an extension is a mystery. The lack of a long-term contract gives Epstein the option to make a change midseason if things go south quickly in 2019. But would he really pull the trigger on such a move? It seems more likely that the Cubs give Maddon one more year to get things back on track, then decide whether they want to stick with the 65-yearold manager after the season.
17
The Sox still have pitching in the pipeline, but the rebuild really could use a shot in the arm from Giolito or Lopez.
By
Kyle Nabors
2. Say hello to Eloy Jimenez
SHAW MEDIA
@KyleNabors
The White Sox’s offseason didn’t exactly play out as most fans hoped it would. The front office went public with their desire to sign a big ticket free agent and proceeded to trade for first baseman Yonder Alonso, the brother-in-law of Manny Machado, and sign Machado’s friend, outfielder Jon Jay. Then, Machado signed a 10-year deal with the San Diego Padres, leaving fans with one question: where do the Sox go from here? Here are five storylines to watch in 2019:
The organization’s top prospect will almost certainly begin the season at Triple-A Charlotte to “fine tune” his skills.
1. Searching for a spark General manager Rick Hahn was confident his team’s rebuild wouldn’t drag on too long based on the near major league-ready pitching he acquired in the Chris Sale and Adam Eaton deals. Michael Kopech, who came over from Boston in the Sale trade, is out for all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery last September. Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez, the top two arms the Sox picked up in the Eaton deal, failed to live up to expectations in their first full seasons in Chicago.
4. Trade watch Unless the White Sox are a surprise contender, Hahn will have assets to move at the trade deadline. Catchers Welington Castillo and James McCann are obvious candidates with a pair of prospects in Collins and Zavala penciled in for 2020. Veteran starters Ivan Nova and Ervin Santana could draw interest with strong first halves, and relievers Nate Jones and Alex Colome, who has a year of arbitration remaining, should command decent returns in a seller’s market. Alonso and Jay also could become trade chips, but the biggest question will likely center on Jose Abreu. The first baseman is entering his final season under team control. The White Sox have stated their desire to keep Abreu long-term, but you have to imagine they’ll listen to offers this summer if the two sides are unable to come to terms on an extension before the trade deadline.
5. Next step for Moncada? The White Sox are moving Moncada from second base to third with the hope, according to Renteria, that the switch will help Moncada focus offensively. The 23-year-old had moments of brilliance last season, flashing gap-to-gap power and speed on the basepaths. He was far from perfect, however, with 217 strikeouts and 21 errors at second base.
Eloy Jimenez AP PHOTO
Once the White Sox are done manipulating Jimenez’s service time, the outfielder should settle into the middle of manager Rick Renteria’s lineup. Baseball’s No. 3 prospect batted .337 in 108 games between Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham last season with 28 doubles, 22 home runs and 75 RBIs. Jimenez should make an immediate impact on the Sox’s offense.
3. Next wave Jimenez’s arrival is virtually guaranteed to come with the largest fanfare, but he won’t be the only prospect to reach the big leagues this summer. Dylan Cease, who came over with Jimenez from the Cubs in the Jose Quintana trade, should crack the rotation at some point this season. Pitchers Dane Dunning and Ian Hamilton also are possibilities. Catchers Zack Collins and Seby Zavala will both likely be a call away. Outfield Ryan Cordell could see an extended look after a disappointing 2018, and there’s an outside chance that second baseman Nick Madrigal, last summer’s first-round pick, continues his rapid rise through the system to reach Chicago.
Lucas Giolito AP PHOTO
Yoan Moncada AP PHOTO
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
Storylines to watch from the Sox in 2019
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
18
Franchise’s future will arrive soon By
Scot Gregor DAILY HERALD @scotgregor
Eloy Jimenez
Dylan Cease
Yoan Moncada AP PHOTOS
Host of young players to watch as South Siders look to future Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn didn’t exactly go out on a limb when he was asked to forecast the upcoming season. “I feel this team is going to be better on Opening Day than where we finished the year (in 2018),” Hahn said. “I feel at the end of this season, we’re going to be better than we were on Opening Day. And I think a year from right now, after another offseason and another year of growth in our system, we’re going to be in an even stronger position. The arrow continues to point up around here.” The argument can be made up is the only way the arrow can go. The Sox lost 100 games last season for the first time since 1970. They haven’t had a winning record
since 2012 (85-77). They haven’t been to the playoffs since 2008. And dating to 2005 – when they won the World Series – the Sox have won a grand total of one playoff game. The bar for this season is set low, really low, and the White Sox should be able to easily make a jump up from last year. “We are pretty excited,” said Rick Renteria, who is entering his third year as Sox manager. “All the young men we have within the organization and the guys who are returning certainly put us in a better position with some of the acquisitions Rick has made, especially with the pitching rotation and some of the additions of the veteran players in the outfield for us. They are going to certainly help us. We are looking forward to
see how it all shakes out.” The White Sox were shaken up early in spring training when free agent Manny Machado spurned their offer and signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with San Diego. There is little doubt the Sox would have been a much better team with the talented Machado on the roster. “We felt good about the aggressive approach we took to this thing throughout,” Hahn said of the Machado pursuit. “We felt good about the effort. From a personal standpoint, putting forth a good effort and failing really isn’t satisfying, so I don’t take a lot of solace in that. “In free agency, these guys have a choice and they’ve earned the right to make their decision on (Continued on Page 18)
19 CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
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CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
20 (Continued from Page 18) any factor they wish. Failing disappoints me, but it doesn’t change the fact that the future of this organization remains very bright and does not change the fact that we are going to once again be on this caliber of a player in the future.” The White Sox’s lengthy run of failure certainly didn’t help recruit Machado. That could very well change next winter if a big percentage of the organization’s heralded prospects take a step forward this season. Outfielder Eloy Jimenez should be in the lineup in late April after his “service time” status is no longer an issue. Starting pitcher Dylan Cease is also on this year’s radar and should We are pretty excited. All be in the rotation by August if he the young men we have builds on his 2018 showing (12-2, 2.40 ERA with high Class A Winston-Sa- within the organization and the guys lem and AA Birmingham). who are returning certainly put us in Catchers Zack Collins and Seby Za- a better position.” vala are also close to joining the Sox, and there are plenty of young holdRick Renteria, Sox manager overs to keep an eye on. How the Sox fare this year depends on several as-yet unknown factors. Will switching Yoan Moncada – Baseball America’s minor league player of the year in 2016 – from second base to third improve his overall results at the plate and in the field? Is Reynaldo Lopez a front-of-the-rotation starter? How good is a healthy Carlos Rodon going to be? Can shortstop Tim Anderson take another big leap forward? Add in veteran newcomers like relievers Alex Colome and Kelvin Herrera, starters Ivan Nova and Ervin Santana, first baseman/designated hitter Yonder Alonso, outfielder Jon Jay and catcher James McCann, and another 100-loss season seems unlikely. “At the end of the day, it just comes down to competing, making sure we’re ready to go,” said Alonso, who hit 23 home runs and had a career-high 83 RBI with the Indians last season.
