10 Burning Questions with Scott Merkin | White Sox Podcast
Rep the Southside whenever you pay with your White Socks debit card from Winrust Community Banks and score perks like free ATMs, no monthly fees, and a $300 opening bonus. Pay with pride every time with Windrust Chicago’s bank. [Music] Hey everyone, it’s Chuck Garfine. It is the White Sox podcast. It is brought to you as always by our great friends at Winrust, Chicago’s bank. Show your team pride with the White Socks debit card. You can get yours at winterest.com/socks. Member FDIC EHL lender. All right. Uh I’m looking outside right now. There is snow on the ground. It is freezing. It is absolutely freezing in Chicago, but baseball’s hot stove should be heating up soon. The baseball winter meetings are next week in Orlando. I will be there bringing you news interviews and podcasts every single day. And with Chris Gats looking to fill a bunch of holes on the roster, I don’t have three burning white socks questions for you. I don’t have five burning white socks questions for you. I’ve got 10. 10 burning. Yes, burning white Sox questions that will be answered at some point this off season, but I cannot wait until spring training or the regular season to try to answer them and nor can you. So, joining me to talk about and try to answer these questions is Scott Mkin, White Sox beat writer for an.com. Among those burning questions we will try to answer here, who will be the White Sox first baseman on opening day? What about right field? Who are they adding to the rotation? Will there be a closer? Can they finish the season around 500? And what will they do next week at the winter meetings? Yeah, I’ve got I’ve got 10 burning questions. They’re coming your way next. Let’s do it. Here we go. All right. Back on the podcast. Fellow Homewood Flossmore Viking himself and WHFH radio alum Scott Mkin. How you doing, Scott? If people only knew how long it took for me to get here with the techn for a guy who works formlb.com, I’m not the most technically sav savvy person in the world, but we got it done. Chuck, I’m doing I’ve had better weeks, but I’m doing okay right now. Yeah, it only took 45 minutes for Scott to figure things out with his computer. We had to get uh uh NASA involved to try to get this connection going. We got it. It worked. It worked. We have a lot to get to. Well, I mentioned WHFH radio. For those people who don’t know, that’s that’s the home and Flossomer High School radio station. Once upon a time, Scott Morgin started a sports talk show on that radio station in high school. You were the first host, right? I was. I was. And then many years later, many years later, I became the host of that show. Well, you just turned 30, right? So So 29. Many Yeah. You know, it’s funny. Uh Chuck knows both my younger brothers, Jeff and Randy, who both worked on that show and at that station. And Randy just posted a audio of when he went with WH to the East St. Louis football game, which is probably aside from the state title, the biggest moment in HF football history when they won an East St. Louis, who’s like, you know, East St. Louis is like a small college program basically. And they were a powerhouse in the 80s especially. And you didn’t win there for sure. that that for sure and they did HF did. So there you go. All right. We could do an entire podcast on WHFH radio. We would probably have like five listeners. We’d have Jason Benetti, Lawrence Holmes, Ben Bradley. We could have a lot of people on the podcast, right? We could get Paul Sullivan wasn’t a he was more Voyager than than W. Yes. He did not do the radio station. But Right. Right. Uh we are here to talk about the White Socks. There you go. And I have come to this podcast with 10 burning questions that we are going to answer or at least try to answer here on the podcast. Are you ready to do it, Scott? I’ll give my best. Give your best, please. Like I guess that’s yes. Our number one question and like let’s just cut to the chase. The winter meetings are next week. Tough to predict when trades and signings will happen, but what will the White Socks do at the winter meetings next week? Last year they traded Garrick Crochet at the winter meetings. The year before they signed Eric Fetty. Uh we’ve covered many of them. Usually something happens with the White Sox. Well, I’ll I’ll put a caveat on this in saying that, you know, talking to people last year, Crochet did not look like it was going to get done as of, let’s see, the last day was a Wednesday, right? And it happened literally. I remember sitting in the rule five draft. Yes. And seeing on my phone and hearing from people, you know, the trade is going down. Um, and uh that Tuesday night, it didn’t look like or Tuesday, it didn’t seem like it was going to happen. So, you never know on these things, you I think when you know past regime Rick Khan when they made the Chris Sale deal uh I think they knew that was going down during the winter meetings. I think you know Chris gets with the Dylan sees trade they came to that weekend before the trade happened took kind of the final offers and then made their decision Tuesday was it Tuesday or Wednesday during that next week during spring training. So I’m not sure if the socks have crochet or cease or sale to do that with this year. You know, I mean, Luis Robert, Luis Robert, let’s let’s cut some. Great guy. You know, you I know you’ve enjoyed covering him, Chuck. Hard worker, low-key dude, you know, even when you talk to him oneonone, just a really low-key guy, but fits well in that clubhouse, but I’m not sure he’s going to draw what you want in a trade at this point, especially a a Luis Robert for someone else trade. You may have to combine another player with him in a trade. So, do you make the deal and try and free up that money a little bit? you know, the $20 million that you picked up the option wise or do you keep them? So, this is a long answer to say I I really don’t know. I’ll tell you what, I think they’re gonna take someone to the rule five draft. They’ll have the second pick and I think they have a good shot to be