By Roger Wallenstein
Year Three of The Rebuild
Has now come and gone.
Wouldn’t it have been nice
If the Sox had finished strong?
At the All-Star Game,
The boys were two games under.
But during the second half,
Things sure went asunder.
But the future is bright
For a number of reasons.
Although the reality is
Seven straight losing seasons.
Progress is not pretty.
Just ask the bosses.
But for the Sox diehards,
It means 89 more losses
What’s that, you say?
The team has found its groove?
There’s truth to that,
But they still need to improve
The core for days ahead
Is beginning to take shape.
Giolito, Moncada and Jimenez
Will fill seats at The Grate.
Believe it or not
Anderson was the top batter;
But the number of errors
Was a completely different matter.
Eloy got his contract.
He came through in the clutch.
His power is awesome.
His defense not so much.
Breaking balls were a dilemma.
Jimenez couldn’t resist them.
But once he became patient,
No pitch was a problem
Moncada made more contact
From both sides of the plate.
He’s an exceptional athlete.
He’s close to being great.
Abreu led in RBIs.
He’s a professional batter.
Now he’s without a contract;
C’mon, Hahn, what’s the matter?
While the lineup can rake
One aspect needs attention.
Yolmer led them in walks
Which defies comprehension.
The pitchers also were proficient
But in a most dismal statistic.
They were fifth in most walks.
They were far from artistic.
Can’t that be fixed?
What’s up with Don Cooper?
If he could work some magic,
We’d all think he’s super.
Giolito was solid,
Among the game’s elite.
But Lopez went backward.
He kept getting beat.
Cease could be the answer.
The kid has great stuff.
It was a season of learning.
Let’s hope it’s enough.
There are other young arms,
Cordero, Fry and Bummer.
If they keep getting better.
It’s gonna be a good summer.
Then here’s Michael Kopech;
The hype is amazing.
But can he rebound?
With a fastball that’s blazing?
So many questions
The answers aren’t clear.
We need a DH.
But not Alonso, I fear.
A free agent or two
Need to be Hahn’s goals.
Along with Madrigal and Luis Robert
To fill the big holes.
Fundamentals need improvement;
That’s up to the coaches.
No botched rundowns and cutoffs.
We need new approaches.
If Renteria is the man
To lead us to contention,
He needs to step up
If he’s intent on retention.
With all these prospects
Fans have become quite pensive.
If things go as expected,
Tickets will be expensive
When all is analyzed
Let this be our guide:
Things are pointing up
Moreso than on the North Side.
So now we sit back
And await Hahn’s next moves.
Throughout the long winter
Let see what it proves.
Opening Day will be glorious
As Year Four begins.
If the Sox move forward
We’ll forget their past sins.
Our patience is laudable;
We’re not looking at clocks.
We simply want a good ballclub,
The Chicago White Sox.
–
Former Bill Veeck bar buddy Roger Wallenstein is our White Sox correspondent. He welcomes your comments.
–
1. From Rory Clark:
Hope may spring eternal
Within the human breast
But being a Sox fan qualifies us
For the Cuckoo’s Nest
Seven straight losing seasons
Means the Sox have bad luck
They may have “potential”
But right now, they just suck
Rebuilding is fun
It’s great for a house
But in baseball, if you don’t win
You’re just a louse
Maybe I’m just cynical
In my old age
But rooting for “potential?”
I don’t want to engage
I admire you
For your diligent pursuit
Of a team that is all about
Stealing our loot
I don’t share your zeal
Still your column I adore
And fool that I am
I’ll keep reading more
I just hope for you
The rebuilding does take
Before you leave this earth
For goodness sake
2. From Chuck Adler:
Poetry ain’t easy,
Yours makes me queasy.
The Sox were not great,
But next year ‘s not too late.
Win 95 in 2020,
And that will be plenty.
Win 100 in 2021,
And the World Series is all fun in the sun.
– Nostradamus (1620 from his final portfolio to the future)
Posted on October 1, 2019