Yonder Alonso AP PHOTO
“I think you should look all around the league and remember just last year, Atlanta was in the same stage and they were in the playoffs. We feel like they’re doing the same, the front office, and for us as ballplayers and professionals, we’ve just got to be ready and we’ve got to compete, expect to win and have very high expectations.”
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White Sox ready to contend – in 2020 We said from the start that the rebuild would not be about one guy, one star one acquisition.”
By SCOT GREGOR sgregor@dailyherald.com Rebuilds are all the rage in professional sports these days, and they can pay off big when executed right. For years, the White Sox were squarely against going young. Playing in the third-largest market in the major leagues, the Sox didn’t pay too much attention to building teams through their minor-league system. The only times they really seemed to take notice of valuable prospects was before they traded them for established veterans. The strategy worked from 20002012. The White Sox had winning records in 10 seasons over that stretch, they won a World Series and made two other playoff appearances. It was 2013 when the bottom started falling out. With washed-up players like Adam Dunn and Jake Peavy failing to make an impact, the Sox lost 99 games that season. They are still in a tailspin. General Manager Rick Hahn gave the old plan one more try in June 2016, acquiring starter James Shields
Rick Hahn, Chicago White Sox General Manager
AP Photo
General Manager Rick Hahn. in a trade from the Padres for two young players. Erik Johnson never panned out in San Diego, but shortstop FernandoTatis Jr. was also in the deal and he heads into the upcoming season as one of the top prospects in baseball. As for Shields, he went 16-35 with a 5.31 ERA in his forgettable stint with the Sox. Fed up with being “mired in mediocrity,” Hahn wisely changed his thinking after the 2016 season and traded Chris Sale and Adam Eaton for premium prospects.
Sox fans were near unanimous in their support for a needed rebuild. Of course, that changed a bit this spring when the White Sox lost out in the bidding for free agent star Manny Machado, who signed for a guaranteed $300 million with San Diego. The Sox offered a guaranteed $250 million with incentives that could have pushed it as high as $320 million. That is quite a jump from the richest contract in White Sox history – Jose Abreu’s six-year, $68 million deal that expires at season’s end. Angry fans complained on social media about the Sox being cheap, and the message was heard. Hahn and Vice President Kenny Williams don’t agree with the criticism, but they both vowed to continue to pursue
high-caliber talent moving forward. But even as the public wooing of Machado was happening, Hahn sent another message. “We said from the start that the rebuild would not be about one guy, one star, one acquisition,” the GM said. Adding Machado would have been huge for the White Sox, but this is still a team loaded with prospects and a year away from being viewed as bona fide contenders. Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease and Zack Collins should join the Sox at various points this season, and 2020 is when the biggest wave of prospects is expected to arrive. Players like Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal, Dane Dunning (if healthy),Micker Adolfo, Zack Burdi, Luis Gonzalez and Jimmy Lambert should all be ready in ’20, and don’t forget the Sox have the No. 3 overall draft pick in June. Also, budding ace Michael Kopech will be recovered from Tommy John surgery and ready to pitch in 2020. “It’s going to be exciting,” Jimenez said. “We just imagine how big and exciting it’s going to be when we win the World Series. That’s what we always talk about.”
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Harold Baines AP PHOTO
White Sox to honor Hall of Famer Harold Baines Aug. 11 Cubs expected to honor reliever Smith, who helped them return to playoffs in ‘84 CHICAGO BASEBALL The six newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame – including Harold Baines of the White Sox and Lee Smith of the Cubs – will take their permanent places in Cooperstown, N.Y., with the induction ceremony at 12:30 p.m. July 21 at the Clark Sports Center. The ceremony will be shown live on the MLB Network. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America electees are Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina and Mariano Rivera. More than 50 Hall of Famers are expected AP photo to return for Hall of Fame Weekend July 19 Former Chicago White Sox player Harold Baines is introduced to the fans to 22, with the full list of returnees to be announced in early July. during the baseball team’s convention Jan. 25 in Chicago.
Baines played all of part of 14 seasons with the Sox, from 1980-’89, ‘96-’97 and 2000-’01. His 22-year career included stops with the Rangers, Athletics, Orioles and Indians, earning six All-Star Game selections and twice winning the Designated Hitter of the Year Award (now named the Edgar Martinez Award). An eight-time .300 hitter who reached the 20-homer mark in 11 seasons, Baines drove in 90 or more runs eight times and ranks 34th on the all-time list with 1,628 RBI. Baines’ 2,830 games played rank 20th on the all-time list. Among batters who played at least half of their games as a designated hitter, Baines’ 2,866 hits rank first and his 384 home runs and 1,628 RBI rank third behind only David Ortiz and Frank Thomas, respectively.
(Continued on Page 24)
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
CHICAGO BASEBALL GREATS
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CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
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(Continued from Page 23) The White Sox will honor Baines and his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Harold Baines Day Aug. 11 vs. Oakland. The first 20,000 fans to enter the ballpark will take home a Harold Baines Hall of Fame Replica Plaque. Smith had 180 saves with the Cubs from 1980-’87, and ended his 18-year career as MLB’s all-time saves leader, a title he held for 13 seasons. He also pitched for the Red Sox, Cardinals, Yankees, Orioles, Angels, Reds and Expos during his career, but played the most seasons with the Cubs and has said he would like to wear a Cubs cap on his plaque in Cooperstown. Smith’s 478 saves currently rank third all-time, as do his 802 games finished. A seven-time All-Star, Smith led his league in saves four times and reached the 30-save mark in 10 seasons, the first of which was when the Cubs’ won the NL East in 1984. Smith finished in the Top 10 of his league’s Cy Young Award voting four times, including a second-place finish in the NLvoting in 1991. Of Smith’s 478 saves, 169 required at least four outs and 94 required two or more innings pitched. Smith averaged 8.73 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranks third all-time among pitchers with at least 1,000 appearances behind Trevor
Lee Smith, seen pitching for the Cubs during their memorable 1984 season, when he had 33 saves
AP PHOTO
Hoffman (9.36) and DanPlesac (8.74). A Cubs spokesman said in early March a specific date to honor Smith has not been determined. There are now 329 Hall of Fame
members, 80 of whom are living. For more information on the Hall of Fame and tickets to the ceremony, visit baseballhall.org or call 888-4255633 or 607-547-7200. Accommodation
information is available through thisiscooperstown.com/lodging and through the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce at 607-547-9983.