number one in the draft lottery. Aside from that, I I don’t, you know, no, I I know they want to add on left-handed, you know, a left-handed bat. They’re looking at first base. They’re looking at corner outfield. They’re going to add another veteran starter, right? They have a really good young core. of of pitchers who fit well together. You know, Shane Smith, who I wrote about the day, you know, this week. Um, Davis Martin, Shawn Burke, Jonathan Cannon, Drew Thorps coming back, Noah Schulz, and Hagen Smith are on the rise. Tanner McDougall just got added to the 40man, but you want another veteran or two in that mix, too. So, all those are possibilities. I cannot at this point guarantee what’s going to happen. basically because it’s different the last couple years because there’s not that rebuild key guy that can change things around to make the deal on. You know what I’m saying? I mean, yeah. Like, you know, Crochet, they did very well on that trade so far, but you better do well on a trade for Garrick Crochet, right? Because he’s one of the best four or five starting pitchers in the entire game. So, if you don’t do well for him, you’re failing right off the bat. I don’t think there’s a guy like that on the Socks roster, unless they trade a younger guy. Even if they trade a younger guy, I don’t think he’s crochet level. All right. So, Chris Gat said at the GM meetings, and I’m quoting him here, uh, we’re going to be able to add some free agents. We’re going to be aggressive in the right places. So, uh, this is not going to be them signing Kyle Schwarber. Uh, this is sounds like one-year deals, maybe two-year deals. We’ll see. So, here is burning question number two. Who will be the White Sox first spaceman on opening day? Wow. So right now we’re assuming it’s Lenin Sosa. As we sit here today taping this, right, Miguel? I don’t know. I don’t know. So I’m saying as of today with no moves being made, Miguel Vargas is the third baseman. Lenin Sosa is the first baseman. I don’t know. Well, okay. I I would say someone like a Nathaniel Low could be the first baseman. I mean, a left-handed bat, good veteran presence that can help you for a year, can, you know, can hit a little bit, can play defense over there at first. So, someone of that ilk may not be him exactly. You know, it’s interesting because Chris, I forgot when he he did a bunch of zooms during the off season at the beginning or no, you know, like when moves started happening, they started adding to the coaching staff. They made a couple roster moves and at one point he said, you know, came out and said he didn’t think this off seasonason was a multi-year deal type of offseason and then he changed a little bit at the general manager meetings where he said, “Well, if they make sense, we’re going to do them.” So, you wonder if that changed or if he someone got in his ear a little bit and said, “Let’s not rule anything out until, you know, it happened.” Well, he’s the guy in charge, but maybe he rethought it or but I like you said, I would not wait on a Kyle Schwarber or Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman announcement. I I think if it’s a guy along the lines of a Fetti who could help you this year, also could be traded at the deadline to kind of flip. You know, at some point during this rebuild, they’re going to have to just build what they have and stop flipping. Obviously, you know, this is not like uh one of those HD TV house selling reality shows. you you got to turn at some point from building to winning, right? So maybe they look for a guy who they could add two or threeear deal that will help them not just in the rebuild part, but in the contention part too. Yeah. I mean, first base is interesting. And the reason why I wouldn’t answer that question about Lenin Sosa is, okay, he did lead the team in hits, home runs, and RBI’s. He was their best bat. So you can’t be like, well, he’s a guy without a position. Well, I looked it up. He played 41 games at first. actually played pretty well there. He had a zero defensive run saved and uh the White Sox seem to be very much stressing good defense. 41 games at first, as I said. At second base, he was a minus 10 defensive run save. So, do you want to put him at second base? Probably not. I’m guessing not. So, at first base, Miguel Vargas was plus4 defensively at first. Miguel Vargas at third base was minus three. Are you better to have Miguel Vargas at first base or third base on your team? Well, you have me, right, who you got from the Rays last year who can play. Wasn’t great. Right. So, I guess I I think there’s going to be an addition somewhere in that in that group. That’s what I see. First base, third base, whatever. There’s going to be another addition to add to the mix and, you know, try and get better, right? So, I look at this as I mean there’s Ryan here are the free agents and they want they seem to want a left-handed bat and there’s a few here. There’s Ryan O’Harn, there is Carlos Santana who’s a switch hitter. That’s a stop gap. Nathaniel Low who was okay with a left-handed bat. Uh Louisa Rise and Josh Bell who’s a switch hitter. To stop you for a second, Ryan O’Harn would make great sense. The question is he had a really good year last year. Is he going to work in terms of what the White Sox want to spend years-wise and moneywise? I think he has some connections to the White Sox, too. So, Fuller, too. Yeah. So, um even beyond Fuller, I think. So, maybe he wants to come there, which always helps, right? It always helps if you have a guy who’s, you know, saying that’s the place I want to be. But I’m sure he’s going to look at the market and see what’s out there. But O’Harn, you know, I forgot about her when I mentioned low. Nothing gets low. But I think O’Harn is probably the best fit. But that’s not going to be a one year or, you know, one year deal with an option or anything like that. Yeah. But when you look at who the White Socks have in their system, uh, and where they’re at, I mean, it’s either Miguel Vargas, who also can play third, Lennin Sosa, who might be able to play second. I mean, Chuck Garine, GM, I’m trying to sign Ryan O’Harn. That’s what I’m going to try to do. Scott Merin, he’s going for whatever. O’Harn makes sense if if it fits what you want to spend and if you don’t care so to speak if you’re like he’s the guy we want you know within reason give him what he wants and that’s great I think that’s a great fit I think he’s a great veteran guy he’s been on winning teams he’s contributed to winning teams so you know I mean bring him in let him go let him go for a couple years of the team but easy for us to say you know all right burning question number three which we’re kind of talking about who will be the white socks third baseman on opening day there’s Vargas there’s need. Now, this was interesting. There are two Japanese free agents, Kazuma Akamoto and Munetaka Murakami. The White Sox are poorly scouted Okamoto in Japan at an exhibition game a couple of weeks ago. He’s a power heading first baseman, third baseman. We’re trying to decide, not decide, we’re trying to see if how much the White Sox will spend. I’m assuming these kind of guys would cost money. So, if that’s the case, maybe they’re looking to sign one of these Japanese players. What do you think? I think it’s going to be Vargas. I think Vargas will be the third baseman. Now, I did hear during, you know, the last couple weeks there was some outside interest from other teams in Vargas. So, it depends on what the Socks I, you know, Vargas is good, but Vargas had a a really nice turnaround. I don’t know if you would agree with this, Chuck, but I think not only not that he was a he was bad in when he was acquired and was a 24, I guess. Yeah. But I mean, it was a rough period for him. He didn’t play very well. Yeah. The team was miserable. The team was record-breakingly miserable. And he went from the World Series champion to that. So, I think he just took off as a player and as just a presence in that clubhouse last year. Such an interesting guy to talk to, such a, you know, he fit really well in there and good sense of humor. Now, again, I I know people watching don’t care if the guy can tell a knock-knock joke or they want him to hit with the bases loaded, right? But I just think he took off in general as a player and as a presence with the White Sox. So if they if they don’t move him, if he’s not part of some deal, I think he’ll be the third baseman to start the year. That’s interesting that you uh have heard that teams are interested in Vargas. That’s interesting. Yeah. I mean I I don’t know what the level of interest. I just heard that there were some teams who who liked him as a player. I know the White Sox like him as a player. So yeah, I mean what what stood out for me when they acquired him and I did some research on him was who took him under his wing and thought very very highly of Miguel Vargas when he was in LA. Mookie Betts. Yeah. Mookie Betts doesn’t just do that. And then he comes over to the White Sox. I’m like this guy is like a shell of that kind of player because of all of what you just said, right? And then this past season I you could, you know, watching him play, talking to him, seeing him interact with teammates, seeing what teammates and even uh Will Venal talking about him, right? There’s a lot more than what meets the eye with Miguel Vargas as a player, as a teammate, as a presence. So, uh I’d love to see him also close with Jose Bou, which is another great uh resume presence, right? and second of all, cannab right now because he’s a huge Vikings fan and they’re really bad right now. And I guaranteed him that JJ McCarthy was going to be good for that team. So, he’s gonna be he’s going to be looking for me come spring training because my guy JJ has not been good for the for the Vikings. And he’s not even he’s battling concussion protocol right now. But so, he cannot be happy with his team. They are not good at all right now. No, they’re terrible. Uh here’s a question for you. Who will be the right fielder on opening day? Can it be Braden Montgomery? And if it’s not Braden Montgomery, who will it be? Uh, I don’t know who the right fielder will be. I don’t think it will be Braden Montgomery. I think I, you know, you look at a lot of guys. We have great people who cover prospects for MLB.com, MLB Pipeline, Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis, Sam Dystra, Kelsey Henan. There’s so many people on there I can mention. I’m forgetting. Oh, uh, Jesse Borick. There’s just so many good people. and everyone you see right pretty much has Montgomery targeted for 27. I think Montgomery is gonna force the issue and I think he’ll be up this year. I I do not think he will be on opening day roster. I think that’s almost a lock that he will not be. I I think there are some and rightfully so who believe not just in the socks organization but overall that it’s kind of tough to have a guy make his major league debut and make it on opening day on top of it. So I could see him, you know, playing some time in the minors, maybe uh all-star break, something like that. But I think he’s just got that fortitude and the skill more in the fortitude that he’s going to force the issues here. Who is the starting right fielder? My goodness. I have I don’t even know who would be out there now. There’s no Mike Talman. At least not right now. Uh Micah Stressky, Max Kepler, Adolles Garcia. All three would be good additions. I think I’m not sure what Garcia would be right now on the market. Kepler just because of the fact that you wouldn’t have to face him anymore, right? So, Adam Adam’s all line up. I’ll never forget the uh the co year. We all waited for baseball to come back. You know, no crowd there. The the the cardboard cutouts of the stand. Here we go. Season starting. Socks versus Twins. First pitch from Gelo. Kepler hits 400 feet to right field. We’re like, “All right, we’re ready to go. Let’s get moving. Here we go.” But, you know, he’s someone he’s someone you can put out there. And uh Yrimsky would be another really nice addition. So I I you know there are some good possibilities out there for the White Sox. Yeah, I think it’ll be a