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10 burning questions …
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
26
With the start of the MLB regular season on the horizon, soon we will begin to get answers. In the meantime, here’s 10 burning questions for 2019:
1. Should the Cubs just close up shop and fold the franchise? Seems a bit of an overreaction to a quiet winter that saw the Cubs go through some very strange off-thefield issues. Since the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, they have lost in the NLCS and gone out in the Wild Card Game. Still, they’ve averaged 97 victories the last four years, and 95 wins last season looked like it would be enough to win the Central Division until the Brewers caught fire and caught the Cubs the final weekend of the season. Assuming they get some bounceback seasons offensively, the Cubs should be very good again. So, no, don’t fold the franchise
just yet.
are we? Seven remains one more than six, so Jimenez will start the year in the minors and be in Chicago by the middle of April.
2. What is the Cubs’ biggest concern?
It’s not offense, contrary to conventional wisdom. It’s the bullpen. 4. Will there be reaEven if Brandon sons to watch the White Morrow is healthy, Sox? the Cubs will be care- BARRY ROZNER Only if you like baseful with him and that DAILY HERALD ball. @BarryRozner means closer by comRebuilds are fasmittee, especially cinating and the best over the first month or two. part is seeing the kids arrive Teams only close by committee and find their way at the when they don’t have a closer, which big-league level. The Sox are is never a good thing. loaded with prospects, some The Cubs lost 10 times on walkof whom have made it to Chioffs last season, nearly as many as cago already, and this season the previously three years combined. will see many more reach the This is something to watch closely. majors.
3. Should Eloy Jimenez start the season with the White Sox? We’re not really doing this again,
Joe Maddon
5. What is the future for Yoan Moncada? This is a great question. Glad you asked. With Manny Machado’s decision to sign in San Diego, rather than play third for the Sox, Moncada really needs to show something this season. Nick Madrigal is on the way and could be playing second base here late in 2019, so it’s crucial thatMoncada become a regular at third base this season. He’s a big piece of the rebuild puzzle and this one will hurt if he doesn’t come around,. But he’s also young and inexperienced, and it’s way too soon to give up on Moncada.
6. When will the White Sox be competitive?
Yoan Moncada AP PHOTO
This is only Year 3 of the rebuild and so 2021 would be fair to consider, but the Sox have a chance to be in the race in 2020 if MichaelKopech comes back healthy next season. It doesn’t all hinge on Kopech, but he could be a huge factor if he can dominate next season the way the Sox thought he would when they traded for him. Still, it’s a big ask coming off Tommy John surgery and the Sox will be extremely careful with him as he enters the 2020 season.
AP PHOTO
7. Who bounces back big for the Cubs? A good bet would be Kris Bryant, who says his shoulder feels great and is completely healed from the trauma of 2018. Bryant also seems angry about the offseason trade rumors and speculation about whether he would ever be an MVP caliber player again. An angry and motivated Bryant is good news for the Cubs.
8. Will Joe Maddon’s contract be a distraction? Not at all. He’s in the final year of his deal and doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. If the Cubs make it to the NLCS in 2019, that will be four times in Maddon’s five years here and it will be tough for Theo Epstein to get rid of him. Anything less than that and the Cubs will probably look for someone much younger and much cheaper.
9. Will Bryce Harper or Manny Machado reach the World Series this season? No, but they will sleep well on mattresses made of money.
10. What will be the biggest surprise of 2019? The Washington Nationals, without Harper, will finally win a playoff series and make it all the way to the World Series.
27 CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
28
White Sox can heal your broken hearts, Cubs fans On Valentine’s Day, Burt Constable, the Daily Herald’s venerable storytelling columnist, announced he is falling out of love with the Cubs. As so often is the case in talk of divorce, Burt’s grievances center around allegations of immorality and irreconcilable differences. Burt’s last straw: The team is climbing into bed with the right-wing Sinclair Broadcast Group to launch its new regional sports network. There’s been similar grumbling from other left-leaning Cubs fans. As a lifelong White Sox fan, I don’t try to soothe their heartache. I just hearken back to the immortal words of Delmar O’Donnell in the Coen Brothers’ classic “O Brother, Where Art Thou”: “Come on in, boys. The water is fine.” If you’re looking for alternatives, we welcome you to the South Side. Not only are the White Sox on the precipice of a long World Series run with young phenoms Michael Kopech, Renaldo Lopez, Nick Madrigal, Luis Robert and Blake Rutherford, but you also might be familiar with the names of Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease. You’ve complained about Jose
Quintana and what you In case you haven’t had to give up for him; heard, Jerry Reinsdorf is well, here’s your chance famous for his loyalty. Unto cheer what you were like some team operators, afraid you’d miss: The he won’t push Rick over a rise of Eloy and Dylan cliff when a charming new to certain Hall of Fame face comes along. careers. Heck, this guy retires Baseball Prospectus the numbers of players says the party’s over for when he trades them! the Cubs. But the White We’ve got flavor in our JOHN LAMPINEN DAILY HERALD Sox? I figure they’ve got heritage -- a wide assort@DHJohnLampinen ment of jerseys and logos five, maybe six World over the years, so many Series flags coming in a that we frequently switch into them. row with this group. Easy. Historic names played for the Sox We haven’t given up yet on Yoan -- Nellie Fox, Frank Thomas, Luke Moncada and Lucas Giolito (so far, Appling, Charles Comiskey and Joe one strikes out too much, the other Jackson. Well, maybe you want to strikes out too little). Best of all, Rick forget about Jackson. Unless you like Hahn promises never to trade for anniversaries. This is the centennial James Shields again. remembrance of the 1919 Black Sox Daniel Palka is a nice story, and and you can arrive just in time for he’s got a sweet swing. And you’ve no the celebration. doubt heard Jose Abreu is good in the Some of your favorites are part of clubhouse. Yolmer Sanchez occupies our history too. Ron Santo? A solid a sweet spot in my heart, and you’ll little second baseman for the Sox in fall for him too. Adam Engel takes 1974. There were Bobby Bonds and your breath away in the field while Zeke Bonura, Phil Cavarretta and providing a good break to get a beer Johnny Callison, Smoky Burgess when he comes to bat. and George Bell, too. Don Kessinger? We don’t need to introduce you to We loved him so much, we had him Rick Renteria, of course.