placeholder someone until you know Braden shows up and anyone who signs here is going to be like yeah your future right fielder is not me it’s Braden Montgomery so it’s got to be the right fit. I don’t know who players are players are aware of that, right? I mean, guys who are going to be signed for that certainly aren’t oblivious that like, well, I want a four-year deal, you know? So, I mean, I think they understand that and I think, you know, there’s certainly a much different feel regardless of the record with the White Sox going into 26 and there was going to 25. Wouldn’t you agree? Yeah. I mean, as I was talking to Shane the other day, Shane Smith, and he said, you know, yeah, we, you know, I mean, the bottom line is that the record it doesn’t lie. He said, you know, we we feel better about ourselves. It’s a good vibe, but we still lost 100 game 102 games. So, you got to get better. It’s three straight years of 100 losses, but so much different vibe on this team, more hope, and just, you know, creeping closer to where they want to be compared to coming out of 24 going into 25. Yeah. I mean, if you’re a player, a free agent, and you’re looking at teams, what teams are trending in the right direction? You can look at it that way. And the White Sox are a team that’s trending in the right direction. last year. No, no. They were It was like, where is this even going? And the team that they were in the second half showed even more promise. So, I I I could see a uh a free agent of those of that ilk wanting to sign here, but we’ll see. That’s going to be an interesting I’m very curious to see who’s in right and who’s in left with the White Socks. And it makes a difference, you know, for these players who are looking at the sacks. Obviously, money makes a difference, right? But for these players who maybe are getting about the same offers, to see a guy like Coulson come up and hit 21 home runs, to see the play of Kyle Teal, to see Edgar Carol, to see Chase Maid, to see Shane Smith pitch, to see Davis Martin and Shawn Burke and so forth and so on. You know, Jordan Leisure and Grant Taylor in the bullpen. You’re not just talking about it. Everyone can talk about prospects. You know, I I love covering the minor leagues. I love writing about it. But the minor leagues basically prepares you to get to where it counts, right? I’ve always joked that no one ever gives a Hall of Fame speech and says, you know, I thank God for hitting 380 in Jackson back in 1975. You know, it just gets you there. So, you can talk a lot about prospects and how great they’re when you actually see them perform even in a small samp small or samper size sample size. You know that there’s something there, right? So, you’re not just talking in theory, you’re talking in reality now. All right. Uh burning question number five. What kind of addition I feel like it’s a letterman. We should have like some sort of a drum roll. Yeah, something like that. Yeah. Uh, what kind of additions will the White Socks make to the White Socks starting rotation next year? Because right now they’re starting rotation as far as I can tell. Not just as far as I can tell. I just tell you it. It’s Shane Smith, it’s Davis Martin, and then three question marks, right? Yeah. I think I think Shawn Burke probably has a leg up for that third spot there. Leg up, but not like you’re in the rotation. Well, put it this way. I don’t think they’re signing three veterans. So, I think Shawn Burke is gonna So, I think you know competition for one of those spots. They they they are add they’re going to add we talked about this a little bit a little bit ago. I think they’re going to add veteran pitchers. You know, I know they loved Martin Perez last year despite the fact that he was hurt for a good portion of the season when he was healthy. They loved what he did on the mound. They loved what he did with the team. You know, it’s funny because you heard in spring training and we don’t see everything that goes on there. you know, man, he’s such a great influence on these young guys. And I look around, I’m like, I don’t see them talking that much. And then there was a couple times early in the season where I would I had to go down like to the dugout to interview someone and I’d see Perez sitting with one of the pitchers just kind of going over stuff and, you know, he’s such a such a good guy to talk to. Just a really knowledgeable guy about the game. So, I think they’ll look for someone of that ilk, you know, uh to add. I don’t know what Perez’s situation is right now. You know, he ended the season injured. Um, I don’t think he required surgery at any point. So, no, who knows what the situation is there, but I think it’ll be someone of that ilk. Someone can give you innings can be a I think Chris is really cognizant on the clubhouse fit, don’t you think, too? I I think he wants guys who will enhance what they’re building there. I mean, everyone wants that, right? But I think if you’re if you’re a team like, I don’t know, you’re one piece away from winning the World Series, you take a chance on maybe a guy who doesn’t have the perfect clubhouse rep. think with the socks who are not one piece away, you want to make sure this guy can help the team on the field but can also fit in the clubhouse as well. Well, I mean, Martin Perez wins a World Series with the Rangers, goes to the Red Sox, then comes to the White Socks and all he did was rave about being here on a team that lost 100 games and he was hurt for most of it, but he stuck around. He could have gone home, but no, he was there the whole time. That says to me that he wants to come back and he does, but at a lower price. That’s what it would have to be. Of course, it also says to me like there’s a reputation around the league now. Now, it’s not we’re not going to see Justin Verlander signing here, you know, but although he would be a good guy to have on that rotation, what want to win? Of course, talk about an incredible veteran presence for a year, though. My goodness, he’d be perfect. So, that’s what I think, you know, if there’s a if there’s a pitcher out there who’s looking for a one-year deal. Um, I got a few here. Would Mel Kelly get a one-year deal? No, probably a little more than that. Yeah. Uh, Walker Buer, Adriana Howser, Patrick Corbin, who I said on the previous podcast. That’s my prediction that they’ll sign him. Jose Canana. There’s a there’s enough guys. Now, I know they had they had in Canana last year before they settled on not settled, that’s a bad choice of words, before they moved on and went to Martine Perez. So Kantana could be a guy, I guess, who could come back. He’s Boy, Canana, isn’t that Isn’t that a great story? I mean, a guy who was not protected by the Yankees. The Sock Scouts, I think it was Joe Sears and Daka Dak Shahada. I’m pronouncing his name. Wrong. I know it. Um, found him and what is he 15 years, 14 years into the game now? I’m looking it up because I want to actually see all the teams that he’s played for since the White Socks uh traded him. Hold on a second. Uh, I mean this is crazy. Straight to the Cubs. Since 2021, you want to guess how many teams he’s played for? Since 2021, I will say since 2021. So that’s five. 21 22 23 24 five seasons. Seven teams. I’ll say uh Angels, Giants, Pirates, Cardinals, Mets, Braves. I missed by one. That Braves uh Brewers six Brewers. I missed by one. It’s a lot. But look, he had a 3.97 erra or 96 RA last year. Went 11 and seven with the Brewers. The dude just there’s no other way to describe it, but he just knows how to pitch, right? He just knows how to go out. He’s he’s he’s a lesser accomplished like Mark Burley. You don’t look at him and say, “Oh, he throw still throws 98 or he has this pitch.” right? He just goes out there and then at the end of six innings, you’re like, “Oh, he’s gonna have three runs and and five hits.” It’s just that’s just the kind of guy he he’s been since he’s got with the socks. Uh all right, here here is a uh interesting question that I What’s that? Is it number six? Number six. We’re at number six. Uh all these questions are interesting, but I I think this of course they are. Uh but uh will the White Socks sign a closer? I think they will. I think they will. Before you answer, I want to explain why I feel they need to as a team. They had 25 saves last year, last in the majors. They were 25 for 49 in save opportunities. Uh eight different pitchers got saves. But I just want to go back to that. You know, the reason why I get like damaged at times like emotionally from a White Sox season is when I realize that I was on the set for 24 blown saves. Were you really? Yeah, they were 25 for 49. Now, I will say 25 for 49 can be a little misleading because, you know, you come in and it’s 54 in the sixth and the bases are loaded and nobody out. You have to sack fry fly. Yeah. Sack, fly, and strike out the next two. That’s a blown save, right? Is that a blown save in the six? It is. Absolutely. Okay. Absolutely. So, you know, I I but nonetheless, they lost a lot of close games. They lost a lot of games where they were leading. I know that did not sit well even in a rebuild with the organization and they weren’t blaming anyone. They just didn’t want to have that happen again. I think they have some good young guys back there. The saves leader from last year, Jordan Leisure, had seven. He was number one. Grant Taylor will be back in the bullpen. maybe doing more of a multi-ining type of thing. It sounds like from what Chris said, I wasn’t at the general manager meetings, but from what he said out there, but I think they will get a closer. I really do. I think, you know, you can get a closer and allow guys to work through late inning roles like that and learn from him as well and maybe move into that role. Maybe you move him, you know, at the deadline and someone takes over the rest of the way. I really do think there will be I don’t know if it’ll be you know Robert Suarez or I think Heisley already signed but you know yeah he signed with the Orioles or it won’t be may not be the frontline guy but I think there will be a guy who they can say now Will was big on last year saying you know we don’t have a closer in the ninth inning it might be the seventh it might be the eighth I get it you I think you want someone even for a team that you know is targeting what did they win 60 last year maybe quietly saying to themselves man if we can get near 500 this year that’d Great. 75 to 81 wins, 82 wins, 83 wins would be great. You still you need a closer. You need to have someone back there. Doesn’t have to be every ninth inning guy, but who you rely on in that, you know, he is your number one guy in high leverage situations. Yeah. And that’s going to take a multi-year deal, I think. And you know what? Sign someone a multi-year deal and then trade them. I mean, if you have to trade them, you trade them. That’s I think this is a uh I would be shocked if they didn’t have a a closer on this team. And I wouldn’t give it to Grant Taylor yet. I wouldn’t give it to Jordan Leisure yet. Just I’m not saying they can’t do it, but like it would be nice just to go into the season and be like, “Okay, everybody just let’s just settle down the bullpen. the ninth inning is yours and then everyone else you’ll slide into your specific roles because as you know getting the final three outs of a baseball game is much different than the eighth and the seventh. Yeah, but you know it does make sense obviously having good guys all the way across because sometimes it really is the case where you need the best guy in the seventh inning to get through that jam and then go from there. But nonetheless, like you said, it’s still something extra to finish off that last inning. We’ve seen that with the Socks the last couple years. Correct. Um, all right. Number seven, burning question. What players could get traded from this team? Now, you brought up Luis Robert Jr. and Chris Gat said at the GM meetings, quote, “We are planning on him being in a White Sox uniform on opening day.” So, if you’re planning on it, okay, you’re planning on him being there, but there could obviously be a trade that would happen and that would change that. And as