manage the team. Speaking of managers, among the Hall of Famers we White Sox fans claim is Johnny Evers, who managed the team to a .415 clip in 1924. Then there’s Sammy Sosa. We had him before he was tempted to juice. You think he was trouble in the Cubs clubhouse? Nothing compared to the relationship he had with Walt Hriniak. There’s flavor in our ballpark too: the food gets raves around MLB. You’ll love the parking. There’s a great exploding scoreboard. The blue-collar fan base includes some who still even keep score. Plenty of good seats still available! It’s tough to make the change, I know. But it can be done. My brother Joe once was a Cubs fan, too. But he saw that it wasn’t working. Like all good guys, today Joe wears black. “After 40-some years of disappointment and heartache as a Cubs fan from birth,” he says, “I was rewarded, a mere two seasons after cutting emotional ties to the Cubs following their collapse in the 2003 NLCS, when the Sox tore up the postseason en route to a World Series championship in 2005. YMMV.”
2019 PREDICTIONS BARRY ROZNER
BRUCE MILES
SCOT GREGOR
KYLE NABORS
CUBS RECORD 92-70, first place in NL Central WHITE SOX RECORD 73-89, 3rd place in AL Central NL CENTRAL CUBS Cardinals Brewers Reds Pirates WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Rockies over Cardinals DIVISION SERIES Nationals over Rockies Cubs over Dodgers NLCS Nationals over Cubs AL CENTRAL Indians Twins WHITE SOX Tigers Royals WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Red Sox over Rays DIVISION SERIES Yankees over Rays Astros over Indians ALCS Yankees over Astros WORLD SERIES Yankees over Nationals
CUBS RECORD 92-70, first place in NL Central WHITE SOX RECORD 74-88, third place in AL Central NL CENTRAL CUBS Brewers Cardinals Reds Pirates WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Brewers over Braves DIVISION SERIES Cubs over Brewers Phillies over Dodgers NLCS Cubs over Phillies AL CENTRAL Indians Twins WHITE SOX Royals Tigers WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Yankees over Twins DIVISION SERIES Astros over Yankees Red Sox over Indians ALCS Red Sox over Astros WORLD SERIES Red Sox over Cubs
CUBS RECORD 88-74, 2nd place in NL Central WHITE SOX RECORD 75-87, 3rd place in NL Central NL CENTRAL Cardinals CUBS Brewers Pirates Reds WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Phillies over Cubs DIVISION SERIES Dodgers over Phillies Cardinals over Nationals NLCS Cardinals over Dodgers AL CENTRAL Indians Twins WHITE SOX Royals Tigers WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Red Sox over Athletics DIVISION SERIES Astros over Red Sox Yankees over Indians ALCS Yankees over Astros WORLD SERIES Nationals over Cardinals
CUBS RECORD 90-72, 2nd place in NL Central WHITE SOX RECORD 74-88, 3rd place in AL Central NL CENTRAL Brewers CUBS Cardinals Reds Pirates WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Braves over Cubs DIVISION SERIES Phillies over Braves Brewers over Dodgers NLCS Phillies over Dodgers AL CENTRAL Indians Twins WHITE SOX Tigers Royals WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Rays over Yankees DIVISION SERIES Red Sox over Yankees Astros over Indians ALCS Red Sox over Astros WORLD SERIES Phillies over Red Sox
Rozner: The Nationals shock baseball by winning the East, beating the Cubs in the NLCS and reaching the World Series, but they won’t have an answer for the Yankees, who will ride their bullpen back to the top of the baseball world.
Miles: Imagine a postseson of Gregor: The Yankees are a resurgent Kris Bryant vs. Bryce Harper. Imagine a World Series in Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. Can anybody halt the Boston juggernaut? The Cubs will try but fall short in seven breathtaking games.
primed to win their first World Series since 2009. The rotation is a little shaky, but New York might have the best bullpen in baseball history and the lineup is loaded with mashers.
HUB ARKUSH
ERIC OLSON
SEAN HAMMOND
ARTHUR ARKUSH
CUBS RECORD CUBS RECORD CUBS RECORD CUBS RECORD 96-66, 1st place in NL Central 86-76, 3rd place in NL Central 92-70, 1st place in NL Central 96-66, 1st place in NL Central WHITE SOX RECORD WHITE SOX RECORD WHITE SOX RECORD WHITE SOX RECORD 71-91, 3rd place in AL Central 83-79, 2nd place in AL Central 74-88, 3rd place in AL Central 75-87, third PLACE in AL Central NL CENTRAL NL CENTRAL NL CENTRAL NL CENTRAL CUBS Cardinals CUBS CUBS Cardinals Cardinals Brewers Brewers CUBS Brewers Brewers Cardinals Reds Pirates Reds Pirates Pirates Reds Pirates Reds WILD-CARD PLAYOFF WILD-CARD PLAYOFF WILD-CARD PLAYOFF WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Cardinals over Brewers Brewers over Braves Nationals over Cardinals Brewers over Phillies DIVISION SERIES DIVISION SERIES DIVISION SERIES DIVISION SERIES Cubs over Phillies Dodgers over Brewers Dodgers over Nationals Cubs over Brewers Cardinals over Dodgers Cardinals over Philies Cubs over Braves Dodgers over Nationals NLCS NLCS NLCS NLCS Cubs over Cardinals Cardinals over Dodgers Dodgers over Cubs Cubs over Dodgers AL CENTRAL AL CENTRAL AL CENTRAL AL CENTRAL Indians Indians Indians Indians WHITE SOX Twins Twins Twins WHITE SOX Tigers WHITE SOX WHITE SOX Tigers Royals Tigers Twins Royals Tigers Royals Royals WILD-CARD PLAYOFF WILD-CARD PLAYOFF WILD-CARD PLAYOFF WILD-CARD PLAYOFF Red Sox over Mariners Red Sox over Athletics Red Sox over Rays Red Sox over Athletics DIVISION SERIES DIVISION SERIES DIVISION SERIES DIVISION SERIES Red Sox over Astros Yankees over Red Sox Yankees over Red Sox Yankees over Red Sox Yankees over Indians Astros over Indians Astros over Indians Astros over Indians ALCS ALCS ALCS ALCS Yankees over Red Sox Astros over Yankees Yankees over Astros Astros over Indians WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES WORLD SERIES Cubs over Yankees Astros over Cardinals Yankees over Dodgers Yankees over Cubs
Nabors: The Phillies already Arkush: Cubs and Yankees had an impressive young core. youngsters all come into Then they went out and added their primes, and Cubs Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto deeper rotation turns out to and Jean Segura. The two best be the diference in what will offenses in baseball meet in be a magical World Series for the World Series. the ages.