I look at the landscape here, Scott, I mean, among the teams looking to upgrade in center field this year, this off season, Phillies, Mets, Rays, Orioles, Diamondbacks, Royals. Your center field free agents are Harrison Bader, Cedric Mullins, JJ Bladeet, Garrett Hamson. I don’t know how many other guys are available on the trade market, but you know, people are saying for obvious reasons that Luis Robert Jr. doesn’t stay healthy. He’s had an up and down last couple of seasons, but he does play really good defense. And if you’re looking to upgrade in center field, I could see a trade. I could see a trade happening this off seasonason. What do you see? Well, here everything you said is accurate. And we’ve talked about, you know, the immense value of Luis and, you know, seems to fit wherever he goes. And you know this, Chuck, you talk to a lot of people too. I mean, you really hear from people across the clubhouse what a good guy he is and how hard he worked. You don’t hear that about every player all the time, but you really do hear that consistently about Luis Robert. Yes. Now, the question is when you’re trading him, are you picking up any of the $20 million he’s owed for this year? Because that does affect the prospect return. Absolutely. Or are you willing to move him if a team like, you know, sort of what we saw with Devers, right? If you are you willing to move him Rafael never talk about if some team takes a $20 million and you take what you can or do you attach another player on to Robert in the deal and try and enhance the return. So there’s a lot of possibility or is he your starting center fielder once again I’ll tell you what he could Luis Robert could probably write a book about handling trade rumors at this point because legitimately I think he’s been talked about since the 24 deadline at this point. Mhm. So, I mean, and it makes sense because as Chris gets has astutely said, he can’t shut the door on anyone pretty much, right? I mean, I’m sure there are a few guys on that team who he’s not trading. He’s not trading Cula Montgomery. He’s not trading Noah Schulz, you know, that kind of thing. But I think at this point, and it’s kind of like what, you know, Rick Han said in the previous regime in this part point of the rebuild as you’re building up, anyone is possible, right? You can move pretty much anyone. So I I think you know Luis is out there to be had if the right ask is there and now the question is what is the right ask? Is it taking the $20 million completely or is it you know a really good prospect if you eat a little bit of the money or are you fine keeping him? But I I think you know anything to quote I was just watching some wrestling documentary this weekend and to quote Teddy Biasi the million-dollar man everyone has a price right so we’ll see what you know that is with Luis if there is one with Luis Robert I mean if he’s going for $20 million for next year and say the White Sox say hey we’ll pay for half of it so we get a better prospect in return all right $10 million but we get this great prospect and then you whoever acquires him can spend that $10 million that you’re not paying on somebody else. Like you can look at it that way maybe. Um I don’t know. It’s uh I can see all sorts of scenarios happening. He gets traded in the off season. He gets traded in spring training. He doesn’t get traded until the deadline or he’s on the team the whole rest of the season. And we go through this one more time next year. Because here’s a question I want to ask you, Scott. If they trade him, who’s their future center fielder? That’s That’s a fair point. That’s a fair point. But on the same sense with Robert, at the most, well, not the most, in this contract, you have him at the most for this year and next year, right? Yes. If you if you exercise a $20 million option, which you know, if if he can stay healthy and let’s say 2023 was kind of the outlier, you know, let’s say he’s a very good player, but he’s not going to be MVC cat. Yeah, that’s still a really good player, right? I mean, it’s a good defensive player, a 30 stolen base guy, a guy who can hit you 20 home runs. So, you know, no, there really is, you know, no one that I can think of off top of my head in that system right now that’s like knocking on the door unless they envision Braden Montgomery going there at some point, but I don’t think they see him as a center fielder right now. So, if I’m another team and there’s a lot to Robert obviously, right, good and bad. But if I’m if I’m the Phillies and I’m like, I can put Luis Robert Jr. batting seventh in my lineup like what does that do for my lineup and my defense like or the Mets, whatever you want to say. He’s not going to have to be the number three or number four hitter. Um he’s not alpha and it’s nothing against Luis Robert because not everyone is alpha and so he can be just be his beta self. Absolutely. and and they have other leaders on the team wherever he’s going to get traded if it happens and he can flourish like I there’s so much more to him than just look at his stat line from the last I think it’s not even alpha beta I think it’s just that like you said he won’t have to be the guy right yeah he won’t be the guy the lineup you know wherever he goes I don’t think Luis Robert is going to Pittsburgh or he’s going to the A’s or the A’s are kind of up and coming too but you know I don’t think he’s going to a second division team I think he’s going to a contend contender. So, wherever he goes, he’s going to be the fifth, sixth, seventh guy in the line. Now, he might end up playing well above that level, right? Yeah. The biggest thing with him, and he readily admits it, is he’s got to stay healthy, and he just has not done that consistently. I mean, people talk about, oh, he came around in the second half. Well, he did, but he missed the last six weeks of the season, too. You know, and you it’s it’s kind of a I would think I’m not privy to these conversations. I’m not part of him. But I would think it’s kind of a tougher trade talk when they say, “Yeah, he’s good, but look what he missed again last year.” you know, that’s no there’s the word but follows Luis Robert Junior wherever he goes, you know, so uh I’m not blinded by the fact that I could see why teams could be reluctant to acquire him as well. I will say a funny moment with him last year we interviewed him like right before the trade deadline and I went over after we done it and I shook his hand. I said, “Hey, thanks for everything.” Because he was, you know, he was good. He was a good guy. Still was a good guy. And he kind of mumbled and looked at me and he’s like, “I’ll still be here.” So I think he knew he wasn’t going anywhere at that point. So I my feeling is like defense is so important in baseball these days and how much are is up the middle defense considered how important that is in baseball. You put Luis Robert Jr. in center field like I’m not saying he’s the best center fielder but like in terms of who’s available him and Harrison Bader there’s not even anyone close to these two guys defensive. No it’s it’s important but again and I think Harrison Bader has a little bit of this too. You got to have, you know, availability to quote the line from Chaz Pelmentarian of Bronxale, availability is is the key. And he has not been there. And, you know, I’m not saying anything that he hasn’t said. So, it’s, you know, it’s I I think he’s handled the situation real well. I talked to him a couple times oneonone in spring training last year where I think he kind of thought there’s no way I’ll be the opening day starting center fielder for the White Sox, but he was and he was ready to go. So, I think wherever he’ll be is where he’s going to be ready to play. You know, I don’t think there’s going to be anything like I’m still here or, you know, are you going to extend me or that kind of thing. It’s like, okay, let’s get going. We’re in Milwaukee. Let’s play baseball. Right. Well, my eighth burning question was if the White Sox trade Robert, who’s a future center fielder? I think it’s Everson Pereira. That’s where we’re at. Well, he’s the immediate future center fielder. Yeah. Are you are you moving Braden Montgomery to center field? Am I missing someone? Who is their future center fielder? I mean, George Walco is a good, you know, Oh, George Wo. Okay. But he’s also I mean a true prospect, right? I mean he’s got some years until he’s he’s 19. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So yeah, I forgot about Pereira in terms of if they trade him for 26, Pereira is your center fielder. All right. Unless you add someone from the free agent market. Yeah, it’s it’s really interesting. All right. Uh Bernie, question number nine. Nine. Nine. We’re almost done. How much will a new pitching coach and hitting coach help the White Sox? I mean, I thought personally, I mean, I’ve talked to both guys now. I think they’re both good guys. Good guys. Good guys. Everyone’s a good guy. This is this is a little inside joke with uh M and me. Not everyone, but a lot of people are interesting perspectives. But I I don’t know about you, I thought Catz and Ethan Katz and Marcus Dams did a good job. You know, I thought they they helped I I mean, I think the offense was huge for the most part in the second half, right? I mean, turned around a great And by the way, they were both immediately hired or almost immediately hired in the offse by other teams. You cannot say that about previous coaching staffs with the White Socks. Yeah. I mean, I So, I I think ultimately, you know, it’s good to have the voice you want. Yeah. But I think it’s, you know, not I think it’s a players game. You can, you know, show them all you want. You can teach them all you want. They got to perform on the field and they know that. So, a lot of good guys in that lineup. So, they got to come through and produce no matter who’s, you know, Chuck, we’ve both been, excuse me, doing this long enough where we’ve heard, you know, so and so will fix them, so and so will do this. And ultimately, I think even the best of coaches, I go back to, you know, I think one of the most underrated coaches in the history of Chicago sports is Greg Walker and Mike Ellinger as the one two tandem with, you know, World Series team. And I think they’ll be the first one to tell you like, you know, we show them what we know, but they got to execute it on the field. So, good coaches, good managers are great. You got to have the guys perform. Yeah. I I think it’s a combination of I think this staff is trying to find a combination of coaches that can really teach. And I’m not saying the other guys couldn’t and players who can be teachable, right? Well, it’s a it’s a young it’s a young staff with a young team, right? Yeah. Yeah. Um, you know, I I haven’t gotten a straight answer as to why Cats and THs are not here. They are both good coaches in their own right. They both got hired by the Astros and the Royals. Um, yeah, that’s where Timuk went. The Royals. Is that right? I believe so. Yes, he did. He did. Hey, how about that? The Royals can’t bring in a White Socks guy. There you go. There you go. But yeah, I’ve I’ve spoken to both um Showman and where’s my brain? Uh both. Both. And uh they I’m impressed with both of them. So, we’ll see what happens. Are you ready for the last burning question? I’ve been ready. Yes. All right. I could come up with 20. I mean, I am a podcast professional here, but I will just do 10 for you just now. And maybe in spring training, we’ll do 10 more. I’ll look forward to this is not about the debacle of Michigan football on Saturday, was it? We’re avoiding that one. No, we uh we will never talk Michigan football on this podcast. Only when they lose, actually. So, you’re right. Since they lost, we can talk about Michigan football. Um, will the White Socks or No, I It’s not a will. It’s a can. Okay. Can the White Socks, now this is also in early early early December before they’ve really made any big moves or any moves at all. They’ve made just a couple small ones, but can they finish the season around 500 next year? They can. Will they? Okay. Will they uh I I chances? It’s so early. I mean, early December, it’s tough to