Olson: The Astros won 100 games in 2018 and they’re still strong up the middle with a solid pitching staff. The Cards are the team in the NL Central that has donet he most to i mprove. They return postseason success but will be outmatched.
Hammond: MLB would secretly love a Yankees-Dodgers World Series matchup, which hasn’t happened in since 1981. This might be the year it finally happens again. The best bullpens win in October and the Yankees have the best bullpen on paper.
Arkush: The Cubs’ internal improvements trump the external offseason handwringing as the team fights its way to reclaim the NL pennant, but the Yankees overcome their own spring turmoil, riding their monster bullpen back to glory in an iconic series.
2019 CHICAGO CUBS
29
MARCH DATE
APRIL 23-25
| vs. Los Angeles Dodgers |
OPPONENT TIME TV
The Cubs will get an early look at another front-runner for the NL pennant this year when the defending NL champion Dodgers come to Wrigley Field for a three-game set. Games played in April aren’t necessarily a predictor of how games in October might go, but the weather threatens to be similar, at least, and it will be interesting to see how the two teams match up. They’ll meet again June 13-16 at Chavez Ravine.
Thu., Mar. 28 at Rangers 3:05 p.m. WGN Sat., Mar. 30 at Rangers 7:05 p.m. NBCSCH Sun., Mar. 31 at Rangers 3:05 p.m. NBCSCH
APRIL DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Mon., April 1 at Braves Wed., April 3 at Braves Thu., April 4 at Braves Fri., April 5 at Brewers Sat., April 6 at Brewers Sun., April 7 at Brewers Mon., April 8 vs. Pirates Wed., April 10 vs. Pirates Thu., April 11 vs. Pirates Fri., April 12 vs. Angels Sat., April 13 vs. Angels Sun., April 14 vs. Angels Mon., April 15 at Marlins Tue., April 16 at Marlins Wed., April 17 at Marlins Fri., April 19 vs. D-backs Sat., April 20 vs. D-backs Sun., April 21 vs. D-backs Tue., April 23 vs. Dodgers Wed., April 24 vs. Dodgers Thu., April 25 vs. Dodgers Fri., April 26 at D-backs Sat., April 27 at D-backs Sun., April 28 at D-backs Tue., April 30 at Mariners
6:10 p.m. 6:20 p.m. 6:20 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 8:40 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 3:10 p.m. 9:10 p.m.
NBCSCH+ WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH ABC WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH ABC WGN WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH ABC NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH+ ABC WGN NBCSCH
MAY DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Wed., May 1 at Mariners 5:40 p.m. Fri., May 3 vs. Cardinals 1:20 p.m. Sat., May 4 vs. Cardinals 3:05 p.m. Sun., May 5 vs. Cardinals 6:05 p.m. Mon., May 6 vs. Marlins 7:05 p.m. Tue., May 7 vs. Marlins 7:05 p.m. Wed., May 8 vs. Marlins 7:05 p.m. Thu., May 9 vs. Marlins 1:20 p.m. Fri., May 10 vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m. Sat., May 11 vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m. Sun., May 12 vs. Brewers 6:05 p.m. Tue., May 14 at Reds 5:40 p.m. Wed., May 15 at Reds 5:40 p.m. Thu., May 16 at Reds 5:40 p.m. Fri., May 17 at Nationals 6:05 p.m. Sat., May 18 at Nationals 6:15 p.m. Sun., May 19 at Nationals 6:05 p.m. Mon., May 20 vs. Phillies 7:05 p.m. Tue., May 21 vs. Phillies 6:05 p.m. Wed., May 22 vs. Phillies 7:05 p.m. Thu., May 23 vs. Phillies 1:20 p.m. Fri., May 24 vs. Reds 1:20 p.m. Sat., May 25 vs. Reds 1:20 p.m. Sun., May 26 vs. Reds 1:20 p.m. Mon., May 27 at Astros 1:10 p.m. Tue., May 28 at Astros 7:10 p.m. Wed., May 29 at Astros 7:10 p.m. Fri., May 31 at Cardinals 7:15 p.m.
WGN NBCSCH WGN ESPN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH+ WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH ABC ESPN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGN FOX ESPN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH ABC NBCSCH ABC WGN WGN ABC NBCSCH NBCSCH
JUNE DATE
Sat., June 1 Sun. June 2 Tue., June 4 Wed., June 5
Schedule & highlights Thu., June 6 Fri., June 7 Sat., June 8 Sun., June 9 Mon., June 10 Tue., June 11 Wed., June 12 Thu., June 13 Fri., June 14 Sat., June 15 Sun., June 16 Tue., June 18 Wed., June 19 Thu., June 20 Fri., June 21 Sat., June 22 Sun., June 23 Mon., June 24 Tue., June 25 Wed., June 26 Thu., June 27 Fri., June 28 Sat., June 29 Sun., June 30
6:15 p.m. 1:15 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 7:05 p.m.
FOX WGN NBCSCH WGN
NBCSCH NBCSCH FOX TBA NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH+ WGN ABC ESPN NBCSCH ABC WGN NBCSCH ABC ABC NBCSCH NBCSCH+ WGN NBCSCH WGN ABC NBCSCH
JULY DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Mon., July 1 Tue., July 2 Wed., July 3 Thu., July 4 Sat., July 6 Sun., July 7 Fri., July 12 Sat., July 13 Sun., July 14 Mon., July 15 Tue., July 16 Wed., July 17 Fri., July 19 Sat., July 20 Sun., July 21 Mon., July 22 Tue., July 23 Wed., July 24 Fri., July 26 Sat., July 27 Sun., July 28 Tue., July 30 Wed., July 31
at Pirates 6:05 p.m. at Pirates 6:05 p.m. at Pirates 6:05 p.m. at Pirates 3:05 p.m. at White Sox 6:15 p.m. at White Sox 1:10 p.m. vs. Pirates 1:20 p.m. vs. Pirates 1:20 p.m. vs. Pirates 1:20 p.m. vs. Reds 7:05 p.m. vs. Reds 7:05 p.m. vs. Reds 1:20 p.m. vs. Padres 1:20 p.m. vs. Padres 1:20 p.m. vs. Padres 1:20 p.m. at Giants 8:45 p.m. at Giants 8:45 p.m. at Giants 2:45 p.m. at Brewers 7:10 p.m. at Brewers 6:10 p.m. at Brewers 1:10 p.m. at Cardinals 7:15 p.m. at Cardinals 7:15 p.m.
DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Thu., Aug. 1 Fri., Aug. 2 Sat., Aug. 3
at Cardinals 6:15 p.m. NBCSCH vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m. NBCSCH vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m. NBCSCH
NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN FOX NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN ABC NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH ABC WGN WGN ABC NBCSCH NBCSCH ABC ABC NBCSCH WGN
AUGUST
OPPONENT TIME TV
at Cardinals at Cardinals vs. Rockies vs. Rockies
vs. Rockies 1:20 p.m. vs. Cardinals 1:20 p.m. vs. Cardinals 6:15 p.m. vs. Cardinals 1:20 p.m. at Rockies 7:40 p.m. at Rockies 7:40 p.m. at Rockies 2:10 p.m. at Dodgers 9:10 p.m. at Dodgers 9:10 p.m. at Dodgers 8:10 p.m. at Dodgers 6:05 p.m. vs. White Sox 7:05 p.m. vs. White Sox 7:05 p.m. vs. Mets 7:05 p.m. vs. Mets 1:20 p.m. vs. Mets 1:20 p.m. vs. Mets 1:20 p.m. vs. Braves 7:05 p.m. vs. Braves 7:05 p.m. vs. Braves 7:05 p.m. vs. Braves 1:20 p.m. at Reds 6:10 p.m. at Reds 3:10 p.m. at Reds 12:10 p.m.
MAY 20-23
| vs. Philadelphia Phillies | Sun., Aug. 4 Mon., Aug. 5 Tue., Aug. 6 Wed., Aug. 7 Thu., Aug. 8 Fri., Aug. 9 Sat., Aug. 10 Sun., Aug. 11 Tue., Aug. 13 Wed., Aug. 14 Thu., Aug. 15 Fri., Aug. 16 Sat., Aug. 17 Sun., Aug. 18 Tue., Aug. 20 Wed., Aug. 21 Thu., Aug. 22 Fri., Aug. 23 Sat., Aug. 24 Sun., Aug. 25 Tue., Aug. 27 Wed., Aug. 28 Thu., Aug. 29 Fri., Aug. 30 Sat., Aug. 31
vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m. vs. Athletics 7:05 p.m. vs. Athletics 7:05 p.m. vs. Athletics 1:20 p.m. at Reds 6:10 p.m. at Reds 6:10 p.m. at Reds 6:10 p.m. at Reds 12:10 p.m. at Phillies 6:05 p.m. at Phillies 6:05 p.m. at Phillies 6:05 p.m. at Pirates 6:05 p.m. at Pirates 12:35 p.m. at Pirates 6:10 p.m. vs. Giants 7:05 p.m. vs. Giants 7:05 p.m. vs. Giants 1:20 p.m. vs. Nationals 1:20 p.m. vs. Nationals 1:20 p.m. vs. Nationals 1:20 p.m. at Mets 6:10 p.m. at Mets 6:10 p.m. at Mets 6:10 p.m. vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m. vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m.
WGN WGN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN ABC ESPN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH WGN ABC NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH ABC WGN NBCSCH
SEPTEMBER DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Sun., Sept., 1 vs. Brewers 1:20 p.m. Mon., Sept. 2 vs. Mariners 1:20 p.m. Tue., Sept. 3 vs. Mariners 7:05 p.m. Thu., Sept. 5 at Brewers 7:10 p.m. Fri., Sept. 6 at Brewers 7:10 p.m. Sat., Sept. 7 at Brewers 6:10 p.m. Sun., Sept. 8 at Brewers 1:10 p.m. Mon., Sept. 9 at Padres 9:10 p.m. Tue., Sept. 10 at Padres 9:10 p.m. Wed., Sept. 11 at Padres 9:10 p.m. Thu., Sept. 12 at Padres 2:40 p.m. Fri., Sept. 13 vs. Pirates 3:05 p.m. Sat., Sept. 14 vs. Pirates 1:20 p.m. Sun., Sept. 15 vs. Pirates 1:20 p.m. Mon., Sept. 16 vs. Reds 7:05 p.m. Tue., Sept. 17 vs. Reds 7:05 p.m. Wed., Sept. 18 vs. Reds 7:05 p.m. Thu., Sept. 19 vs. Cardinals 7:05 p.m. Fri., Sept. 20 vs. Cardinals 1:20 p.m. Sat., Sept. 21 vs. Cardinals 1:20 p.m. Sun., Sept. 22 vs. Cardinals 1:20 p.m. Tue., Sept. 24 at Pirates 6:05 p.m. Wed., Sept. 25 at Pirates 6:05 p.m. Thu., Sept. 26 at Pirates 6:05 p.m. Fri., Sept. 27 at Cardinals 7:15 p.m. Sat., Sept. 28 at Cardinals 6:15 p.m. Sun., Sept. 29 at Cardinals 2:15 p.m.
TBA WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH+ ABC NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH ABC WGN TBA ABC WGN TBA NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGN TBA ABC
The Phillies are hot – preseason hot, anyway – after signing Bryce Harper to a 13-year, $330 million contract. How good are they, really, and how will Harper adjust to the pressure of a big contract and a city that expects him to lead the Phils to the promised land? We’ll get a look during this four-game series.