make a prediction in early March. Yeah. Whether they can or can’t. I mean, be honest with me. When you went to the All-Star break last year, did you have any thought in mind that that offense would look like it did in the second half? No. There was there was nothing going into the break that said, “Oh, yeah. This team is going to become a powerhouse and just crush the baseball.” There was no like a top 10 offense right after the All Amazing. I mean, that I I I watched at, you know, first road trip and it was I was on that Pittsburgh Tampa road trip and I’m like, who is this team? Even with the great young players kind of getting, you know, experience under their belt, right? So, You just don’t know. You don’t know. I I think that’s their goal. You know, they went 60 and 102 last year. I think if you can improve, you know, let’s be honest, you had to improve from 24. If you didn’t, you were doing something really wrong. If you could improve from 24, I could see this I could see this team I could see it. I can see this team getting to 80 wins. I can see it. I’m not saying it’s going to happen. The 20 win jump. So, you got to see what the rest of the division looks like. and what they add on or how confident they are in who they have and what steps these guys take. Don’t look at a hundred losses in my opinion. Don’t look at a 100 losses from last year. Look at the last 60 games, right? You know, like can that team be 500? That’s what I’m looking at. They were they were 40 games under 500 for the season. That first half team was not in exactly a position to really win a lot of games. Okay. Okay. So, the second half team, I think they finished 28 and 37 in the second half of the season. Okay. So, that’s not that’s not 500. But, no, no, but now you’re hoping to take a jump from that. I got you. I got you. I see what you’re saying. Yeah, makes sense. So, I’m looking right now at their what they were for the second half. So, it was 66 games after the All-Star break. The White Socks I I can’t believe I’m saying this, even though I know the answer, and you do, too. They were eighth in the majors in home runs. They had no power for like a year and a half. And then in runs, they ranked 10th. So, they were top 10 offense. And then, uh, let’s just see OPS, they were um 13th in OPS, but like we’ll just look at runs. How they scored more runs in the second half than uh they were tied with the Mariners. They had more runs in the Dodgers. More runs in the Dodgers, the Giants, the Diamondbacks, the Red Sox, the Rangers, the Cubs, the Tigers, the Astros. Just interesting how that played out last year for them. I mean, I think a great, you know, example is Coulson, obviously. Now, I always thought literally from early on his career, this is a guy who was going to be better in the major leagues than he than it mattered in the minors because I thought he was just a prime time center stage guy who when you know the lights were brightest, he was going to be at his best. But I don’t think there was anyone including probably Coulson who saw 21 home runs in his first 71 games, right? That was just crazy. And it’s funny, we joked about, you know, I think maybe, you know, as a first year guy, talking to the media four or five times a week, kind of wore on him a little bit near the end, but we’re like, “Dude, you’re hitting a home run of importance every day. You’re the topic.” You know, I mean, if you go 0 for four, we’re probably not going to search you out and talk to you, but you’re you’re crushing the baseball right now. And yeah, again, Montgomery, good guy. Good guy. Really good guy. Big big IU star. Seen him in uh seen a lot of videos of him in IU basketball, IU football. really embracing his IU roots this off seasonason. Yes. Yes. Really good guy. Key guy. Key guy for that team. Key guy. Key guy. Who Who’s a bad guy? We’re not going to go into that. No. No one in this organization. Everyone I I can give you a few bad guys off the air. Well, uh, you’re a good guy, Scott Mkin. Thanks for doing this. Took me 45 minutes to get on here, but we got it. So it it it took you longer to get on the podcast than it did for us to do the podcast. How about that? Should we should we stretch this another three minutes so it doesn’t happen that way? No, no. I like I I like that I will always be able to say I did a podcast with you which was shorter than how long it took for you to figure out how to get on the podcast. So the whole comparison of this is about 10 minutes shorter than a Mark Burley complete game pretty much. Yes, that is true. I will see you in Orlando. I’ll be there, good Lord willing. Winter meetings next week, everybody. Uh, have a get your ears and brains ready for a lot of podcasts coming your way from the winter meetings next week and we’ll see what the White Socks do. Scott Mark and read his stuff at MLB.com and wherever you uh read MLB.com. Anything else you want to plug before we wrap it up here before it gets to 45 minutes? I think that’s uh I guess good talk with Shane Smith this week. That’ll be on the site at some point soon. All right, that is a wrap for this edition of the White Socks podcast. Hawk Harelson. Good guy. Great guy. Great guy. Legendary. Iconic guy. Take We’re getting We’re getting close to 45. All right, Art Chuck. This edition of the White Sox podcast is over. [Music]
Chuck Garfien is joined by MLB.com’s White Sox beat writer Scott Merkin for a deep dive into the biggest storylines of the Sox offseason. Chuck puts Scott on the spot with 10 Burning Questions—from what the White Sox might do at the Winter Meetings to who will be playing first base, third base, and right field on Opening Day 2026. They discuss potential additions to the rotation, whether the Sox will pursue a closer, which players could be on the trade block, and if Luis Robert Jr. is on the move, who would take his spot in center field.
Chuck and Scott also look at how the new pitching and hitting coaches could shape the team’s future and evaluate the chances the Sox can push toward a .500 season in 2026.
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