Bryce Harper
AP PHOTO
JUNE 18-19
| vs. Chicago White Sox | The Cubs and Sox play only four games this season, and the Cubs will host the first meeting, a two-game set that will kick off a 10-game homestand at Wrigley Field. We might think we know the narrative for these two clubs, but when they get together, anything can happen.
AUG. 30-SEPT. 1; SEPT. 5-8 | vs. Milwaukee Brewers, at Milwaukee Brewers | Here’s how you stoke the fire of a rivalry: Have two teams play each other seven times in 10 days at the tail end of the season. That’s what’s in store for the Cubs and the Brewers. The Brew Crew wrenched the NL Central from the Cubs at the tail end of 2018. If both clubs are in contention, these games could get testy.
SEPT. 27-29
| at St. Louis Cardinals | There’s a good chance that this last series of the 2019 season will have some meaning – one or both of these clubs could have something to play for. At the end of last year, the Cards took one of three from the Cubs at Wrigley, forcing the Cubs to play game No. 163, which spelled the beginning of the end. This rivalry has only intensified over the offseason. Who will be this year’s spoiler?
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
(ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
2019 CHICAGO WHITE SOX
CHICAGO BASEBALL | 2019 Season Preview | MARCH 2019
30 (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
MARCH DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Thu., Mar. 28 Sat., Mar. 30 Sun., Mar. 31
at Royals at Royals at Royals
DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
SMon., April 1 Wed., April 3 Thu., April 4 Sat., April 6 Sun., April 7 Mon., April 8 Tue., April 9 Wed., April 10 Fri., April 12 Sat., April 13 Sun., April 14 Mon., April 15 Tue., April 16 Wed., April 17 Thur., April 18 Fri., April 19 Sat., April 20 Sun., April 21 Mon., April 22 Tue., April 23 Wed., April 24 Fri., April 26 Sat., April 27 Sun., April 28 Mon., April 29 Tue., April 30
at Indians 3:10 p.m. at Indians 12:10 p.m. vs. Mariners 1:10 p.m. vs. Mariners 1:10 p.m. vs. Mariners 1:10 p.m. vs. Rays 1:10 p.m. vs. Rays 1:10 p.m. vs. Rays 1:10 p.m. at Yankees 6:05 p.m. at Yankees 12:05 p.m. at Yankees 12:05 p.m. vs. Royals 7:10 p.m. vs. Royals 7:10 p.m. vs. Royals 1:10 p.m. at Tigers 12:10 p.m. at Tigers 6:10 p.m. at Tigers 12:10 p.m. at Tigers 12:10 p.m. at Orioles 6:05 p.m. at Orioles 6:05 p.m. at Orioles 6:05 p.m. vs. Tigers 7:10 p.m. vs. Tigers 6:10 p.m. vs. Tigers 1:10 p.m. vs. Orioles 7:10 p.m. vs. Orioles 7:10 p.m.
DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Wed., May 1 Thu., May 2 Fri., May 3 Sat., May 4 Sun., May 5 Mon., May 6 Tue., May 7 Wed., May 8 Thu., May 9 Fri., May 10 Sat., May 11 Sun., May 12 Mon., May 13 Tue., May 14 Thu., May 16 Fri., May 17 Sat., May 18 Sun., May 19 Mon., May 20 Tue., May 21 Wed., May 22 Thu., May 23 Fri., May 24 Sat., May 25 Sun., May 26 Mon., May 27 Tue., May 28 Wed., May 29 Thu., May 30 Fri., May 31
vs. Orioles 7:10 p.m. vs. Red Sox 7:10 p.m. vs. Red Sox 7:10 p.m. vs. Red Sox 6:10 p.m. vs. Red Sox 1:10 p.m. at Indians 5:10 p.m. at Indians 5:10 p.m. at Indians 5:10 p.m. at Indians 12:10 p.m. at Blue Jays 6:07 p.m. at Blue Jays 2:07 p.m. at Blue Jays 12:07 p.m. vs. Indians 7:10 p.m. vs. Indians 1:10 p.m. vs. Blue Jays 7:10 p.m. vs. Blue Jays 7:10 p.m. vs. Blue Jays 1:10 p.m. vs. Blue Jays 1:10 p.m. at Astros 7:10 p.m. at Astros 7:10 p.m. at Astros 7:10 p.m. at Astros 7:10 p.m. at Twins 7:10 p.m. at Twins 1:10 p.m. at Twins 1:10 p.m. vs. Royals 1:10 p.m. vs. Royals 7:10 p.m. vs. Royals 7:10 p.m. vs. Indians 7:10 p.m. vs. Indians 7:10 p.m.
APRIL 26-28
| vs. Detroit Tigers |
3:15 p.m. NBCSCH 1:15 p.m. NBCSCH 1:15 p.m. WGN
This three-game series against a seemingly beatable division opponent could be outfielder Eloy Jimenez’s debut at Guaranteed Rate Field. MLB’s service time rules will probably compel the Sox to send Jimenez to the minors to start the season. He’ll have to wait at least 16 days before joining the big club, meaning he could be up in time for an earlier home series with Kansas City, but even so, this will be the first set of weekend dates fans can get a look at the Sox’s top prospect.
APRIL WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN
MAY NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGNC
JUNE DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Sat., June 1
vs. Indians
1:10 p.m. NBCSCH
Schedule & highlights
JUNE 13-16
Sun., June 2 Tue., June 4 Wed., June 5 Fri., June 7 Sat., June 8 Sun., June 9 Mon., June 10 Tue., June 11 Thu., June 13 Fri., June 14 Sat., June 15 Sun., June 16 Tue., June 18 Wed., June 19 Fri., June 21 Sat., June 22 Sun., June 23 Mon., June 24 Tue., June 25 Wed., June 26 Fri., June 28 Sat., June 29 Sun., June 30
vs. Indians 1:10 p.m. at Nationals 6:05 p.m. at Nationals 12:05 p.m. at Royals 7:15 p.m. at Royals 1:15 p.m. at Royals 1:15 p.m. vs. Nationals 7:10 p.m. vs. Nationals 7:10 p.m. vs. Yankees 7:10 p.m. vs. Yankees 7:10 p.m. vs. Yankees 6:10 p.m. vs. Yankees 1:10 p.m. at Cubs 7:05 p.m. at Cubs 7:05 p.m. at Rangers 7:05 p.m. at Rangers 8:05 p.m. at Rangers 2:05 p.m. at Red Sox 6:10 p.m. at Red Sox 6:10 p.m. at Red Sox 12:05 p.m. vs. Twins 7:10 p.m. vs. Twins 3:12 p.m. vs. Twins 1:10 p.m.
NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN
DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Tue., July 2 Wed., July 3 Thu., July 4 Sat., July 6 Sun., July 7 Fri., July 12 Sat., July 13 Sun., July 14 Mon., July 15 Tue., July 16 Wed., July 17 Thu., July 18 Fri., July 19 Sat., July 20 Sun., July 21 Mon., July 22 Tue., July 23 Wed., July 24 Thu., July 25 Fri., July 26 Sat., July 27 Sun., July 28 Tue., July 30 Wed., July 31
vs. Tigers vs. Tigers vs. Tigers vs. Cubs vs. Cubs at Athletics at Athletics at Athletics at Royals at Royals at Royals at Royals at Rays at Rays at Rays vs. Marlins vs. Marlins vs. Marlins vs. Twins vs. Twins vs. Twins vs. Twins vs. Mets vs. Mets
JULY 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 6:15 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 9:07 p.m. 3:07 p.m. 3:07 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 12:15 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 5:10 p.m. 12:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m.
WGN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH FOX WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH+ WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH
AUGUST DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
WThu., Aug. 1 vs. Mets Fri., Aug. 2 at Phillies Sat., Aug. 3 at Phillies
1:10 p.m. NBCSCH 6:05 p.m. NBCSCH 6:05 p.m. WGN
Sun., Aug. 4 Mon., Aug. 5 Tue., Aug. 6 Wed., Aug. 7 Fri., Aug. 9 Sat., Aug. 10 Sun., Aug. 11 Mon., Aug. 12 Tue., Aug. 13 Wed., Aug. 14 Thu., Aug. 15 Fri., Aug. 16 Sat., Aug. 17 Sun., Aug. 18 Mon., Aug. 19 Tue., Aug. 20 Wed., Aug. 21 Thu., Aug. 22 Fri., Aug. 23 Sat., Aug. 24 Sun., Aug. 25 Tue., Aug. 27 Wed., Aug. 28 Thu., Aug. 29 Fri., Aug. 30 Sat., Aug. 31
at Phillies 12:05 p.m. at Tigers 6:10 p.m. at Tigers 6:10 p.m. at Tigers 12:10 p.m. vs. Athletics 2:10 p.m. vs. Athletics 6:10 p.m. vs. Athletics 1:10 p.m. vs. Astros 7:10 p.m. vs. Astros 7:10 p.m. vs. Astros 1:10 p.m. at Angels 9:07 p.m. at Angels 9:07 p.m. at Angels 8:07 p.m. at Angels 3:07 p.m. at Twins 7:10 p.m. at Twins 7:10 p.m. at Twins 12:10 p.m. vs. Rangers 7:10 p.m. vs. Rangers 7:10 p.m. vs. Rangers 6:10 p.m. vs. Rangers 1:10 p.m. vs. Twins 7:10 p.m. vs. Twins 7:10 p.m. vs. Twins 1:10 p.m. at Braves 6:20 p.m. at Braves 6:20 p.m.
NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH+ WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH+ NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH+ WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH
SEPTEMBER DATE
OPPONENT TIME TV
Sun., Sept. 1 Mon., Sept. 2 Tue., Sept. 3 Wed., Sept. 4 Thu., Sept. 5 Fri., Sept. 6 Sat., Sept. 7 Sun., Sept. 8 Tue., Sept. 10 Wed., Sept. 11 Thu., Sept. 12 Fri., Sept. 13 Sat., Sept. 14 Sun., Sept. 15 Mon., Sept. 16 Tue., Sept. 17 Wed., Sept. 18 Fri., Sept. 20 Sat., Sept. 21 Sun., Sept. 22 Tue., Sept. 24 Wed., Sept. 25 Thu., Sept. 26 Fri., Sept. 27 Sat., Sept. 28 Sun., Sept. 29
at Braves at Indians at Indians at Indians at Indians vs. Angels vs. Angels vs. Angels vs. Royals vs. Royals vs. Royals at Mariners at Mariners at Mariners at Twins at Twins at Twins at Tigers at Tigers at Tigers vs. Indians vs. Indians vs. Indians vs. Tigers vs. Tigers vs. Tigers
4:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 12:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 1:10 p.m. 9:10 p.m. 8:10 p.m. 3:10 p.m. 6:40 p.m. 6:40 p.m. 6:40 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 5:10 p.m. 12:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 7:10 p.m. 6:10 p.m. 2:10 p.m.
WGN NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH+ NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH NBCSCH WGN WGN NBCSCH NBCSCH+ NBCSCH WGN NBCSCH
| vs. New York Yankees | Can the Sox compete, or is this rebuilding team at least a year away from being a contender? This four-game home series against New York should be provide a good barometer. The Yankees, with solid pitching, a tough bullpen and sluggers including Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge in the batting order, are among the preseason front-runners to win the World Series and are always a draw; the stands should be packed with fans of both teams.
Aaron Judge
AP PHOTO
JULY 12-14
| at Oakland Athletics | The Sox will begin the second half with a 10-game, coast-to-coast road trip that will start in Oakland with stops in Kansas City (for four) and finishing with a three-game set in Tampa. The Sox are 1-5 at the Coliseum the past two seasons, and will be looking to start their second half – and the road trip – on a good foot as they seek to gather momentum in the second half. The A’s won 97 games in 2018 and will provide a tough test.
SEPT. 6-8
| vs. Los Angeles Angels | This weekend series will kick off a sixgame homestand for the Sox, their first after MLB rosters can be expanded to 40 players. Although it’s not impossible that the Sox could be in contention, it seems likely the focus of this rebuilding club will be on letting younger players gain some experience.
SEPT. 24-26
| vs. Cleveland Indians | The Indians are runaway favorites to win the AL Central. Will they have anything to play for in the waning days fo the 2019 season? What kind of lineup will the White Sox bring into the year’s second-to-last series against the powerhouse in their division?
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